Effects of forest spatial types, element compositions and forest stands on restorative potential and aesthetic preference

IntroductionAs global urbanization intensifies, the physical and mental stressors of modern life have led to the growing prevalence of suboptimal health conditions. Spending time in a forest benefits human health and well-being. In this context, based on the forest spatial types (forest interior and forest edge spaces), landscape elements (architecture, water and roads) and forest stands (coniferous, broadleaf and bamboo forests), this study investigated the effects of different forest spatial landscape characteristics on the restorative potential for college students, aesthetic preference and eye movement behavior (total fixation duration and fixation count).MethodsIn this study, a total of 60 subjects were exposed to 42 photographs depicting typical forest landscapes acquired through field studies. The Short-version Revised Restoration and Preference Scale and eye-tracking technology, were employed to study the recovery efficiency and visual attraction of forest spatial of different forest spatial types, element compositions and forest stands.Results(1) The restorative potential and aesthetic preference score of forest edge spaces were significantly higher than those of forest interior spaces. (2) The restorative potential of bamboo forests was significantly higher than those of coniferous and broadleaf forests. (3) In terms of forest interior space, the restorative potential of “forest + 1 element” composition and “forest + 2 elements” composition was significantly higher than that of pure forest, and the restorative potential of interior space of bamboo forest was significantly higher than those of coniferous and broadleaf forests. (4) In terms of forest edge space, the restorative potential of “forest + 2 elements” composition was significantly higher than that of pure forest, and the restorative potential of pure forests was significantly higher than that of the “forest + 1 element” composition. (5) The restorative potential of forest spatial landscape characteristics positively correlated with aesthetic preference and negatively correlated with total fixation duration and fixation count. These results can provide a reference for future forest landscape research, construction and management

The molecular diversity of transcriptional factor TfoX is a determinant in natural transformation in Glaesserella parasuis

Natural transformation is a mechanism by which a particular bacterial species takes up foreign DNA and integrates it into its genome. The swine pathogen Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) is a naturally transformable bacterium. The regulation of competence, however, is not fully understood. In this study, the natural transformability of 99 strains was investigated. Only 44% of the strains were transformable under laboratory conditions. Through a high-resolution melting curve and phylogenetic analysis, we found that genetic differences in the core regulator of natural transformation, the tfoX gene, leads to two distinct natural transformation phenotypes. In the absence of the tfoX gene, the highly transformable strain SC1401 lost its natural transformability. In addition, when the SC1401 tfoX gene was replaced by the tfoX of SH0165, which has no natural transformability, competence was also lost. These results suggest that TfoX is a core regulator of natural transformation in G. parasuis, and that differences in tfoX can be used as a molecular indicator of natural transformability. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of the SC1401 wildtype strain, and a tfoX gene deletion strain showed that differential gene expression and protein synthesis is mainly centered on pathways related to glucose metabolism. The results suggest that tfoX may mediate natural transformation by regulating the metabolism of carbon sources. Our study provides evidence that tfoX plays an important role in the natural transformation of G. parasuis

Antagonizing miR-455-3p inhibits chemoresistance and aggressiveness in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Background The plasticity of cancer stem cells (CSCs)/tumor-initiating cells (T-ICs) suggests that multiple CSC/T-IC subpopulations exist within a tumor and that multiple oncogenic pathways collaborate to maintain the CSC/T-IC state. Here, we aimed to identify potential therapeutic targets that concomitantly regulate multiple T-IC subpopulations and CSC/T-IC-associated pathways. Methods A chemoresistant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) was employed to identify microRNAs that contribute to ESCC aggressiveness. The oncogenic effects of microRNA-455-3p (miR-455-3p) on ESCC chemoresistance and tumorigenesis were examined by in vivo and in vitro chemoresistance, tumorsphere formation, side-population, and in vivo limiting dilution assays. The roles of miR-455-3p in activation of the Wnt/β-catenin and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad pathways were determined by luciferase and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results We found that miR-455-3p played essential roles in ESCC chemoresistance and tumorigenesis. Treatment with a miR-455-3p antagomir dramatically chemosensitized ESCC cells and reduced the subpopulations of CD90+ and CD271+ T-ICs via deactivation of multiple stemness-associated pathways, including Wnt/β-catenin and TGF-β signaling. Importantly, miR-455-3p exhibited aberrant upregulation in various human cancer types, and was significantly associated with decreased overall survival of cancer patients. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that miR-455-3p functions as an oncomiR in ESCC progression and may provide a potential therapeutic target to achieve better clinical outcomes in cancer patients

Additional file 5: Figure S4. of Antagonizing miR-455-3p inhibits chemoresistance and aggressiveness in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

miR-455-3p overexpression activates T-IC-associated signaling pathways. (A) GSEA analysis of TCGA datasets indicating that miR-455-3p expression was significantly correlated with the gene signatures regulated by the Wnt/β-catenin and TGF-β/Smad pathways. (B) Heat map showing real-time PCR results of the downstream target genes of either Wnt/β-catenin or TGF-β signaling in the indicated cells, as compared with corresponding control cells. Pseudo- color scale values were Log2 transformed. (C) miR-455-3p levels were positively correlated with the expression of nuclear β-catenin and p-Smad2 (Ser465/467) in 207 primary human ESCC specimens. Left: Two representative cases are shown. Scale bar: 50 μm. Right: The percentages of specimens showing low or high miR-455-3p expression relative to levels of nuclear β-catenin and p-Smad2 (Ser465/467). (D, E) Quantification of CD90+/CD271+ subpopulations (D) and number of tumorspheres (E) in the indicated cells treated with a β-catenin inhibitor or TGF-β inhibitor. (F) Luciferase assay of the indicated cells transfected with the pGL3-DKK3 (−GSK3β, −Smurf2, −PPM1A) reporter with miR-455-3p mimic, miR-455-3p antagomir or miR-455-3p-mut mimic. (G) Correlation analysis of miR-455-3p with nuclear β-catenin, p-Smad2 (Ser465/467), DKK3, GSK3β, Smurf2, and PPM1A in 10 freshly collected human ESCC samples. Each bar represents the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05. (TIFF 1465 kb

Additional file 2: Figure S1. of Antagonizing miR-455-3p inhibits chemoresistance and aggressiveness in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

miR-455-3p enhances ESCC chemoresistance and promotes ESCC tumorgencity. (A) GSEA of TCGA datasets indicating that miR-455-3p expression was significantly correlated with chemoresistance gene signatures. (B) The apoptotic ratio of the indicated cells treated with CDDP (20 μM) or DOC (1.5 nM) for 24 h. (C) Images (left) and weight (upper right) of xenografts and apoptotic ratio (lower right) of the indicated tumors. (D) GSEA analysis indicating miR-455-3p expression was significantly associated with stem cell-like traits. (E) Representative images (left) and quantification (right) of tumorspheres formed by the indicated cells. (F) Flow cytometry analysis of the percentages of the CD90+/CD271+ subpopulations (left) and SP cells (right) of the indicated cells. Each bar represents the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. * P < 0.05. (TIFF 1054 kb

Additional file 6: Figure S5. of Antagonizing miR-455-3p inhibits chemoresistance and aggressiveness in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

GSEA analysis of TCGA datasets indicating that miR-455-3p levels are correlated with the gene signatures of the Wnt/β-catenin and TGF-β/Smad pathways in gastric and lung cancers. (TIFF 258 kb