Endoglucanase H from Aspergillus westerdijkiae Plays an Important Role in the Virulence on Pear Fruits.

Aspergillus westerdijkiae can infect many agricultural products including cereals, grapes, and pear. Pathogenic fungi secrete diverse effectors as invasive weapons for successful invasion the host plant. During the pathogen-host interaction, 4486 differentially expressed genes were observed in A. westerdijkiae with 2773 up-regulated and 1713 down-regulated, whereas 8456 differentially expressed genes were detected in pear fruits with 4777 up-regulated and 3679 down-regulated. A total of 309 effector candidate genes were identified from the up-regulated genes in A. westerdijkiae. Endoglucanase H (AwEGH) was significantly induced during the pathogen-host interaction. Deletion of AwEGH resulted in altered fungal growth and morphology and reduced conidia production and germination compared to the wild-type. Further experiments demonstrated that AwEGH plays a role in cell wall integrity. Importantly, disruption of AwEGH significantly reduced the fungal virulence on pear fruits, and this defect can be partly explained by the impaired ability of A. westerdijkiae to penetrate host plants.

Evaluation for the effect of low-carbon city pilot policy: evidence from industry in China.

The investigation of the implementation effect of the low-carbon city pilot (LCCP) policy in promoting industrial low-carbon development is important for economic growth and carbon reduction in China. This paper takes the industry sector as an independent investigation object, and aims to examine the effectiveness of the policy in improving industrial low-carbon development. The industrial total factor carbon emission efficiency index (ITFCEE) is constructed to measure the level of industrial low-carbon development by the global frontier directional distance function. From the perspective of the multiple participants of the policy, we analyze the mechanisms of the policy, and construct the time-varying difference-in-difference model to test how LCCP policy impacts the ITFCEE. We conclude that (1) LCCP policy improves significantly the ITFCEE. (2) Heterogeneity analysis results show that the positive influence of LCCP policy is significant in cities with high industrial carbon emission intensity, high industrial structure upgrading, and high government expenditure. (3) The result of the mechanism analysis is that LCCP policy can benefit the ITFCEE by promoting enterprise green technology innovation, public environment concern, government technology support, and administrative regulation.

Chitosan inhibits Penicillium expansum possibly by binding to DNA and triggering apoptosis.

Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide that is abundant, biocompatible and exhibits effective antifungal activity against various pathogenic fungi. However, the potential intracellular targets of chitosan in pathogenic fungi and the way of activity of chitosan are far from well known. The present work demonstrated that chitosan could inhibit Penicillium expansum, the principal causal agent of postharvest blue mold decay on apple fruits, by binding to DNA and triggering apoptosis. UV-visible spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy and electrophoretic mobility assay proved the interaction between chitosan and DNA, while atomic force microscope (AFM) observation revealed the binding morphology of chitosan to DNA. Chitosan could inhibit in vitro DNA replication, and cell cycle analysis employing flow cytometry demonstrated that cell cycle was retarded by chitosan treatment. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay and membrane potential analysis showed that apoptosis was induced in P. expansum cells after exposure to chitosan. In conclusion, our results confirmed that chitosan interacts with DNA and induces apoptosis. These findings are expected to provide a feasible theoretical basis and practical direction for the promoting and implementing of chitosan in plant protection and further illuminate the possible antifungal mechanisms of chitosan against fungal pathogens.

Heterologous expression and characterization of an M4 family extracellular metalloprotease for detergent application.

Proteolytic enzymes stand out as the most widely employed category utilized in manufacturing industry. A new protease was separated from Planococcus sp.11815 strain and named as nprS-15615 in this research. The gene of this protease has not been reported, and its enzymatic properties have been studied for the first time. To enhance enzyme production, the Planococcus sp. protease gene was expressed in Bacillus licheniformis 2709. The expression level of nprS-15615 was observed under the control of regulatory elements PaprE. nprS-15615 protease activity reached 1186.24±32.87 U/mL after 48 hours of cultivation in shake flasks which was nearly four times the output of the original bacteria (291.38±25.73U/mL). The optimum temperature and pH of the recombinant protease were 30 ℃ and 8.0, respectively.The enzyme exhibited the highest capacity for hydrolyzing casein and demonstrated resilience towards a NaCl concentration of 10.0% (wt/v). Furthermore, in the presence of 0.5% surfactants, the recombinant protease activity can maintain above 75%, and with the existence of 0.5% liquid detergents, there was basically no loss of enzyme activity which indicated that nprS-15615 had good compatibility with surfactants and liquid detergents. In addition, npS-15615 performed well in the washing experiment, and the washing effect at 20 ℃ can be significantly improved by adding crude enzyme solution in the washing process.

Spatio-temporal evolution characteristics of eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin of China based on the super-efficient SBM model.

It is of great significance to study the trends and internal differences of eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin for ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. According to the characteristics of the Yellow River Basin in China, the eco-efficiency evaluation system was constructed, and the super-efficiency slack-based measure (SBM) model and the super-efficiency SBM model of undesired output were used to calculate the eco-efficiency levels of provinces in the Yellow River Basin from 2005 to 2020, and the variation trend and internal differences were analyzed. The results show that when only the expected output was considered, the eco-efficiency of the Yellow River Basin as a whole and each province showed a fluctuating upward trend, but there were obvious differences. Qinghai Province, Sichuan Province, and Ningxia Autonomous Region had high eco-efficiency, while Shaanxi Province, Shanxi Province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region had low eco-efficiency. Compared with only considering the expected outputs, eco-efficiency of Qinghai Province had improved significantly when considering non-expected outputs. The eco-efficiency of Shandong Province and Henan Province had improved significantly after 2016, while the eco-efficiency of the two provinces had decreased significantly before 2016. The eco-efficiency of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Gansu had declined to varying degrees. Finally, the reasons for the differences in eco-efficiency in various provinces in the Yellow River Basin were analyzed, and suggestions for improving the eco-efficiency of the Yellow River Basin were put forward.

Transcriptome Analysis and Functional Characterization Reveal That Peclg Gene Contributes to the Virulence of Penicillium expansum on Apple Fruits.

Penicillium expansum is the causal agent of blue mold decay on apple fruits and is also known to be the major producer of patulin, a mycotoxin that represents serious hazard to human health. Several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the pathogenesis of P. expansum in host plants. Secreted effector proteins are vital for the pathogenicity of many fungal pathogens through manipulating their hosts for efficient colonization. In this study, we performed a RNA-Seq analysis followed by computational prediction of effector proteins from P. expansum during infection of the host apple fruits, and a total of 212 and 268 candidate effector protein genes were identified at 6 and 9 h after inoculation (hai), respectively. One of the candidate effector protein genes was identified as a concanavalin A-like lectin/glucanase (Peclg), which was dramatically induced during the pathogen-host interaction. Targeted knockout of Peclg resulted in significant reduction in conidial production and germination relative to the wild type. Further studies showed that in addition to salt stress, the mutant was much more sensitive to SDS and Congo red, suggesting a defect in cell wall integrity. Pathogenicity assays revealed that the ΔPeclg mutant showed significant decrease in virulence and infectious growth on apple fruits. All these results suggest that Peclg is required for fungal growth, stress response, and the virulence of P. expansum.

Analysis of urban carbon emission efficiency and influencing factors in the Yellow River Basin.

The Yellow River Basin is an energy-rich area. The low-carbon development of the Yellow River Basin is one of the ways to achieve ecological protection and high-quality development. Based on panel data from 2007 to 2019, the dynamic and static carbon emission efficiencies of 98 cities in the Yellow River Basin were calculated using the Undesirable Super Slacks-based model and the Global Malmquist-Luengerber index method, respectively, and the spatial effects of influencing factors were analyzed using the spatial Dubin model. Main conclusions are as follows: (1) The carbon emission efficiency of cities in the Yellow River Basin is different, and only a small numbers of cities have reached the effective state. (2) The main factor for the increase in the overall carbon emission efficiency of the whole Basin is technological progress, and the main factors for the improvement of carbon emission efficiency of different cities are various. (3) The direct effects of economic development level and industrial structure upgrading are significantly positive, the direct effects of technological development level, energy intensity, and opening up are significantly negative, and the indirect effects of population density are positive. The conclusions are of great significance for promoting low-carbon development, ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

Characterization of Bacillus velezensis E2 with abilities to degrade ochratoxin A and biocontrol against Aspergillus westerdijkiae fc-1.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), primarily produced by the fungi belonging to the species of Aspergillus and Penicillium, is one of the most common mycotoxins found in cereals and fruits. In addition to resulting in huge economic losses, OTA contamination also poses considerable threat to human and livestock health. Microbial degradation of mycotoxins has been considered with great potential in mycotoxins decontamination. In a previous study, Bacillus velezensis E2 was isolated by our laboratory and showed appreciable inhibitory effect on Aspergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin production in rice grains. In this study, B. velezensis E2 was investigated for its ability to remove OTA and biocontrol against the ochratoxigenic Aspergillus westerdijkiae fc-1. The results revealed that B. velezensis E2 has considerable inhibitory effect on A. westerdijkiae fc-1 both on PDA medium and pear fruits, with inhibitory rate of 51.7% and 73.9%, respectively. In addition, its ability to remove OTA was evaluated in liquid medium and the results showed that more than 96.1% of OTA with an initial concentration of 2.5 µg/mL could be removed by B. velezensis E2 in 48 h. Further experiments revealed that enzymatic transformation and alkaline hydrolysis might be the main mechanisms related to OTA degradation by B. velezensis E2, with ring open ochratoxin α (OP-OTα) as a possible degradation product. Our study indicated that the B. velezensis E2 strain could be a potential bacterial candidate in biodegradation of OTA and biocontrol against A. westerdijkiae fc-1.

Drivers of the peaking and decoupling between CO2 emissions and economic growth around 2030 in China.

Reaching the peak of carbon dioxide emissions is the basis and premise of carbon neutrality. In this paper, the factor decomposition model was used to analyze the influencing factors and effects of carbon dioxide emissions. Causal chain model of elastic decoupling was established. The historical decoupling state between carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth and the decoupling effect of its influencing factors were analyzed. The prediction model of carbon dioxide emissions was used to explore the change trend of China's carbon dioxide emissions and its peak in the short and medium term in the future. The elastic decoupling trend between carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth was predicted. The results show that economic growth is the main force driving carbon dioxide emissions. Both energy intensity and energy consumption structure have a strong inhibiting effect on carbon dioxide emissions except for a few years, but the former has a more significant inhibiting effect than the latter. In general, the elastic decoupling between carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth has experienced a state from weak decoupling to growth linkage and then to weak decoupling. And this weak decoupling trend will continue to increase in the short and medium term. During the 14th Five-year and 15th Five-year period, if the average annual economic growth rate will be maintained at 4.61 to 5.85%, energy intensity will be reduced by 16.14 to 18.37%, and the proportion of non-fossil energy in the energy consumption structure at the end of the 14th, 15th, and 16th Five-Year Plan period will be around 19.9%, 23.2%, and 26.1%, respectively, and then the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions will continue to decline. It is expected to reach the peak of carbon dioxide emissions between 10,453 and 10,690 billion tons from 2025 to 2027. And the earlier the peak time is, the smaller the peak is, which would provide valuable time for carbon neutrality and room to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the medium and long term.

LncRNA-SNHG16 promotes proliferation and migration of acute myeloid leukemia cells via PTEN/PI3K/AKT axis through suppressing CELF2 protein.

The silence of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 16 (SNHG16) suppressed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell proliferation and migration, whereas its role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) still lacks clarity. This study showed that SNHG16 was upregulated in AML patients and cells. And SNHG16 overexpression remarkably enhanced the proliferation and migration capacities of HL60 and AML-193 cells, while SNHG16 knockdown acted the opposite way. Subsequently, we revealed that SNHG16 directly bound to CELF2 (CUGBP Elav-like family member 2) protein, and caused CELF2 mRNA unstably and proteins reducing. CELF2 was decreased both in AML patients and cells. CELF2 overexpression or interference weakened the effect of overexpressing or silencing SNHG16 on proliferation and migration. Moreover, the transfection of pcDNA-CELF2 elevated PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) activity and hindered the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling. And SNHG16 reduced PTEN activity and promoted the PI3K/AKT pathway activation by restraining CELF2. Furthermore, GDC-0941 (a specific inhibitor of the PI3K/AKT pathway) impeded the effect of SNHG16 increase, and bpV(pic) (a specific PTEN inhibitor) declined the effect of SNHG16 decrease on cell proliferation and migration. Taken together, the present study indicated that SNHG16 promoted proliferation and migration of AML cells via PTEN/PI3K/AKT axis through suppressing CELF2 protein.

Clinical features and treatment outcomes of primary ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a single center retrospective analysis of 64 patients in China.

AIM: To investigate the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of primary ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (POAML). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 64 patients with POAML who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2006 to December 2018. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 61mo (range, 2-156mo), estimated overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 10y reached 94.5% and 61.5%, respectively. Median OS time and PFS time were not reached. During this period, only 3 patients died, but none of them died directly due to disease progression. One patient (1.6%) developed transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Of the 56 patients achieved complete remission after first-line treatment, 5 (8.9%) developed local and/or systemic relapse eventually. Patients ≥60y had significantly shorter PFS than younger patients (P=0.01). For patients with early stages (Ann Arbor stage I and stage II), univariate analysis confirmed that radiotherapy dose lower than 32 Gy were independently associated with shorter PFS (P=0.04). Other factors including gender, bone marrow involvement, the initial location of the disease, and the laterality were not associated with PFS. CONCLUSION: The data from our center indicate that POAML has a slow clinical progression and has an excellent clinical outcome. Patients with POAML harbor a continual risk of relaps and transformation to aggressive subtype of lymphoma.

Chlorogenic acid relieved oxidative stress injury in retinal ganglion cells through IncRNA-TUG1/Nrf2.

Objective: To discover the possible underlying mechanism of Chlorogenic acid (CGA) in protecting against oxidative stress injury in glaucoma. Methods: LncRNA TUG1 and Nrf2 expressions were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) viability and apoptosis were measured by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was determined by reactive oxygen species assay kit. The interaction between lncRNA TUG1 and Nrf2 was confirmed by RNA pull-down and RIP assay. Results: IPL thickness and lncRNA TUG1 expression were significantly decreased in glaucoma mice model, and CGA treatment increased IPL thickness and lncRNA TUG1 expression. In vitro H2O2-induced RGCs, RGC viability was significantly decreased, and ROS level and cell apoptosis were significantly increased. CGA up-regulated lncRNA TUG1 and Nrf2 expressions, decreased cell apoptosis and ROS production in RGCs, and increased RGCs viability. We further verified the interaction between lncRNA TUG1 and Nrf2, and proved Nrf2 was positively regulated by lncRNA TUG1. We found CGA promoted Nrf2 expression through lncRNA-TUG1, and further verified CGA protected RGCs from oxidative stress through regulating lncRNA TUG1/Nrf2. In vivo experiments showed TUG1 knockdown abrogated therapeutic effect of CGA on glaucoma. Conclusion: CGA increased RGC viability and decreased ROS level and RGC apoptosis after oxidative stress injury through lncRNA TUG1/Nrf2 pathway, which protected against glaucoma.

miR-221 promotes lens epithelial cells apoptosis through interacting with SIRT1 and E2F3.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been regarded as potential modulators in varying ocular diseases, including age-related cataract (ARC). However, the roles of miR-221 in ARC progression and its underlying mechanism remain poorly understood. In this study, human lens epithelial cell line (SRA01/04) was used to investigate the potential function of miR-221 in vitro. The expressions of miR-221, sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) were measured in ARC tissues by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, respectively. To investigate the effect of miR-221, SIRT1 and E2F3 on cell apoptosis, SRA01/04 cells were transfected with miR-221 inhibitor, negative control inhibitor, pcDNA3.1-SIRT1 overexpression vector, pcDNA3.1-E2F3 overexpression vector or pcDNA3.1 empty vector. After the transfection, cell viability was detected in SRA01/04 cells at 0, 24, 48 or 72 h by cell counting kit-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was evaluated in transfected SRA01/04 cells by flow cytometry and western blotting at 72 h. The interaction between miR-221 and SIRT1 or E2F3 was probed by luciferase activity and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Results showed that high expression of miR-221 was exhibited in ARC tissues compared with that in normal samples and associated with Lens Opacities Classification System III grades. Knockdown of miR-221 promoted cell viability and inhibited apoptosis in SRA01/04 cells. Moreover, both of SIRT1 and E2F3 levels were directly targeted by miR-221 and down-regulated in ARC tissues. Besides, overexpression of SIRT1 or E2F3 increased cell viability and suppressed apoptosis in SRA01/04 cells, which was reversed by addition of miR-221. We concluded that miR-221 promoted lens epithelial cells apoptosis through regulating SIRT1 and E2F3, providing a novel biomarker for treatment of ARC.

Depletion of MicroRNA-373 Represses the Replication of Hepatitis C Virus via Activation of Type 1 Interferon Response by Targeting IRF5.

PURPOSE: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) poses a risk of chronic liver disease and threatens a significant number of people worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are linked to the regulation of hepatocarcinogenesis. Although miR-373 is required for HCV infection, the underlying mechanisms of miR-373 involvement in HCV replication remain elusive. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative reverse transcription PCR assays were performed to detect the abundances of miR-373 and HCV RNA either in Huh 7.5 cells or liver biopsy specimens with HCV infection. Luciferase assay was employed to probe the interactions between miR-373 and interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5). Western blot was conducted to investigate the effect of miR-373 and IRF5 on HCV replication and activation of type 1 interferon (IFN) response in JFH1-infected Huh 7.5 cells. RESULTS: HCV infection appeared to be caused by increased miR-373 expression. Addition of miR-373 promoted HCV RNA expression, while miR-373 depletion led to an inhibitive effect on HCV replication. Concordantly, IRF5, as a direct target, was limited by miR-373 in JFH1-infected Huh 7.5 cells. In addition, introduction of IRF5 protected HCV replication in the presence of abundant miR-373. Furthermore, the miR-373-mediated inhibitory effect on type 1 IFN response was ablated following IRF5 accumulation. CONCLUSION: miR-373 abrogation reduced HCV replication via activation of type 1 IFN responses by targeting IRF5 in JFH1-infected Huh 7.5 cells, suggesting a promising therapeutic for treating HCV infection.

Conservation of orbital angular momentum for high harmonic generation of fractional vortex beams.

This work demonstrates conservation of average orbital angular momentum for high harmonic generation of fractional vortex beams. High harmonics are generated in reflected light beams in a three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. The average orbital angular momentum of the beam is calculated when a relativistic linearly polarized fractional vortex beam impinges on a solid foil. The harmonic generation progress can be well explained by using the vortex oscillating mirror model. Both simulation and theoretical analysis show that the average orbital momentum of the nth harmonic is n times that of the fundamental frequency beam. This provides evidence that the average orbital angular momentum obeys momentum conservation during the harmonic generation of fractional vortex beams.

LncRNA MALAT1 promotes the apoptosis and oxidative stress of human lens epithelial cells via p38MAPK pathway in diabetic cataract.

BACKGROUND: LncRNAs are involved in various biological processes and disorders. We aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA MALAT1 deregulation in the pathogenic mechanism of diabetic cataract (DC). METHODS: The expression of MALAT1 in the tissues and cells was detected by qRT-PCR. The levels of SP1, p38 and apoptosis-related protein were assessed by Western blot assay. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and Dual luciferase assay were performed to evaluate the relationship between SP1 and MALAT1. The viability and apoptosis of human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) were analyzed by MTT assay and flow cytometry. The levels of malonyldialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were used to examine the level of oxidative stress. RESULTS: MALAT1 not only was aberrantly expressed in DC anterior lens capsule tissues and high glucose (HG)-treated HLECs, but also were up-regulated by HG to promote the apoptosis and oxidative stress of HLECs. HG induced the up-regulation of MALAT1 via SP1 binding MALAT1 promoter regions in HLECs. Moreover, p38 was up-regulated in HG-treated HLECs, and knockdown of p38 reversed the effect of MALAT1 over-expression on HLECs. CONCLUSION: HG induced the up-regulation of MALAT1 in HLECs via SP1 binding SP1 binding MALAT1, which promoted the apoptosis and oxidative stress of HLECs through the activation of p38MAPK signaling pathway.

Effects of longitudinal body mass index variability on microvasculature over 5 years in adult Chinese.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the associations of 5-year trend and fluctuation in body mass index (BMI) with retinal vascular caliber in a middle-aged and elderly Chinese population. METHODS: Participants age ≥40 years were recruited in a prospective study. Baseline BMI data were collected in 2008, and the participants were re-examined annually until 2012. Retinal vascular caliber was measured from fundus photographs collected in 2012. BMI trend was calculated as the slope of BMI against the time of examinations. BMI fluctuation was defined as the root mean square error around the regression line of BMI over time (BMI RMSE) and the coefficient of variation of BMI (BMI CV). RESULTS: Rising BMI trend was associated with narrower retinal arteriolar and wider venular calibers in the overall subjects, especially among persons with overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) , P = 0.004 and 0.033, respectively). Rising BMI trend was also significantly associated with narrower retinal arteriole even in nonobese individuals with BMI < 25 kg/m(2) (P = 0.017) when eliminating the effects of hypertension and diabetes. Neither BMI RMSE nor BMI CV was statistically associated with retinal vascular caliber (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Annual rising trending BMI was associated with retinal microvascular alteration. The results suggest that weight gain probably increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases among middle-aged and elderly people.

Association between body composition and retinal vascular caliber in children and adolescents.

PURPOSE: To elucidate the relationship between body composition and retinal vascular caliber (RVC) in children and adolescents. METHODS: Participants aged 7 to 19 years were recruited from the Guangzhou Twin Eye Study cohort. Retinal vascular caliber was measured cross-sectionally from retinal images using a computer-aided program. The data were expressed as the central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE). Triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT) was measured using a skinfold caliper. Body composition was obtained through bioelectrical impedance analysis, providing fat mass (FM), fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass (FFM), fat-free mass index (FFMI), body water mass (BWM), body water percentage (BWP), basal metabolic rate (BMR), and trunk fat percentage (TFP). RESULTS: A total of 731 participants were included. Among the younger children (7-11 years), there was no significant association between body composition and RVC (all P > 0.05). However, for the older children (12-19 years), increasing FM, FMI, TFP, TSFT, and BMI were associated with CRAE negatively (ß = -0.20, -0.68, -0.18, -0.17, and -0.48, respectively, all P < 0.05) and with CRVE positively (ß = 0.47, 1.26, 0.34, 0.37, and 0.78, respectively, all P < 0.05), after adjusting for age, sex, axial length, mean arterial blood pressure, and the fellow vascular diameter. In contrast, increase in BWP was associated with larger CRAE (ß = 0.33, P = 0.001) and smaller CRVE (ß = -0.64, P < 0.001). Similar associations also were observed in the analyses when the body composition parameters were divided into quartiles (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In adolescents, greater body fat deposition is related to narrower retinal arterioles and wider retinal venules, and higher body water proportion is associated with retinal arterioles widening and retinal venules narrowing. Even during childhood, body composition might have an association with systemic microvasculature.

Ethnicity-based subgroup meta-analysis of the association of LOXL1 polymorphisms with glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association and ethnic heterogeneity of lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with exfoliation syndrome (XFS)/exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) and other types of glaucoma. METHODS: We performed meta-analysis and ethnicity-based subgroup analyses according to published studies. Allele and genotype frequencies of SNPs rs1048661, rs2165241, and rs3825942 were extracted for analysis in Reviewer Manager: (1) comparison of the allelic distributions between XFS and XFG, (2) allelic association of LOXL1 SNPs with XFS/XFG, (3) associations in homozygote, heterozygote, and dominant and recessive models, and (4) allelic association with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). RESULTS: In total 24 reported articles were retrieved, including Caucasian, African, Japanese, Indian, and Chinese populations. There was no significant difference in the distributions of rs1048661, rs2165241, and rs3825942 between XFS and XFG. The G allele of rs3825942 was the common at-risk allele for XFS/XFG in all populations with a total odds ratio (OR) of 10.89. The total homozygote OR of rs3825942 was 9.06 for XFS/XFG combined, but the total heterozygote OR was not significant. We also found that in the recessive model, the total OR was 14.70. There was no association of the three SNPs with POAG. CONCLUSIONS: The association of rs3825942, but not rs2165241 or rs1048661, with XFS/XFG is consistent in different ethnic populations in the recessive model. LOXL1 is not associated with POAG in all study populations.