Histological and single-nucleus transcriptome analyses reveal the specialized functions of ligular sclerenchyma cells and key regulators of leaf angle in maize.

Leaf angle (LA) is a crucial factor that affects planting density and yield in maize. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying LA formation remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed a comparative histological analysis of the ligular region across various maize inbred lines and revealed that LA is significantly influenced by a two-step regulatory process involving initial cell elongation followed by subsequent lignification in the ligular adaxial sclerenchyma cells (SCs). Subsequently, we performed both bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, generated a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region, and identified numerous genes enriched in the hypodermal cells that may influence their specialization into SCs. Furthermore, we functionally characterized two genes encoding atypical basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, bHLH30 and its homolog bHLH155, which are highly expressed in the elongated adaxial cells. Genetic analyses revealed that bHLH30 and bHLH155 positively regulate LA expansion, and molecular experiments demonstrated their ability to activate the transcription of genes involved in cell elongation and lignification of SCs. These findings highlight the specialized functions of ligular adaxial SCs in LA regulation by restricting further extension of ligular cells and enhancing mechanical strength. The transcriptomic atlas of the ligular region at single-nucleus resolution not only deepens our understanding of LA regulation but also enables identification of numerous potential targets for optimizing plant architecture in modern maize breeding.

Does digital infrastructure improve public Health? A quasi-natural experiment based on China's Broadband policy.

This study proposed a scheme for improving people's health from the perspective of digital infrastructure construction. We used the China Family Panel Studies conducted between 2010 and 2020 and the digital infrastructure construction marked by the Broadband China policy between 2014 and 2016 as a quasi-natural experiment. We adopted the multi-time difference-in-differences method to identify the causal relationship between digital infrastructure and people's health. We found that digital infrastructure construction significantly improved people's health, and the effect was more prominent among young and middle-aged residents and those with less than a university education. Moreover, digital infrastructure construction improved the utilization of medical services, helped residents develop healthy lifestyles, and increased people's health investments. Additionally, digital infrastructure reduced health inequality among people and promoted health equity. The findings could guide future policies to improve people's health and well-being.

Foster care experiences during childhood and health during older age: Evidence from China.

OBJECTIVE: Improving the health of older individuals is the primary approach to dealing with the challenges of an aging population. Experiences during childhood can have a continual influence on individual health conditions. Consequently, understanding whether foster care experiences during childhood influence an individual's health during older age is relevant. METHOD: Data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, 2014, were collected. The influence of foster care experiences during childhood on health during older age was analyzed using the least-squares method. The mediating effects of childhood health status, education opportunities, and nutritional level were analyzed using the Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method. RESULTS: Foster care experience during childhood was associated with reduced self-rated health status during older age due to adverse effects on (a) childhood health status, (b) childhood education opportunities, and (c) childhood nutritional level. CONCLUSIONS: The influences of early life factors on the health status of older adults should be analyzed from the perspective of the lifecycle to provide positive interventions for health improvement. The outcomes from such a study could help to improve the health condition of elderly citizens. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender differences in happiness in Chinese society: The role of parental preference for sons over daughters.

OBJECTIVE: This paper studies the relationship between Chinese parents' preference for sons over daughters in childhood and these children's happiness in adulthood. BACKGROUND: Happiness is an important dimension for measuring a society's well-being and a lifelong goal for many Chinese citizens deeply influenced by Confucianism. However, China's relatively low world ranking on happiness is worrisome for Chinese policymakers and prompts the question of whether the concept of "preference for sons" is related to lower adult happiness. METHODS: This study used the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study to analyze the relationship between parents' preference for sons over daughters in one's childhood and adult happiness using the least squares method. An instrumental variable method was used to address endogeneity concerns. In addition, the Karlson-Holm-Breen method was used to analyze the mediating effects of childhood educational opportunities and health resources. RESULTS: Parents' preference for sons over daughters in one's childhood was positively related to the happiness of male adults but negatively for female adults. Childhood education opportunities and childhood health resources have a mediating effect on the relationship between parental preference for boys and children's happiness in adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' preference for sons over daughters substantially explains the gender gap in happiness in adult Chinese citizens. Reducing the idea of prioritizing boys over girls has the potential to improve the happiness level of adults.

JianPi-QingHua formula attenuates nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating the AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB pathway in high-fat-diet-fed C57BL/6 mice.

CONTEXT: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common liver disease, accompanied by liver lipid accumulation and inflammation. JianPi-QingHua formula (JPQH), a Chinese herbal formula, exhibits effects on obesity and T2DM. However, the hepatoprotective effect of JPQH has not been elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of JPQH in NAFLD induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were divided into four groups and fed a normal-fat diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), HFD + JPQH (2.5 g/kg), or HFD + metformin (300 mg/kg) for 6 weeks, respectively. Furthermore, the body weight, epididymal fat mass, blood glucose, and liver weight were measured. Serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were performed. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Oil Red O staining were observed in hepatic histopathological changes. Western blotting and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were utilized to assess the key protein expression of hepatic lipid metabolism and inflammation. RESULTS: Compared with the HFD group, JPQH could reduce body weight, epididymal fat mass, blood glucose and liver weight (p < 0.05), and markedly decreased the levels of serum TC, TG, ALT, AST (p < 0.05). Additionally, JPQH improved liver pathological changes. Consistent with the hepatic histological analysis, JPQH intervention suppressed lipid accumulation and inflammatory responses. Mechanistically, JPQH boosted SIRT1/AMPK signalling, and attenuated NF-κB pathway, which suppressed inflammatory responses. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that JPQH supplementation protected against HFD-induced NAFLD by regulating SIRT1/AMPK/NF-κB pathway, which provides a theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of patients with NAFLD.

Tandem mass tag-based proteomic profiling revealed potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms of liraglutide for the treatment of impaired glucose tolerance.

Objective: Based on the tandem mass tag (TMT) technique, our study investigated the potential therapeutic targets of Liraglutide (LIRA) on streptozotocin (STZ) induced impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in rats and discuss the biological mechanism of the drug against IGT. Methods: 10 rats were randomly selected from 31 male wistar rats of specific pathogen free (SPF) grade as control group and fed with conventional chow, offered the remaining rats a high fat and high sugar (HFSD) diet combined with an intraperitoneal injection of STZ to establish the IGT model, and excluded 2 non-model rats. Specifically, the model rats were randomly divided into Model group (n=10) and LIRA group (n=9). In addition, the LIRA group was subcutaneously injected with 0.06 mg/kg LIRA, during which the metabolic parameters including body weight and fasting blood glucose were recorded. After 8 weeks, samples were taken under anesthesia. Then, the cell morphology was observed using HE staining, and immunofluorescence was performed on the pancreatic tissues of the three groups of rats. Besides, the expression of differential proteins in pancreatic tissues of the three groups of rats was determined by the TMT proteomic labeling. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) biological function analysis were performed on the intersection of Model and LIRA differential proteins. Results: LIRA could not only significantly reduce blood glucose levels but also improve islet cell morphology and function in IGT rats. Among the differential proteins between the model group and the blank group, 44 were reversed after LIRA treatment, of which 14 were up-regulated, while 30 were down-regulated, including PPIF, MPRIP, CYP51, TXNL1, BCL-2, etc. (FC>1.1 or<0.909, P<0.05). According to the GO and KEGG analysis results, it was related to biological processes such as fatty acid metabolism and adipocyte generation, which involved multiple signaling pathways regulating the function of islet cells, such as MAPK, PI, Ras, FcγR, and unsaturated fatty acids, and pyruvate metabolism. Conclusion: To sum up, LIRA participated in anti-IGT therapy through regulation of multiple target proteins and biological functions. This study is of great reference for further exploring the mechanism of action of LIRA at the protein level of IGT.

CD8+ T Cell-Associated Gene Signature Correlates With Prognosis Risk and Immunotherapy Response in Patients With Lung Adenocarcinoma.

The presence of infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is correlated with improved patient prognosis, but underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unknown. To identify biomarkers to improve early diagnosis and treatment of LUAD, we downloaded 13 immune cell line-associated datasets from the GEO database. We identified CD8+ T cell-associated genes via weighted correlation network analysis. We constructed molecular subtypes based on CD8+ T cell-associated genes and constructed a multi-gene signature. We identified 252 CD8+ T cell-associated genes significantly enriched in immune function-related pathways and two molecular subtypes of LUAD (immune cluster 1 [IC1] and IC2) using our CD8+ T cell-associated gene signature. Patients with the IC2 subtype had a higher tumor mutation burden and lower immune infiltration scores, whereas those with the IC1 subtype were more sensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Prioritizing the top candidate genes to construct a 10-gene signature, we validated our model using independent GSE and TCGA datasets to confirm its robustness and stable prognostic ability. Our risk model demonstrated good predictive efficacy using the Imvigor210 immunotherapy dataset. Thus, we established a novel and robust CD8+ T cell-associated gene signature, which could help assess prognostic risk and immunotherapy response in LUAD patients.

Explore the Effect and Target of Liraglutide on Islet Function in Type 2 Diabetic Rats by miRNA Omics Technology.

PURPOSE: To analyze the effect and potential therapeutic targets of liraglutide in type 2 diabetes through miRNA expression profiling. METHODS: Ten of 30 SPF Wistar rats, males at 4 weeks old, were randomly selected as the control group and given conventional feed, the other rats adopted high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to establish a T2DM model. One unsuccessful rat was excluded, and the remaining rats were randomized to the model and the liraglutide group. Liraglutide group was subcutaneously injected with liraglutide 0.11 mg/kg for 8 weeks. The biochemical indicators and staining HE were detected. The expression of miRNA in pancreatic tissue was detected by miRNA sequencing. The intersection of miRNA difference was used to predict the target gene, then functional enrichment was performed to identify its possible biological functions and signal transduction paths. Finally, qRT-PCR was used to verify the results. RESULTS: Compared to the model group, the level of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glucagon and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) in the liraglutide group were significantly decreased, fasting insulin (FINS) and insulin sensitivity index (ISI) were increased. Nine differential miRNAs (miR-135a-5p, miR-144-5p, miR-21-3p, miR-215, miR-451-5p, miR-486, miR-122-5p, miR-181d-5p and miR-345-5p) were identified at the intersection through two miRNA sequencing. A total of 3359 related target gene predictions were obtained. GO and pathway analyses demonstrated that differentially expressed genes were closely related to cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and proteolysis. Significant signaling pathways included PI signaling system, autophagy, FoxO and HIF-1 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Liraglutide could improve islet function by regulating nine miRNAs, and the related signaling pathways included PI signaling system, autophagy, FoxO and HIF-1 signaling pathway. Our study provided the basis and direction for further exploring the molecular mechanism of liraglutide on T2DM.

Pretreatment by composting increased the utilization proportion of pig manure biogas digestate and improved the seedling substrate quality.

Anaerobic digestion of organic residues has the potential to significantly contribute to a shift from fossil to renewable energy, while the remaining biogas digestate need to be treated or used for a second time. In this study, the pig manure biogas digestate (PMBD) was evaluated as a potential part of seedling substrates and composting was considered a pretreating method to improve its characters. Composting was carried out firstly in a forced aeration composting system (100 L), in which perlite and sawdust were used as additives in different proportions separately or together. Based on the comparison of the physicochemical characters of different seedling substrates formulas mixed with PMBD or pig manure biogas digestate pretreated by composting (CPMBD), selected seedling substrates were analyzed by bioassay experiment. The results showed that pretreatment by composting and the additives (perlite and sawdust) used in composting decreased the pH value of PMBD and make it suitable for seedling substrates, especially composted with perlite and sawdust. Both PMBD and CPMBD with low proportion in the substrates improved plant growth of lettuce and tomato, while CPMBD was better than PMBD. However, when the proportions of PMBD was increased more than 20% and CPMBD was increased more than 40%, plant growth inhibition was observed. Tomato was more sensitive than lettuce to the physicochemical characters of the substrate. In summary, PMBD pretreated by composting not only increases the uses of digestate, but also enhances plant growth and hence yield.

Probe into the Target and Mechanism of Jianpi Xiaoke Prescription for Treating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus through miRNA Expression Profiling.

METHODS: Ten of the 31 SPF male Wistar rats were randomly taken as the control group; the remaining rats were fed a high-sugar and high-fat diet, combined with Streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg/kg) that induced a type 2 diabetes model. The model rats were randomly divided into model groups (n = 11) and the JPXK group (n = 10). After 8 weeks of JPXK intervention, we detected the function of islet cells through HE staining and ELISA. High-pass sequencing technology was adopted to identify the differential expression of miRNA to explore the target of JPXK treatment, assess the relevant target genes, conduct functional analysis, and lastly verify the sequencing data by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: After treatment, FPG, FINS, and HOMA-IR levels of the treatment group improved significantly compared with those of the control group (P < 0.05). Among the miRNAs differentially expressed between the model group and the control group, there were 7 reversals after JPXK treatment, including miR-1-3p, miR-135a-5p, miR-181d-5p, miR-206-3p, miR-215, miR-3473, and miR-547-3p (log2FC ≥ 1 or ≤ -1, P < 0.05). Besides, the 1810 target genes associated with these 7 miRNAs were assessed by multiMiR. According to the results of the GO and KEGG analyses, they were associated with biological processes (e.g., glucose transport and fat cell formation), and it covered multiple signaling pathways, capable of regulating islet cell function (e.g., MAPK, PI3K-Akt, Ras, AMPK, and HIF-1 signaling pathways). The PCR verification results were consistent with the sequencing results. CONCLUSION: This discovery interpreted the potential therapeutic targets and signaling pathways of JPXK prescription against T2DM based on miRNA expression profiling. In conclusion, our research provided novel research insights into traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment of diabetes.

Effect of initial material bulk density and easily-degraded organic matter content on temperature changes during composting of cucumber stalk.

To inactivate the potentially pathogenic microorganisms and safely utilize vegetable waste compost, ultra-high temperatures (>70°C) should be maintained during the composting without having an inhibitory effect on maturity. This study investigated the influence of bulk density (part 1) and easily-degraded organic matter content (EDOMC, part 2) on temperature evolution during vegetable waste composting: Part 1: corn straw with different particle sizes was used to achieve different bulk densities in the composting material (BD1-BD3); Part 2: partial or total substitution of the corn straw by corn starch was carried out to obtain different EDOMC (ED1-ED4). The composting experiments were conducted in a lab-scale reactor (1.75kg material) and lasted for 30d. Temperature and CO2 emission were recorded daily, and the organic matter, lignocellulose, microbial activity, germination index (GI) and C/N of the samples were measured at different stages. The highest temperature (65.7°C) in part 1 occurred in the treatment with the bulk density of 0.35g/cm3, which also had the longest thermophilic phase. Bulk density was found to seriously influence the utilization efficiency of O2 and heat transfer through materials, rather than heat production from organic matter degradation. In experiment part 2, the highest temperature was obtained with EDOMC of 45% (71.4°C). Therefore, adjusting the bulk density to 0.35g/cm3 and the easily-degraded organic matter content of the initial material to 45% was the best combination for reaching temperatures above 70°C during composting, with no inhibitory effect on the maturity of the compost product.

Based on network pharmacology to explore the molecular mechanisms of astragalus membranaceus for treating T2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Astragalus membranaceus refers to a type of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), whereas its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In the presented study, network pharmacology was performed to analyze the molecular mechanism of astragalus membranaceus against T2DM. METHODS: First, we found common targets of astragalus membranaceus and disease, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was built by String, and then key targets were screened from these common targets by topological analysis. Subsequently, common targets were introduced into DAVID to achieve the results of gene ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment analysis. The therapeutic effect of astragalus was observed, and several key targets were verified by an animal experiment. RESULTS: First, 13 key targets (EGFR, KDR, SRC, ERBB2, FYN, ESR1, AR, HSP90AA1, PTGS2, ABCG2, AB1, MMP2, and CYP1) were found by topological analysis. Then, the results of GO and KEGG suggested that the anti-diabetes effect of astragalus membranaceus was strongly associated with the activation of receptor protein tyrosine kinase (RPTK). The results of animal experiments revealed that astragalus could enhance the morphology of rat pancreas and up-regulate the expression of tyrosine receptor. CONCLUSIONS: In brief, 13 key targets were found in this study, and astragalus membranaceus was found up-regulating insulin signaling pathways by improving the activity of casein kinase, regulating lipid metabolism, and enhancing insulin resistance to treat T2DM. The present study lays a basis for subsequent experimental research and broadens the clinical application of astragalus membranaceus.

Comparing the effects of three in situ methods on nitrogen loss control, temperature dynamics and maturity during composting of agricultural wastes with a stage of temperatures over 70 °C.

The study investigated the effects of three in situ methods for controlling nitrogen loss and maturity with different mechanisms: struvite-based addition (K2HPO4 and MgO, MP), woody peat addition (WP) and intermittent aeration (IA), during composting of vegetable waste (cucumber vine) with temperature over 70 °C to inactivate potential viral pathogens. The experiment was conducted in a 200 L pilot-scale composting system, with which temperature and ammonia emission were recorded in real time, and solid samples were collected and analyzed during the process. The results indicated that the methods of MP and IA reduced the total nitrogen loss by 27.5% and 16.1%, respectively, without inhibitory effects on the temperature, nutrient availability and maturity. The WP method significantly decreased the nitrogen loss but could not maintain the thermophilic stage over 70 °C, because of its influence on the material physio-chemical characteristics caused by woody peat addition. In conclusion, all three methods could promote the maturity process, and 20 days should be adequate for vegetable waste composting with a good nutrient availability. Considering the two factors of reducing nitrogen loss and achieving high temperatures together, we recommended the struvite-based controlling method with the mechanism of chemisorption to reduce nitrogen loss during vegetable waste composting that requires temperatures over 70 °C.