Fusarium wilt of banana (Musa spp.) caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is a typical soilborne disease, that severely devastates the banana industry worldwide, and soil microbial diversity is closely related to the spread of Fusarium wilt. To understand the relationship between microbial species and Fusarium wilt, it is important to understand the microbial diversity of the Fusarium wilt-diseased and disease-free soils from banana fields. Based on sequencing analysis of the bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, Foc abundance, fungal or bacterial richness and diversity were higher in the diseased soils than in the disease-free soils. Although Ascomycota and Zygomycota were the most abundant fungi phyla in all soil samples, Ascomycota abundance was significantly reduced in the disease-free soils. Mortierella (36.64%) was predominant in the disease-free soils. Regarding bacterial phyla, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Bacteroidetes, Nitrospirae, Verrucomicrobia and Planctomycetes were dominant phyla in all soil samples. In particular, Firmicutes contributed 16.20% of the total abundance of disease-free soils. At the bacterial genus level, Bacillus, Lactococcus and Pseudomonas were abundant in disease-free soils with abundances of 8.20, 5.81 and 2.71%, respectively; lower abundances, of 4.12, 2.35 and 1.36%, respectively, were found in diseased soils. The distribution characteristics of fungal and bacterial genera may contribute to the abundance decrease of Foc in the disease-free soils. Unique distributions of bacteria and fungi were observed in the diseased and disease-free soil samples from banana fields. These specific genera are useful for constructing a healthy microbial community structure of soil.

Our general purpose was to provide a theoretical and practical foundation for the use of exosomes (EXOs) that have high levels of CD47 as stable and efficient drug carriers. Thus, we prepared EXOs from adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADMSCs) that had high levels of CD47 (EXOs^CD47) and control EXOs (without CD47), and then compared their immune escapein vivoand their resistance to phagocytosisin vitro. Nanoflow cytometry was used to determine the CD47 level in these EXOs, and the amount of EXOs^CD47that remained in rat plasma at 3 h after intraperitoneal injection. Phagocytosis of the EXOs was also determined usingin vitrorat macrophage bone marrow (RMA-BM) experiments. Ourin vitroresults showed that macrophages ingested significantly more control EXOs than EXOs^CD47(p< 0.01), with confirmation by ultra-high-definition laser confocal microscopy. Consistently, ourin vivoresults showed that rats had 1.377-fold better retention of EXOs^CD47than control EXOs (p< 0.01). These results confirmed that these engineered EXOs^CD47had improved immune escape. Our results therefore verified that EXOs^CD47had increased immune evasion relative to control EXOs, and have potential for use as drug carriers.

Drought is the one of the most important environment stresses that restricts crop yield worldwide. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is an important food and energy crop that has many desirable traits such as drought, heat and low nutrients tolerance. However, the mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in cassava are unclear. Ethylene signaling pathway, from the upstream receptors to the downstream transcription factors, plays important roles in environmental stress responses during plant growth and development. In this study, we used bioinformatics approaches to identify and characterize candidate Manihot esculenta ethylene receptor genes and transcription factor genes. Using computational methods, we localized these genes on cassava chromosomes, constructed phylogenetic trees and identified stress-responsive cis-elements within their 5’ upstream regions. Additionally, we measured the trehalose and proline contents in cassava fresh leaves after drought, osmotic, and salt stress treatments, and then it was found that the regulation patterns of contents of proline and trehalose in response to various dehydration stresses were differential, or even the opposite, which shows that plant may take different coping strategies to deal with different stresses, when stresses come. Furthermore, expression profiles of these genes in different organs and tissues under non-stress and abiotic stress were investigated through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses in cassava. Expression profiles exhibited clear differences among different tissues under non-stress and various dehydration stress conditions. We found that the leaf and tuberous root tissues had the greatest and least responses, respectively, to drought stress through the ethylene signaling pathway in cassava. Moreover, tuber and root tissues had the greatest and least reponses to osmotic and salt stresses through ethylene signaling in cassava, respectively. These results show that these plant tissues had differential expression levels of genes involved in ethylene signaling in response to the stresses tested. Moreover, after several gene duplication events, the spatiotemporally differential expression pattern of homologous genes in response to abiotic and biotic stresses may imply their functional diversity as a mechanism for adapting to the environment. Our data provide a framework for further research on the molecular mechanisms of cassava resistance to drought stress and provide a foundation for breeding drought-resistant new cultivars.

Peripheral nerve injury is one of the more common forms of peripheral nerve disorders, and the most severe type of peripheral nerve injury is a defect with a gap. Biosynthetic cellulose membrane (BCM) is a commonly used material for repair and ligation of nerve defects with gaps. Meanwhile, exosomes from mesenchymal stem cells can promote cell growth and proliferation. We envision combining exosomes with BCMs to leverage the advantages of both to promote repair of peripheral nerve injury. Prepared exosomes were added to BCMs to form exosome-loaded BCMs (EXO-BCM) that were used for nerve repair in a rat model of sciatic nerve defects with gaps. We evaluated the repair activity using a pawprint experiment, measurement and statistical analyses of sciatica function index and thermal latency of paw withdrawal, and quantitation of the number and diameter of regenerated nerve fibers. Results indicated that EXO-BCM produced comprehensive and durable repair of peripheral nerve defects that were similar to those for autologous nerve transplantation, the gold standard for nerve defect repair. EXO-BCM is not predicted to cause donor site morbidity to the patient, in contrast to autologous nerve transplantation. Together these results indicate that an approach using EXO-BCM represents a promising alternative to autologous nerve transplantation, and could have broad applications for repair of nerve defects.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a well-established neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory impairment, cognitive dysfunction, and behavioral disturbances. With the global population aging, the prevalence of AD continues to rise, presenting significant challenges to both society and healthcare systems. Curcumin, a polyphenolic compound derived from turmeric rhizomes, has demonstrated considerable potential in AD treatment due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. However, its clinical application remains constrained by chemical instability, poor water solubility, rapid metabolism, and accelerated elimination. To overcome these limitations, various curcumin derivatives have been synthesized, and combination therapy strategies have been explored. This review examines the potential mechanisms through which curcumin may exert therapeutic effects in AD, including the inhibition of neuroinflammation, regulation of tau protein hyperphosphorylation, modulation of amyloid-β peptides, and provision of antioxidant benefits. Additionally, the advantages of curcumin derivatives and combination therapy approaches are discussed, offering novel perspectives and promising strategies for AD treatment. It is anticipated that advancements in drug design and therapeutic approaches will contribute to the development of more effective treatment options for AD.