Contribution of mechanical forces to structural synaptic plasticity:insights from 3D cellular motility mechanisms

Cells,tissues,and organs are constantly subjected to the action of mechanical forces from the extracellular environment-and the nervous system is no exception.Cell-intrinsic properties such as membrane lipid composition,abundance of mechanosensors,and cytoskeletal dynamics make cells more or less likely to sense these forces.Intrinsic and extrinsic cues are integrated by cells and this combined information determines the rate and dynamics of membrane protrusion growth or retraction(Yamada and Sixt,2019).Cell protrusions are extensions of the plasma membrane that play crucial roles in diverse contexts such as cell migration and neuronal synapse formation.In the nervous system,neurons are highly dynamic cells that can change the size and number of their pre-and postsynaptic elements(called synaptic boutons and dendritic spines,respectively),in response to changes in the levels of synaptic activity through a process called plasticity.Synaptic plasticity is a hallmark of the nervous system and is present throughout our lives,being required for functions like memory formation or the learning of new motor skills(Minegishi et al.,2023;Pillai and Franze,2024).

Decoding molecular mechanisms:brain aging and Alzheimer's disease

The complex morphological,anatomical,physiological,and chemical mechanisms within the aging brain have been the hot topic of research for centuries.The aging process alters the brain structure that affects functions and cognitions,but the worsening of such processes contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders,such as Alzheimer's disease.Beyond these observable,mild morphological shifts,significant functional modifications in neurotransmission and neuronal activity critically influence the aging brain.Understanding these changes is important for maintaining cognitive health,especially given the increasing prevalence of age-related conditions that affect cognition.This review aims to explore the age-induced changes in brain plasticity and molecular processes,differentiating normal aging from the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease,thereby providing insights into predicting the risk of dementia,particularly Alzheimer's disease.

Pyroptosis,ferroptosis,and autophagy in spinal cord injury:regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic targets

Regulated cell death is a form of cell death that is actively controlled by biomolecules.Several studies have shown that regulated cell death plays a key role after spinal cord injury.Pyroptosis and ferroptosis are newly discovered types of regulated cell deaths that have been shown to exacerbate inflammation and lead to cell death in damaged spinal cords.Autophagy,a complex form of cell death that is interconnected with various regulated cell death mechanisms,has garnered significant attention in the study of spinal cord injury.This injury triggers not only cell death but also cellular survival responses.Multiple signaling pathways play pivotal roles in influencing the processes of both deterioration and repair in spinal cord injury by regulating pyroptosis,ferroptosis,and autophagy.Therefore,this review aims to comprehensively examine the mechanisms underlying regulated cell deaths,the signaling pathways that modulate these mechanisms,and the potential therapeutic targets for spinal cord injury.Our analysis suggests that targeting the common regulatory signaling pathways of different regulated cell deaths could be a promising strategy to promote cell survival and enhance the repair of spinal cord injury.Moreover,a holistic approach that incorporates multiple regulated cell deaths and their regulatory pathways presents a promising multi-target therapeutic strategy for the management of spinal cord injury.

Effect and mechanism of miR-34a on proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of laryngeal carcinoma cells

Objective: To discuss the effect and mechanism of miR-34 a on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of laryngeal carcinoma cells. Methods: The laryngeal squamous carcinoma Hep2 cells were transiently transfected with miR-34 a mimics and miR-34 a NC. The MTT, colony-forming assay, Hoechst staining and Annexin V-PI double staining flow cytometry were employed to detect the effect of miR-34 a on the viability and apoptosis of laryngeal squamous carcinoma Hep2 cells; Transwell assay to defect the effect of miR-34 a on the migration and invasion of laryngeal squamous carcinoma Hep2 cells; western blot and RTPCR assay to defect the effect of miR-34 a mimics on the expression of survivin and Ki-67 m RNA in laryngeal squamous carcinoma Hep2 cells. Results: Compared with miR-34 a NC group, the cell viability in miR-34 mimics group was significantly decreased(P<0.01), the cell apoptosis rate was significantly increased(P<0.01), the abilities of cell migration and invasion were significantly reduced(P<0.01) and the expression of survivin and Ki-67 m RNA was significantly decreased(P<0.01). Conclusions: The increased expression of miR-34 a can induce the apoptosis of Hep2 laryngeal carcinoma cells and inhibit the cell proliferation and invasion, which is related to the down-regulated expression of survivin and Ki-67.

Effect and mechanism of the Twist gene on invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma cells

AIM: To study the effect of the transfected Twist gene on invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma cells and the possible mechanisms involved. METHODS: Human gastric carcinoma MKN28 cells were stably transfected with Twist sense plasmid, and MKN45 cells were stably transfected with Twist antisense plasmid using the lipofectamine transfection technique. RT-PCR, Western blotting, EMSA, gelatin zymography assay, and in vitro invasion and migration assays were performed. Nude mice metastasis models were established by the abdominal cavity transfer method. RESULTS: Cell models (TwistS-MKN28) that steadily expressed high Twist protein were obtained. Compared with MKN28 and pcDNA3-MKN28 cells, adherence, migration and invasion ability of TwistS -MKN28 cells were clearly raised. The number of cancer nodules was increased significantly in the abdominal cavity and liver of nude mice inoculated with TwistS-MKN28 cells. Overexpression of Twist in MKN28 cells increased Tcf-4/ Lef DNA binding activity, and promoted expression of Tcf-4’s downstream target genes cyclin D1 and MMP-2. However, suppression of Twist (TwistAS-MKN45) inhibited MKN45 cell invasion and the expression of cyclin D1 was reduced. The activity of MMP-2 was also decreased. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that Twist promotes gastric cancer cell migration, invasion and metastasis, and Twist may play an important role in Wnt/ Tcf-4 signaling.

Fluctuating resources,disturbance and plant strategies:diverse mechanisms underlying plant invasions

This paper examines the hypothesis that non-native plant invasions are related to fluctuating resource availability as proposed by Davis et al. （2000）. I measured relative functional responses of both invasive and native plants to changed resource availability due to nutrient enrichment and rainfall, and to increased disturbance. Data are presented from studies in two contrasting ecosystems. First is a series of glasshouse and field experiments on the invader Hieracium lepidulum and associated invasive and native species in subalpine temperate New Zealand. Second is a field study of invasive and native plant responses to altered disturbance regimes and rainfall from tropical savannas of north eastern Australia. Invaders responded differently from native species to changes in resource availability in both subalpine and tropical studies. However, invaders differed among themselves showing that different species exploit different functional niches to invade their respective habitats. These findings contribute to the contention that the fluctuating resource hypothesis does not provide a universal explanation for plant invasions. The diverse functional responses to increased resource availability among invaders in this and previous studies suggest that the cause of invasion depends on unique combinations of habitat and functional attributes of invaders and native assemblages. Such findings imply that universal predictions of what will happen under climate change scenarios across the globe will be difficult to make.

Forestry activity is one mechanism of invasion by arboreal plants

For a long time,forestry primarily had industrial goals.Volume of wood production was the main criterion of forestry efficacy,and thus rapid-growing arboreal species were cultivated in natural forests.More recently,nature protection has become one of forestry＇s goals.Unfortunately,some introduced,rapid-growing species became aggressive components of natural ecological systems during the interim.In this paper,we first describe a method that we developed to categorize aggressiveness of invasive arboreal plants in natural forest ecosystems of Kazakhstan.We then apply this new scheme to monitoring data of invasive arboreal plants to provide an insight into the invasion potential of different species in the fruit forests of Southeast Kazakhstan.

Mechanisms of inhibition by aspirin of endometrial carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion

Objective:To investigate the effects and mechanisms of aspirin on the proliferation,migration and invasion of endometrial carcinoma HEC-1 A cell lines.Methods:HEC-1 Acells were cultured to the exponential phase and treated with different concentrations of aspirin(0.625 mmol/L,1.25 mmol/L,2.5 mmol/L,5 mmol/L and 10 mmol/L)for 24 to 120 hours.Cell proliferation was assessed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT)assay.The migration and invasion of HEC-1 Acells were detected by transwell assay.The protein expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and ascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2(VEGFR-2)in HEC-1 Acells were determined by western blotting.Results:MTT results showed that aspirin inhibited the growth and proliferation of endometrial cancer cells in concentration and time-dependent manner.Aspirin had a significant inhibitory effect on the migration and invasion of HEC-1 Acells(P<0.05).In addition,aspirin obviously suppressed concentration-dependently the expression levels of VEGF and VEGFR-2(P<0.05).Conclusion:Aspirin could inhibit the proliferation,migration and invasion of endometrial cancer cells.The anti-tumor mechanism of aspirin might be related to the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis via blocking the VEGF/VEGFR-2 signaling pathway.

Research Progress on the Invasion Mechanism of Erigeron annuus

Erigeron annuus(L.)Pers.,an alien species,is widely distributed in most areas of China.It was included in the third batch of invasive alien species list by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China,and it is a first-level malignant invasive plant.Due to its great reproducibility with a mass of seeds,power adaptability to the external environment and strong allelopathy,it has highly invasive and adaptability,and has affected the development of the agriculture and forestry,the diversity of local species and the ecosystem.In this paper,we summarized the current invasion situation,invasion and adaptation mechanism of E.annuus,and prospected further research on E.annuus invasion mechanism,hoping to provide a reference for realizing its effective management.

Investigation on microscopic invasion characteristics and retention mechanism of fracturing fluid in fractured porous media

Reservoir damage caused by guar gum fracturing fluid and slick water seriously affects the subsequent oil and gas production. However, the invasion characteristics and retention mechanisms of fracturing fluids in the fracture-matrix zone are still unclear. In this work, a microscopic model reflecting the characteristics of the fracture-matrix zone was designed. Based on the microfluidic experimental method, the process of fracturing fluid invasion, flowback and retention in the fracture-matrix zone was investigated visually and characterized quantitatively. The factors and mechanisms affecting fracturing fluid retention in the fracture-matrix zone were analyzed and clarified. The results indicated that in the invasion process, the frontal swept range of slick water was larger than that of the guar gum fracturing fluid, and the oil displacement efficiency and damage rate were lower than those of the guar gum fracturing fluid under the same invasion pressure. With the increase in invasion pressure, the damage rate of slick water increased from 61.09% to 82.77%, and that of the guar gum fracturing fluid decreased from 93.45% to83.36%. Before subsequent oil production, the invaded fracturing fluid was mainly concentrated in the medium-high permeability area of the fracture-matrix zone. The main resistance of slick water was capillary force, while that of the guar fracturing fluid was mainly viscous resistance. The fracturing fluid retention was most serious in the low permeability region and the region near the end of the fracture.The experimental and numerical simulation results showed that increasing the production pressure difference could improve the velocity field distribution of the fracture-matrix zone, increase the flowback swept range and finally reduce the retention rate of the fracture fluid. The retention mechanisms of slick water in the fracture-matrix zone include emulsion retention and flow field retention, while those of the guar gum fracturing fluid include viscous retention and flow field retention. Emulsion retention is caused by capillary force and flow interception effect. Viscous retention is caused by the viscous resistance of polymer, while flow-field retention is caused by uneven distribution of flowback velocity.

The study of anti-hepatitis drug dimethyl dicarboxylate biphenyl on invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma MHCC97-H cells and its active mechanisms

Objective： To assess the anti-invasive effect of DDB and its possible active mechanism in human hepatocellular carcinoma MHCC97-H with high metastasis potential. Methods： MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of DDB to MHCC97-H cells and the anti-adhesion of DDB on MHCC97-H cells to laminin （LN） and fibronectin （FN）. The anti-invasive effect of DDB was detected by the transwell chamber experiment. VEGF, nm23-H1 and uPAR mRNA transcriptions were determined by RT-PCR assay. The secretion and expression of a-fetal protein （AFP） were analyzed by ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. Results： DDB at non-cytotoxic concentrations （10, 50 and 100 μmol/L） obviously inhibited the adhesion of MHCC97-H on LN and FN. In the transwell chamber experiment, the inhibition rates of the invasion of DDB 50 and 100 μmol/L on MHCC97-H cells were 25.8% and 32.3%, respectively. By RT-PCR assay, DDB 50 and 100 μmol/L decreased VEGF, nm23-H1 and uPAR mRNA expressions in MHCC97-H cells. The ELISA assay showed that 50, 100 and 200 μmol/L DDB decreased the AFP secretion of MHCC97-H cells, the inhibitory rates were 16.5%, 17.5% and 48.5%, respectively. DDB also decreased the expression of AFP in MHCC97-H cells by flow cytometry assay. Conclusion： DDB, an anti-hepatitis drug, at non-cytotoxic concentrations showed significant anti-invasion effect in human hepatocellular carcinoma MHCC97-H cells, and the inhibition of VEGF, nm23-H1 and uPAR expression should contribute to the anti-invasion property of DDB.

The effects and mechanisms of cytoplasmic Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) on the proliferation,migration and invasion of HeLa cells

Objective To explore the effects and mechanisms of cytoplasmic M-CSF on the proliferation,migration and invasion of HeLa cells.Methods Both pCMV/cyto/myc vector and pCMV/cyto/myc-M-CSF vector was transfected into HeLa-cell by transfectaimine.After screening by G418,the positive clones were amplified and confirmed by RT-PCR,Western blot and immunocytochemistry.The effect of cytoplasmic M-CSF on the proliferation of HeLa cells were analyzed by cell conuting and antisense oligonucleotides.The migration and invasion of cell was measured by in vitro Transwell assay and Matrigel-coated polycarbonate filters.The expression of cyclinE,cyclinD1/2/3,CDK2/4/6,Rac1,and matrix metalloproteinase 2 and 9(MMP2/9)were assayed by semiquantitative RT-PCR.And expression of both α-tubulin and cdc42 were displayed by immunofluorescence.The activity of MMP2 was detected by gelatin zymography.Results Results A cell line(referred as to HeLa-M cell)that highly expresses cytoplasmic M-CSF was successfully established in the test.Our result indicated that HeLa-M cell had a larger volume,faster growth rate and shorter doubling time than either pCMV/cyto/myc transfected HeLa cells(referred as to HeLa-C cell)or untransfected HeLa cells(referred as to HeLa cell).M-CSF-specific antisense oligonucleoside significantly inhibited HeLa-M cell proliferation and had little effect on either HeLa-C cell or HeLa-C cell growth.Cytoplasmic M-CSF up-regulated both the expression of cyclinE,cyclinD1 and cyclinD3,CDK2,CDK 4 and CDK6,a Rho GTPase ralative protein(Rac1),cdc42 and MMP2,but had little effect on expression of MMP9 and cyclin D2.Furthermore,cytoplasmic M-CSF induced the rearrangement of the α-tubulin in HeLa cells and significantly promoted the migration and invasion of HeLa cells in vitro.Conclusions Cytoplasmic M-CSFs up-regulate the expression of cyclinE,cyclinD1 and cyclinD3,CDK2,CDK 4 and CDK6 and induces the proliferation of HeLa cells.Cytoplasmic M-CSFs up-regulate the expression of Rac1 and cdc42 and cause the rearrangement of the α-tubulin in HeLa cells.Furthermore Cytoplasmic M-CSFs increase both the expression and activity of MMP2 and promote the migration and invasion of HeLa cell in vitro.But cytoplasmic M-CSFs have little effect on expression of cyclin D2 and MMP9.

Preoperative prediction of lymphovascular and perineural invasion in gastric cancer using spectral computed tomography imaging and machine learning

BACKGROUND Lymphovascular invasion(LVI)and perineural invasion(PNI)are important prognostic factors for gastric cancer(GC)that indicate an increased risk of metastasis and poor outcomes.Accurate preoperative prediction of LVI/PNI status could help clinicians identify high-risk patients and guide treatment deci-sions.However,prior models using conventional computed tomography(CT)images to predict LVI or PNI separately have had limited accuracy.Spectral CT provides quantitative enhancement parameters that may better capture tumor invasion.We hypothesized that a predictive model combining clinical and spectral CT parameters would accurately preoperatively predict LVI/PNI status in GC patients.AIM To develop and test a machine learning model that fuses spectral CT parameters and clinical indicators to predict LVI/PNI status accurately.METHODS This study used a retrospective dataset involving 257 GC patients(training cohort,n=172;validation cohort,n=85).First,several clinical indicators,including serum tumor markers,CT-TN stages and CT-detected extramural vein invasion(CT-EMVI),were extracted,as were quantitative spectral CT parameters from the delineated tumor regions.Next,a two-step feature selection approach using correlation-based methods and information gain ranking inside a 10-fold cross-validation loop was utilized to select informative clinical and spectral CT parameters.A logistic regression(LR)-based nomogram model was subsequently constructed to predict LVI/PNI status,and its performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).RESULTS In both the training and validation cohorts,CT T3-4 stage,CT-N positive status,and CT-EMVI positive status are more prevalent in the LVI/PNI-positive group and these differences are statistically significant(P<0.05).LR analysis of the training group showed preoperative CT-T stage,CT-EMVI,single-energy CT values of 70 keV of venous phase(VP-70 keV),and the ratio of standardized iodine concentration of equilibrium phase(EP-NIC)were independent influencing factors.The AUCs of VP-70 keV and EP-NIC were 0.888 and 0.824,respectively,which were slightly greater than those of CT-T and CT-EMVI(AUC=0.793,0.762).The nomogram combining CT-T stage,CT-EMVI,VP-70 keV and EP-NIC yielded AUCs of 0.918(0.866-0.954)and 0.874(0.784-0.936)in the training and validation cohorts,which are significantly higher than using each of single independent factors(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The study found that using portal venous and EP spectral CT parameters allows effective preoperative detection of LVI/PNI in GC,with accuracy boosted by integrating clinical markers.

Preoperative prediction of perineural invasion of rectal cancer based on a magnetic resonance imaging radiomics model:A dual-center study

BACKGROUND Perineural invasion(PNI)has been used as an important pathological indicator and independent prognostic factor for patients with rectal cancer(RC).Preoperative prediction of PNI status is helpful for individualized treatment of RC.Recently,several radiomics studies have been used to predict the PNI status in RC,demonstrating a good predictive effect,but the results lacked generalizability.The preoperative prediction of PNI status is still challenging and needs further study.AIM To establish and validate an optimal radiomics model for predicting PNI status preoperatively in RC patients.METHODS This retrospective study enrolled 244 postoperative patients with pathologically confirmed RC from two independent centers.The patients underwent preoperative high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)between May 2019 and August 2022.Quantitative radiomics features were extracted and selected from oblique axial T2-weighted imaging(T2WI)and contrast-enhanced T1WI(T1CE)sequences.The radiomics signatures were constructed using logistic regression analysis and the predictive potential of various sequences was compared(T2WI,T1CE and T2WI+T1CE fusion sequences).A clinical-radiomics(CR)model was established by combining the radiomics features and clinical risk factors.The internal and external validation groups were used to validate the proposed models.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC),DeLong test,net reclassification improvement(NRI),integrated discrimination improvement(IDI),calibration curve,and decision curve analysis(DCA)were used to evaluate the model performance.RESULTS Among the radiomics models,the T2WI+T1CE fusion sequences model showed the best predictive performance,in the training and internal validation groups,the AUCs of the fusion sequence model were 0.839[95%confidence interval(CI):0.757-0.921]and 0.787(95%CI:0.650-0.923),which were higher than those of the T2WI and T1CE sequence models.The CR model constructed by combining clinical risk factors had the best predictive performance.In the training and internal and external validation groups,the AUCs of the CR model were 0.889(95%CI:0.824-0.954),0.889(95%CI:0.803-0.976)and 0.894(95%CI:0.814-0.974).Delong test,NRI,and IDI showed that the CR model had significant differences from other models(P<0.05).Calibration curves demonstrated good agreement,and DCA revealed significant benefits of the CR model.CONCLUSION The CR model based on preoperative MRI radiomics features and clinical risk factors can preoperatively predict the PNI status of RC noninvasively,which facilitates individualized treatment of RC patients.

Effects and Mechanism of Oxymatrine on Proliferation,Invasion and Migration of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

[Objectives] To observe the effects of oxymatrine on the proliferation,invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells,and to explore its possible molecular mechanism.[Methods]The hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep G2 was randomly divided into the negative control group and the low,medium and high concentration groups of oxymatrine.The negative control group was added to the cell culture medium,and the low,medium and high concentration groups of oxymatrine were added to the oxymatrine and cell culture medium with the final concentration of 1.0,2.0 and 4.0 mg/m L.The proliferation of each group was measured by MTT assay,and the inhibition rate of cell proliferation was calculated.The invasion and migration ability of each group was determined using Transwell chamber assay.The expression of E-cadherin and CD44 mRNA in each group was detected using Real-time PCR,while the expression of E-cadherin and CD44 protein was detected using Western blotting method.[Results] The inhibition rate of cell proliferation in the high concentration group of oxymatrine was higher than that in the medium and low concentration groups,and the inhibition rate of cell proliferation of medium concentration group was higher than that in the low concentration group.In the cell invasion and cell migration experiments,the number of transmembrane cells of low,medium and high concentration groups of oxymatrine was less than that in the negative control group(P < 0.05),the number of transmembrane cells of high concentration groups of oxymatrine was less than that in medium and low concentration groups,and the number of transmembrane cells of medium concentration group was less than in that of the low concentration group(P < 0.05).Compared with the negative control group,the expression of E-cadherin mRNA and protein increased in the low,medium and high concentration groups of oxymatrine,while the expression of CD44 mRNA and protein decreased(P < 0.05).[Conclusions] Oxymatrine has the effect of inhibiting the proliferation,invasion and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep G2 in vitro.The higher the concentration,the more significant the effect will be.The mechanism is possibly connected with the up-regulation of E-cadherin expression and down-regulation of CD44 expression.

Failure mechanism and infrared radiation characteristic of hard siltstone induced by stratification effect

The deformation in sedimentary rock induced by train loads has potential threat to the safe operation of tunnels. This study investigated the influence of stratification structure on the infrared radiation and temporal damage mechanism of hard siltstone. The uniaxial compression tests, coupled with acoustic emission(AE) and infrared radiation temperature(IRT) were conducted on siltstones with different stratification effects. The results revealed that the stratigraphic structure significantly affects the stress-strain response and strength degradation characteristics. The mechanical parameters exhibit anisotropy characteristics, and the stratification effect exhibits a negative correlation with the cracking stress and peak stress. The failure modes caused by the stratification effect show remarkable anisotropic features, including splitting failure(Ⅰ: 0°-22.50°, Ⅱ: 90°), composite failure(45°), and shearing failure(67.50°). The AE temporal sequences demonstrate a stepwise response characteristic to the loading stress level. The AE intensity indicates that the stress sensitivity of shearing failure and composite failure is generally greater than that of splitting failure. The IRT field has spatiotemporal migration and progressive dissimilation with stress loading and its dissimilation degree increases under higher stress levels. The stronger the stratification effect, the greater the dissimilation degree of the IRT field. The abnormal characteristic points of average infrared radiation temperature(AIRT) variance at local stress drop and peak stress can be used as early and late precursors to identify fracture instability. Theoretical analysis shows that the competitive relationship between compaction strengthening and fracturing damage intensifies the dissimilation of the infrared thermal field for an increasing stress level. The present study provides a theoretical reference for disaster warnings in hard sedimentary rock mass.

Regeneration of the heart:f rom molecular mechanisms to clinical therapeutics

Heart injury such as myocardial infarction leads to cardiomyocyte loss,fibrotic tissue deposition,and scar formation.These changes reduce cardiac contractility,resulting in heart failure,which causes a huge public health burden.Military personnel,compared with civilians,is exposed to more stress,a risk factor for heart diseases,making cardiovascular health management and treatment innovation an important topic for military medicine.So far,medical intervention can slow down cardiovascular disease progression,but not yet induce heart regeneration.In the past decades,studies have focused on mechanisms underlying the regenerative capability of the heart and applicable approaches to reverse heart injury.Insights have emerged from studies in animal models and early clinical trials.Clinical interventions show the potential to reduce scar formation and enhance cardiomyocyte proliferation that counteracts the pathogenesis of heart disease.In this review,we discuss the signaling events controlling the regeneration of heart tissue and summarize current therapeutic approaches to promote heart regeneration after injury.

A Systematic Review of Terrestrial Plant Invasion Mechanisms Mediated by Microbes and Restoration Implications

Terrestrial invasive plant species continue to wreak havoc on a global economic and ecological scale. With the advent of climate change and pending future catastrophes, the spread of resilient invasive plants will only increase exponentially. Here, the search continues for a better understanding of the below-ground microbially driven mechanisms involved in plant invasion where other above-ground mechanisms have been exhausted. Microbes govern the world around us and interact with every living and non-living facet of the world. To reinforce the important underpinnings of the role of microorganisms in plant invasion, a systematic review of recently published articles was undertaken. Using the ScienceDirect database, five (5) search queries were used to generate 1221 research articles. After a two-step reduction was made based on relevance of the articles, a final total of 59 articles were retrieved. An additional 18 relevant articles were also assessed through the PubMed database for analysis to account for other invasive plants. Thirty-seven (37) invasive species were investigated where soil physiochemical and microbial community structure changes were most prevalent (32% & 39% respectively) while enhanced mutualism, allelopathy and pathogen accumulation were reported less (16%, 10% & 3% respectively). In all invasive species assessed, the impact on plant invasion and inability of the native plants to compete was due to specific microbial associations of the invasive plant or disruption of the soil microbial community. This microbial community shift coincided with changes in physiochemical properties of the soil and the subsequent negative soil feedback for native plants. There is still an expanding potential for the use of biocontrol agents to aid restoration once the underpinnings of biotic resistance and enemy release are understood in a microbial and physiochemical context. The active and functional microbial community structure of the invasive plant rhizosphere and adjacent soil in its native and non-native region can offer a better inference of how they can be controlled using novel-below ground biocontrol methods.

The underlying mechanism of variety–water–nitrogen–stubble damage interactions on yield formation in ratoon rice with low stubble height under mechanized harvesting

Agronomic measures are the key to promote the sustainable development of ratoon rice by reducing the damage from mechanical crushing to the residual stubble of the main crop, thereby mitigating the impact on axillary bud sprouting and yield formation in ratoon rice. This study used widely recommended conventional rice Jiafuzhan and hybrid rice Yongyou 2640 as the test materials to conduct a four-factor block design field experiment in a greenhouse of the experimental farm of Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University, China from 2018 to 2019.The treatments included fertilization and no fertilization, alternate wetting and drying irrigation and continuous water flooding irrigation, and plots with and without artificial crushing damage on the rice stubble. At the same time, a 13C stable isotope in-situ detection technology was used to fertilize the pot experiment. The results showed significant interactions among varieties, water management, nitrogen application and stubble status.Relative to the long-term water flooding treatment, the treatment with sequential application of nitrogen fertilizer coupled with moderate field drought for root-vigor and tiller promotion before and after harvesting of the main crop, significantly improved the effective tillers from low position nodes. This in turn increased the effective panicles per plant and grains per panicle by reducing the influence of artificial crushing damage on rice stubble and achieving a high yield of the regenerated rice. Furthermore, the partitioning of 13C assimilates to the residual stubble and its axillary buds were significantly improved at the mature stage of the main crop, while the translocation rate to roots and rhizosphere soil was reduced at the later growth stage of ratooning season rice. This was triggered by the metabolism of hormones and polyamines at the stem base regulated by the interaction of water and fertilizer at this time. We therefore suggest that to achieve a high yield of ratoon rice with low stubble height under mechanized harvesting, the timely application of nitrogen fertilizer is fundamental,coupled with moderate field drying for root-vigor preservation and tiller promotion before and after the mechanical harvesting of the main crop.

Mechanism of SNHG12 in Regulating Human Angiostatin Binding Protein Through MicroRNA497 in the Migration and Invasion of Human Lung Cancer Cells

Objective:To investigate the effect of small nucleolar host gene 12(SNHG12)on the migration and invasion of human lung cancer cells by regulating human angiostatin binding protein through microribonucleic acid(microRNA)-497.Methods:A549,H1299,and PC9 cells were cultured in Roswell Park Memorial Institute(RPMI)-1640 medium containing 10%fetal bovine serum,and human bronchial epithelial(HBE)cells were cultured in Dulbecco’s modified eagle medium(DMEM)containing 10%fetal bovine serum.The incubator conditions were as follows:saturated humidity,37℃,and 5%carbon dioxide(CO2).Results:The gene expressions of small nucleolar host gene 12(SNHG12)in HBE,A549,H1299,and PC9 were 1.00±0.02,5.61±0.42,3.78±0.29,and 3.51±0.23,respectively.The gene expressions of microRNA-497HBE,A549,H1299,and PC9 were 1.00±0.13,0.21±0.04,0.35±0.05,and 0.37±0.06,respectively,with P<0.05.The microRNA-497 gene expression and cell apoptosis rate in the microRNA-497 group and the microRNA-497+pcDNA3.1 group were significantly higher than those in the miR-NC group,whereas the A value and cell invasion number were significantly lower than those in the miR-negative control(NC)group,with P<0.05.Compared with the microRNA-497+pcDNA3.1 group,the microRNA-497 gene expression and cell apoptosis rate in the microRNA-497+SNHG12 group were significantly lower,whereas the A value and cell invasion number were significantly higher,with P<0.05.Conclusion:SNHG12 can inhibit the migration and invasion of human lung cancer cells by regulating human angiostatin binding protein through microRNA-497.