Eukaryotic gene transcription is regulated by a large cohort of chromatin associated proteins, and inferring their differential binding sites between cellular contexts requires a rigorous comparison of the corresponding ChIP-seq data. We present MAnorm2, a new computational tool for quantitatively comparing groups of ChIP-seq samples. MAnorm2 uses a hierarchical strategy to normalize ChIP-seq data and then performs differential analysis by assessing within-group variability of ChIP-seq signals under an empirical Bayes framework. In this framework, MAnorm2 considers the abundance of differential ChIP-seq signals between groups of samples and the possibility of different within-group variability between groups. When samples in each group are biological replicates, MAnorm2 can reliably identify differential binding events even between highly similar.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenous biologically active gas produced in mammalian tissues. It plays a very critical role in many pathophysiological processes in the body. It can be endogenously produced through many enzymes analogous to the cysteine family, while the exogenous source may involve inorganic sulfide salts. H2S has recently been well investigated with regard to the onset of various carcinogenic diseases such as lung, breast, ovaries, colon cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. H2S is considered an oncogenic gas, and a potential therapeutic target for treating and diagnosing cancers, due to its role in mediating the development of tumorigenesis. Here in this review, an in-detail up-to-date explanation of the potential role of H2S in different malignancies has been reported. The study summarizes the synthesis of H2S, its roles, signaling routes, expressions, and H2S release in various malignancies. Considering the critical importance of this active biological molecule, we believe this review in this esteemed journal will highlight the oncogenic role of H2S in the scientific community.

In conifers such as Norway spruce, the extent of shoot growth is predetermined by the size and number of embryonal organs of the buds laid down the previous year. As it is known that cytokinins have a key role in bud development a possible hypothesis is that the level of cytokinin in the buds during their formation determines their size and complexity. As a first step to test this hypothesis we compared cytokinin levels in buds of different size of annual shoots from 15‐ to 20‐year‐old trees of Picea abies (L.) Karst. Apical buds from the leaders, and from branches in lower parts of the trees, were collected in April, July and August. The difference in size of the buds and the shoots growing from them was considerable in these three positions. Extracts were purified by immunoaffinity columns, and the retained compounds were separated by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Quantification was made by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the accuracy of this method was checked by measurements with liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) and UV absorption. Zeatin riboside (ZR) was the most abundant cytokinin, but isopentenyladenosine (iPA) was also present in all samples. The large apical bud of the leader contained much higher cytokinin concentrations than the considerably smaller buds from lower positions, and during the period of secondary growth in July, similar relationships were found for annual stem tissue from different positions. The possible role of ZR as a controlling factor in bud development and apical control is discussed. Our conclusion is that the level of zeatin‐type cytokinins appears to play an important role in the establishment of differences in bud size and, thereby, the architecture of the tree crown.

Shoot elongation in many coniferous species is predetermined during bud formation the year before the shoot extends. This implies that formation of the primordial shoot within the bud is the primary event in annual shoot growth. Hormonal factors regulating bud formation are consequently of utmost importance. We followed the levels of the endogenous cytokinins zeatin riboside (ZR) and isopentenyladenosine (iPA) in terminal buds, whorl buds and lower lateral buds of the uppermost current‐year whorl shoots of 15‐ to 20‐year‐old trees of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] from June to September. Cytokinins were isolated with affinity chromatography columns, purified by high performance liquid chromatography, and quantified by ELISA. The level of ZR was low in June but increased gradually in all buds until September. Throughout the measurement period, the ZR level was highest in terminal buds and lowest in the scattered lateral, buds, with the whorl buds intermediate. The level of iPA peaked in July and decreased later without any consistent differences among the three classes of buds. The development of different kinds of buds was followed by scanning electron microscopy. We found that bud growth was greatest during August and September. The final size of primordial shoots within the buds varied considerably and the weight of the terminal bud was three times that of the whorl buds and more than five times that of the other lateral buds. We conclude that the increase in ZR level during the period of active bud development is indicative of the importance of cytokinin for this process. Furthermore, the positive correlation between the level of ZR and bud growth during the period of predetermination of next year's branch growth suggests that this hormone indirectly controls the form of single branches in the spruce tree.

No abstract

L. 1996. Evidence that cytokitiin controls bud size and branch foTm in Norway spruce Shoot elongation in many coniferous species is predetermined during bud formatioti the year before the shoot extends. This implies that formation of the primordial shoot within the bud is the primary event in annual shoot growth. Hormonal factors regulating bud fonnation are consequently of utmost importance. We followed the levels of the endogenous cytoMnins zeatin riboside (ZR) and isopentenyladenosine (iPA) in terminal buds, whorJ buds and lower lateral buds of the uppermost current-year whori shoots of 15-to 20-year-old trees of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] from Jtitie to September. Cytokinins were isolated with affmity chromatography colunuis, purified by high performance liquid chromatography, and quantified by ELISA. The level of ZR was low in June but increased gradually in all buds until September. Throughout the measurement period, the ZR level was highest in terminal buds and lowest in the scattered lateral .buds, with the whorl buds intermediate. The level of iPA peaked in July and decreased later without any consistent differences among the three classes of buds. The development of different kinds of buds was followed by scanning electron microscopy. We found that bud growth was greatest during August and September. The final size of primordial shoots within the buds varied considerably and the weight of the terminal bud was three titnes that of the whor! buds and more than five times that of the other lateral buds.We conclude that the increase in ZR level during the period of active bud development is indicative of the importance of cytokinin for this process. Furthennore, the positive correlation between the ievel of ZR and bud growth during the period of predetermination of next year's branch growth suggests that this hormone indirectly controls the fonn of single branches in the spruce tree.

No abstract

Purpose To study the effect of inflammatory markers in blood such as interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) on the Gleason score (GS) changes in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) after radical prostatectomy (RP), we conducted this study. Patients and methods From November 2012 to September 2021, a total of 237 patients underwent RP at our institution. Blood samples from all patients were collected within 1 week before surgery. Preoperative clinical characteristics include age, serum IL‐6 and TNF‐α, neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, C‐reactive protein, the platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio, systemic immune‐inflammation index, the prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI‐RADS) score, prostate‐specific antigen, and biopsy GS were assessed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyzes were used to determine the risk factors of GS changes after RP. The efficiency of this prediction model was identified with the area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results  Seventy‐three patients (30.8%) had GS upgraded in the overall cohort, and 55 patients (23.2%) had GS downgraded. In comparing PCa patients with and without GS upgraded, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum TNF‐α (odds ratio [OR]: 2.518, p = 0.019) and IL‐6 (OR: 0.478, p = 0.023) were independent factors predicting the occurrence of GS upgrade. We also compared the characteristics of patients with GS upgraded and GS downgraded; multivariate logistic regression analysis also demonstrated significant differences in serum IL‐6 and TNF‐α between these two groups (all p < 0.05). In addition, we found that low prostate volume and biopsy GS ≥ 7 were significantly associated with higher PI‐RADS sores in multivariate analysis. Conclusion The high expression of serum TNF‐α level is positively correlated with GS upgraded in PCa patients. High expression of serum IL‐6 level is negatively correlated with GS upgraded in PCa patients and positively related with GS downgraded.