To unravel the molecular mechanisms underpinning maize (Zea mays L.) drought stress tolerance, we conducted comprehensive comparative transcriptome and physiological analyses of drought-tolerant YE8112 and drought-sensitive MO17 inbred line seedlings that had been exposed to drought treatment for seven days. Resultantly, YE8112 seedlings maintained comparatively higher leaf relative water and proline contents, greatly increased peroxidase activity, but decreased malondialdehyde content, than MO17 seedlings. Using an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)-based approach, we identified a total of 10,612 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). From these, we mined out four critical sets of drought responsive DEGs, including 80 specific to YE8112, 5140 shared between the two lines after drought treatment (SD_TD), five DEGs of YE8112 also regulated in SD_TD, and four overlapping DEGs between the two lines. Drought-stressed YE8112 DEGs were primarily associated with nitrogen metabolism and amino-acid biosynthesis pathways, whereas MO17 DEGs were enriched in the ribosome pathway. Additionally, our physiological analyses results were consistent with the predicted RNA-seq-based findings. Furthermore, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis and the RNA-seq results of twenty representative DEGs were highly correlated (R2 = 98.86%). Crucially, tolerant line YE8112 drought-responsive genes were predominantly implicated in stress signal transduction; cellular redox homeostasis maintenance; MYB, NAC, WRKY, and PLATZ transcriptional factor modulated; carbohydrate synthesis and cell-wall remodeling; amino acid biosynthesis; and protein ubiquitination processes. Our findings offer insights into the molecular networks mediating maize drought stress tolerance.

BackgroundRecent insights showed the possibility of using JAK inhibitors for the treatment of alopecia areata (AA). Most of the previous articles evaluated the overall efficacy of existing JAK inhibitors rather than evaluating one of them alone. Currently, the benefit and risk profile of tofacitinib for the treatment of AA is still not clear.ObjectiveTo estimate the safety and efficacy of tofacitinib in patients with AA based on summarizing the clinical outcomes.MethodsThe systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. ROBINS‐I (Risk of Bias in Non‐randomized Studies‐of Interventions) was used for quality assessment.ResultsWe enrolled 14 studies including six clinical trials and eight observational studies with 275 patients. The result of meta‐analysis showed that tofacitinib has reasonable effectiveness in patients with AA. The pooled good/complete hair regrowth rate of tofacitinib treating patient with AA was 54.0% (95% CI: 46.3%–61.5%), and the pooled rate of partial response in patients with AA taking tofacitinib was 26.1% (20.7–32.2%). Approximately a quarter of patients had experience of relapse, most of which was reported due to discontinuation of tofacitinib. In terms of toxicity, reported adverse effects included only mild symptoms. Upper respiratory infection, headache and acne were the most common adverse events.ConclusionTofacitinib seems to be a promising drug for the treatment of AA with only mild adverse effects. More thorough larger sized randomized clinical trials are required to further assess the safety and clinical efficacy of tofacitinib for the treatment of AA.

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1alpha(OH)D5 is a good candidate for in vivo chemoprevention studies. It may mediate its action by inducing expression of VDR and of TGF-beta1, as is seen in other systems.

Purpose: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) post-transcriptionally regulate hundreds of gene targets involved in tumorigenesis thereby controlling vital biological processes, including cellular proliferation, di erentiation and apoptosis. MiRNA pro ling is an emerging tool for the potential early detection of a variety of malignancies. is study was conducyed to assess the feasibility and methodological robustness of quantifying sputum miRNAs, employing quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and cluster analysis on an optimized miRNA pro le as a novel approach for the early detection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: e relative expressions of 11 miRNAs in sputum (miR-21, miR-145, miR-155, miR-205, miR-210, miR-92, miR-17-5p, miR-143, miR-182, miR-372, and let-7a) in addition to U6 were retrospectively assessed in four NSCLC-positive and four negative controls. Subsequently, a set of ve miRNAs (miR-21, miR-143, miR-155, miR-210, miR-372) was selected because of degree of relatedness observed in the cluster analysis and tested in the same sputum sample set. e ve optimized miRNAs accurately clustered these eight retrospective patients into NSCLC positive cases and negative controls. e ve miRNA panel was then prospectively quanti ed in the sputum of 30 study patients (24 NSCLC cases and six negative controls) in a double-blind fashion to validate a ve miRNA panel using hierarchical cluster analysis.Results: e optimized ve miRNA panel detected NSCLC (83.3% sensitivity and 100% speci city) in 30 prospectively accrued study patients.Conclusion: Sputum miRNA pro ling using cluster analysis is a promising approach for the early detection of non-small cell lung cancer. Further investigation using this approach is warranted.