Kaifeng University

Exserohilum turcicum is the causal agent of northern corn leaf blight, an important disease of maize in China. To investigate the genetic diversity and population structure of this pathogen, 90 isolates from three provinces in China were analyzed using simple sequence repeat markers. Nei's gene diversity values across the three geographical populations ranged from 0.439 to 0.536, with a mean of 0.499. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all isolates were clustered into five genetic groups, each predominantly associated with a specific geographic population. Population structure analysis revealed that the dominant genetic clusters were obviously different in the three populations. Molecular variance analysis demonstrated that 21.57 and 78.43% of the total variation were distributed among and within the three populations, respectively. Fixation indices between the three populations varied from 0.081 to 0.165, with an average of 0.134. These findings reveal high genetic diversity and obvious population differentiation of E. turcicum from maize in China.

Cardio-cerebrovascular events continue to pose major life-threatening risks worldwide. Though approved for treatment of angina pectoris and ischemic stroke, the effects of tongxinluo, as a traditional Chinese medicine, on stroke and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remain controversial. This study aims to assess the efficacy of tongxinluo in the secondary prevention of ASCVD. The present systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. In this study-level meta-analysis, we conducted a comprehensive search of medical libraries and clinical trial registries, spanning from their inception until November 20, 2024, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing tongxinluo versus no tongxinluo in a secondary prevention. The ASCVD population was included. The primary outcome was stroke and MACE. The secondary outcome was MACE and myocardial infarction. Four RCTs, including 7087 patients with known coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke, or carotid artery plaque, were included in the analysis. Compared to placebo, tongxinluo numerically decreased the risk of stroke with a RR of 0.84 (95% CI: 0.61-1.17, p = 0.31). For the outcome of MACE, tongxinluo reduced the risk by 28% (RR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.88, p = 0.001). Patients randomized to tongxinluo had a RR of 0.70 (95% CI: 0.54-0.92, p = 0.01) for cardiovascular mortality and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.56-0.92, p = 0.01) for all-cause mortality. In summary, in patients with ASCVD, tongxinluo tended to decrease the incidence of stroke, and reduced the composite of stroke, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular mortality by 28%.

TMEM201, a nuclear membrane protein, is thought to play an important role in tumor progression, but its involvement in lower-grade glioma (LGG) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of TMEM201 expression on the prognosis, clinical characteristics, and biological behaviors of LGG. RNA expression data from the TCGA, CGGA, and GEO databases were analyzed to explore the correlation between TMEM201 expression and clinical features of LGG. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to assess the effects of TMEM201 knockdown on cell proliferation, migration, and tumorigenic potential. DNA methylation sites associated with TMEM201 were analyzed, and KEGG pathway enrichment was performed to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying TMEM201’s role in LGG. The analysis showed that high TMEM201 expression was associated with poor prognosis, higher WHO grade, and tumor recurrence in LGG patients. Survival analysis confirmed that elevated TMEM201 levels correlated with shorter survival. Knockdown of TMEM201 in SHG44 cells led to significant inhibition of cell proliferation, migration, and tumor formation in vivo. DNA methylation analysis identified key sites regulating TMEM201 expression, and KEGG analysis revealed pathways such as HIF-1, VEGF, and Notch that contribute to tumor progression. TMEM201 acts as a potential oncogene in LGG by influencing key cellular signaling pathways and tumor behaviors. It is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis and may serve as a promising biomarker for diagnosis and personalized treatment. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of LGG progression and highlights TMEM201 as a therapeutic target.

The HSK16149-201/301 trial demonstrated short-term efficacy of the GABA analog crisugabalin for diabetic neuropathic pain. In the current study, patients in both the crisugabalin and placebo control groups of the HSK16149-201/301 trial were invited to receive 80 mg/day crisugabalin for an additional 52 weeks. The primary end point was safety. The secondary end point was pain control as measured using the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ). A total of 301 patients (mean age 59.7 years and males 58.1%) were enrolled. The rate of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) was 38.9% (117/301). The most frequent TRAEs were dizziness (27.2%), somnolence (8.3%), and peripheral edema (3.0%). The rate of Grade 3 or higher TRAEs was 1.7%. TRAEs led to dose reduction in 41 patients (13.6%), treatment interruption and discontinuation each in three patients (1.0%). At week 52, the mean difference in SF-MPQ pain rating index (PRI) and visual analog scale pain score from baseline was -2.5 (95% CI -2.9 to -2.0; paired t-test p < 0.0001) and -23.4 (95% CI -25.6 to -21.2; paired t-test p < 0.0001), respectively. The proportion of patients with SF-MPQ PPI score ≤ 1 increased by 19.0% over baseline (p < 0.0001). In summary, crisugabalin at 80 mg/day was well tolerated and demonstrated sustained analgesic activities. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05890053.

<italic>Eucommia ulmoides</italic> could produce high-quality <italic>trans</italic>-polyisoprene (TPI), providing a new and alternative industrial material for natural rubber. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying TPI biosynthesis remain poorly understood. In this study, triploid <italic>E</italic>. <italic>ulmoides</italic> plants were generated through polyploid breeding and shower higher TPI content compared to diploid and tetraploid plants. Using real-time PCR analysis, it was found that the expression of two imitation switch (ISWI)-family chromatin remodelers, <italic>EuCHR11</italic> and <italic>EuCHR17</italic>, were downregulated in high-TPI-yielding triploid plants during the period of TPI biosynthesis, whereas the expression of the key rubber biosynthesis gene <italic>EuSRPP8</italic> was significantly upregulated under the same conditions. In <italic>Arabidopsis thaliana</italic>, it was demonstrated that the orthologs AtCHR11 and AtCHR17 directly bind to the genomic loci of <italic>AtSRPP1</italic>, <italic>AtSRPP2</italic>, and <italic>AtSRPP3</italic> and repress their expression. Similarly, EuCHR11 also directly binds to the promoter of <italic>EuSRPP8</italic> in <italic>E</italic>. <italic>ulmoides</italic>. These results together indicate that EuCHR11 and EuCHR17 negatively regulate TPI biosynthesis by repressing <italic>EuSRPP8</italic> expression. The findings in this study uncover a previously uncharacterized epigenetic regulatory pathway mediated by chromatin remodeling factors that modulates rubber biosynthesis and enhances the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind rubber production.