Study on the characteristics and mechanisms of nicosulfuron biodegradation by Bacillus velezensis CF57

Nicosulfuron is one of the main sulfonylurea herbicides that have been widely used to protect maize crops. A total of 10 nicosulfuron-degrading strains were isolated from the intestine tract of earthworm Eisenia foetida. Among them, Bacillus velezensis CF57 with the highest degradation efficiency was selected and studied in detail. The degradation characteristics of CF57 showed that it was able to effectively degrade nicosulfuron in a wide range of temperature, pH, and a low inoculation amount, and the response surface analysis revealed that the optimum degradation conditions were 30.8 °C, pH 6.31, and inoculation amount 3.04%. Meanwhile, CF57 could degrade high-concentration nicosulfuron efficiently and posed a broad degradation spectrum of other sulfonylurea herbicides. Furthermore, the localization of degradation enzyme indicated that the nicosulfuron-degrading enzyme was an extracellular fraction. By analyzing the metabolites of nicosulfuron, it could be further determined that the degradation of nicosulfuron by strain CF57 was mainly through the extracellular enzyme, and its possible degradation pathway was mainly derived from the cleavage of the C–N bond of the sulfonylurea bridge. These results may provide new insights into bioremediation of nicosulfuron-contaminated environments and enrich the resources of degrading bacteria of sulfonylurea herbicides.     

雾化吸入布地奈德治疗AECOPD合并2型糖尿病患者疗效及对肺通气功能和糖代谢的影响

目的分析雾化吸入布地奈德治疗慢性阻塞性肺疾病急性加重(AECOPD)合并2型糖尿病(T2DM)患者疗效及对肺通气功能和糖代谢指标的影响。 方法选择四川大学华西医院2019年1月至2020年5月诊治的120例AECOPD合并T2DM患者作为对象，根据非随机临床同期对照研究及患者自愿原则分为对照组58例和观察组62例，其中对照组给予低剂量布地奈德治疗，观察组给予高剂量布地奈德治疗。比较两组患者治疗前后肺通气功能、糖代谢指标和炎性因子水平变化，并评估疗效和安全性。 结果两组患者治疗有效率比较无显著差异(P>0.05)；与治疗前比，两组患者治疗后肺通气功能指标均显著升高，但观察组较对照组升高更为显著(P<0.05)；两组患者之间及其治疗前后糖代谢指标均无显著差异(P>0.05)；与治疗前比，两组患者治疗后炎症因子水平均显著降低，但观察组较对照组降低更为显著(P<0.05)；两组不良反应发生率比较无统计学意义(P>0.05)。 结论布地奈德雾化吸入治疗AECOPD合并T2DM安全有效，对糖代谢指标无明显影响，但高剂量的布地奈德对于患者肺通气功能和炎症水平改善效果更好。     

A specific basal body linker protein provides the connection function for basal body inheritance in trypanosomes

Centrioles and basal bodies (CBBs) are found in physically linked pairs, and in mammalian cells intercentriole connections (G1–G2 tether and S–M linker) regulate centriole duplication and function. In trypanosomes BBs are not associated with the spindle and function in flagellum/cilia nucleation with an additional role in mitochondrial genome (kinetoplast DNA [kDNA]) segregation. Here, we describe BBLP, a BB/pro-BB (pBB) linker protein in Trypanosoma brucei predicted to be a large coiled-coil protein conserved in the kinetoplastida. Colocalization with the centriole marker SAS6 showed that BBLP localizes between the BB/pBB pair, throughout the cell cycle, with a stronger signal in the old flagellum BB/pBB pair. Importantly, RNA interference (RNAi) depletion of BBLP leads to a conspicuous splitting of the BB/pBB pair associated only with the new flagellum. BBLP RNAi is lethal in the bloodstream form of the parasite and perturbs mitochondrial kDNA inheritance. Immunogold labeling confirmed that BBLP is localized to a cytoskeletal component of the BB/pBB linker, and tagged protein induction showed that BBLP is incorporated de novo in both new and old flagella BB pairs of dividing cells. We show that the two aspects of CBB disengagement—loss of orthogonal orientation and ability to separate and move apart—are consistent but separable events in evolutionarily diverse cells and we provide a unifying model explaining centriole/BB linkage differences between such cells.

Centrioles and basal bodies (CBBs) are microtubule structures found in many major eukaryotic groups; where present, they are vital for cilia and flagella formation (1) and play important roles in cell division and developmental events. CBB assembly pathways share a common set of key regulatory proteins, indicating that these structures are variations of a common pattern (2).Faithful centriole duplication and segregation in proliferative eukaryotic cells is a well-orchestrated process (albeit with variations of pattern in different cell types across evolution) under strict temporal and spatial control and usually involve “templating”’ from a previously formed CBB (3). Two particular conceptual themes, a linker and a tether (4), have been rehearsed to explain number control, inheritance patterns, and centriole properties in mammalian cells. In interphase G1, each cell has a single centriole pair, and the duplication cycle starts in the G1/S transition and is very well described in its temporal sequence (5). During the centriole duplication and segregation cycle, centrioles are connected by the two different types of structures—the “tether” and “linker”—whose presence and disassembly at specific stages of the cell cycle are important for faithful cell-cycle progression (4, 6). The tether connects the proximal ends of the two parental centrioles from G1 to late G2 and appears important in providing a single cytoplasmic microtubule organizing center in organisms with a centrosomal architecture. Some significant studies have revealed essential components of the tether, for example CNAP and Rootletin (7, 8), Cep68 (9), LRRC45 (10), Centlein (11), and CCDC102B (12). The linker forms during S phase and connects the proximal end of the nascent procentriole to the side of the parental centriole in the orthogonal orientation. In the centriole cycle this link is described as being removed in late M phase when centriole disengagement occurs. There are two iconic features of centriole disengagement: a reorientation resulting in the loss of the original orthogonal orientation of the two paired centrioles and, second, an ability to transiently move apart (4). There is an expectation that there will be molecular components specific to each structure, but other components of the centrosome as a wider concept might play a role in both structures (4). The literature has seen a variety of terms used to describe these conceptual structures: centriole linker, centrosome linker, and so on. Here, for clarity in discussing cross-evolutionary fundamental concepts we will use the simple terms “tether” and “linker” as defined by Nigg and Stearns (4).Current knowledge on the composition of the linker is limited, but studies in Drosophila suggest that the SAS6–ANA2 complex may play a role in centriole engagement (13). Interestingly, linker cleavage in disengagement in human cells requires the activity of the polo-like kinases and of separase, the protease responsible for sister chromatid separation (14, 15).Many eukaryotic cells do not exhibit a centrosomally organized cytoplasm—particularly those that proliferate with assembled flagella or cilia. Although essential for cilia/flagella assembly, in such systems CBBs are often not directly involved in mitotic spindle architecture since mitosis is closed (i.e., without nuclear envelope disassembly), and anaphase and CBB separation are not concurrent. Further, in systems such as trypanosomes (16) and Leishmania (17) CBBs perform a central role in the segregation of the single mitochondrial DNA network (the kinetoplast) (18). Cell division in these organisms, where microtubule organizing centers are dispersed and do not cluster into a centrosome, involves the coordinated duplication and segregation of the nucleus (N) and the kinetoplast (K) (16). Trypanosome cells in G1 have a “1K1N” configuration, characterized by the presence of a single nucleus and a single kinetoplast, physically associated with a BB pair containing a mature BB, which subtends the flagellar axoneme, and a probasal body (pBB). At the start of S phase the pBB matures and elongates forming the new flagellum, and a new pBB forms next to each mature BB (19). The kinetoplast is divided during S/G2 (19, 20) via movement apart of the BB pairs, resulting in a characteristic “2K1N” cell, with two kinetoplasts and one nucleus. The intranuclear mitotic spindle then forms and mitosis gives rise to a cell with a “2K2N” configuration with widely separated BB pairs and associated new and old flagella. Subsequently, a mainly longitudinal cleavage furrow separates the nascent cell daughters (19).In this study, we describe the BB linker protein (BBLP) that localizes between the BB and the pBB throughout the cell cycle. BBLP is a critical component of the linker connection between the BB and pBB, marking its initial construction at S phase and its modulation throughout that and subsequent cell cycles. This functional linker connection is compromised when RNA interference (RNAi) ablation of BBLP expression is induced and, in such knockdowns, the newly matured BB (subtending the new flagellum) becomes detached from its newly formed pBB. BBLP represents an initial insight into components that provide a cell-cycle-modulated connection between a paired mature and an immature CBB. We have analyzed our results in the light of the linker concept in mammalian cells and show that the two aspects of CBB disengagement—loss of orthogonal orientation and ability to separate and move apart—are consistent but separable events in evolutionarily diverse cells. Further, we provide a unifying model explaining linkage differences between the two distinct centriole/BB pairs in proliferating eukaryotic cells.     

Association of dietary isoflavone consumption with subclinical cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and elderly Chinese people

Background and aimsThe association between isoflavone (ISF) consumption and cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains controversial because of limited evidence. Carotid atherosclerosis is an established indicator of subclinical CVD. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary ISF intake and subclinical CVD in middle-aged and elderly adults.Methods and resultsA total of 873 subjects aged 40–70 years without CVD were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. A restricted cubic spline was used to investigate the association between ISF intake and subclinical CVD risk. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval of the risk of subclinical CVD for ISF were estimated by two-segmented logistic regression analysis. In Model 2, there was a non-linear association between ISF intake and the risk of subclinical CVD among women (P_non-linear = 0.002), with an inverse association below the change point. The nadir for the risk of subclinical CVD among women was 7.26 mg/day (energy-adjusted). Below the change point, an increase of 1 mg ISF/day reduced the risk of subclinical CVD by 15%. There was no significant association between ISF intake and subclinical CVD risk above the change point (OR = 1.01 [0.99, 1.04]). ISF intake was not associated with subclinical CVD risk in men (Model 2: P_non-linear = 0.224).ConclusionsBelow the change point (7.26 mg/day), women with a higher intake of ISF had a significantly lower risk of subclinical CVD. Encouraging the consumption of ISF-rich foods may help to lower CVD risk in middle-aged and elderly women.Trial registrationThis study is registered at http://www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR 1900022445).     

Secondary stone formation 8 weeks after percutaneous nephrolithotomy treatment: A case report

Introduction:This work reports a patient with recurrent renal calculi subjected to three surgeries in half a year to be in the same position, and the high-throughput sequencing data showed different species in the renal pus and urine samples, which suggested that partial renal infection or stone formation can be judged by the bacteria in urine.Patient concerns:The female patient aged 43 years was referred to the authors’ department on April 13, 2020, due to left waist pain and fever for 3 days.Diagnosis:Kidney stones and hydronephrosis were determined by a urinary system computed tomography scan.Interventions:On April 20, 2020 and June 15, 2020, the patient was successfully treated with left percutaneous nephrolithotomy twice under general anesthesia. An investigation on the health and eating habits of the patient within 6 months was completed at the last admission. The components of the second renal calculus sample were analyzed with an infrared spectrum analyzer. The third renal stone (renal pus, triplicates) was subjected to microbial metagenome sequencing, and urine samples before and after surgery were subjected to 16S RNA sequencing by SEQHEALTH (Wuhan, China).Outcomes:After percutaneous nephrolithotomy, the left kidney stones were basically cleared, stone analysis revealed that the main components were calcium oxalate monohydrate, silica, and a small amount of calcium oxalate dehydrate. Although the urine samples exhibited differences, the renal pus and urine sample shared a single species.Conclusion:It is not clear that the prospects of partial renal infection or stone formation can be judged by the bacteria in urine.     

基于数据挖掘的吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的用药规律分析＊

目的 基于中医传承辅助平台软件（TCMISS，V2.5）对吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的处方进行数据挖掘，探索其病因病机及组方规律。方法 收集吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的医案，将其方药信息录入TCMISS，借助该平台集成的关联规则、改进互信息法、复杂系统熵聚类法、无监督熵层次聚类法等分析方法探索吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的药物组方规律。结果 共筛选出120个医案，包含处方共120首，涉及中药89味，其中使用频次前6味中药为桂枝、鸡蛋花、白术、泽泻、石膏、桔梗，药性以寒、温为主，药味以甘、苦居多，归经多属肺、脾、肝经。通过关联规则分析所得的用药模式中，使用频次最高的为桂枝与鸡蛋花、桂枝与泽泻、白术与桂枝，进一步分析得到的核心药物为泽泻、桂枝、白术，为五苓散的药物组成，并基于复杂熵聚类方法演化出6首新处方。结论 吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍以阳明“气血津”不足和三焦气化功能失常为主要病机线路，清解阳明伏火、加强阳明本体液津血的生化化生及恢复三焦气化功能正常为主要治法，其核心代表方剂为木防己汤和五苓散。