Integrative Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis to Reveal Red Leaf Coloration in Shiya Tea (Adinandra nitida).

BACKGROUND: Adinandra nitida, commonly known as Shiya tea, is a healthcare drink enriched in several phenolic acids and flavonoids, with a purple-red leaf variety possessing a unique flavor and a higher economic value. However, the mechanisms underlying leaf coloration and senescence discoloration remain unknown. METHODS: Here, we compared both varieties of A. nitida (purple-red leaf, RL, and green leaf, GL) at two stages of development. To make sure the difference in leaf color in these four groups, several indexes, leaf colorimetric differences, H2O2 content in leaf cells, and antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT)) were measured. With the integration of metabolome and transcriptome becoming a trend, metabolites in four groups were detected using an Ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS) system, and the transcriptome was performed after the extraction of RNA in samples. Afterward, the activities of laccase (LAC) and peroxidase (POD) were measured for further analysis. RESULTS: The deeper or discoloration of leaf color was not caused by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress because the H2O2 content was similar for each group. And the SOD and CAT activities improved significantly in young leaves, especially RL_young. Metabolome data showed a large shift in four groups. By focusing on the variation of flavonoids and 1079 metabolites detected in both varieties, along with the accumulation of flavonoids and tannins, proanthocyanins (PAs) were mostly accumulated in young RL. Differential analysis of expressed genes (DEGs) revealed six genes associated with leaf discoloration as hub factors, of which ANRs (ANR1 and ANR2) were positively correlated with the accumulation of PA in RL. CONCLUSIONS: Using integrate analysis of metabolome and transcriptome, our results revealed that six structural genes found in proanthocyanin biosynthesis, two reductases (ANR), two oxidative polymerases (POD64, LAC17) and two TFs (bHLH3 and MYB4) related to biosynthesis and polymerization of proanthocyanins were associated with not only the difference of GL and RL but also the faded coloration in two RL groups (RL_young and RL_old), which provided a foundation for further research on an understanding of the regulatory genes and the enzymes specific for proanthocyanidin biosynthesis, facilitating the genetic engineering of crops for beneficial metabolite accumulation.

Venous Thromboembolism in a Patient with Interrupted Inferior Vena Cava and Compressed Azygos Continuation: A Case Report and Review of Literature.

We report an unusual case of a 40-year-old male patient who experienced painful swelling of the left lower limb that persisted for 1 week. Imaging modalities not only confirmed the diagnosis of acute iliofemoral venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism (PE), but also an incidental finding of interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC). This congenital anomaly is uncommon but rarely associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE). The azygos continuation was compressed by the descending aorta against the 11th thoracic vertebrae, which was identified as the cause of VTE. He was treated successfully with anticoagulation and compression therapy. The patient was discharged with lifelong oral Rivaroxaban and remained asymptomatic. In the literature, only 9 cases of interrupted IVC-associated PE were identified but none was due to significant venous compression.

Costunolide alleviates hyperglycaemia-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy via inhibiting inflammatory responses and oxidative stress.

Hyperglycaemia-induced myocardial injury promotes the induction of heart failure in diabetic patients. Impaired antioxidant capability and sustained chronic inflammation play a vital role in the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Costunolide (Cos), a natural compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has exhibited therapeutic effects in various inflammatory diseases. However, the role of Cos in diabetes-induced myocardial injury remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of Cos on DCM and explored the potential mechanisms. C57BL/6 mice were administered intraperitoneal streptozotocin for DCM induction. Cos-mediated anti-inflammatory and antioxidation activities were examined in heart tissues of diabetic mice and high glucose (HG)-stimulated cardiomyocytes. Cos markedly inhibited HG-induced fibrotic responses in diabetic mice and H9c2 cells, respectively. The cardioprotective effects of Cos could be correlated to the reduced expression of inflammatory cytokines and decreased oxidative stress. Further investigations demonstrated Cos reversed diabetes-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation and alleviated impaired antioxidant defence system, principally via activation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor-2 (Nrf-2). Cos alleviated cardiac damage and improved cardiac function in diabetic mice by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses and activating the Nrf-2-mediated antioxidant effects. Therefore, Cos could be a potential candidate for the treatment of DCM.

Pilot Study Using Telemedicine Video Consultation for Vascular Patients' Care During the COVID-19 Period.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness and patients satisfaction of using telemedicine virtual communications to provide remote health care to vascular patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) period in China. METHODS: Video calls using WeChat software (Tencent, Shenzhen, China) between patients and vascular surgeons were conducted in a period when there were restrictions and limitations for people' travels in China. At the end of each video call, a short questionnaire was used to evaluate the patient satisfaction level. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 period from 19 February to March 16, 2020, a sample of 114 from 165 (69%) patients was reached after one phone call attempt. One hundred forty-two telemedicine remote communications were made between the two vascular surgeons and 114 patients. The mean age of this cohort of patients were 60 ± 15.2 (range 25 to 90) years old, and 74 (65%) were men. Twenty-five patients (22%) were outside of our province when they received the video call. The mean duration of the video call was 11.0 ± 8.9 minutes. All of the patients thought telemedicine was a good substitute for coming to hospital, and 95% (108/114) of them preferred to have remote telemedicine rather than postpone the appointment. All the patients agreed with the advantages of telemedicine including no infection risks, no need to travel, and no need to wait for long time. All the patients were "satisfied" or "highly satisfied" with the video call and they would like to use telemedicine for follow-up in the future. CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine virtual communications was effective to provide remote health care with a high patient satisfaction during the COVID-19 period. Telemedicine offers support to vulnerable vascular patients without the need for travel and face-to-face hospital consultation, and so avoided transmission and infection.

Role of ERK-MAPK signaling pathway in pentagastrin-regulated growth of large intestinal carcinoma.

AIM: To explore the role and mechanisms of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase-mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK-MAPK) signaling in pentagastrin-regulated growth of large intestinal carcinoma. METHODS: HT-29 cells were incubated in different media and divided into the control group, pentagastrin group, proglumide group, and pentagastrin + proglumide group. No reagent was added to the control group, and other groups were incubated with reagent at different concentrations. Changes in proliferation of HT-29 cells were detected by MTT assay, and the optimal concentrations of pentagastrin and proglumide were determined. The changes in proliferation index (PI) and apoptosis rate (AR) of HT-29 cells were detected by Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate flow cytometry. mRNA expression of pentagastrin receptor/cholecystokinin-B receptor (CCK-BR), ERK1/2 and K-ras were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The protein and phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 and K-ras were detected by western blotting. All data were analyzed by analysis of variance and SNK-q test. RESULTS: The proliferation of HT-29 cells was stimulated by pentagastrin at a concentration of 6.25-100 mg/L, and the optimal concentration of pentagastrin was 25.0 mg/L (F = 31.36, P < 0.05). Proglumide had no obvious effect on the proliferation of HT-29 cells, while it significantly inhibited the proliferation of HT-29 cells stimulated by pentagastrin when the concentration of proglumide was 8.0-128.0 mg/L, and the optimal concentration was 32.0 mg/L (F = 24.31, P < 0.05). The PI of the pentagastrin (25.0 mg/L) group was 37.5% ± 5.2%, which was significantly higher than 27.7% ± 5.0% of the control group and 27.3% ± 5.8% of the pentagastrin (25.0 mg/L) + proglumide (32.0 mg/L) group (Q = 4.56-4.75, P < 0.05). The AR of the pentagastrin (25.0 mg/L) group was 1.9% ± 0.4%, which was significantly lower than 2.5% ± 0.4% of the control group and 2.4% ± 0.3% of the pentagastrin (25.0 mg/L) + proglumide (32.0 mg/L) group (Q = 4.23-4.06, P < 0.05). mRNA expression of CCK-BR was detected in HT-29 cells. The phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 protein and phosphorylated K-ras protein of the pentagastrin group were 0.43% ± 0.04% and 0.45% ± 0.06%, which were significantly higher than 0.32% ± 0.02% and 0.31% ± 0.05% of the control group (Q = 7.78-4.95, P < 0.05), and 0.36% ± 0.01% and 0.35% ± 0.04% of the pentagastrin + proglumide group (Q = 5.72-4.08, P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the mRNA and protein expression of ERK1/2 and K-ras among the control, pentagastrin, proglumide and pentagastrin + proglumide groups (F = 0.52, 0.72, 0.78, 0.28; P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Gastrin stimulates proliferation of HT-29 cells and inhibits apoptosis by upregulating phosphorylation of ERK and K-ras through the Ras-Raf-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway, and this is restrained by proglumide.

Different relationships between temporal phylogenetic turnover and phylogenetic similarity and in two forests were detected by a new null model.

BACKGROUND: Ecologists have been monitoring community dynamics with the purpose of understanding the rates and causes of community change. However, there is a lack of monitoring of community dynamics from the perspective of phylogeny. METHODS/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: We attempted to understand temporal phylogenetic turnover in a 50 ha tropical forest (Barro Colorado Island, BCI) and a 20 ha subtropical forest (Dinghushan in southern China, DHS). To obtain temporal phylogenetic turnover under random conditions, two null models were used. The first shuffled names of species that are widely used in community phylogenetic analyses. The second simulated demographic processes with careful consideration on the variation in dispersal ability among species and the variations in mortality both among species and among size classes. With the two models, we tested the relationships between temporal phylogenetic turnover and phylogenetic similarity at different spatial scales in the two forests. Results were more consistent with previous findings using the second null model suggesting that the second null model is more appropriate for our purposes. With the second null model, a significantly positive relationship was detected between phylogenetic turnover and phylogenetic similarity in BCI at a 10 m×10 m scale, potentially indicating phylogenetic density dependence. This relationship in DHS was significantly negative at three of five spatial scales. This could indicate abiotic filtering processes for community assembly. Using variation partitioning, we found phylogenetic similarity contributed to variation in temporal phylogenetic turnover in the DHS plot but not in BCI plot. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The mechanisms for community assembly in BCI and DHS vary from phylogenetic perspective. Only the second null model detected this difference indicating the importance of choosing a proper null model.

Estimation of net greenhouse gas balance using crop- and soil-based approaches: two case studies.

The net greenhouse gas balance (NGHGB), estimated by combining direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, can reveal whether an agricultural system is a sink or source of GHGs. Currently, two types of methods, referred to here as crop-based and soil-based approaches, are widely used to estimate the NGHGB of agricultural systems on annual and seasonal crop timescales. However, the two approaches may produce contradictory results, and few studies have tested which approach is more reliable. In this study, we examined the two approaches using experimental data from an intercropping trial with straw removal and a tillage trial with straw return. The results of the two approaches provided different views of the two trials. In the intercropping trial, NGHGB estimated by the crop-based approach indicated that monocultured maize (M) was a source of GHGs (-1315 kg CO2(-eq)ha(-1)), whereas maize-soybean intercropping (MS) was a sink (107 kg CO2(-eq)ha(-1)). When estimated by the soil-based approach, both cropping systems were sources (-3410 for M and -2638 kg CO2(-eq)ha(-1) for MS). In the tillage trial, mouldboard ploughing (MP) and rotary tillage (RT) mitigated GHG emissions by 22,451 and 21,500 kg CO2(-eq)ha(-1), respectively, as estimated by the crop-based approach. However, by the soil-based approach, both tillage methods were sources of GHGs: -3533 for MP and -2241 kg CO2(-eq)ha(-1) for RT. The crop-based approach calculates a GHG sink on the basis of the returned crop biomass (and other organic matter input) and estimates considerably more GHG mitigation potential than that calculated from the variations in soil organic carbon storage by the soil-based approach. These results indicate that the crop-based approach estimates higher GHG mitigation benefits compared to the soil-based approach and may overestimate the potential of GHG mitigation in agricultural systems.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in human serum from Southeast China.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used extensively in electrical and electronic products, but little is known about the exposure level in the electrical appliance factories workers and nearby local residents. In this study, we assessed body burdens of PBDEs in 194 Chinese injection workers from electrical appliance factories and also measured 205 blood samples from catering workers, leather factory workers, umbilical cord and infertile men for comparison. Twelve PBDE congeners in serum samples were measured by GC-MS. The highest concentration for total PBDEs was found in injection workers, which is positively correlated to employment duration. BDE-209 was the most dominant congener followed by BDE-47, 28 and 99. We also found the presence of all twelve PBDEs in cord blood, suggesting an evidence of fetal exposure. Concentration of BDE-47 was particularly higher in serum samples from infertile men in comparison with that of catering workers and leather factory workers.

A genome evolution-based framework for measures of originality for clades.

To evaluate the originality of a species for determining its conservation priority, most indices use the branching pattern and the branch length of a phylogenetic tree to represent the diversification pattern and the number of characters. One limitation of these indices is their lack of consideration of the dynamic process, such as character changes and distribution along lineages during evolution. In this study, we propose a robust framework incorporating the underlying dynamic processes under a framework of genome evolution to model character changes and distribution along different lineages in a given phylogenetic tree. Our framework provides a more transparent modeling, instead of the simple surrogates of branching pattern and branch length previously employed. Nonrandom extinction has been found to be clustered within old and species-poor clades, thus it is desirable to combine the evaluation of originality of clades, which will provide a more complete picture and a useful tool for setting global conservation priorities. Using a phylogenetic tree consisting of 70 species of New World terrestrial Carnivora, we demonstrate that the index derived from our framework can discern the difference in originality of clades. Moreover, we demonstrate that the originality of clades and species in a tree changes with different scenarios of dynamic processes, which were neglected by previous indices. We find that the originality of clades should be one of the criteria for setting global conservation priorities.