Circulating Proteins and IgA Nephropathy

BACKGROUND

The therapeutic options for IgA nephropathy are rapidly evolving, but early diagnosis and targeted treatment remain challenging. We aimed to identify circulating plasma proteins associated with IgA nephropathy by proteome-wide mendelian randomization studies across multiple ancestry populations.

METHODS

In this study, we applied Mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses to estimate the putative causal effects of 2615 proteins on IgA nephropathy in Europeans and 235 proteins in East Asians. Following two-stage network Mendelian randomization, multi-trait colocalization analysis and protein-altering variant annotation were performed to strengthen the reliability of the results. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed to investigate the interactions between the identified proteins and the targets of existing medications.

RESULTS

Putative causal effects of 184 and 13 protein-disease pairs in European and East Asian ancestries were identified, respectively. Two protein-disease pairs showed shared causal effects across them (CFHR1 and FCRL2). Supported by the evidence from colocalization analysis, potential therapeutic targets were prioritized and four drug-repurposing opportunities were suggested. The protein-protein interaction network further provided strong evidence for existing medications and pathways that are known to be therapeutically important.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified a number of circulating proteins associated with IgA nephropathy and prioritized several potential drug targets that require further investigation.

Clinical features and genetic spectrum of a multicenter Chinese cohort with myotonic dystrophy type 1

BACKGROUND

As the most common subtype of adult muscular dystrophy worldwide, large cohort reports on myotonic dystrophy type I (DM1) in China are still lacking. This study aims to analyze the genetic and clinical characteristics of Chinese Han DM1 patients.

METHODS

Based on the multicenter collaborating effort of the Pan-Yangtze River Delta Alliance for Neuromuscular Disorders, patients with suspected clinical diagnoses of DM1 were genetically confirmed from January 2020 to April 2023. Peak CTG repeats in the DMPK gene were analyzed using triplet repeat-primed PCR (TP-PCR) and flanking PCR. Time-to-event analysis of onset age in females and males was performed. Additionally, detailed clinical features and longitudinal changes from the disease onset in 64 DM1 patients were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Fatigue Severity Scale were used to quantify the severity of daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

RESULTS

Among the 211 genetically confirmed DM1 patients, the mean age at diagnosis was 40.9 ± 12.2 (range: 12-74) with a male-to-female ratio of 124:87. The average size of CTG repeats was 511.3 (range: 92-1945). Among the DM1 patients with comprehensive clinical data (n = 64, mean age 41.0 ± 12.0), the age at onset was significantly earlier in males than in females (4.8 years earlier, p = 0.026). Muscle weakness (92.2%), myotonia (85.9%), and fatigue (73.4%) were the most prevalent clinical features. The predominant involved muscles at onset are hands (weakness or myotonia) (52.6%) and legs (walking disability) (42.1%). Of them, 70.3% of patients had daytime sleepiness, 14.1% had cataract surgery, 7.8% used wheelchairs, 4.7% required ventilatory support, and 1.6% required gastric tubes. Regarding the comorbidities, 4.7% of patients had tumors, 17.2% had diabetes, 23.4% had dyspnea, 28.1% had intermittent insomnia, 43.8% experienced dysphagia, and 25% exhibited cognitive impairment. Chinese patients exhibited smaller size of CTG repeats (468 ± 139) than those reported in Italy (613 ± 623), the US (629 ± 386), and Japan (625 [302, 1047]), and milder phenotypes with less multisystem involvement.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese Han DM1 patients presented milder phenotypes compared to their Caucasian and Japanese counterparts. A male predominance and an early age of onset were identified in male Chinese Han DM1 patients.

Causal associations between atrial fibrillation and breast cancer: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous observational studies indicated that atrial fibrillation may increase the risk of breast cancer. Following a breast cancer diagnosis, the chance of developing atrial fibrillation may increase as well. However, it is uncertain whether the link is causal or just due to confounding factors.

OBJECTIVE

Using bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, we sought to assess the bidirectional causal relationship between atrial fibrillation and breast cancer from a genetic level.

METHODS

Large genome-wide association studies yielded summary-level data for atrial fibrillation and breast cancer. The preliminary estimate was inverse variance weighted (IVW) under a random model. MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, weighted mode, and multivariable MR (adjusting body mass index, smoking, and alcohol drinking) were performed as sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Genetically predicted atrial fibrillation presented no statistically significant association with overall breast cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97-1.04; p = 0.79), estrogen receptor (ER) + (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.96-1.03; p = 0.89) or ER- subtypes (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.97-1.04; p = 0.89). Similarly, genetically predicted overall breast cancer (OR = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.98-1.04; p = 0.37), ER+ (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.99-1.05; p = 0.16) or ER- (OR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.93-1.02; p = 0.32) subtypes had no causal effect on atrial fibrillation. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results. Individual single nucleotide polymorphism had little effect on the total estimate. We did not observe any evidence of horizontal pleiotropy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our bidirectional MR studies revealed that there may be no causal links between atrial fibrillation and breast cancer.

Comparative complete chloroplast genome of Geum japonicum: evolution and phylogenetic analysis

Geum japonicum (Rosaceae) has been widely used in China as a traditional herbal medicine due to its high economic and medicinal value. However, the appearance of Geum species is relatively similar, making identification difficult by conventional phenotypic methods, and the studies of genomics and species evolution are lacking. To better distinguish the medicinal varieties and fill this gap, we carried out relevant research on the chloroplast genome of G. japonicum. Results show a typical quadripartite structure of the chloroplast genome of G. japonicum with a length of 156,042 bp. There are totally 131 unique genes in the genome, including 87 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes, and there were also 87 SSRs identified and mostly mononucleotide Adenine-Thymine. We next compared the plastid genomes among four Geum species and obtained 14 hypervariable regions, including ndhF, psbE, trnG-UCC, ccsA, trnQ-UUG, rps16, psbK, trnL-UAA, ycf1, ndhD, atpA, petN, rps14, and trnK-UUU. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that G. japonicum is most closely related to Geum aleppicum, and possibly has some evolutionary relatedness with an ancient relic plant Taihangia rupestris. This research enriched the genome resources and provided fundamental insights for evolutionary studies and the phylogeny of Geum.

Geometrically Compelled Silicon(II)/Silicon(IV) Donor-Acceptor Interaction Enables the Enamination of Nitriles

Discovering new bonding scenarios and subsequently exploring the reactivity contribute substantially to advance the main group element chemistry. Herein, we report on the isolation and characterization of an intriguing class of the hydrido-benzosiloles 2-4. These compounds exhibit a side arm of the amidinatosilylenyl group, featuring unidirectional silicon(II)/silicon(IV) donor-acceptor interaction on account of the geometric constraint. Furthermore, the reactions involving 2-4 with nitriles yield the tricyclic compounds that edge-fused of the Si-heteroimidazolidine-CN2 Si2 , silole-C4 Si, and phenyl-C6 -rings (5-13). These compounds are manifesting a unique reaction that the silicon(II)/silicon(IV) interaction enables the enamination of the α-H-bearing nitriles. The reaction mechanism involved in H-shift under oxidative addition at silylene followed by hydrosilylation of a ketenimine intermediate was revealed by density function theory (DFT) calculations.

Head and neck MRI-based T stage and [18F]FDG PET/CT-based N/M stage improved prognostic stratification in primary nasopharyngeal carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether MRI-based T stage (TMRI), [18F]FDG PET/CT-based N (NPET/CT), and M stage (MPET/CT) are superior in NPC patients' prognostic stratification based on long-term survival evidences, and whether TNM staging method involving TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT could improve NPC patients' prognostic stratification.

METHODS

From April 2007 to December 2013, 1013 consecutive untreated NPC patients with complete imaging data were enrolled. All patients' initial stages were repeated based on (1) the NCCN guideline recommended "TMRI + NMRI + MPET/CT" ("MMP") staging method; (2) the traditional "TMRI + NMRI + Mconventional work-up (CWU)" ("MMC") staging method; (3) the single-step "TPET/CT + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("PPP") staging method; or (4) the "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") staging method recommended in present research. Survival curve, ROC curve, and net reclassification improvement (NRI) analysis were used to evaluate the prognosis predicting ability of different staging methods.

RESULTS

[18F]FDG PET/CT performed worse on T stage (NRI =  - 0.174, p < 0.001) but better on N (NRI = 0.135, p = 0.004) and M stage (NRI = 0.126, p = 0.001). The patients whose N stage upgraded by [18F]FDG PET/CT had worse survival (p = 0.011). The "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") method performed better on survival prediction when compared with "MMP" (NRI = 0.079, p = 0.007), "MMC" (NRI = 0.190, p < 0.001), or "PPP" method (NRI = 0.107, p < 0.001). The "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") method could reclassify patients' TNM stage to a more appropriate stage. The improvement is significant in patients with more than 2.5-years follow-up according to the time-dependent NRI values.

CONCLUSIONS

The MRI is superior to [18F]FDG PET/CT in T stage, and [18F]FDG PET/CT is superior to CWU in N/M stage. The "TMRI + NPET/CT + MPET/CT" ("MPP") staging method could significantly improve NPC patients' long-term prognostic stratification.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

The present research provided long-term follow-up evidence for benefits of MRI and [18F]FDG PET/CT in TNM staging for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and proposes a new imaging procedure for TNM staging incorporating MRI-based T stage and [18F]FDG PET/CT-based N and M stage, which significantly improves long-term prognostic stratification for patients with NPC.

KEY POINTS

• The long-term follow-up evidence of a large-scale cohort was provided to evaluate the advantages of MRI, [18F]FDG PET/CT, and CWU in the TNM staging of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. • A new imaging procedure for TNM stage of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was proposed.

Multiple configurations of the plastid and mitochondrial genomes of Caragana spinosa

MAIN CONCLUSION

In this study, we assembled the complete plastome and mitogenome of Caragana spinosa and explored the multiple configurations of the organelle genomes. Caragana spinosa belongs to the Papilionoidea subfamily and has significant pharmaceutical value. To explore the possible interaction between the organelle genomes, we assembled and analyzed the plastome and mitogenome of C. spinosa using the Illumina and Nanopore DNA sequencing data. The plastome of C. spinosa was 129,995 bp belonging to the inverted repeat lacking clade (IRLC), which contained 77 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. The mitogenome was 378,373 bp long and encoded 54 unique genes, including 33 protein-coding, three ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and 18 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. In addition to the single circular conformation, alternative conformations mediated by one and four repetitive sequences in the plastome and mitogenome were identified and validated, respectively. The inverted repeat (PDR12, the 12th dispersed repeat sequence in C. spinosa plastome) of plastome mediating recombinant was conserved in the genus Caragana. Furthermore, we identified 14 homologous fragments by comparing the sequences of mitogenome and plastome, including eight complete tRNA genes. A phylogenetic analysis of protein-coding genes extracted from the plastid and mitochondrial genomes revealed congruent topologies. Analyses of sequence divergence found one intergenic region, trnN-GUU-ycf1, exhibiting a high degree of variation, which can be used to develop novel molecular markers to distinguish the nine Caragana species accurately. This plastome and mitogenome of C. spinosa could provide critical information for the molecular breeding of C. spinosa and be used as a reference genome for other species of Caragana. In this study, we assembled the complete plastome and mitogenome of Caragana spinosa and explored the multiple configurations of the organelle genomes.

Cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality associated with individual and combined cardiometabolic risk factors

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have investigated the association between cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but evidence of the attributable burden of individual and combined cardiometabolic risk factors for CVD and mortality is limited. We aimed to investigate and quantify the associations and population attributable fraction (PAF) of cardiometabolic risk factors on CVD and all-cause mortality, and calculate the loss of CVD-free years and years of life lost in relation to the presence of cardiometabolic risk factors.

METHODS

Twenty-two thousand five hundred ninety-six participants aged ≥ 35 without CVD at baseline were included between October 2012 and December 2015. The outcomes were the composite of fatal and nonfatal CVD events and all-cause mortality, which were followed up in 2018 and 2019 and ascertained by hospital records and death certificates. Cox regression was applied to evaluate the association of individual and combined cardiometabolic risk factors (including hypertension, diabetes and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)) with CVD risk and all-cause mortality. We also described the PAF for CVD and reductions in CVD-free years and life expectancy associated with different combination of cardiometabolic conditions.

RESULTS

During the 4.92 years of follow-up, we detected 991 CVD events and 1126 deaths. Hazard ratio were 1.59 (95% confidential interval (CI) 1.37-1.85), 1.82 (95%CI 1.49-2.24) and 2.97 (95%CI 1.85-4.75) for CVD and 1.38 (95%CI 1.20-1.58), 1.66 (95%CI 1.37-2.02) and 2.97 (95%CI 1.88-4.69) for all-cause mortality, respectively, in participants with one, two or three cardiometabolic risk factors compared with participants without diabetes, hypertension, and high LDL-C. 21.48% of CVD and 15.38% of all-cause mortality were attributable to the combined effect of diabetes and hypertension. Participants aged between 40 and 60 years old, with three cardiometabolic disorders, had approximately 4.3-year reductions life expectancy compared with participants without any abnormalities of cardiometabolic disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiometabolic risk factors were associated with a multiplicative risk of CVD incidence and all-cause mortality, highlighting the importance of comprehensive management for hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia in the prevention of CVD.

Can the digital economy development achieve the effect of pollution reduction? Evidence from Chinese Cities

As a new economic form, the digital economy is not only empowering new impetus to economic growth, but also reshaping specific business forms of economical operation. Therefore, we conducted an empirical test to verify the impact and mechanism of pollution reduction in the digital economy, based on the panel data of 280 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2019. The results show that, first the development of the digital economy indeed has the positive effect of realizing pollution reduction. The results of mediating effect test indicate the influence mechanism mainly rely on promoting the upgrading of industrial structure (structural effect) and upgrading the level of green technology innovation (technical effect). Second, the results of regional heterogeneity analysis show that the emission reduction effect of digital economy development on four pollutants is characterized by weakness in the east and strong in the west in regional distribution. Third, the development of digital economy has a threshold effect on the level of economic development to achieve its pollution reduction effect. Further identification of the threshold effect indicates that the higher the level of economic development, the better in emission reduction effect.

Causal relationship between moderate to vigorous physical activity and venous thromboembolism

Previous studies have shown conflicting results about the impact of moderate to vigorous physical activity on the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).  Using Mendelian randomization, we assessed whether moderate to vigorous physical activity causally affects VTE from genetic level. Genetic instruments associated with moderate to vigorous physical activity at the genome-wide significance level (P < 5×10^- 8) were selected from the UK Biobank. Summary-level data for VTE were obtained from the FinnGen consortium. Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization analyses were conducted. Genetically predicted moderate to vigorous physical activity had no effect on VTE [odds ratio (OR) = 1.08; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66-1.78; P = 0.75] under a multiplicative random-effects inverse-variance weighted model. MR-Egger (OR = 0.20; 95% CI 0.01-4.70; P = 0.33), weighted median (OR = 1.08; 95% CI 0.52-2.25; P = 0.84), simple mode (OR = 2.53; 95% CI 0.59-10.92; P = 0.23), weighted mode (OR = 2.21; 95% CI 0.50-9.74; P = 0.31), and multivariable Mendelian randomization (OR = 0.74; 95% CI 0.46-1.19; P = 0.22) also yielded no significant association. The overall estimate was not influenced by individual single nucleotide polymorphism. No evidence of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy was observed. Therefore, moderate to vigorous physical activity had no causal association with VTE in the general population.

Dual-axis control of magnetic anisotropy in a single crystal Co2MnSi thin film through piezo-voltage-induced strain

Voltage controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) has been considered as an effective method in traditional magnetic devices with lower power consumption. In this article, we have investigated the dual-axis control of magnetic anisotropy in Co₂MnSi/GaAs/PZT hybrid heterostructures through piezo-voltage-induced strain using longitudinal magneto-optical Kerr effect (LMOKE) microscopy. The major modification of in-plane magnetic anisotropy of the Co₂MnSi thin film is controlled obviously by the piezo-voltages of the lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezotransducer, accompanied by the coercivity field and magnetocrystalline anisotropy significantly manipulated. Because in-plane cubic magnetic anisotropy and uniaxial magnetic anisotropy coexist in the Co₂MnSi thin film, the initial double easy axes of cubic split to an easiest axis (square loop) and an easier axis (two-step loop). While the stress direction is parallel to the [1-10] easiest axis (sample I), the square loop of the [1-10] direction could transform to a two-step loop under the negative piezo-voltages (compressed state). At the same time, the initial two-step loop of the [110] axis simultaneously changes to a square loop (the easiest axis). Otherwise, we designed and fabricated the sample II in which the PZT stress is parallel to the [110] two-step axis. The phenomenon of VCMA was also obtained along the [110] and [1-10] directions. However, the manipulated results of sample II were in contrast to those of the sample I under the piezo-voltages. Thus, an effective dual-axis regulation of the in-plane magnetization rotation was demonstrated in this work. Such a finding proposes a more optimized method for the magnetic logic gates and memories based on voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy in the future.

Correlates of suicidal ideation in rural Chinese junior high school left-behind children: A socioecological resilience framework

Introduction

Suicide is one of the top five causes of adolescent mortality around the world. The socioecological resilience framework in explaining the risk factors and protective factors for suicidal ideation in left-behind children (LBC) has not been well explored. The current study aims to compare the prevalence of suicidal ideation in LBC and non-LBC, and explore its correlations with resilience factors among LBC.

Methodology

This study was part of an epidemiological survey conducted by UNICEF exploring mental health outcomes in left-behind children. We implemented a cross-sectional study collecting data from 11 provinces and 1 municipal, with 5,026 participants (3,359 LBC, 1,667 controls) in year one junior high school living in impoverished areas of rural China. Data on suicidal ideation, self-harm, resilience factors including health-risk behaviors, psychological wellbeing as it was measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, peer relationship within the school environment, and family support were collected.

Results

Overall prevalence of suicidal ideation among LBC was 7.2% which is significantly different from 5.5% reported by NLBC (χ2 = 4.854, p = 0.028). LBC reported a higher prevalence of self-harm (16.4%) than NLBC (13.0%; χ2 = 10.232, p = 0.001), but there was no difference in the prevalence of suicide plan, suicide attempt or help-seeking. LBC had significantly poorer psychological feeling, and greater emotional and behavioral difficulties peer relationship in the school environment than controls. In the multiple logistic regression, history of self-harm was the greatest predictor for suicidal ideation among LBC (OR = 2.078, 95% CI: 1.394-3.100, p < 0.001). Health risk behavior including previous smoking attempt, poor psychological feeling, and emotional and behavior difficulties, and poor peer relationship within school environment, were also significant risk factors for suicidal ideation among LBC.

Conclusion

The prevalence of suicidal ideation and self-harm was greater among left-behind than non-left-behind children. Our results show resilience factors including previous self-harm, emotional and behavioral problems, smoking, and poor peer relationship are significantly associated with suicidal ideation in left-behind adolescents.

Hearing Impairment With Cognitive Decline Increases All-Cause Mortality Risk in Chinese Adults Aged 65 Years or Older: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study

Background

Hearing impairment (HI), a highly prevalent sensory impairment affecting older adults, is a risk factor for cognitive decline. However, few studies examined the association between HI and all-cause mortality, and the role of different cognitive states on this relationship in Chinese older adults is poorly understood.

Methods

A total of 10,744 Chinese older adults aged 65 years or older were included in the 2011/2012 and 2014 cohorts from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), with the longest follow-up period lasting for up to 8 years. The presence of HI was identified by using a dichotomized metric of self-reported hearing status. All-cause mortality data were ascertained from interviews with family members or relatives of the participants. Cognitive function was evaluated by employing the modified Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which consisted of seven subdomains (orientation, naming foods, registration, attention and calculation, copy figure, delayed recall, and speech and language). Kaplan–Meier survival curves were constructed to evaluate the different hearing states on overall survival. The risk of mortality over the follow-up period was estimated by using Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) models.

Results

A conspicuous probability was revealed in the survival relationship between hearing status and all-cause mortality for the total population (p < 0.001). Participants with HI had a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.29, 95% CI: 2.16, 2.42), as compared with their counterparts without HI. The association was robust upon fully adjustment for potential confounders (HR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.14). Compared to HI participants with no cognitive impairment, HI patients with cognitive impairment had a higher mortality risk (HR = 2.31, 95% CI: 2.13, 2.51). Impairment in the subdomains of cognitive function were independently associated with elevated mortality risk in the participants with HI, with an HR ranging from 1.28 (copy figure) to 1.46 (speech and language).

Conclusions

Cognitive decline was common in individuals with HI, and those with HI and cognitive impairment further increased mortality risk. Our findings prompt a call for actions to improve the hearing status and cognitive function of older people to minimize health risks and improve longevity.

Antioxidant potential of Pediococcus pentosaceus strains from the sow milk bacterial collection in weaned piglets

BACKGROUND

In modern animal husbandry, breeders pay increasing attention to improving sow nutrition during pregnancy and lactation to favor the health of neonates. Sow milk is a main food source for piglets during their first three weeks of life, which is not only a rich repository of essential nutrients and a broad range of bioactive compounds, but also an indispensable source of commensal bacteria. Maternal milk microorganisms are important sources of commensal bacteria for the neonatal gut. Bacteria from maternal milk may confer a health benefit on the host.

METHODS

Sow milk bacteria were isolated using culturomics followed by identification using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. To screen isolates for potential probiotic activity, the functional evaluation was conducted to assess their antagonistic activity against pathogens in vitro and evaluate their resistance against oxidative stress in damaged Drosophila induced by paraquat. In a piglet feeding trial, a total of 54 newborn suckling piglets were chosen from nine sows and randomly assigned to three treatments with different concentrations of a candidate strain. Multiple approaches were carried out to verify its antioxidant function including western blotting, enzyme activity analysis, metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.

RESULTS

The 1240 isolates were screened out from the sow milk microbiota and grouped into 271 bacterial taxa based on a nonredundant set of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among 80 Pediococcus isolates, a new Pediococcus pentosaceus strain (SMM914) showed the best performance in inhibition ability against swine pathogens and in a Drosophila model challenged by paraquat. Pretreatment of piglets with SMM914 induced the Nrf2-Keap1 antioxidant signaling pathway and greatly affected the pathways of amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism in plasma. In the colon, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly increased in the high dose SMM914 group compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

P. pentosaceus SMM914 is a promising probiotic conferring antioxidant capacity by activating the Nrf2-Keap1 antioxidant signaling pathway in piglets. Our study provided useful resources for better understanding the relationships between the maternal microbiota and offspring. Video Abstract.

Impacts of biochar-based fertilization on soil arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community structure in a karst mountainous area

The application of biochar-based fertilizer can improve soil properties in part by stimulating microbial activity and growth. Karst ecosystems, which make up large areas of Southwest China, are prone to degradation. Understanding the response of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) community structure to biochar-based fertilizer application is of great significance to karst soil restoration. A field experiment was conducted in a typical karst soil (calcareous sandy loam) in Southwest China. A high-throughput sequencing approach was used to investigate the effect of biochar-based fertilization on AMF community structure in the karst soil. With the control (CK), compost with NPK fertilizer (MF), biochar (B), a lower amount of biochar with compost and NPK fertilizer (B1MF), biochar with compost and NPK fertilizer (BMF), and a higher amount of biochar with compost and NPK fertilizer (B4MF), the field trials were set up for 24 months. Soil amendments increased soil nutrient content and AMF diversity. The composition and structure of the AMF community varied among the treatments. AMF community composition was significantly impacted by soil chemical properties such as TC (total carbon), TN (total nitrogen), TP (total phosphorus), and AP (available phosphorus). Furthermore, network analysis showed that biochar-based fertilization increased the scale and complexity of the microbial co-occurrence network. Biochar-based fertilization enabled more keystone species (such as order Diversisporales and Glomerales) in the soil AMF network to participate in soil carbon resource management and soil nutrient cycling, indicating that biochar-based fertilizer is beneficial for the restoration of degraded karst soils.

Assessment of personal exposure to infectious contaminant under the effect of indoor air stability

The objective of this study is to understand the effect of indoor air stability on personal exposure to infectious contaminant in the breathing zone. Numerical simulations are carried out in a test chamber with a source of infectious contaminant and a manikin (Manikin A). To give a good visual illustration of the breathing zone, the contaminant source is visualized by the mouth of another manikin. Manikin A is regarded as a vulnerable individual to infectious contaminant. Exposure index and exposure intensity are used as indicators of the exposure level in the breathing zone. The results show that in the stable condition, the infectious contaminant proceeds straightly towards the breathing zone of the vulnerable individual, leading to a relatively high exposure level. In the unstable condition, the indoor air experiences a strong mixing due to the heat exchange between the hot bottom air and the cool top air, so the infectious contaminant disperses effectively from the breathing zone. The unstable air can greatly reduce personal exposure to the infectious contaminant in the breathing zone. This study demonstrates the importance of indoor air stability on personal exposure in the indoor environment and provides a new direction for future study of personal exposure reduction in the indoor environment.

A reduction-responsive drug delivery with improved stability: disulfide crosslinked micelles of small amiphiphilic molecules

Micelles self-assembled from small amphiphilic molecules are unstable in biological fluids, and thus are poor drug carriers. In contrast, amphiphilic polymer micelles can encapsulate hydrophobic drugs in their core to greatly enhance their aqueous solubility and extend their retention time in blood circulation owing to their hydrophilic shell. However, the major disadvantages of conventional polymer micelles are the heterogeneity of the amphiphilic polymer structure and premature drug leakage. Thus, herein, to address these shortcomings, disulfide crosslinked micelles composed of a small amphiphilic molecule, di-lipoyl-glycerophosphorylcholine (di-LA-PC), were developed as redox-responsive drug carriers. Specifically, di-LA-PC was synthesized and self-assembled to form crosslinked micelles under catalysis by dithiothreitol. The disulfide crosslinked micelles maintained high stability in a simulated physiological environment, but rapidly disassembled under reductive conditions. Furthermore, paclitaxel (PTX), as a model drug, was encapsulated in the core of the crosslinked micelles with a high loading content of 8.13%. The in vitro release studies indicated that over 80% of PTX was released from the micelles in the reductive environment, whereas less than 20% PTX was released without reduction in the 68 h test. Benefiting from their nanoscale characteristics, the PTX-loaded micelles showed efficient cellular internalization and effectively induced the death of cancer cells, as revealed in the MTT, apoptosis and cell cycle tests. Moreover, pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that the crosslinked micelles prolonged the circulation of the incorporated PTX in the bloodstream and increased its accumulation in the tumor tissue via the EPR effect. Finally, the PTX-loaded micelles displayed prominent in vivo anti-tumor activity in a 4T1 xenograft tumor model. In summary, the di-LA-PC crosslinked micelle platform possesses excellent stability, high loading capacity and reduction-responsive release profile, which may have applications in the delivery of PTX and other anti-cancer drugs.

Targeted enrichment of novel chloroplast-based probes reveals a large-scale phylogeny of 412 bamboos

BACKGROUND

The subfamily Bambusoideae belongs to the grass family Poaceae and has significant roles in culture, economy, and ecology. However, the phylogenetic relationships based on large-scale chloroplast genomes (CpGenomes) were elusive. Moreover, most of the chloroplast DNA sequencing methods cannot meet the requirements of large-scale CpGenome sequencing, which greatly limits and impedes the in-depth research of plant genetics and evolution.

RESULTS

To develop a set of bamboo probes, we used 99 high-quality CpGenomes with 6 bamboo CpGenomes as representative species for the probe design, and assembled 15 M unique sequences as the final pan-chloroplast genome. A total of 180,519 probes for chloroplast DNA fragments were designed and synthesized by a novel hybridization-based targeted enrichment approach. Another 468 CpGenomes were selected as test data to verify the quality of the newly synthesized probes and the efficiency of the probes for chloroplast capture. We then successfully applied the probes to synthesize, enrich, and assemble 358 non-redundant CpGenomes of woody bamboo in China. Evaluation analysis showed the probes may be applicable to chloroplasts in Magnoliales, Pinales, Poales et al. Moreover, we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree of 412 bamboos (358 in-house and 54 published), supporting a non-monophyletic lineage of the genus Phyllostachys. Additionally, we shared our data by uploading a dataset of bamboo CpGenome into CNGB ( https://db.cngb.org/search/project/CNP0000502/ ) to enrich resources and promote the development of bamboo phylogenetics.

CONCLUSIONS

The development of the CpGenome enrichment pipeline and its performance on bamboos recommended an inexpensive, high-throughput, time-saving and efficient CpGenome sequencing strategy, which can be applied to facilitate the phylogenetics analysis of most green plants.

Identification and screening of host proteins interacting with ORFV-ORF047 protein

BACKGROUND

Orf virus (ORFV) is a member of the genus Parapoxvirus and family Poxviridae. The virus has a worldwide distribution and infects sheep, goats, humans, and wild animals. However, due to the complex structure of the poxvirus, the underlying mechanism of the entry and infection by ORFV remains largely unknown. ORFV ORF047 encodes a protein named L1R. Poxviral L1R serves as the receptor-binding protein and blocks virus binding and entry independently of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The study aimed to identify the host interaction partners of ORFV ORF047.

METHODS

Yeast two-hybrid cDNA library of sheep testicular cells was applied to screen the host targets with ORF047 as the bait. ORF047 was cloned into a pBT3-N vector and expressed in the NMY51 yeast strain. Then, the expression of bait proteins was validated by Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Sheep SERP1and PABPC4 were identified as host target proteins of ORFV ORF047, and a Co-IP assay further verified their interaction.

CONCLUSIONS

New host cell proteins SERP1and PABPC4 were found to interact with ORFV ORF047 and might involve viral mRNA translation and replication.

Organic manure input improves soil water and nutrients use for sustainable maize (Zea mays. L) productivity on the Loess Plateau

Long-term chemical fertilizer input causes soil organic matter losses, structural compaction, and changes in soil water and nutrient availability, which have been subdued in the most of dry farmland in China. The concept of "more efficiency with less fertilizer input" has been proposed and is urgently needed in current agriculture. Application of chemical fertilizer combined with organic manure (OM) could be a solution for soil protection and sustainable production of dry-land maize (Zea mays. L). Field research over three consecutive years on the Loess Plateau of China was conducted to evaluate the integrated effects of chemical fertilizer strategies and additional OM input on soil nutrients availability and water use in maize. The results showed that, after harvest, soil bulk density decreased significantly with OM application, concomitant with 11.9, 18.7 and 97.8% increases in topsoil total nitrogen, organic matter, and available phosphorus contents, respectively, compared with those under equal chemical NPK input. Water use in the 1.0-1.5 m soil profile was improved, therefore, the soil conditions were better for maize root growth, leaf area and shoot biomass of individual maize plants increased significantly with OM application. Optimized NPK strategies increased grain yield and water use efficiency by 18.5 and 20.6%, respectively, compared to only chemical NP input. Furthermore, additional OM input promoted yield and water use efficiency by 8.9 and 5.8%, respectively. Addition of OM promotes sustainable soil and maize grain productivity as well as friendly soil environmental management of dry land farming.

Hybrid Plasmonic-Aerogel Materials as Optical Superheaters with Engineered Resonances

Solar radiation is a versatile source of energy, convertible to different forms of power. A direct path to exploit it is the generation of heat, for applications including passive building heating, but it can also drive secondary energy-conversion steps. We present a novel concept for a hybrid material which is both strongly photo-absorbing and with superior characteristics for the insulation of heat. The combination of that two properties is rather unique, and make this material an optical superheater. To realize such a material, we are combining plasmonic nanoheaters with alumina aerogel. The aerogel has the double function of providing structural support for plasmonic nanocrystals, which serve as nanoheaters, and reducing the diffusion rate of the heat generated by them, resulting in large local temperature increases under a relatively low radiation intensity. This work includes theoretical discussion on the physical mechanisms impacting the system's balanced thermal equilibrium.