The structure of bacteria-fungi bipartite networks along elevational gradients in contrasting climates.

Climate change is altering species distribution and modifying interactions in microbial communities. Understanding microbial community structure and their interactions is crucial to interpreting ecosystem responses to climate change. Here, we examined the assemblages of stream bacteria and fungi, and the associations between the two groups along elevational gradients in two regions with contrasting precipitation and temperature, that is the Galong and Qilian mountains of the Tibetan Plateau. In the wetter and warmer region, the species richness significantly increased and decreased with elevation for bacteria and fungi, respectively, while were nonsignificant in the drier and colder region. Their bipartite network structure was also different by showing significant increases in connectance and nestedness towards higher elevations only in the wetter and warmer region. In addition, these correlation network structure generally exhibited similar positive association with species richness in the wetter and warmer region and the drier and colder region. In the wetter and warmer region, climatic change along elevation was more important in determining connectance and nestedness, whereas microbial species richness exerted a stronger influence on network structure and robustness in the drier and colder region. These findings indicate substantial forthcoming changes in microbial diversity and network structure in warming climates, especially in wetter and warmer regions on Earth, advancing the understanding of microbial bipartite interactions' response to climate change.

Effect of music therapy combined with aerobic exercise on sleep quality among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: We aimed to study the effect of music therapy combined with aerobic exercise on the sleep quality of patients undergoing chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shaanxi Province Tumor Hospital, from July 2017 to June 2019. 110 female breast cancer patients who underwent a radical mastectomy were recruited and randomly allocated into an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group completed music therapy combined with aerobic exercise from the first to the sixth admission to the hospital for chemotherapy, while the control group received only routine nursing care. The sleep quality of these patients was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A linear mixed model was used to adjust the PSQI of patients after controlling for other confounding factors. RESULTS: The mean sleep quality score of the breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy (baseline) was 8.86 ± 2.34. The intervention group had a significantly lower mean global PSQI score than the control group from the first test to the third test, with an adjusted mean difference of -1.05 (95%CI: -1.86, -0.24; P = 0.01), -2.89 (95%CI: -3.70, -2.08; P < 0.001) and - 4.84 (95%CI: -5.65, -4.03; P < 0.001), respectively. A change in the global PSQI score from baseline for the intervention group was from 0.55 (95%CI: -0.24, 1.34; P = 0.171) at the first test to 2.75 (95%CI: 1.96, 3.53; P < 0.001) at the last test, and for the control group was from - 0.51 (95%CI: -1.31, 0.29; P = 0.213 at the first test to -2.10 (95%CI: -2.91, -1.30; P < 0.001) at the last test. CONCLUSIONS: An intervention of music therapy combined with aerobic exercise can significantly improve the sleep quality of female breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy after a radical mastectomy, and this intervention continuously improves many aspects of sleep reactivity. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100042975, 02/02/2021).

FvUVI4 inhibits cell division and cell expansion to modulate fruit development in Fragaria vesca.

Fruit development is mainly regulated by cell division and expansion. As a negative regulator of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome, UVI4 plays important roles in plant growth and development via coordinating cell cycle. However, currently there is no report on UVI4's functions in regulating fruit development in strawberry. Here, Fragaria vesca homolog FvUVI4 is identified and localizes in the nucleus. FvUVI4 has high gene expression in roots, leaves, flower, buds and green fruits, and low expression in petiole, stem, white and yellow fruit. Fruit development of F. vesca 'Hawaii4' is regulated by endoreduplication, and the expression of FvUVI4 is negatively correlated with fruit cell size. Overexpression of FvUVI4 inhibits endoreduplication of leaves, flowers and fruits in both Arabidopsis and F. vesca 'Hawaii4', thereby limiting cell expansion and decreasing cell area. Overexpression of FvUVI4 also inhibits mitotic cell cycle leading to decreased cell number, and ultimately affects the growth of leaves, petals and seeds or fruits. Arabidopsis uvi4 mutants obtained via CRISPR-Cas9 technology display opposite growth phenotypes to Arabidopsis and F. vesca 'Hawaii4' overexpression lines, which can be restored by overexpression of FvUVI4 in Arabidopsis uvi4 mutants. In conclusion, our study indicates that FvUVI4 inhibits cell expansion and cell division to modulate receptacle development in woodland strawberry.

d-Pinitol Improves Diabetic Sarcopenia by Regulation of the Gut Microbiome, Metabolome, and Proteome in STZ-Induced SAMP8 Mice.

d-Pinitol (DP) is primarily found in Vigna sinensis, which has been shown to have hypoglycemic and protective effects on target organs. However, the mechanism of DP in treating diabetic sarcopenia (DS) is still unclear. To explore the underlying mechanism of DS and the protective targets of DP by high-throughput analysis of 16S rRNA gene, metabolome, and the proteome. Streptozotocin-induced SAMP8 mice were intragastrically administrated DP (150 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. Fecal 16S rRNA gene sequencing and gastrocnemius muscle metabolomic and proteomic analyses were completed to investigate the gut-muscle axis interactions. DP significantly alleviated the muscle atrophy in diabetic mice. Dysfunction of the gut microbiota was observed in the DS mice. DP significantly reduced the Parabacteroides, Akkermansia, and Enterobacteriaceae, while it increased Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136. Metabolome and proteome revealed that 261 metabolites and 626 proteins were significantly changed in the gastrocnemius muscle of diabetic mice. Among these, DP treatment restored 44 metabolites and 17 proteins to normal levels. Functional signaling pathways of DP-treated diabetic mice included nucleotide metabolism, ß-alanine, histidine metabolism, ABC transporters, and the calcium signaling pathway. We systematically explored the molecular mechanism of DS and the protective effect of DP, providing new insights that may advance the treatment of sarcopenia.

Association between problematic social networking use and anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

A growing number of studies have reported that problematic social networking use (PSNU) is strongly associated with anxiety symptoms. However, due to the presence of multiple anxiety subtypes, existing research findings on the extent of this association vary widely, leading to a lack of consensus. The current meta-analysis aimed to summarize studies exploring the relationship between PSNU levels and anxiety symptoms, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, attachment anxiety, and fear of missing out. 209 studies with a total of 172 articles were included in the meta-analysis, involving 252,337 participants from 28 countries. The results showed a moderately positive association between PSNU and generalized anxiety (GA), social anxiety (SA), attachment anxiety (AA), and fear of missing out (FoMO) respectively (GA: r = 0.388, 95% CI [0.362, 0.413]; SA: r = 0.437, 95% CI [0.395, 0.478]; AA: r = 0.345, 95% CI [0.286, 0.402]; FoMO: r = 0.496, 95% CI [0.461, 0.529]), and there were different regulatory factors between PSNU and different anxiety subtypes. This study provides the first comprehensive estimate of the association of PSNU with multiple anxiety subtypes, which vary by time of measurement, region, gender, and measurement tool.

Highly efficient targeted adsorption and catalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin by a novel molecularly imprinted bimetallic MOFs catalyst for persulfate activation.

Given the presence of emerging pollutants at low concentrations in water bodies, which are inevitably affected by background substances during the removal process. In this study, we synthesized molecularly imprinted catalysts (Cu/Ni-MOFs@MIP) based on bimetallic metal-organic frameworks for the targeted degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). The electrostatic interaction and functional group binding of CIP with specific recognition sites on Cu/Ni-MOFs@MIP produced excellent selective recognition (Qmax was 14.82 mg g-1), which enabled the active radicals to approach and remove the contaminants faster. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis and quenching experiments revealed the coexistence of ∙OH, SO42-, and 1O2, with ∙OH dominating the system. Based on experimental and theoretical calculations, the reaction sites of CIP were predicted and the possible degradation pathways and mechanisms of Cu/Ni-MOFs@MIP/PMS systems were proposed. This study opens up a new platform for the targeted removal of target pollutants in AOPs.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cancer screening and primary prevention among ethnic minorities in mainland China: A literature review.

Objective: Cancer screening and primary prevention are effective strategies for addressing the burden of cancer. However, cancer health disparity exists in accessing cancer screening services among ethnic minorities in mainland China. Exploring knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cancer screening and primary prevention is an effective way to understand minority groups' participation in these activities and the barriers to their participation. However, no review has summarized the relevant evidence. This study explored the evidence on cancer screening and primary prevention among ethnic minorities in mainland China, including their knowledge (knowledge level and awareness rate), attitudes (positive/negative attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions), and practices (uptake and participation rate). Methods: Five online databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], and Wanfang Data) were searched to identify literature. Data on knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cancer screening and primary prevention among ethnic minority groups and the influential factors were extracted and summarized. Results: Twelve articles on studies with a total of 36,464 participants were included. Most of the studies focused only on breast and cervical cancer, women, and Uyghurs. The ethnic minority groups in the reviewed studies had a low level of knowledge about cancer screening and primary prevention and insufficient practices (cancer screening and primary prevention service uptake rate < 40.0%) but moderate to highly positive attitudes. Conclusions: This review revealed the insufficient knowledge and practices of cancer screening and primary prevention among ethnic minority groups in mainland China, whose members hold generally positive attitudes toward screening. More evidence pertaining to diverse ethnic minority groups and other cancer types is needed.

The regulation of MFG-E8 on the mitophagy in diabetic sarcopenia via the HSPA1L-Parkin pathway and the effect of D-pinitol.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic sarcopenia is a disease-related skeletal muscle disorder that causes progressive symptoms. The complete understanding of its pathogenesis is yet to be unravelled, which makes it difficult to develop effective therapeutic strategies. This study investigates how MFG-E8 affects mitophagy and the protective role of D-pinitol (DP) in diabetic sarcopenia. METHODS: In vivo, streptozotocin-induced diabetic SAM-R1 (STZ-R1) and SAM-P8 (STZ-P8) mice (16-week-old) were used, and STZ-P8 mice were administrated of DP (150 mg/kg per day) for 6 weeks. Gastrocnemius muscles were harvested for histological analysis including transmission electron microscopy. Proteins were evaluated via immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), and western blotting (WB) assay. In vitro, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) induced diabetic and D-galactose (DG) induced senescent C2C12 models were established and received DP, MFG-E8 plasmid (Mover)/siRNA (MsiRNA), or 3-MA/Torin-1 intervention. Proteins were evaluated by IF and WB assay. Immunoprecipitation (IP) and co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) were used for hunting the interacted proteins of MFG-E8. RESULTS: In vivo, sarcopenia, mitophagy deficiency, and up-regulated MFG-E8 were confirmed in the STZ-P8 group. DP exerted protective effects on sarcopenia and mitophagy (DP + STZ-P8 vs. STZ-P8; all P < 0.01), such as increased lean mass (8.47 ± 0.81 g vs. 7.08 ± 1.64 g), grip strength (208.62 ± 39.45 g vs. 160.87 ± 26.95 g), rotarod tests (109.7 ± 11.81 s vs. 59.3 ± 20.97 s), muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) (1912.17 ± 535.61 µm2 vs. 1557.19 ± 588.38 µm2), autophagosomes (0.07 ± 0.02 per µm2 vs. 0.02 ± 0.01 per µm2), and cytolysosome (0.07 ± 0.03 per µm2 vs. 0.03 ± 0.01 per µm2). DP down-regulated MFG-E8 in both serum (DP + STZ-P8: 253.19 ± 34.75 pg/mL vs. STZ-P8: 404.69 ± 78.97 pg/mL; P < 0.001) and gastrocnemius muscle (WB assay. DP + STZ-P8: 0.39 ± 0.04 vs. STZ-P8: 0.55 ± 0.08; P < 0.01). DP also up-regulated PINK1, Parkin and LC3B-II/I ratio, and down-regulated P62 in gastrocnemius muscles (all P < 0.01). In vitro, mitophagy deficiency and MFG-E8 up-regulation were confirmed in diabetic and senescent models (all P < 0.05). DP and MsiRNA down-regulated MFG-E8 and P62, and up-regulated PINK1, Parkin and LC3B-II/I ratio to promote mitophagy as Torin-1 does (all P < 0.05). HSPA1L was confirmed as an interacted protein of MFG-E8 in IP and CO-IP assay. Mover down-regulated the expression of Parkin via the HSPA1L-Parkin pathway, leading to mitophagy inhibition. MsiRNA up-regulated the expression of PINK1 via SGK1, FOXO1, and STAT3 phosphorylation pathways, leading to mitophagy stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: MFG-E8 is a crucial target protein of DP and plays a distinct role in mitophagy regulation. DP down-regulates the expression of MFG-E8, reduces mitophagy deficiency, and alleviates the symptoms of diabetic sarcopenia, which could be considered a novel therapeutic strategy for diabetic sarcopenia.

Reliability and validity of the translated Chinese version of comprehensive assessment of acceptance and commitment therapy processes (CompACT-C) in breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: This study aimed to translate and validate a Chinese version of the Comprehensive assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy processes (CompACT-C), a 23-item questionnaire for measuring an individual's level of psychological flexibility among Chinese breast cancer survivors for utilisation of Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)-based interventions in breast cancer patients. Methods: Six translators translated the original English version into Chinese according to Brislin's Translation Model. Psychometric properties tests were conducted on the CompACT-C, including internal consistency, test-retest reliability (two-week interval), face validity, content validity, convergent validity with experiential avoidance, and construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis). Results: 308 Chinese breast cancer survivors with mastectomies were conveniently recruited. The translated scale showed satisfactory test-retest reliability (two-week interval, r = 0.53-0.72, p < 0.001), face validity, and content validity (CVI-Scale/CVS-Item = 1.00). According to the confirmatory factor analysis results, the final Chinese version remained the 23 items and three dimensions, with the modification of item six from the dimension of openness to experience to behavioural awareness for better model fitness [structural equation model analysis, χ2 = 559.486, df = 226, NC (χ2/df) = 2.476, RMSEA = 0.069, CFI = 0.834, TLI = 0.815, SRMR = 0.079] and satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.71), convergent validity with AAQ-2 (r = -0.57, p < 0.001) in these breast cancer patients. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the CompACT showed good reliability and validity among Chinese breast cancer patients. Future research is suggested to confirm its psychometric properties with diverse breast and other cancer groups.

Overexpression of the Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium ROS1 gene promotes flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana by reducing the methylation level of CONSTANS.

DNA demethylation is involved in the regulation of flowering in plants, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unexplored. The RELEASE OF SILENCING 1 (ROS1) gene, encoding a DNA demethyltransferase, plays key roles in many developmental processes. In this study, the ROS1 gene was isolated from Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium, where it was strongly expressed in the leaves, buds and flowers. Overexpression of the ClROS1 gene caused an early flowering phenotype in Arabidopsis thaliana. RNA-seq analysis of the transgenic plants revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in the circadian rhythm pathway and that the positive regulator of flowering, CONSTANS (CO), was up-regulated. Additionally, whole-genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS), PCR following methylation-dependent digestion with the enzyme McrBC, and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) confirmed that the methylation level of the AtCO promoter was reduced, specifically in CG context. Overall, our results demonstrated that ClROS1 accelerates flowering by reducing the methylation level of the AtCO promoter. These findings clarify the epigenetic mechanism by which ClROS1-mediated DNA demethylation regulates flowering.

Integrating Network Pharmacology and Experimental Validation to Reveal the Mechanism of Vine Grape Tea Polyphenols on Hyperuricemia-Induced Renal Injury in Mice.

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic disease and contributes to renal injury (RI). Vine grape tea polyphenols (VGTP) have been widely used to treat HUA and RI. However, the potential mechanism of VGTP activity remains unclear. To explore the underlying mechanism of VGTP treatment for HUA-induced RI based on network pharmacology that is confirmed by an in vivo study. All ingredients of VGTP were retrieved using a Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database systems. The related targets of HUA and RI were obtained from GeneCards and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) databases. Some ingredients and targets were selected for molecular docking verification. One hour after administering potassium oxonate (300 mg/kg), VGTP (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/d) was orally administered to HUA mice for 4 weeks. Histopathology and western blotting were performed in renal tissue. Our results showed that VGTP significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, and significantly improved the RI and fibrosis of HUA mice. There were 54 active ingredients and 62 targets of HUA-induced RI. Further studies showed that VGTP decreased the expression of Bax, cleaved caspase 3, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß1), CHOP, p-STAT3, and P53, and increased Bcl-2 expression in renal tissue. The related signaling pathways have apoptosis, TGF-ß1, P53 and STAT, and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). In this study, VGTP exerted antihyperuricemic and anti fibrosis effects by regulating the apoptosis and ERS signaling pathways. VGTP is expected to become a drug for combating HUA and RI.

D-pinitol alleviates diabetic cardiomyopathy by inhibiting the optineurin-mediated endoplasmic reticulum stress and glycophagy signaling pathway.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is an important complication resulting in heart failure and death of diabetic patients. However, there is no effective drug for treatments. This study investigated the effect of D-pinitol (DP) on cardiac injury using diabetic mice and glycosylation injury of cardiomyocytes and its molecular mechanisms. We established the streptozotocin-induced SAMR1 and SAMP8 mice and DP (150 mg/kg/day) intragastrically and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs)-induced H9C2 cells. H9C2 cells were transfected with optineurin (OPTN) siRNA and overexpression plasmids. The metabolic disorder indices, cardiac dysfunction, histopathology, immunofluorescence, western blot, and immunoprecipitation were investigated. Our results showed that DP reduced the blood glucose and AGEs, and increased the expression of heart OPTN in diabetic mice and H9C2 cells, thereby inhibiting the endoplasmic reticulum stress (GRP78, CHOP) and glycophagy (STBD1, GABARAPL1), and alleviating the myocardial apoptosis and fibrosis of DCM. The expression of filamin A as an interaction protein of OPTN downregulated by AGEs decreased OPTN abundance. Moreover, OPTN siRNA increased the expression of GRP78, CHOP, STBD1, and GABARAPL1 and inhibited the expression of GAA via GSK3ß phosphorylation and FoxO1. DP may be helpful to treat the onset of DCM. Targeting OPTN with DP could be translated into clinical application in the fighting against DCM.

Identification of the domestication gene GmCYP82C4 underlying the major quantitative trait locus for the seed weight in soybean.

KEY MESSAGE: A major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for the hundred-seed weight (HSW) was identified and confirmed in the two distinct soybean populations, and the target gene GmCYP82C4 underlying this locus was identified that significantly associated with soybean seed weight, and it was selected during the soybean domestication and improvement process. Soybean is a major oil crop for human beings and the seed weight is a crucial goal of soybean breeding. However, only a limited number of target genes underlying the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling seed weight in soybean are known so far. In the present study, six loci associated with hundred-seed weight (HSW) were detected in the first population of 573 soybean breeding lines by genome-wide association study (GWAS), and 64 gene models were predicted in these candidate QTL regions. The QTL qHSW_1 exhibits continuous association signals on chromosome four and was also validated by region association study (RAS) in the second soybean population (409 accessions) with wild, landrace, and cultivar soybean accessions. There were seven genes in qHSW_1 candidate region by linkage disequilibrium (LD) block analysis, and only Glyma.04G035500 (GmCYP82C4) showed specifically higher expression in flowers, pods, and seeds, indicating its crucial role in the soybean seed development. Significant differences in HSW trait were detected when the association panels are genotyped by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in putative GmCYP82C4 promoter region. Eight haplotypes were generated by six SNPs in GmCYP82C4 in the second soybean population, and two superior haplotypes (Hap2 and Hap4) of GmCYP82C4 were detected with average HSW of 18.27 g and 18.38 g, respectively. The genetic diversity of GmCYP82C4 was analyzed in the second soybean population, and GmCYP82C4 was most likely selected during the soybean domestication and improvement process, leading to the highest proportion of Hap2 of GmCYP82C4 both in landrace and cultivar subpopulations. The QTLs and GmCYP82C4 identified in this study provide novel genetic resources for soybean seed weight trait, and the GmCYP82C4 could be used for soybean molecular breeding to develop desirable seed weight in the future.

Topological charge identification of superimposed orbital angular momentum beams under turbulence using an attention mechanism.

Due to the unique features, orbital angular momentum (OAM) beams have been widely explored for different applications. Accurate determination of the topological charge (TC) of these beams is crucial for their optimal utilization. In this paper, we propose a method that combines adaptive image processing techniques with a simple, parameter-free attention module (SimAM) based convolutional neural network to accurately identify the TC of high-order superimposed OAM beams. Experimental results demonstrate that under the combined influence of non-extreme light intensity and turbulence, it can achieve >95% identification accuracy of TCs ranging from ±1 to ±40. Moreover, even under partial-pattern-missing conditions, our method maintains an accuracy rate of over 80%. Compared with traditional attention mechanisms, SimAM does not require additional network design, significantly reducing the computational costs. Our approach showcases remarkable efficiency, robustness, and cost-effectiveness, making it adaptable to challenging factors such as non-uniform lighting and partially occluded light paths. This research provides a new direction for recognizing OAM modes with valuable implications for the future of communication systems.

Thermal responses of dissolved organic matter under global change.

The diversity of intrinsic traits of different organic matter molecules makes it challenging to predict how they, and therefore the global carbon cycle, will respond to climate change. Here we develop an indicator of compositional-level environmental response for dissolved organic matter to quantify the aggregated response of individual molecules that positively and negatively associate with warming. We apply the indicator to assess the thermal response of sediment dissolved organic matter in 480 aquatic microcosms along nutrient gradients on three Eurasian mountainsides. Organic molecules consistently respond to temperature change within and across contrasting climate zones. At a compositional level, dissolved organic matter in warmer sites has a stronger thermal response and shows functional reorganization towards molecules with lower thermodynamic favorability for microbial decomposition. The thermal response is more sensitive to warming at higher nutrients, with increased sensitivity of up to 22% for each additional 1 mg L-1 of nitrogen loading. The utility of the thermal response indicator is further confirmed by laboratory experiments and reveals its positive links to greenhouse gas emissions.

Local structure-aware graph contrastive representation learning.

Traditional Graph Neural Network (GNN), as a graph representation learning method, is constrained by label information. However, Graph Contrastive Learning (GCL) methods, which tackles the label problem effectively, mainly focus on the feature information of the global graph or small subgraph structure (e.g., the first-order neighborhood). In this paper, we propose a Local Structure-aware Graph Contrastive representation Learning method (LS-GCL) to model the structural information of nodes from multiple views. Specifically, we construct the semantic subgraphs that are not limited to the first-order neighbors. For the local view, the semantic subgraph of each target node is input into a shared GNN encoder to obtain the target node embeddings at the subgraph-level. Then, we use a pooling function to generate the subgraph-level graph embeddings. For the global view, considering the original graph preserves indispensable semantic information of nodes, we leverage the shared GNN encoder to learn the target node embeddings at the global graph-level. The proposed LS-GCL model is optimized to maximize the common information among similar instances at three various perspectives through a multi-level contrastive loss function. Experimental results on six datasets illustrate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art graph representation learning approaches for both node classification and link prediction tasks.

A novel natural variation in the promoter of GmCHX1 regulates conditional gene expression to improve salt tolerance in soybean.

Identification and characterization of soybean germplasm and gene(s)/allele(s) for salt tolerance is an effective way to develop improved varieties for saline soils. Previous studies identified GmCHX1 (Glyma03g32900) as a major salt tolerance gene in soybean, and two main functional variations were found in the promoter region (148/150 bp insertion) and the third exon with a retrotransposon insertion (3.78 kb). In the current study, we identified four salt-tolerant soybean lines, including PI 483460B (Glycine soja), carrying the previously identified salt-sensitive variations at GmCHX1, suggesting new gene(s) or new functional allele(s) of GmCHX1 in these soybean lines. Subsequently, we conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping in a recombinant-inbred line population (Williams 82 (salt-sensitive) × PI 483460B) to identify the new salt tolerance loci/alleles. A new locus, qSalt_Gm18, was mapped on chromosome 18 associated with leaf scorch score. Another major QTL, qSalt_Gm03, was identified to be associated with chlorophyll content ratio and leaf scorch score in the same chromosomal region of GmCHX1 on chromosome 3. Novel variations in a STRE (stress response element) cis-element in the promoter region of GmCHX1 were found to regulate the salt-inducible expression of the gene in these four newly identified salt-tolerant lines including PI 483460B. This new allele of GmCHX1 with salt-inducible expression pattern provides an energy cost efficient (conditional gene expression) strategy to protect soybean yield in saline soils without yield penalty under non-stress conditions. Our results suggest that there might be no other major salt tolerance locus similar to GmCHX1 in soybean germplasm, and further improvement of salt tolerance in soybean may rely on gene-editing techniques instead of looking for natural variations.

Integrated proteomics and metabolomics analysis of D-pinitol function during hippocampal damage in streptozocin-induced aging-accelerated mice.

Purpose: Diabetes can cause hippocampal damage and lead to cognitive impairment. Diabetic cognitive impairment (DCI) is a chronic complication of diabetes associated with a high disability rate; however, its pathogenesis and therapeutic targets are unclear. We aimed to explore the mechanism of hippocampal damage during diabetes and evaluate the potential role of D-pinitol (DP) in protecting hippocampal tissue and improving cognitive dysfunction. Methods: DP (150 mg/kg/day) was administered intragastrically to streptozocin-induced aging-accelerated mice for 8 weeks. Hippocampal tissues were examined using tandem mass tag (TMT)-based proteomics and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS-based non-targeted metabolomic analysis. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and differentially regulated metabolites (DRMs) were screened for further analysis, and some DEPs were verified using western blotting. Results: Our results showed that 329 proteins had significantly altered hippocampal expression in untreated diabetic mice (DM), which was restored to normal after DP treatment in 72 cases. In total, 207 DRMs were identified in the DM group, and the expression of 32 DRMs was restored to normal post-DP treatment. These proteins and metabolites are involved in metabolic pathways (purine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and histidine metabolism), actin cytoskeleton regulation, oxidative phosphorylation, and Rap1-mediated signaling. Conclusions: Our study may help to better understand the mechanism of diabetic hippocampal damage and cognitive impairment and suggest a potential therapeutic target.

Regulation of the pigment production by changing Cell morphology and gene expression of Monascus ruber in high-sugar synergistic high-salt stress fermentation.

AIMS: Extreme environment of microbial fermentation is the focus of research, which provides new thinking for the production and application of Monascus pigments (MPs). In this work, the high-sugar synergistic high-salt stress fermentation (HSSF) of MPs was investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Monascus fungus grew well under HSSF conditions with 35 g L-1 NaCl and 150 g L-1 glucose, and the extracellular yellow pigment and intracellular orange pigment yield in HSSF was 98% and 43% higher than that in conventional fermentation, respectively. Moreover, the mycelial morphology was maintained in a better status with more branches and complete surface structure, indicating good biocatalytic activity for pigment synthesis. Four extracellular yellow pigments (Y1, Y2, Y3, and Y4) were transformed into each other, and ratio of the relative content of intracellular orange pigments to yellow pigments (O/Y) significantly (P < 0.05) changed. Moreover, the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (unsaturated/saturated) was significantly (P < 0.05) increased, indicating that the metabolism and secretion of intracellular and extracellular pigment might be regulated in HSSF. The pigment biosynthesis genes mppB, mppC, mppD, MpPKS5, and MpFasB2 were up-regulated, whereas the genes mppR1, mppR2, and mppE were down-regulated, suggesting that the gene expression to regulate pigment biosynthesis might be a dynamic change process in HSSF. CONCLUSIONS: The HSSF system of MPs is successfully performed to improve the pigment yields. Mycelial morphology is varied to enhanced pigment secretion, and gene expression is dynamically regulated to promote pigment accumulation in HSSF.

COVID-19 symptoms, internet information seeking, and stigma influence post-lockdown health anxiety.

Background: With the lifting of Zero-COVID policies in China, rapid transmission of the virus has led to new challenges for patients' health anxiety. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between COVID-19 symptoms and health anxiety, as well as the mediation paths between them in individuals infected with COVID-19. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2022, following the relaxation of anti-COVID measures in China. A validated online questionnaire was used to collect data from COVID-19 patients on the number and severity of symptoms, health anxiety, internet health information-seeking behavior (IHISB), and perceived stigma. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediation model in which COVID-19 symptoms would affect health anxiety via IHISB and perceived stigma. Results: Overall, 1,132 participants (women, 67.6%) were included, with a mean (SD) age of 28.12 (10.07) years. Participants had an average of seven COVID-19 symptoms, with cough (91.3%), nasal congestion (89.1%) and fatigue (87.8%) being the most common. The number and severity of COVID-19 symptoms, IHISB, perceived stigma, and health anxiety were positively correlated with each other after adjusting for covariates (r ranging from 0.10 to 0.81, all p < 0.05). IHISB (effect = 0.14, p < 0.001) and perceived stigma (effect = 0.04, p < 0.001) fully mediated the relationship between COVID-19 symptoms and health anxiety. Conclusion: Interventions for health anxiety reduction during and after pandemics should target improving the quality of online health information, enhancing individuals' online healthy literacy, and reducing stigma.