Massive seasonal high-altitude migrations of nocturnal insects above the agricultural plains of East China.

Long-distance migrations of insects contribute to ecosystem functioning but also have important economic impacts when the migrants are pests or provide ecosystem services. We combined radar monitoring, aerial sampling, and searchlight trapping, to quantify the annual pattern of nocturnal insect migration above the densely populated agricultural lands of East China. A total of ~9.3 trillion nocturnal insect migrants (15,000 t of biomass), predominantly Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, and Diptera, including many crop pests and disease vectors, fly at heights up to 1 km above this 600 km-wide region every year. Larger migrants (>10 mg) exhibited seasonal reversal of movement directions, comprising northward expansion during spring and summer, followed by southward movements during fall. This north-south transfer was not balanced, however, with southward movement in fall 0.66× that of northward movement in spring and summer. Spring and summer migrations were strongest when the wind had a northward component, while in fall, stronger movements occurred on winds that allowed movement with a southward component; heading directions of larger insects were generally close to the track direction. These findings indicate adaptations leading to movement in seasonally favorable directions. We compare our results from China with similar studies in Europe and North America and conclude that ecological patterns and behavioral adaptations are similar across the Northern Hemisphere. The predominance of pests among these nocturnal migrants has severe implications for food security and grower prosperity throughout this heavily populated region, and knowledge of their migrations is potentially valuable for forecasting pest impacts and planning timely management actions.

Field evaluation the effect of two transgenic Bt maize events on predatory arthropods in the Huang-Huai-Hai summer maize-growing region of China.

To illustrate the impact of genetically modified (GM) Bt maize on the natural enemy communities in the Huang-Huai-Hai summer maize-growing region in China, the abundance of 7 common predator taxa (Geocoris pallidipennis Costa, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), lacewings, Orius sauteri (Poppius), Propylea japonica (Thunberg), spiders, and Staphylinidae) was quantitatively evaluated by comparing Bt-Cry1Ab DBN9936 and Bt-Cry1Ab/Cry2Aj Ruifeng 125 events to their near non-Bt isolines during the growing season from 2016 to 2019. A total of 10,302, 19,793, 13,536, and 5,672 individuals were observed during 4 years, and the abundance of each taxa on Bt maize varied between sample dates among those arthropod taxa. Shannon-Wiener diversity index of predator communities from 7 taxa showed very similar temporal dynamics and principal response curve analyses to examine community-level effects showed no significant differences in predator abundance in Bt maize compared with non-Bt maize. We conclude that the 2 Bt maize hybrids did not adversely affect the predator community in the Huang-Huai-Hai summer maize-growing region of China.

The 90-Day Survival Threshold: A Pivotal Determinant of Long-Term Prognosis in HBV-ACLF Patients - Insights from a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study.

This work aims to explore the long-term prognosis of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). In this prospective study, eligible inpatients with HBV-ACLF are enrolled and followed up from December 2012 to February 2023, for clinical events, laboratory tests at least every 6 months. Overall, the survival rates at 28 days, 90 days, 1 year, 5 years, and 8 years are 64.7%, 48.8%, 46.1%, 43.8%, and 42.2%, respectively. Among the 8-year mortality and liver transplant cases, ACLF survivors (who survived over 90 days) accounted for 7.8% (9/115). Among 101 patients who survived for more than 90 days, 97.9% of patients achieve virologic response at 1 year. For HBeAg-positive patients, the HBeAg seroconversion are 25.5%, 63.6%, and 76.9% at 1, 5, and 8 years, respectively. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, INR, white blood cell count, and albumin levels gradually improve within the first year. Fibrosis biomarkers APRI, FIB-4 and Chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) levels decreases within the first 5 years. The Cox proportional hazards regression reveal that high total bilirubin (HR = 1.008, p = 0.021) is the independent risk factor for 8-year survival of ALCF survivors. The 90-day period following of HBV-ACLF represented a critical juncture for long-term prognosis, revealing favorable outcomes beyond this timeframe.

Blue Light Attracts More Spodoptera frugiperda Moths and Promotes Their Flight Speed.

Light traps are a useful method for monitoring and controlling the important migratory pest, the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. Studies have shown that S. frugiperda is sensitive to blue, green, or ultraviolet (UV) light, but the conclusions are inconsistent. Furthermore, conventional black light traps are less effective for trapping S. frugiperda. To improve the trapping efficiency of this pest, it is crucial to determine the specific wavelength to which S. frugiperda is sensitive and measure its flight capability under that wavelength. This study investigated the effects of light wavelength on the phototaxis and flight performance of S. frugiperda. The results showed that blue light was the most sensitive wavelength among the three different LED lights and was unaffected by gender. The flight capability of S. frugiperda varied significantly in different light conditions, especially for flight speed. The fastest flight speed was observed in blue light, whereas the slowest was observed in UV light compared to dark conditions. During a 12 h flight period, speed declined more rapidly in blue light and more slowly in UV, whereas speed remained stable in dark conditions. Meanwhile, the proportion of fast-flying individuals was highest under blue light, which was significantly higher than under UV light. Therefore, the use of light traps equipped with blue LED lights can improve the trapping efficiency of S. frugiperda. These results also provide insights for further research on the effects of light pollution on migratory insects.

A Clinic Study on Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Decompensated Hepatitis B Cirrhosis.

Objective: To investigate the long-term safety and efficacy of autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (APBSCT) in treating decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis. Methods: In this study, a retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 84 patients diagnosed with decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis between January 2011 and December 2012. The patients were categorized into two groups based on their treatment approach: the transplantation group, consisting of 34 cases who received APBSCT in addition to medical treatment, and the comprehensive medical treatment (CMT) group, comprising 50 cases who solely received CMT. EPI Data software was used for data input and verification. Survival curves were drawn by Kaplan-Meier method and analyzed by log-rank test. Paired t test and independent sample t test were used for intra-group and inter-group mean comparison of measurement data, respectively. The Mann-Whitney U test is used for non-normally distributed data. Results: After the ten-year follow-up period, it was found that overall survival (OS) in the transplantation group was markedly higher than that in the CMT (56% vs. 16%, P < .001). Albumin (ALB), prothrombin time (PT), and indocyanine green retention at 15 min (ICG R15) were significantly improved in sequence at 4 to 12 weeks of early treatment in APBSCT group; subsequently, the Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) index and spleen length significantly decreased at 48 weeks. Compared with the CMT group, ALB and PT levels in the APBSCT group continued to recover and eventually stabilize at normal or low-risk levels at subsequent follow-ups up to 8 years. The ten-year prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the APBSCT group was markedly lower than that in the CMT group (26% vs. 62%; P = .025). Moreover, APBSCT significantly reduced ascites (χ2 = 6.997, P = .041) and was not associated with any significant adverse events during APBSCT. Based on clinical evidence, APBSCT is a safe and effective treatment for decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis, resulting in a favorable long-term prognosis with no significant adverse events. Conclusions: APBSCT is a relatively safe and effective treatment for decompensated hepatitis B cirrhosis.

De Novo Assembly, Characterization and Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of the Gonads of Jade Perch (Scortum barcoo).

Due to the high meat yield and rich nutritional content, jade perch (Scortum barcoo) has become an important commercial aquaculture species in China. Jade perch has a slow growth rate, taking 3-4 years to reach sexual maturity, and has almost no difference in body size between males and females. However, the study of its gonad development and reproduction regulation is still blank, which limited the yield increase. Herein, the gonad transcriptomes of juvenile males and females of S. barcoo were identified for the first time. A total of 107,060 unigenes were successfully annotated. By comparing male and female gonad transcriptomes, a total of 23,849 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 9517 were downregulated, and 14,332 were upregulated in the testis. In addition, a large number of DEGs involved in sex differentiation, gonadal development and differentiation and gametogenesis were identified, and the differential expression patterns of some genes were further verified using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The results of this study will provide a valuable resource for further studies on sex determination and gonadal development of S. barcoo.

Dysregulation of lipid metabolism in the pseudolobule promotes region-specific autophagy in hepatitis B liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection leads to liver cirrhosis (LC), the end stage of liver fibrosis. The precise diagnosis and effective therapy for hepatitis B cirrhosis are still lacking. It is highly necessary to elucidate the metabolic alteration, especially the spatial distribution of metabolites, in LC progression. METHODS: In this study, LC-MS/MS together with an airflow-assisted ionization mass spectrometry imaging system was applied to analyze and compare the metabolites' spatial distribution in healthy control (HC) and hepatitis B LC tissue samples. The liver samples were further divided into several subregions in HC and LC groups based on the anatomical characteristics and clinical features. RESULTS: Both the LC-MS/MS and mass spectrometry imaging results indicated separated metabolite clusters between the HC and LC groups. The differential metabolites were mainly concentrated in lipid-like molecules and amino acids. The phosphatidylcholines (PCs), lysoPCs, several fatty acids, and amino acids reduced expression in the LC group with region specific. Acyl-CoA thioesterase 2 and choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferase 1, which regulate PC and fatty acid metabolism, were significantly decreased in the pseudolobule. Meanwhile, the increased expression of LC3B and p62 in the pseudolobule indicated the upregulation of autophagy. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis B LC induced region-specific autophagy by increasing the expression of LC3B and p62 in the pseudolobule and by dysregulation of unsaturated fatty acids, amino acids, and PC metabolism. The mass spectrometry imaging system provided additional metabolites' spatial information, which can promote biomarker screening technology and support the exploration of novel mechanisms in LC.

Chemosensory Protein 2 of Male Athetis lepigone Is Involved in the Perception of Sex Pheromones and Maize Volatiles.

In moths, the interactions between chemosensory proteins (CSPs) and sex pheromones have yet to be comprehensively investigated. Here, we examined the function of AlepCSP2 in male Athetis lepigone based on protein expression, molecular docking, site-directed mutagenesis, fluorescence competitive binding analyses, and RNA interference (RNAi) experiments. We found that AlepCSP2 showed strong binding affinity for two sex pheromones and five maize volatiles and that binding was optimal under neutral conditions. Furthermore, we identified six amino acids as being key residues involved in the interaction between AlepCSP2 and multiple ligands. Further RNAi showed that siCSP2 males displayed consistently lower electroantennography responses to two sex pheromones and three maize volatiles at different dosages tested, and the mating rate also decreased significantly by 37.50%. These findings will contribute to characterizing the binding mechanisms of moth CSPs to sex pheromones and host volatiles and also identify unique targets for developing novel pest behavior disruptors.

Metabolic Performance and Fate of Electrons during Nitrate-Reducing Fe(II) Oxidation by the Autotrophic Enrichment Culture KS Grown at Different Initial Fe/N Ratios.

Autotrophic nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing (NRFeOx) microorganisms fix CO2 and oxidize Fe(II) coupled to denitrification, influencing carbon, iron, and nitrogen cycles in pH-neutral, anoxic environments. However, the distribution of electrons from Fe(II) oxidation to either biomass production (CO2 fixation) or energy generation (nitrate reduction) in autotrophic NRFeOx microorganisms has not been quantified. We therefore cultivated the autotrophic NRFeOx culture KS at different initial Fe/N ratios, followed geochemical parameters, identified minerals, analyzed N isotopes, and applied numerical modeling. We found that at all initial Fe/N ratios, the ratios of Fe(II)oxidized to nitratereduced were slightly higher (5.11 to 5.94 at Fe/N ratios of 10:1 and 10:0.5) or lower (4.27 to 4.59 at Fe/N ratios of 10:4, 10:2, 5:2, and 5:1) than the theoretical ratio for 100% Fe(II) oxidation being coupled to nitrate reduction (5:1). The main N denitrification product was N2O (71.88 to 96.29% at Fe/15N ratios of 10:4 and 5:1; 43.13 to 66.26% at an Fe/15N ratio of 10:1), implying that denitrification during NRFeOx was incomplete in culture KS. Based on the reaction model, on average 12% of electrons from Fe(II) oxidation were used for CO2 fixation while 88% of electrons were used for reduction of NO3- to N2O at Fe/N ratios of 10:4, 10:2, 5:2, and 5:1. With 10 mM Fe(II) (and 4, 2, 1, or 0.5 mM nitrate), most cells were closely associated with and partially encrusted by the Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxide minerals, whereas at 5 mM Fe(II), most cells were free of cell surface mineral precipitates. The genus Gallionella (>80%) dominated culture KS regardless of the initial Fe/N ratios. Our results showed that Fe/N ratios play a key role in regulating N2O emissions, for distributing electrons between nitrate reduction and CO2 fixation, and for the degree of cell-mineral interactions in the autotrophic NRFeOx culture KS. IMPORTANCE Autotrophic NRFeOx microorganisms that oxidize Fe(II), reduce nitrate, and produce biomass play a key role in carbon, iron, and nitrogen cycles in pH-neutral, anoxic environments. Electrons from Fe(II) oxidation are used for the reduction of both carbon dioxide and nitrate. However, the question is how many electrons go into biomass production versus energy generation during autotrophic growth. Here, we demonstrated that in the autotrophic NRFeOx culture KS cultivated at Fe/N ratios of 10:4, 10:2, 5:2, and 5:1, ca. 12% of electrons went into biomass formation, while 88% of electrons were used for reduction of NO3- to N2O. Isotope analysis also showed that denitrification during NRFeOx was incomplete in culture KS and the main N denitrification product was N2O. Therefore, most electrons stemming from Fe(II) oxidation seemed to be used for N2O formation in culture KS. This is environmentally important for the greenhouse gas budget.

A novel nomogram to predict 90-day mortality in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a critical illness with high mortality. Herein, we developed and validated a new and simple prognostic nomogram to predict 90-day mortality in hepatitis B virus-related ACLF (HBV-ACLF) patients. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study collected data from 181 HBV-ACLF patients treated between June 2018 and March 2020. The correlation between clinical data and 90-day mortality in patients with HBV-ACLF was assessed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (p = 0.011), hepatic encephalopathy (p = 0.001), total bilirubin (p = 0.007), international normalized ratio (p = 0.006), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.011) were independent predictors of 90-day mortality in HBV-ACLF patients. A nomogram was created to predict 90-day mortality using these risk factors. The C-index for the prognostic nomogram was calculated as 0.866, and confirmed to be 0.854 via bootstrapping verification. The area under the curve was 0.870 in the external validation cohort. The predictive value of the nomogram was similar to that of the Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B score, and exceeded the performance of other prognostic scores. CONCLUSION: The prognostic nomogram constructed using the factors identified in multivariate regression analysis might serve as a beneficial tool to predict 90-day mortality in HBV-ACLF patients.

Microbial carbon fixation and its influencing factors in saline lake water.

Microbial carbon fixation in saline lakes constitutes an important part of the global lacustrine carbon budget. However, the microbial inorganic carbon uptake rates in saline lake water and its influencing factors are still not fully understood. Here, we studied in situ microbial carbon uptake rates under light-dependent and dark conditions in the saline water of Qinghai Lake using a carbon isotopic labeling (14C-bicarbonate) technique, followed by geochemical and microbial analyses. The results showed that the light-dependent inorganic carbon uptake rates were 135.17-293.02 µg C L-1 h-1 during the summer cruise, while dark inorganic carbon uptake rates ranged from 4.27 to 14.10 µg C L-1 h-1. Photoautotrophic prokaryotes and algae (e.g. Oxyphotobacteria, Chlorophyta, Cryptophyta and Ochrophyta) may be the major contributors to light-dependent carbon fixation processes. Microbial inorganic carbon uptake rates were mainly influenced by the level of nutrients (e.g., ammonium, dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, total nitrogen), with dissolved inorganic carbon content being predominant. Environmental and microbial factors jointly regulate the total, light-dependent and dark inorganic carbon uptake rates in the studied saline lake water. In summary, microbial light-dependent and dark carbon fixation processes are active and contribute significantly to carbon sequestration in saline lake water. Therefore, more attention should be given to microbial carbon fixation and its response to climate and environmental changes of the lake carbon cycle in the context of climate change.

Fabrication of immobilized lipases for efficient preparation of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoylglycerol.

This study aims to fabricate immobilized lipases for efficient preparation of 1,3-dioleoyl-2-palmitoyl-glycerol (OPO) through acidolysis of glycerol tripalmitate (PPP). Twelve (three types) supports and five lipases were studied carefully. Among them, the immobilized Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL) samples exhibited overall better performance than that of other immobilized lipases. Particularly, organic groups functionalized SBA-15 (R-SBA-15) supported TLL (TLL@R-SBA-15) samples gave PPP conversion from 97.70 to 99.00 % and OPO content from 59.52 to 64.73 %. After optimization, PPP conversion up to 99.07 %, OPO content 73.15 % and sn-2 palmitic acid content 90.09 % were obtained with TLL@C18H37-SBA-15 as catalyst. Moreover, TLL@C18H37-SBA-15 exhibited better acidolysis performance from 50 °C than that from 60 to 80 °C, which helped inhibit acyl migration. In addition, after 5 cycles of reuse, TLL@C18H37-SBA-15 retained 81.04 % (based on OPO content) and 98.88 % (based on sn-2 palmitic acid content) of its initial activity, indicating it had an attractive prospect in future applications.

Impact of cirrhosis-related complications on posttransplant survival in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a life-threatening syndrome defined as acute decompensation in patients with chronic liver disease. Liver transplantation (LT) is the most effective treatment. We aimed to assess the impact of cirrhosis-related complications pre-LT on the posttransplant prognosis of patients with ACLF. METHODS: This was an observational cohort study conducted between January 2018 and December 2020. Clinical characteristics, cirrhosis-related complications at LT and patient survival post-LT were collected. All liver recipients with ACLF were followed for 1 year post-LT. RESULTS: A total of 212 LT recipients with ACLF were enrolled, including 75 (35.4%) patients with ACLF-1, 64 (30.2%) with ACLF-2, and 73 (34.4%) with ACLF-3. The median waiting time for LT was 11 (4-24) days. The most prevalent cirrhosis-related complication was ascites (78.8%), followed by hepatic encephalopathy (57.1%), bacterial infections (48.1%), hepatorenal syndrome (22.2%) and gastrointestinal bleeding (11.3%). Survival analyses showed that patients with complications at LT had a significantly lower survival probability at both 3 months and 1 year after LT than those without complications (all P < 0.05). A simplified model was developed by assigning one point to each complication: transplantation for ACLF with cirrhosis-related complication (TACC) model. Risk stratification of TACC model identified 3 strata (≥ 4, = 3, and ≤ 2) with high, median and low risk of death after LT (P < 0.001). Moreover, the TACC model showed a comparable ability for predicting the outcome post-LT to the other four prognostic models (chronic liver failure-consortium ACLF score, Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B-ACLF score, model for end-stage liver disease score and Child-Turcotte-Pugh score). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of cirrhosis-related complications pre-LT increases the risk of death post-LT in patients with ACLF. The TACC model based on the number of cirrhosis-related complications pre-LT could stratify posttransplant survival, which might help to determine transplant timing for ACLF.

Urolithin A ameliorates obesity-induced metabolic cardiomyopathy in mice via mitophagy activation.

Metabolic cardiomyopathy (MC) is characterized by intracellular lipid accumulation and utilizing fatty acids as a foremost energy source, thereby leading to excess oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. There is no effective therapy available yet. In this study we investigated whether defective mitophagy contributed to MC and whether urolithin A (UA), a naturally occurring microflora-derived metabolite, could protect against MC in experimental obese mice. Mice were fed high fat diet for 20 weeks to establish a diet-induced obese model. We showed that mitochondrial autophagy or mitophagy was significantly downregulated in the heart of experimental obese mice. UA (50 mg·kg-1·d-1, for 4 weeks) markedly activated mitophagy and ameliorated MC in obese mice by gavage. In PA-challenged H9C2 cardiomyocytes, UA (5 µM) significantly increased autophagosomes and decreased autolysosomes. Furthermore, UA administration rescued PINK1/Parkin-dependent mitophagy and relieved mitochondrial defects in the heart of obese mice, which led to improving cardiac diastolic function and ameliorating cardiac remodelling. In PA-challenged primarily isolated cardiomyocytes, both application of mitophagy inhibitor Mdivi-1 (15 µM) and silencing of mitophagy gene Parkin blunted the myocardial protective effect of UA. In summary, our data suggest that restoration of mitophagy with UA ameliorates symptoms of MC, which highlights a therapeutic potential of UA in the treatment of MC.

Molecule characterization of chemosensory and metabolism-related genes in the proboscis of Athetis lepigone.

Introduction: The moth species Athetis lepigone (Möschler) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which has recently been identified as a pest of summer maize (Zea mays L.) in China, has demonstrated a rapid proliferation with in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain region since its initial discovery in Hebei Province in 2005. It has become a prevalent pest of corn crops, and its ability to adapt quickly to its surroundings is currently being investigated. One of the key characteristics of its siphoning mouthparts is not only the feeding apparatus itself but also the chemosensory organs that enable the detection of chemical signals from the surrounding environment. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the genes responsible for chemosensory and metabolic mechanisms in the proboscises of male and female A. lepigone adults. Methods: In this study, we utilized transcriptome analysis to identify a total of fifty chemosensory genes from six distinct families, including 19 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), 22 chemosensory proteins (CSPs), one co-receptor (Orco), six odorant receptors (ORs), four ionotropic receptors (IRs), and two sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) in the proboscis. Notably, seven OBPs, two CSPs, and one OR were discovered for the first time. Additionally, fourteen genes related to metabolism, including cytochrome P450 (CYPs) and carboxylesterases (CXEs), were also identified. Furthermore, a qualitative analysis was conducted on the relative transcript levels of eight related genes. The expression of 21 annotated chemosensory and metabolic genes was compared between A. lepigone adults and larvae using qRT-PCR, revealing tissue specificity. The majority of genes exhibited predominant expression in the antennae and proboscis during the adult stage, while showing slight expression in the combination of sixth-instar larval head oral appendages (maxilla, labium, and antenna) and pheromone gland-ovipositors of female adults. Results/discussion: Our study points to a new pest control strategies that these newly discovered genes have the potential to serve as targets for enhancing future pest control, including mating disruption and the use of food attractants. And it would be advantageous to ascertain the distribution of chemosensory gene expression and gain insights into the functionalities of these genes, thereby establishing a novel theoretical framework for the advancement of eco-friendly pesticides and efficient pest management strategies in the future.

Spatial metabolomics on liver cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest cancers and is mainly developed from chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis-B infection-associated liver cirrhosis (LC). The progression from LC to HCC makes the detection of diagnostic biomarkers to be challenging. Hence, there have been constant efforts to improve on identifying the critical and predictive changes accompanying the disease progression. METHODS: In this study, we looked to using the mass spectrometry mediated spatial metabolomics technique to simultaneous examine hundreds of metabolites in an untargeted fashion. Additionally, metabolic profiles were compared between six subregions within the HCC tissue to collect spatial information. RESULTS: Through those metabolites, altered metabolic pathways in LC and HCC were identified. Specifically, the amino acid metabolisms and the glycerophospholipid metabolisms experienced the most changes. Many of the altered metabolites and metabolic pathways were able to be connected through the urea cycle. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of the key metabolites and pathways can expand our knowledge on HCC metabolic reprogramming and help us exam potential biomarkers for earlier detection of the malignant disease progression.

Transcriptome analysis of the spleen provides insight into the immunoregulation of Scortum barcoo under Streptococcus agalactiae infection.

Jade perch (Scortum barcoo) is a freshwater fish with substantial economic value, which has been widely cultivated all over the world. However, with the intensification and expansion of farming, several bacterial and viral diseases have occurred in jade perch. To understand the immune response of jade perch against Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS), we performed a histopathological examination and transcriptome sequencing of jade perch spleen after artificial bacterial infection. GBS infection can cause structural changes and even necrosis of the jade perch spleen, which may affect the survival of infected individuals. A total of 144,458 unigenes were obtained through de novo assembly of spleen transcriptome. Among them, 1821 unigenes were identified as DEGs, including 1415 up-regulated and 406 down-regulated unigenes in the infection group. Moreover, the analysis of GO and KEGG revealed that many GO terms and pathways were involved in the host immune response, such as Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and TNF signaling pathway. In addition, according to transcriptome data and qRT-PCR analysis, the expression levels of many cytokines that participate in the inflammatory response changed a lot after GBS infection. Overall, this transcriptomic analysis provided valuable information for studying the immune response of jade perch against bacterial infection.

Isoginkgetin, a bioactive constituent from Ginkgo Biloba, protects against obesity-induced cardiomyopathy via enhancing Nrf2/ARE signaling.

Obesity-induced metabolic cardiomyopathy (MC), characterized by lipotoxicity and excessive oxidative stress, emerges as the leading cause of heart failure in the obese patients. Yet, its therapy remains very limited. Here, we demonstrated that isoginkgetin (IGK), a bioactive biflavonoid isolated from medicinal herb Ginkgo Biloba, protected against obesity-induced cardiac diastolic dysfunction and adverse remodeling. Transcriptomics profiling revealed that IGK activated Nrf2 signaling in the heart tissues of the obese mice. Consistent with this observation, IGK treatment increased the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, which in turn trigger the activation of its downstream target genes (e. g. HO-1 and NQO1). In addition, IGK significantly rejuvenated mitochondrial defects in obese heart tissues as evidenced by enhancing mitochondrial respiratory capacity and resisting the collapse of mitochondrial potential and oxidative stress both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, IGK stabilized Nrf2 protein via inhibiting the proteasomal degradation, independent of transcription regulation. Moreover, molecular docking and dynamics simulation assessment demonstrated a good binding mode between IGK and Nrf2/Keap1. Of note, the protective effects conferred by IGK against obesity-induced mitochondrial defects and cardiac dysfunction was compromised by Nrf2 gene silencing both in vitro and in vivo, consolidating a pivotal role of Nrf2 in IGK-elicited myocardial protection against MC. Thus, the present study identifies IGK as a promising drug candidate to alleviate obesity-induced oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte damage through Nrf2 activation, highlighting the therapeutic potential of IGK in ameliorating obesity-induced cardiomyopathy.

Low T3 syndrome is associated with poor prognosis in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is a critical disease with high mortality risk. Low triiodothyronine syndrome (LT3S) is associated with various severe acute and chronic diseases. We investigated the relationship between LT3S and poor prognosis in patients with HBV-ACLF. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 198 patients with HBV-ACLF were enrolled between January 2018 and March 2019. We screened for independent risk factors for 28-day mortality using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Spearman's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between LT3S and the poor prognostic parameters of HBV-ACLF. RESULTS: LT3S was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality in HBV-ACLF patients (odds ratio: 4.035, 95% confidence interval 1.117-14.579; p = 0.033). The death group had a lower serum FT3 level (Z-value = 2639.000, p < 0.001). Serum FT3 levels were negatively correlated with age, C-reactive protein, international normalized ratio, and neutrophil count but positively correlated with lymphocyte count. A negative correlation between FT3 and various prognostic scores was observed, indicating that a low FT3 level was closely related to a poor prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: LT3S was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality and was correlated with poor prognosis in patients with HBV-ACLF.

Salinity Impact on Composition and Activity of Nitrate-Reducing Fe(II)-Oxidizing Microorganisms in Saline Lakes.

Nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing (NRFeOx) microorganisms contribute to nitrogen, carbon, and iron cycling in freshwater and marine ecosystems. However, NRFeOx microorganisms have not been investigated in hypersaline lakes, and their identity, as well as their activity in response to salinity, is unknown. In this study, we combined cultivation-based most probable number (MPN) counts with Illumina MiSeq sequencing to analyze the abundance and community compositions of NRFeOx microorganisms enriched from five lake sediments with different salinities (ranging from 0.67 g/L to 346 g/L). MPN results showed that the abundance of NRFeOx microorganisms significantly (P < 0.05) decreased with increasing lake salinity, from 7.55 × 103 to 8.09 cells/g dry sediment. The community composition of the NRFeOx enrichment cultures obtained from the MPNs differed distinctly among the five lakes and clustered with lake salinity. Two stable enrichment cultures, named FeN-EHL and FeN-CKL, were obtained from microcosm incubations of sediment from freshwater Lake Erhai and hypersaline Lake Chaka. The culture FeN-EHL was dominated by genus Gallionella (68.4%), while the culture FeN-CKL was dominated by genus Marinobacter (71.2%), with the former growing autotrophically and the latter requiring an additional organic substrate (acetate) and Fe(II) oxidation, caused to a large extent by chemodenitrification [reaction of nitrite with Fe(II)]. Short-range ordered Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides were the product of Fe(II) oxidation, and the cells were partially attached to or encrusted by the formed iron minerals in both cultures. In summary, different types of interactions between Fe(II) and nitrate-reducing bacteria may exist in freshwater and hypersaline lakes, i.e., autotrophic NRFeOx and chemodenitrification in freshwater and hypersaline environments, respectively. IMPORTANCE NRFeOx microorganisms are globally distributed in various types of environments and play a vital role in iron transformation and nitrate and heavy metal removal. However, most known NRFeOx microorganisms were isolated from freshwater and marine environments, while their identity and activity under hypersaline conditions remain unknown. Here, we demonstrated that salinity may affect the abundance, identity, and nutrition modes of NRFeOx microorganisms. Autotrophy was only detectable in a freshwater lake but not in the saline lake investigated. We enriched a mixotrophic culture capable of nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidation from hypersaline lake sediments. However, Fe(II) oxidation was probably caused by abiotic nitrite reduction (chemodenitrification) rather than by a biologically mediated process. Consequently, our study suggests that in hypersaline environments, Fe(II) oxidation is largely caused by chemodentrification initiated by nitrite formation by chemoheterotrophic bacteria, and additional experiments are needed to demonstrate whether or to what extent Fe(II) is enzymatically oxidized.