PHR1 negatively regulates nitrate reductase activity by directly inhibiting the transcription of NIA1 in Arabidopsis.

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), as indispensable mineral elements, both play pivotal roles in plant growth and development. Despite the intimate association between nitrate signaling and inorganic phosphate (Pi) signaling, the regulatory function of Pi in N metabolism remains poorly understood. In this study, we observed that Pi deficiency leads to a reduction in the activity of nitrate reductase (NR), an essential enzyme involved in N metabolism.

Changes of polyphenols and their antioxidant activities in non-pigmented, red and black rice during digestion.

Polyphenols, a major bioactive constituent in rice grain, require processing and digestion before being absorbed by human body. Free and bound phenolics, flavonoids and their antioxidant activities in non-pigmented, red and black rice after cooking and INFOGEST digestions of oral, gastric and intestinal phases were investigated. It showed that cooking caused great losses of polyphenols and antioxidant activity.

Cell-free decellularized skin matrix scaffolds: A promising approach for meniscus regeneration in a rabbit meniscectomy model.

Tissue engineering presents a promising approach for the treatment of meniscal injuries, yet the development of meniscal scaffolds that exhibit both superior biomechanical properties and biocompatibility remains a considerable challenge. In this study, decellularized skin matrix (DSM) scaffolds were first prepared using porcine skin through decellularization and freeze-drying techniques. The DSM scaffold has favorable porosity, hydrophilicity, and biocompatibility.

Surgical Therapy and Tissue Engineering for Meniscal Repair.

Meniscal damage is one of the prevalent causes of knee pain, swelling, instability, and functional compromise, frequently culminating in osteoarthritis (OA). Timely and appropriate interventions are crucial to relieve symptoms and prevent or delay the onset of OA. Contemporary surgical treatments include total or partial meniscectomy, meniscal repair, allograft meniscal transplantation, and synthetic meniscal implants, but each presents its specific limitations.

Analysis of rice characteristic volatiles and their influence on rice aroma.

Rice aroma, one of the most important qualities of rice, was the comprehensive result of volatiles in rice and human sense. In this study, the main volatile compounds in rice were analyzed by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-olfactometry, and their correlations with sensory score were investigated. A total of eighty-five volatiles were found in rice samples.

Robotic-assisted differential total knee arthroplasty with patient-specific implants: surgical techniques and preliminary results.

Objective: In total knee arthroplasty (TKA), achieving soft-tissue balance while retaining acceptable lower limb alignment is sometimes difficult and may lead to patient dissatisfaction. Theoretically, patient-specific implants can bring great benefits, while the lack of precise surgical tools may hinder the improvement of outcomes. The objective of this study was to illustrate surgical techniques and evaluate kinematics and early clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted TKA using patient-specific implants.

SlPHL1 positively modulates acid phosphatase in response to phosphate starvation by directly activating the genes SlPAP10b and SlPAP15 in tomato.

Increased acid phosphatase (APase) activity is a prominent feature of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) responses to inorganic phosphate (Pi) restriction. SlPHL1, a phosphate starvation response (PHR) transcription factor, has been identified as a positive regulator of low Pi (LP)-induced APase activity in tomato. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this regulation remains to be elucidated.

Spatial and variety distributions, risk assessment, and prediction model for heavy metals in rice grains in China.

In this study, 6229 brown rice grains from three major rice-producing regions were collected to investigate the spatial and variety distributions of heavy metals in rice grains in China. The potential sources of heavy metals in rice grains were identified using the Pearson correlation matrix and principal component analysis, and the health risks of dietary exposure to heavy metals via rice consumption were assessed using the hazard index (HI) and total carcinogenic risk (TCR) method, respectively. Moreover, 48 paired soil and rice samples from 11 cities were collected to construct a predicting model for Cd accumulation in rice grains using the multiple linear stepwise regression analysis.

Mutation of OsNRAMP5 reduces cadmium xylem and phloem transport in rice plants and its physiological mechanism.

Natural resistance associated macrophage protein 5 (NRAMP5) is a key transporter for cadmium (Cd) uptake by rice roots; however, the effect of OsNRAMP5 on Cd translocation and redistribution in rice plants remains unknown. In this study, an extremely low Cd-accumulation mutant (lcd1) and wild type (WT) plants were utilized to investigate the effect of OsNRAMP5 mutation on Cd translocation and redistribution via the xylem and phloem and its possible physiological mechanism using field, hydroponic and isotope-labelling experiments. The results showed that OsNRAMP5 mutation reduced xylem and phloem transport of Cd, due to remarkably lower Cd translocation from roots to shoots and from the leaves Ⅰ-Ⅲ to their corresponding nodes, as well as lower Cd concentrations in xylem and phloem sap of lcd1 compared to WT plants.

Using sequential bone cutting to titrate soft tissue balance in total knee arthroplasty effectively minimizes soft tissue release.

Background: Achieving soft tissue balance while maintaining limb alignment within acceptable boundaries is crucial for successful total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We proposed a sequential bone cutting (SBC) technique to titrate the soft tissue balance in robot-assisted TKA to achieve the desired balance with minimum soft tissue release.

Methods: In total, 106 robot-assisted TKAs using the SBC technique were included.

Effects of Starch Molecular Structure and Physicochemical Properties on Eating Quality of Rice with Similar Apparent Amylose and Protein Contents.

It is important to clarify the effects of starch fine structure and protein components on the eating quality of rice. In this study, seven rice varieties with similar apparent amylose content (AAC) and protein content (PC) but different sensory taste values were selected and compared systematically. It was found that except for AAC and PC, these varieties showed significant differences in starch molecular structure and protein components.

Effects of different storage containers on the flavor characteristics of Jiangxiangxing baijiu.

Storage is a key factor controlling the quality of Jiangxiangxing baijiu, and storage time and the type of storage container play crucial roles in shaping the baijiu's distinct flavor. To investigate the influence of storage containers on the flavor characteristics of Jiangxiangxing baijiu, the sensory qualities, flavor components, and metal ions of Jiangxiangxing baijiu were measured during 24 months of storage in a pottery jar or a stainless steel tank. The results showed that Jiangxiangxing baijiu preserved in a pottery jar was superior to that stored in a stainless steel tank.

Dynamic Changes in Volatiles, Soluble Sugars, and Fatty Acids in Glutinous Rice during Cooking.

Cooking is an important process before rice is consumed and constitutes the key process for rice flavor formation. In this paper, dynamic changes in aroma- and sweetness-related compounds were tracked during the entire cooking process (including washing with water, presoaking, and hydrothermal cooking). The volatiles, fatty acids, and soluble sugars in raw rice, washed rice, presoaked rice, and cooked rice were compared.

STS loaded PCL-MECM based hydrogel hybrid scaffolds promote meniscal regeneration modulating macrophage phenotype polarization.

Meniscus injury has a limited ability to heal itself and often results in the progression to osteoarthritis. After a meniscus injury, there is an obvious acute or chronic inflammatory response in the articular cavity, which is not conducive to tissue regeneration. M2 macrophages are involved in tissue repair and remodeling.

Engineering exosomes by three-dimensional porous scaffold culture of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells promote osteochondral repair.

Improving the poor microenvironment in the joint cavity has potential for treating cartilage injury, and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos), which can modulate cellular behavior, are becoming a new cell-free therapy for cartilage repair. Here, we used acellular cartilage extracellular matrix (ACECM) to prepare 3D scaffolds and 2D substrates by low-temperature deposition modeling (LDM) and tape casting. We aimed to investigate whether MSC-Exos cultured on scaffolds of different dimensions could improve the poor joint cavity microenvironment caused by cartilage injury and to explore the related mechanisms.

Hierarchical porous ECM scaffolds incorporating GDF-5 fabricated by cryogenic 3D printing to promote articular cartilage regeneration.

Background: In recent years, there has been significant research progress on in situ articular cartilage (AC) tissue engineering with endogenous stem cells, which uses biological materials or bioactive factors to improve the regeneration microenvironment and recruit more endogenous stem cells from the joint cavity to the defect area to promote cartilage regeneration.

Method: In this study, we used ECM alone as a bioink in low-temperature deposition manufacturing (LDM) 3D printing and then successfully fabricated a hierarchical porous ECM scaffold incorporating GDF-5.

Results: Comparative in vitro experiments showed that the 7% ECM scaffolds had the best biocompatibility.

Comparison of total intravenous anesthesia and inhalation anesthesia on postoperative quality of recovery after laparoscopic hysterectomy: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Postoperative recovery is a complex process and affected mainly by factors from patients, surgery and anesthesia. Although we have all kinds of sedatives and hypnotics now, the selection of an ideal medication for general anesthesia is still challenging. In this study, we perform a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effect of propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia and sevoflurane-based inhalation anesthesia on postoperative quality of recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Multifaceted Catalytic ROS-Scavenging via Electronic Modulated Metal Oxides for Regulating Stem Cell Fate.

Developing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging nanostructures to protect and regulate stem cells has emerged as an intriguing strategy for promoting tissue regeneration, especially in trauma microenvironments or refractory wounds. Here, an electronic modulated metal oxide is developed via Mn atom substitutions in Co O nanocrystalline (Mn-Co O ) for highly efficient and multifaceted catalytic ROS-scavenging to reverse the fates of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in oxidative-stress microenvironments. Benefiting from the atomic Mn-substitution and charge transfer from Mn to Co, the Co site in Mn-Co O displays an increased ratio of Co /Co and improved redox properties, thus enhancing its intrinsic and broad-spectrum catalytic ROS-scavenging activities, which surpasses most of the currently reported metal oxides.

Development of Certified Reference Materials for the Determination of Apparent Amylose Content in Rice.

Apparent amylose content (AAC) is one of the most important parameters in rice quality evaluation. In this study, four rice reference materials used to test rice AAC were developed. The AAC of rice reference materials were measured by a spectrophotometric method with a defatting procedure, calibrated from potato amylose and waxy rice amylopectin at the absorption wavelengths of 620 and 720 nm.

The potential role of plasma membrane proteins in response to Zn stress in rice roots based on iTRAQ and PRM under low Cd condition.

Cd pollution had already caused serious threats to crop growth and development, food safety and human health, and become a potential agricultural and global environmental problem. Zn had been used to reduce Cd accumulation in soil and plants. Proteins located in plasma membrane (PM) played important roles in transferring stress signals in plants.

Hydrogel composite scaffolds achieve recruitment and chondrogenesis in cartilage tissue engineering applications.

Background: The regeneration and repair of articular cartilage remains a major challenge for clinicians and scientists due to the poor intrinsic healing of this tissue. Since cartilage injuries are often clinically irregular, tissue-engineered scaffolds that can be easily molded to fill cartilage defects of any shape that fit tightly into the host cartilage are needed.

Method: In this study, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) affinity peptide sequence PFSSTKT (PFS)-modified chondrocyte extracellular matrix (ECM) particles combined with GelMA hydrogel were constructed.

Mapping and functional analysis of high-copper accumulation mutant oshc1 in rice.

Copper (Cu) is an essential but potentially toxic element in rice. Little is known about the mechanism of rice grain Cu accumulation. In this study, we identified a high copper accumulation in grain 1 (oshc1) mutant from the wild type indica rice cultivar 9311 (WT) mutant bank.