Neighboring Catalytic Sites Are Essential for Electrochemical Dechlorination of 2-Chlorophenol.

The electrocatalytic reduction process is a promising technology for decomposing chlorinated organic pollutants in water but is limited by the lack of low-cost catalysts that can achieve high activity and selectivity. In studying electrochemical dechlorination of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) in aqueous media, we find that cobalt phthalocyanine molecules supported on carbon nanotubes (CoPc/CNT), which is a highly effective electrocatalyst for breaking the aliphatic C-Cl bonds in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCA) and trichloroethylene (TCE), are completely inactive for reducing the aromatic C-Cl bond in 2-CP. Detailed mechanistic investigation, including volcano plot correlation between dechlorination rate and atomic hydrogen adsorption energy on various transition metal surfaces, kinetic measurements, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and density functional theory calculations, reveals that the reduction of the aromatic C-Cl bond in 2-CP goes through a hydrodechlorination mechanism featuring a bimolecular reaction between adsorbed atomic hydrogen and 2-CP on the catalyst surface, which requires neighboring catalytic sites, whereas the aliphatic C-Cl bonds in DCA and TCE are cleaved by direct electron transfer from the catalyst, which can occur on isolated single sites. This investigation leads to the discovery of metallic Co as a highly selective and active electrocatalyst for 2-CP dechlorination. This work provides new insights into the fundamental chemistry and catalyst design of electrochemical dechlorination reactions for wastewater treatment.

Association between gut microbiota and seven gastrointestinal diseases: A Mendelian randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Observational research has shed light on the ability of gut microbes to influence the onset and progression of gastrointestinal diseases. The causal relationships between specific gut microbiomes and various gastrointestinal conditions, however, remain unknown. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between gut microbiota and seven specific gastrointestinal disorders using a robust two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analysis tool in our study. Furthermore, we conducted multiple sensitivity analyses to strengthen the robustness of our findings and ensure the reliability of the IVW method. RESULTS: Our research has discovered significant links between the composition of gut microbiota and a variety of gastrointestinal ailments. We found compelling links between 13 gut microbiota and fatty liver, four gut microbiota and cirrhosis, eight gut microbiota and hepatocellular carcinoma, four gut microbiota and cholelithiasis, 12 gut microbiota and acute pancreatitis, eight gut microbiota and chronic pancreatitis, and 11 gut microbiota and pancreatic cancer. These findings shed light on the intricate relationship between gut microbes and the emergence of these specific gastrointestinal conditions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this extensive study not only validate the potential role of specific gut microbiota in gastrointestinal diseases, but also fill a critical gap in previous research. The discovery of these specific gut microbiota is a significant step forward because they may serve as novel and promising biomarkers for both the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal conditions.

Identification and genetic characterization of a recently identified enterovirus C116 in China.

Enterovirus C116 (EV-C116) is a new member of the enterovirus C group which is closely associated with several infectious diseases. Although sporadic studies have detected EV-C116 in clinical samples worldwide, there is currently limited information available. In this study, two EV-C-positive fecal specimens were detected in apparently healthy children, which harbored low abundance, through meta-transcriptome sequencing. Based on the prototypes of several EV-Cs, two lineages were observed. Lineage 1 included many types that could not cause EV-like cytopathic effect in cell culture. Three genogroups of EV-C116 were divided in the maximum likelihood tree, and the two strains in this study (XZ2 and XZ113) formed two different lineages, suggesting that EV-C116 still diffuses worldwide. Obvious inter-type recombination events were observed in the XZ2 strain, with CVA22 identified as a minor donor. However, another strain (XZ113) underwent different recombination situations, highlighting the importance of recombination in the formation of EV-Cs biodiversity. The EV-C116 strains could propagate in rhabdomyosarcoma cell cultures at low titer; however, EV-like cytopathic effects were not observed. HEp-2, L20B, VERO, and 293T cell lines did not provide an appropriate environment for EV-C116 growth. These results challenge the traditional recognition of the uncultured nature of EV-C116 strains and explain the difficulty of clinical detection.

Palladium-Catalyzed Three-Component Cascade Carbonylation Reaction to Construct Benzofuran Derivatives.

A novel three-component cyclization carbonylation reaction of iodoarene-tethered propargyl ethers with amine and CO is reported. This palladium-catalyzed cascade reaction undergoes a sequence of oxidative addition, unsaturated bond migration, carbonyl insertion, and nucleophilic attack to deliver the benzofuran skeleton. Both aromatic amines and aliphatic amines could proceed smoothly in this transformation under one atm of CO.

SpecLipIDA: a pseudotargeted lipidomics approach for polyunsaturated fatty acids in milk.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as arachidonic acid (ARA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), play an important role in the nutritional value of milk lipids. However, a comprehensive analysis of PUFAs and their esters in milk is still scarce. In this study, we developed a novel pseudotargeted lipidomics approach, named SpecLipIDA, for determining PUFA lipids in milk. Triglycerides (TGs) and phospholipids (PLs) were separated using NH2 cartridges, and mass spectrometry data in the information-dependent acquisition (IDA) mode were preprocessed by MS-DIAL, leading to improved identification in subsequent targeted analysis. The target matching algorithm, based on specific lipid cleavage patterns, demonstrated enhanced identification of PUFA lipids compared to the lipid annotations provided by MS-DIAL and GNPS. The approach was applied to identify PUFA lipids in various milk samples, resulting in the detection of a total of 115 PUFA lipids. The results revealed distinct differences in PUFA lipids among different samples, with 44 PUFA lipids significantly contributing to these differences. Our study indicated that SpecLipIDA is an efficient method for rapidly and specifically screening PUFA lipids.

Non-targeted mass spectrometry and feature-based molecular networking for determination of branched fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids in milk.

Branched fatty acid esters of hydroxy fatty acids (FAHFAs) represent trace lipids with significant natural biological functions. While exogenous FAHFAs have been extensively studied, research on FAHFAs in milk remains limited, constraining our grasp of their nutritional roles. This study introduces a non-targeted mass spectrometry approach combined with chemical networking of spectral fragmentation patterns to uncover FAHFAs. Through meticulous sample handling and comparisons of various data acquisition and processing modes, we validate the method's superiority, identifying twice as many FAHFAs compared to alternative techniques. This validated method was then applied to different milk samples, revealing 45 chemical signals associated with known and potential FAHFAs, alongside findings of 66 ceramide/hexosylceramide (Cer/HexCer), 48 phosphatidyl ethanolamine/lyso phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE/LPE), 21 phosphatidylcholine/lysophosphatidylcholine (PC/LPC), 16 phosphatidylinositol (PI), 7 phosphatidylserine (PS), and 11 sphingomyelin (SM) compounds. This study expands our understanding of the FAHFA family in milk and provides a fast and convenient method for identifying FAHFAs.

The performance of OPC and OPC3 water models in predictions of 2D structures under nanoconfinement.

Nanoconfined water plays an important role in broad fields of science and engineering. Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been widely used to investigate water phases under nanoconfinement. The key ingredient of MD is the force field. In this study, we systematically investigated the performance of a recently introduced family of globally optimal water models, OPC and OPC3, and TIP4P/2005 in describing nanoconfined two-dimensional (2D) water ice. Our studies show that the melting points of the monolayer square ice (MSI) of all three water models are higher than the melting points of the corresponding bulk ice Ih. Under the same conditions, the melting points of MSI of OPC and TIP4P/2005 are the same and are ∼90 K lower than that of the OPC3 water model. In addition, we show that OPC and TIP4P/2005 water models are able to form a bilayer AA-stacked structure and a trilayer AAA-stacked structure, which are not the cases for the OPC3 model. Considering the available experimental data and first-principles simulations, we consider the OPC water model as a potential water model for 2D water ice MD studies.

All-Inside Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Had Clinical Outcome Similar to the Transtibial Technique Except for Improved Side-to-Side Difference and Tegner Activity Scale: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical outcomes of the all-inside technique with the transtibial technique in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction based on available literature on this topic. METHODS: According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist, we conducted a systematic search for randomized controlled trials and cohort studies. Our comprehensive search encompassed PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that compared the 2 techniques with a minimal 1-year follow-up. Two independent authors assessed RCTs using the risk of bias tool developed by the Cochrane Collaboration and evaluated the quality of cohort studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Assessing the Quality of Nonrandomized Comparative Trials. The subjective and objective outcomes, complications, and graft failure were obtained. R software was used to perform the analysis. RESULTS: The present analysis enrolled 9 RCTs (n = 687) and 11 cohort studies (n = 910). After a minimal 1-year follow-up in RCTs, functional outcomes such as International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective score, Lysholm score, Tegner activity scale, Knee Society Score, and hop test were found to be similar between 2 techniques. The laxity outcomes, including the IKDC objective grade and pivot-shift test, were suggested to be comparable. There was a significant difference favoring the transtibial technique in terms of side-to-side difference (P = .04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.90). The pooled data from cohort studies indicated equivalent results in terms of IKDC subjective score, Lysholm score, side-to-side difference, IKDC objective grade, complications, and graft failure, with the exception of statistical difference in the Tegner activity scale (P = .03; 95% CI, -0.50 to -0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that there is no difference in most outcome scores between the all-inside and transtibial techniques for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. There are statistically significant differences in side-to-side difference and Tegner activity scale favoring the all-inside technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, meta-analysis of Level I to IV studies.

Sound amplitude of discrete bubbles entrained by an impacting water stream.

Experiments were undertaken to develop a relationship between bubble size and acoustic-emission amplitude for a vertical stream of water impacting a water pool. A particular focus is the formation of the discrete bubbles. Although the relationship between bubble diameter and the natural frequency of sound emissions has been established through Minnaert's work, a comprehensive investigation into the amplitude of sound emissions is missing. Air bubbles were generated from the impact of falling-water streams of varying diameters on an underlying water pool and their acoustic emissions were recorded using a nearby hydrophone. Sound amplitude was found to increase monotonically with bubble size. A second-order polynomial relationship between logarithmic acoustic sound pressure level (L) and bubble diameter (Db) was found, L=-0.0401Db2+1.5781Db+110.7225 within the ±3 dB margin of error. The relationship between linear sound pressure level (P) and bubble diameter (Db) is expressed by the equation P=0.0059Db2+0.0505Db+0.3591, within the ±3 dB margin of error. Results demonstrate that larger bubbles (D > 4 mm) exhibit noise emissions similar to bubbles produced by other mechanisms, such as the underwater nozzle, while smaller diameters tend to produce higher noise levels compared to the same mechanism.

[Amplitude-integrated electroencephalography monitoring results of hospitalized neonates in plateau areas]. / æŒ¯å¹ æ•´åˆè„‘ç”µå›¾åœ¨é«˜åŽŸåœ°åŒºä½é™¢æ–°ç”Ÿå„¿ä¸­çš„ç›‘æµ‹ç»“æžœåˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG) monitoring results of hospitalized neonates in plateau areas. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 945 neonates who were admitted to the Department of Neonatology, Kunming Children's Hospital, and received aEEG monitoring from January 2020 to December 2022. According to the aEEG monitoring results, they were divided into a normal aEEG group and an abnormal aEEG group. The incidence rate of aEEG abnormalities was analyzed in neonates with various systemic diseases, as well as the manifestations of aEEG abnormalities and the consistency between aEEG abnormalities and clinical abnormalities. RESULTS: Among the 5 945 neonates, the aEEG abnormality rate was 19.28% (1 146/5 945), with an abnormality rate of 29.58% (906/3 063) in critically ill neonates and 8.33% (240/2 882) in non-critically ill neonates (P<0.05). The children with inherited metabolic diseases showed the highest aEEG abnormality rate of 60.77% (79/130), followed by those with central nervous system disorders [42.22% (76/180)] and preterm infants [35.53% (108/304)]. Compared with the normal aEEG group, the abnormal aEEG group had significantly lower age and gestational age, as well as a significantly lower birth weight of preterm infants (P<0.05). Among the 1 146 neonates with aEEG abnormalities, the main types of aEEG abnormalities were sleep cycle disorders in 597 neonates (52.09%), background activity abnormalities in 294 neonates (25.65%), and epileptiform activity in 255 neonates (22.25%), and there were 902 neonates (78.71%) with abnormal clinical manifestations. The sensitivity and specificity of aEEG monitoring for brain function abnormalities were 33.51% and 92.50%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In plateau areas, there is a relatively high rate of aEEG abnormalities among hospitalized neonates, particularly in critically ill neonates and those with smaller gestational ages and younger ages, suggesting a high risk of brain injury. Therefore, routine aEEG monitoring for the hospitalized neonates can help with the early detection of brain function abnormalities, the decision-making in treatment, and the formulation of brain protection strategies.

Fusobacterium nucleatum upregulates MMP7 to promote metastasis-related characteristics of colorectal cancer cell via activating MAPK(JNK)-AP1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignant tumor. Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is overabundant in CRC and associated with metastasis, but the role of F. nucleatum in CRC cell migration and metastasis has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: Differential gene analysis, protein-protein interaction, robust rank aggregation analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and gene set variation analysis were used to figure out the potential vital genes and biological functions affected by F. nucleatum infection. The 16S rDNA sequencing and q-PCR were used to detect the abundance of F. nucleatum in tissues and stools. Then, we assessed the effect of F. nucleatum on CRC cell migration by wound healing and transwell assays, and confirmed the role of Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) induced by F. nucleatum in cell migration. Furthermore, we dissected the mechanisms involved in F. nucleatum induced MMP7 expression. We also investigated the MMP7 expression in clinical samples and its correlation with prognosis in CRC patients. Finally, we screened out potential small molecular drugs that targeted MMP7 using the HERB database and molecular docking. RESULTS: F. nucleatum infection altered the gene expression profile and affected immune response, inflammation, biosynthesis, metabolism, adhesion and motility related biological functions in CRC. F. nucleatum was enriched in CRC and promoted the migration of CRC cell by upregulating MMP7 in vitro. MMP7 expression induced by F. nucleatum infection was mediated by the MAPK(JNK)-AP1 axis. MMP7 was highly expressed in CRC and correlated with CMS4 and poor clinical prognosis. Small molecular drugs such as δ-tocotrienol, 3,4-benzopyrene, tea polyphenols, and gallic catechin served as potential targeted therapeutic drugs for F. nucleatum induced MMP7 in CRC. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that F. nucleatum promoted metastasis-related characteristics of CRC cell by upregulating MMP7 via MAPK(JNK)-AP1 axis. F. nucleatum and MMP7 may serve as potential therapeutic targets for repressing CRC advance and metastasis.

Rhizosphere effect of nanoscale zero-valent iron on mycorrhiza-dependent maize assimilation.

Rhizosphere effect of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) is crucial but little reported. Maize seeds were dressed with four nZVI concentrations (0, 1.0, 1.5, 2 g kg-1 ) and inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) (Funneliformis mosseae). The SEM images illuminated that excessive nZVI particles (2 g kg-1 ) were agglomerated on the surface of hyphae and spore, causing severe deformation and inactivation of AMF symbionts and thereafter inhibiting water uptake in maize seedlings. This restrained the scavenging effects of enzymatic (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase) and non-enzymatic compounds (proline & malondialdehyde) on ROS, and leaf photoreduction activity and gas exchange ability (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the inoculation with AMF effectively alleviated above negative effects. In contrast, appropriate dose of nZVI, that is, ≤1.5 g kg-1 , can be evenly distributed on the hyphae surface and form the ordered symbionts with AMF. This help massively to enhance hyphae growth and water and nutrient uptake. The enhanced mycorrhizal infection turned to promote rhizosphere symbiont activity and leaf Rubisco and Rubisco activase activity. Light compensation point was massively lowered, which increased photosynthetic carbon supply for AMF symbionts. Particularly, such priming effects were evidently enhanced by drought stress. Our findings provided a novel insight into functional role of nZVI in agriculture and AMF-led green production.

Monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids-a pearl dropped in the ocean.

As an emerging group of bioactive fatty acids, monomethyl branched-chain fatty acids (mmBCFAs) have sparked the interest of many researchers both domestically and internationally. In addition to documenting the importance of mmBCFAs for growth and development, there is increasing evidence that mmBCFAs are highly correlated with obesity and insulin resistance. According to previous pharmacological investigations, mmBCFAs also exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and anticancer properties. This review summarized the distribution of mmBCFAs, which are widely found in dairy products, ruminants, fish, and fermented foods. Besides, we discuss the biosynthesis pathway in different species and detection methods of mmBCFAs. With the hope to unveil their mechanisms of action, we recapitulated detailed the nutrition and health benefits of mmBCFAs. Furthermore, this study provides a thorough, critical overview of the current state of the art, upcoming difficulties, and trends in mmBCFAs.

Investigation of the nitrogen removal performance and microbial community structure in a full-scale A/O1/H/O2 coking wastewater treatment system.

Biological treatment processes are an effective method for removing the nitrogen-containing contaminants that exist in coking wastewater. However, little is known about microbial composition and keystone taxa involved in biological nitrogen removal processes. In order to improve the removal efficiency of nitrogen-containing contaminants in anaerobic-aerobic-hydrolytic-aerobic (A/O1/H/O2) system, the microbial composition and interactions of keystone taxa should be clarified. The present work clarifies the removal performance of nitrogen-containing contaminants in the A/O1/H/O2 system, identifies the microbial community involved in various bioreactors, and reveals the keystone taxa within the microbial communities. Combined the processes of ammoniation, denitrification, and nitrification, total nitrogen decreased from 248 to 31 mg L-1 and achieved a removal efficiency of 87.5% in the full-scale A/O1/H/O2 system. High-throughput MiSeq sequencing revealed that Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in the A/O1/H/O2 system with relative abundances of 24%-50%. Thiobacillus dominated in bioreactors A and O1 with relative abundances of 2.90% and 4.44%, respectively, while Nitrospira was identified as the most dominant genus in bioreactors H and O2, accounting for 13.33% and 18.38%, respectively. The microbial community composition and co-occurrence network analysis showed that the keystone taxa belonged to Thiobacillus, Nitrospira, Bdellovibrio, Planctomyces, Desulfotomaculum, and Sphingobium, which are related to nitrogen degradation.

The Initial Efficacy of Comprehensive Treatment of External Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Acute Mastitis During Lactation and its Influence on Patients' Symptoms.

Objective: To evaluate the initial efficacy of comprehensive treatment of external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine in the therapy of acute mastitis during lactation and its influence on sufferers' symptoms. Methods: From January 2021 to January 2023, a retrospective analysis was performed on 100 sufferers with acute mastitis during lactation who were received in our hospital as the study objects. Divided them into a control group (n = 50) and an observation group (n = 50). Among them, the control one was received in 50% magnesium sulfate for moist heat compress, and the observation one was treated with comprehensive external therapy of traditional Chinese medicine. After different treatment measures were carried out in the 2 groups, the total effective ratio of clinical therapy, excellent and good rates of lactation, quality of life measurements, pain scores before and after treatment, and TCM symptom points at pre-therapy and post-therapy, negative emotion scores at pre-therapy and post-therapy related to patients were analyzed. Results: (1) In the data comparison of the total effective ratio of clinical therapy between the 2 groups of sufferers after therapy, the data in the observation one were greater than the control one, and the distinction was obvious, with P < .05. (2) In the data comparison of the excellent and good lactation rate between the 2 groups of sufferers at post-therapy, the data in observation one were greater than the control one, and the distinction was obvious, with P < .05. (3) In the data comparison of quality of life measurements between the 2 groups of sufferers at post-therapy, the data in the observation one were greater than the control one, and the distinction was obvious, with P < .05. (4) Before treatment, it had no obvious distinction in the pain scores between the 2 groups, with P > .05; in the data comparison of the pain points between the 2 groups after therapy, the data in observation one were less than the control one, and the distinction was obvious, with P < .05. (5) Before therapy, it had no obvious distinction in TCM symptom points between the 2 groups, with P > .05; in the data comparison of TCM symptom points between the 2 groups after therapy, the data in the observation one were less than the control one, and the distinction was obvious, with P < .05. (6) Before therapy, it had no obvious distinction in negative emotion points between the 2 groups, with P > .05; in the data comparison of negative emotion scores between the 2 groups of sufferers at post-therapy, the data in the observation one were less than those in the control one, and the distinction was obvious, with P < .05. Conclusion: The comprehensive therapy of TCM external treatment for acute mastitis during lactation has a significant therapeutic effect, which is conducive to improving the clinical symptoms of sufferers as soon as possible and at the same time, greatly improving the life quality of sufferers and improving their negative emotions, which can relieve the pain of sufferers and promote the recovery of the sufferers.

Agricultural Application Prospect of Fully Polarimetric and Quantification S-Band SAR Subsystem in Chinese High-Resolution Aerial Remote Sensing System.

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a type of active radar that can obtain polarization scattering information of ground objects, which is an important supplement to optical remote sensing. This paper designs a high-precision quantitative SAR system that combines radiation and polarization calibration processing to achieve a subtle perception of the changes in soil moisture and straw coverage. In Yushu, Jilin, we conducted the first S-band agricultural remote sensing application experiment. The backscattering coefficient was measured under different water content and straw coverage conditions, and the results showed that the backscattering coefficient increased by about 2 dB and 6 dB, respectively. We estimated that the soil water content increased by about 0.01 cm3/cm3, which was consistent with the theoretical analysis. The polarization scattering characteristics also showed significant differences under different straw coverage. The results indicated that S-band quantitative SAR had an excellent response ability to water content and straw coverage, which provided a technical basis for further radar agricultural applications in the future.

Effectiveness evaluation of water-sprinkling in controlling urban fugitive road dust based on TRAKER method: A case study in Baoding, China.

Fugitive road dust (FRD) contributes a great deal to urban rainwater and air pollution and is commonly controlled by water-sprinkling in most Chinese cities. However, there is a lack of information on its effectiveness. We used the Testing Re-entrained Aerosol Kinetic Emissions from Roads (TRAKER) method to monitor different types of roads in Baoding city before and within 1 hr after water-sprinkling and obtained the road dirtiness index (a) and PM concentration in the road environment (TT*), to evaluate the removal efficiency for PM deposited on the road surface (ηa) and the reduction efficiency for the PM concentration in the road environment (ηPM). The results give that the ηa for three types of roads is ranked: branch road (87%--100%) > major arterial road (80%-83%) > minor arterial road (68%-77%), and the ηPM ranked: minor arterial road (70%) > branch road (46%-58%) > major arterial road (37%-53%). The ηa and ηPM varied non-linearly with time and presented a quadratic curve. The average effective control time (ηa> 0) was 62 min on the major and minor arterial roads, and much longer than 1 hr on branch roads. The ηPM values diminished completely by 72 min on average from the end of sprinkling for the three types of roads. Water-sprinkling can remove PM10 particles from the road surface and reduce their concentration in the road environment more thoroughly than PM2.5. Our findings could be helpful for controlling urban FRD emissions more efficiently and precisely.

[Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of complete chloroplast genome of cultivated Qinan agarwood].

"Tangjie" leaves of cultivated Qinan agarwood were used to obtain the complete chloroplast genome using high-throughput sequencing technology. Combined with 12 chloroplast genomes of Aquilaria species downloaded from NCBI, bioinformatics method was employed to determine the chloroplast genome characteristics and phylogenetic relationships. The results showed that the chloroplast genome sequence length of cultivated Qinan agarwood "Tangjie" leaves was 174 909 bp with a GC content of 36.7%. A total of 136 genes were annotated, including 90 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Sequence repeat analysis detected 80 simple sequence repeats(SSRs) and 124 long sequence repeats, with most SSRs composed of A and T bases. Codon preference analysis revealed that AUU was the most frequently used codon, and codons with A and U endings were preferred. Comparative analysis of Aquilaria chloroplast genomes showed relative conservation of the IR region boundaries and identified five highly variable regions: trnD-trnY, trnT-trnL, trnF-ndhJ, petA-cemA, and rpl32, which could serve as potential DNA barcodes specific to the Aquilaria genus. Selection pressure analysis indicated positive selection in the rbcL, rps11, and rpl32 genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that cultivated Qinan agarwood "Tangjie" and Aquilaria agallocha clustered together(100% support), supporting the Chinese origin of Qinan agarwood from Aquilaria agallocha. The chloroplast genome data obtained in this study provide a foundation for studying the genetic diversity of cultivated Qinan agarwood and molecular identification of the Aquilaria genus.

Transition in plant-plant facilitation in response to soil water and phosphorus availability in a legume-cereal intercropping system.

BACKGROUND: The tradeoff between negative and positive interactions of facilitated species and facilitators may depend on the degree of resource availability in agroecosystems. However, the rhizospheric mechanisms driving trade-offs that occur along phosphorus (P) and water availability gradients have not yet been systematically clarified. We established three types of root isolation conditions (no barrier, nylon barrier and solid barrier) at different P and water addition levels to address the above issue in a maize-grass pea intercropping system. RESULTS: The total yield and biomass net effect (NE) and the relative interaction index (RII) were significantly higher than 0 under all environmental conditions, demonstrating that plant-plant interactions generated positive effects in the intercropping system. The maize yield and biomass RII were 0.029-0.095 and 0.018-0.066, respectively, which indicated that maize growth was constantly facilitated. However, the RII for grass pea yield and biomass exhibited a different trend in comparison with maize. It was higher than 0 (as the facilitated species) under low soil P and moisture conditions and transitioned to values lower than 0 (facilitator species) under high P and moisture conditions, which showed that the type and intensity of plant-plant interactions steadily shifted with the applied stressors. Direct interactions decreased the maize rhizospheric soil pH by 1.5% and 1.9% under Low-P conditions. Notably, the rhizospheric soil acid and alkaline phosphatase secretions of maize and grass pea increased by 17.4-27.4% and 15.3-27.7%, respectively, in P-deficient soils. These results show that plant-plant interactions can effectively relieve P stress by mineralizing organophosphorus in P-deficient soils. Furthermore, the above tendency became more pronounced under drought-stressed conditions. The nylon barrier partially restricted the exchange and utilization of available nutrients and decreased the total yield and biomass by 1.8-7.8% and 1.1-7.8%, respectively. The presence of a solid barrier completely restricted interspecific rhizospheric interactions and decreased the total yield and biomass by 2.1-13.8% and 1.6-15.7%, respectively. Phytate and KH2PO4 addition intensified asymmetric interspecific competition, and grass pea was consistently subjected to competitive pressures. CONCLUSION: Briefly, the tradeoff between facilitation and competition was driven by rhizospheric interactions, and the transition in the intensity and type of interaction was highly dependent on resource availability in a biologically diverse system.

Peli1 signaling blockade attenuates congenital zika syndrome.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infects pregnant women and causes devastating congenital zika syndrome (CZS). How the virus is vertically transmitted to the fetus and induces neuronal loss remains unclear. We previously reported that Pellino (Peli)1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, promotes p38MAPK activation in microglia and induction of lethal encephalitis by facilitating the replication of West Nile virus (WNV), a closely related flavivirus. Here, we found that Peli1 expression was induced on ZIKV-infected human monocytic cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, human first-trimester placental trophoblasts, and neural stem cell (hNSC)s. Peli1 mediates ZIKV cell attachment, entry and viral translation and its expression is confined to the endoplasmic reticulum. Moreover, Peli1 mediated inflammatory cytokine and chemokine responses and induced cell death in placental trophoblasts and hNSCs. ZIKV-infected pregnant mice lacking Peli1 signaling had reduced placental inflammation and tissue damage, which resulted in attenuated congenital abnormalities. Smaducin-6, a membrane-tethered Smad6-derived peptide, blocked Peli1-mediated NF-κB activation but did not have direct effects on ZIKV infection. Smaducin-6 reduced inflammatory responses and cell death in placental trophoblasts and hNSCs, and diminished placental inflammation and damage, leading to attenuated congenital malformations in mice. Collectively, our results reveal a novel role of Peli1 in flavivirus pathogenesis and suggest that Peli1 promotes ZIKV vertical transmission and neuronal loss by mediating inflammatory cytokine responses and induction of cell death. Our results also identify Smaducin-6 as a potential therapeutic candidate for treatment of CZS.