How Grammar Conveys Meaning: Language-Specific Spatial Encoding Patterns and Cross-Language Commonality in Higher-Order Neural Space.

Languages come in different forms but have shared meanings to convey. Some meanings are expressed by sentence structure and morphologic inflections rather than content words, such as indicating time frame using tense. This fMRI study investigates whether there is cross-language common representation of grammatical meanings that can be identified from neural signatures in the bilingual human brain. Based on the representations in intersentence neural similarity space, identifying grammatical construction of a sentence in one language by models trained on the other language resulted in reliable accuracy. By contrast, cross-language identification of grammatical construction by spatially matched activation patterns was only marginally accurate. Brain locations representing grammatical meaning in the two languages were interleaved in common regions bilaterally. The locations of voxels representing grammatical features in the second language were more varied across individuals than voxels representing the first language. These findings suggest grammatical meaning is represented by language-specific activation patterns, which is different from lexical semantics. Commonality of grammatical meaning is neurally reflected only in the interstimulus similarity space.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Whether human brain encodes sentence-level meanings beyond content words in different languages similarly has been a long-standing question. We characterize the neural representations of similar grammatical meanings in different languages. Using complementary analytic approaches on fMRI data, we show that the same grammatical meaning is neurally represented as the common pattern of neural distances between sentences. The results suggest the possibility of identifying specific grammatical meaning expressed by different morphologic and syntactic implementations of different languages. The neural realization of grammatical meanings is constrained by the specific language being used, but the relationships between the neural representations of sentences are preserved across languages. These findings have some theoretical implications on a distinction between grammar and lexical meanings.

Genome-wide identification of GH28 family and insight into its contributions to pod shattering resistance in Brassica napus L.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), accounts for nearly 16% of vegetable oil, is the world's second produced oilseed. However, pod shattering has caused significant yield loses in rapeseed production, particularly during mechanical harvesting. The GH28 genes can promote pod shattering by changing the structure of the pod cell wall in Arabidopsis. However, the role of the GH28 gene family in rapeseed was largely unknown. Therefore, a genome-wide comprehensive analysis was conducted to classify the role of GH28 gene family on rapeseed pod shattering. A total of 37 BnaGH28 genes in the rapeseed genome were identified. These BnaGH28s can be divided into five groups (Group A-E), based on phylogenetic and synteny analysis. Protein property, gene structure, conserved motif, cis-acting element, and gene expression profile of BnaGH28 genes in the same group were similar. Specially, the expression level of genes in group A-D was gradually decreased, but increased in group E with the development of silique. Among eleven higher expressed genes in group E, two BnaGH28 genes (BnaA07T0199500ZS and BnaC06T0206500ZS) were significantly regulated by IAA or GA treatment. And the significant effects of BnaA07T0199500ZS variation on pod shattering resistance were also demonstrated in present study. These results could open a new window for insight into the role of BnaGH28 genes on pod shattering resistance in rapeseed.

Unraveling lexical semantics in the brain: Comparing internal, external, and hybrid language models.

To explain how the human brain represents and organizes meaning, many theoretical and computational language models have been proposed over the years, varying in their underlying computational principles and in the language samples based on which they are built. However, how well they capture the neural encoding of lexical semantics remains elusive. We used representational similarity analysis (RSA) to evaluate to what extent three models of different types explained neural responses elicited by word stimuli: an External corpus-based word2vec model, an Internal free word association model, and a Hybrid ConceptNet model. Semantic networks were constructed using word relations computed in the three models and experimental stimuli were selected through a community detection procedure. The similarity patterns between language models and neural responses were compared at the community, exemplar, and word node levels to probe the potential hierarchical semantic structure. We found that semantic relations computed with the Internal model provided the closest approximation to the patterns of neural activation, whereas the External model did not capture neural responses as well. Compared with the exemplar and the node levels, community-level RSA demonstrated the broadest involvement of brain regions, engaging areas critical for semantic processing, including the angular gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and a large portion of the anterior temporal lobe. The findings highlight the multidimensional semantic organization in the brain which is better captured by Internal models sensitive to multiple modalities such as word association compared with External models trained on text corpora.

Genetic and prognostic analysis of blastoid and pleomorphic mantle cell lymphoma: a multicenter analysis in China.

Blastoid or pleomorphic mantle cell lymphoma (B/P-MCL) is characterized by high invasiveness and unfavorable outcomes, which is still a challenge for treating MCL. This retrospective study was performed to comprehensively analyze the clinical, genomic characteristics and treatment options of patients with B/PMCL from multicenter in China. Data were obtained from 693 patients with B/PMCL from three centers in China between April 1999 and December 2019. Seventy-four patients with BMCL (n = 43) or PMCL (n = 31) were included in the analysis. The median age of the cohort was 60.0 years with a male-to-female ratio of 2.89:1. The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 44.1% and 46.0%, respectively. Mutations of TP53, ATM, NOTCH1, NOTCH2, NSD2, SMARCA4, CREBBP, KMT2D, FAT1, and TRAF2 genes were the most common genetic changes in B/P-MCL. Progression of disease within 12 months (POD12) could independently predict the poor prognosis of patients with blastoid and pleomorphic variants. Patients with POD12 carried a distinct mutation profile (TP53, SMARCA4, NSD2, NOTCH2, KMT2D, PTPRD, CREBBP, and CDKN2A mutations) compared to patients with non-POD12. First-line high-dose cytosine arabinoside exposure obtained survival benefits in these populations, and BTKi combination therapy as the front-line treatment had somewhat improvement in survival with no significant difference in the statistic. In conclusion, B/P-MCL had inferior outcomes and a distinct genomic profile. Patients with POD12 displayed a distinct mutation profile and a poor prognosis. New therapeutic drugs and clinical trials for B/P-MCL need to be further explored.

Superficial meningioma with bone involvement: surgical strategies and clinical outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Meningiomas with bone involvement account for 4.5-17% of all intracranial meningiomas. Little is known about whether these meningiomas (WHO grade I) behave differently than meningiomas without bone involvement. We sought to study the relatively uncommon imaging manifestations of meningioma and to evaluate their clinical significance. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective cohort study of surgically treated superficial meningioma patients between 2011 and 2022 was conducted. Age, sex, preoperative imaging, operative data, and surgical outcomes were reviewed. Imaging variables and outcomes were reported for patients with bone-invading meningiomas and compared with those with nonbone-invading meningiomas. Univariate analyses were also conducted. RESULTS: Of 577 total superficial meningiomas treated surgically, 47 (8.1%) exhibited bone invasion. Most bone-invading meningiomas were parasagittal (n = 29, 61.7%). A total of 12.7% (n = 6) of patients with bone-invading meningioma had recurrence, whereas 9.1% (n = 48) of patients with non-bone-invading meningioma had recurrence (p = 0.426). No significant difference in the median time to recurrence was observed between patients with bone-invading meningiomas and patients with nonbone-invading meningiomas (69.8 months, Q1:53.1; Q3:81.4 months vs. 69.7 months, Q1:47.5; Q3:96.7; p = 0.638). CONCLUSIONS: Superficial meningioma with bone involvement had similar outcomes compared to those of superficial meningioma without bone involvement. Hyperostosis in meningioma (WHO grade I) may not be a surrogate for aggressive meningioma behavior.

Model-based precision dosing and remedial dosing recommendations for delayed or missed doses of isoniazid in Chinese patients with tuberculosis.

AIMS: Isoniazid (INH) has been used as a first-line drug to treat tuberculosis (TB) for more than 50 years. However, large interindividual variability was found in its pharmacokinetics, and effects of nonadherence to INH treatment and corresponding remedy regime remain unclear. This study aimed to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PPK) model of INH in Chinese patients with TB to provide model-informed precision dosing and explore appropriate remedial dosing regimens for nonadherent patients. METHODS: In total, 1012 INH observations from 736 TB patients were included. A nonlinear mixed-effects modelling was used to analyse the PPK of INH. Using Monte Carlo simulations to determine optimal dosage regimens and design remedial dosing regimens. RESULTS: A 2-compartmental model, including first-order absorption and elimination with allometric scaling, was found to best describe the PK characteristics of INH. A mixture model was used to characterize dual rates of INH elimination. Estimates of apparent clearance in fast and slow eliminators were 28.0 and 11.2 L/h, respectively. The proportion of fast eliminators in the population was estimated to be 40.5%. Monte Carlo simulations determined optimal dosage regimens for slow and fast eliminators with different body weight. For remedial dosing regimens, the missed dose should be taken as soon as possible when the delay does not exceed 12 h, and an additional dose is not needed. delay for an INH dose exceeds 12 h, the patient only needs to take the next single dose normally. CONCLUSION: PPK modelling and simulation provide valid evidence on the precision dosing and remedial dosing regimen of INH.

Examination of the Rate and Extent of Drug Released from Commercial Topical Delivery Systems During Wear: An Example with Lidocaine Topical Systems.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the extent and rate of lidocaine released in vivo from two bioequivalent topical delivery systems (TDS) by using complementary assessments: pharmacokinetic analysis in healthy human volunteers, and residual lidocaine in TDS following 12 h of wear. The goal was to explore a potentially more clinically meaningful strength presentation than percent active pharmaceutical ingredient loaded in topical systems. METHODS: A three-arm, open-label, crossover clinical study was conducted in 23 human subjects, with 5% lidocaine topical systems from two manufacturers, and intravenous lidocaine administration. Residual drug and LC-MS/MS analyses were performed on worn TDS and serum samples. The rate and extent of drug released from the TDS during wear were determined through (1) calculations of consumed lidocaine via analysis of residual drug in worn TDS, and (2) a pharmacokinetic approach via derivation of the absolute clearance and serum lidocaine concentration at steady state. RESULTS: Overall the pharmacokinetic approach underestimated the amount transferred to the subject and exhibited greater variability, which may relate to natural inter-subject variability in pharmacokinetic parameters. Further, lidocaine TDS are intended for localized, not systemic, delivery and this may also explain some of the variability seen in the systemic serum concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The residual drug and pharmacokinetic approaches align well for transdermal formulations, but the differences in administration route (topical versus transdermal) all but eliminates the potential use of the pharmacokinetic approach unless additional compartmental modeling is explored.

Cooperation of Strong Electric Field and H2O Dissociation on Co3O4-Decorated SiC Rods for Photodriven CO2 Methanation with 100% Selectivity.

Solar-driven methanation of carbon dioxide (CO2) with water (H2O) has emerged as an important strategy for achieving both carbon neutrality and fuel production. The selective methanation of CO2 was often hindered by the sluggish kinetics and the multiple competition of other C1 byproducts. To overcome this bottleneck, we utilized a biomass synthesis method to synthesize SiC rods and then constructed a direct Z-scheme heterojunction Co3O4/SiC catalyst. The substantial difference in work functions between SiC and Co3O4 served as a significant source of the charge driving force, facilitating the conversion of CO2 to CH4. The high-valent cobalt Co(IV) in Co3O4 acts as an active species to promote efficient dissociation of water. This favorable condition greatly enhanced the likelihood of a high concentration of electrons and protons around a single site on the catalyst surface for CO2 methanation. DFT calculation showed that the energy barrier of CO2 hydrogenation was significantly reduced at the Co3O4/SiC heterojunction interface, which changed the reaction pathway and completely converted the product from CO to CH4. The optimum CH4 evolution rate of Co3O4/SiC samples was 21.3 µmol g-1 h-1 with 100% selectivity. This study has an important guiding significance for the selective regulation of CO2 to CH4 products in photocatalysis applications.

Boosting the Curie temperature of GaN monolayer through van der Waals heterostructures.

The pursuit of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures with high Curie temperature and strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) is vital to the advancement of next generation spintronic devices. First-principles calculations are used to study the electronic structures and magnetic characteristics of GaN/VS2vdW heterostructure under biaxial strain and electrostatic doping. Our findings show that a ferromagnetic ground state with a remarkable Curie temperature (477 K), much above room temperature, exists in GaN/VS2vdW heterostructure and 100% spin polarization efficiency. Additionally, GaN/VS2vdW heterostructure still maintains PMA under biaxial strain, which is indispensable for high-density information storage. We further explore the electron, magnetic, and transport properties of VS2/GaN/VS2vdW sandwich heterostructure, where the magnetoresistivity can reach as high as 40%. Our research indicates that the heterostructure constructed by combining the ferromagnet VS2and the non-magnetic semiconductor GaN is a promising material for vdW spin valve devices at room temperature.

Lung cancer brain metastasis and hemorrhagic cerebral venous thrombosis: experiences and lessons.

The incidence of lung cancer brain metastasis combined with hemorrhagic cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is very rare, and the understanding and treatment experience of this case is insufficient. We reported a case of lung cancer brain metastasis accompanied by venous sinus thrombosis, and describe the diagnosis and treatment plan for colleagues to learn from experience and lessons.

Neural signatures of second language proficiency in narrative processing.

Making sense of speech in a second language relies on multiple abilities. Differences in brain activity related to proficiency in language tasks have often been attributed to processing demands. However, during naturalistic narrative comprehension, listeners at different proficiency levels may form different representations of the same speech. We hypothesized that the intersubject synchronization of these representations could be used to measure second-language proficiency. Using a searchlight-shared response model, we found highly proficient participants showed synchronization in regions similar to those of native speakers, including in the default mode network and the lateral prefrontal cortex. In contrast, participants with low proficiency showed more synchronization in auditory cortex and word-level semantic processing areas in the temporal lobe. Moderate proficiency showed the greatest neural diversity, suggesting lower consistency in the source of this partial proficiency. Based on these synchronization differences, we were able to classify the proficiency level or predict behavioral performance on an independent English test in held-out participants, suggesting the identified neural systems represented proficiency-sensitive information that was generalizable to other individuals. These findings suggest higher second-language proficiency leads to more native-like neural processing of naturalistic language, including in systems beyond the cognitive control network or the core language network.

Classification of Motor Imagery Tasks Derived from Unilateral Upper Limb based on a Weight-optimized Learning Model.

BACKGROUND: The accuracy of decoding fine motor imagery (MI) tasks remains relatively low due to the dense distribution of active areas in the cerebral cortex. METHODS: To enhance the decoding of unilateral fine MI activity in the brain, a weight-optimized EEGNet model is introduced that recognizes six types of MI for the right upper limb, namely elbow flexion/extension, wrist pronation/supination and hand opening/grasping. The model is trained with augmented electroencephalography (EEG) data to learn deep features for MI classification. To address the sensitivity issue of the initial model weights to classification performance, a genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to determine the convolution kernel parameters for each layer of the EEGNet network, followed by optimization of the network weights through backpropagation. RESULTS: The algorithm's performance on the three joint classification is validated through experiment, achieving an average accuracy of 87.97%. The binary classification recognition rates for elbow joint, wrist joint, and hand joint are respectively 93.92%, 90.2%, and 94.64%. Thus, the product of the two-step accuracy value is obtained as the overall capability to distinguish the six types of MI, reaching an average accuracy of 81.74%. Compared to commonly used neural networks and traditional algorithms, the proposed method outperforms and significantly reduces the average error of different subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this algorithm effectively addresses the sensitivity of network parameters to initial weights, enhances algorithm robustness and improves the overall performance of MI task classification. Moreover, the method is applicable to other EEG classification tasks; for example, emotion and object recognition.

Various functions of detoxification enzymes against insecticides in Nilaparvata lugens selected by toxicity assays and RNAi methods.

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens is a devastating agricultural pest of rice, and they have developed resistance to many pesticides. In this study, we assessed the response of BPH nymphs to nitenpyram, imidacloprid, and etofenprox using contact and dietary bioassays, and investigated the underlying functional diversities of BPH glutathione-S-transferase (GST), carboxylesterase (CarE) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450) against these insecticides. Both contact and ingestion toxicity of nitenpyram to BPH were significantly higher than either imidacloprid or etofenprox. Under the LC50 concentration of each insecticide, they triggered a distinct response for GST, CarE, and P450 activities, and each insecticide induced at least one detoxification enzyme activity. These insecticides almost inhibited the expression of all tested GST, CarE, and P450 genes in contact bioassays but induced the transcriptional levels of these genes in dietary bioassays. Silencing of NlGSTD2 expression had the greatest effect on BPH sensitivity to nitenpyram in contact test and imidacloprid in dietary test. The sensitivities of BPH to insecticide increased the most in the contact test was etofenprox after silencing of NlCE, while the dietary test was nitenpyram. Knockdown of NlCYP408A1 resulted in BPH sensitivities to insecticide increasing the most in the contact test was nitenpyram, while the dietary test was imidacloprid. Taken together, these findings reveal that NlGSTD2, NlCE, and NlCYP408A1 play an indispensable role in the detoxification of the contact and ingestion toxicities of different types of insecticides to BPH, which is of great significance for the development of new strategies for the sucking pest control.

Strigolactones Might Regulate Ovule Development after Fertilization in Xanthoceras sorbifolium.

Strigolactones (SLs) were recently defined as a novel class of plant hormones that act as key regulators of diverse developmental processes and environmental responses. Much research has focused on SL biosynthesis and signaling in roots and shoots, but little is known about whether SLs are produced in early developing seeds and about their roles in ovule development after fertilization. This study revealed that the fertilized ovules and early developing pericarp in Xanthoceras sorbifolium produced minute amounts of two strigolactones: 5-deoxystrigol and strigol. Their content decreased in the plants with the addition of exogenous phosphate (Pi) compared to those without the Pi treatment. The exogenous application of an SL analog (GR24) and a specific inhibitor of SL biosynthesis (TIS108) affected early seed development and fruit set. In the Xanthoceras genome, we identified 69 potential homologs of genes involved in SL biological synthesis and signaling. Using RNA-seq to characterize the expression of these genes in the fertilized ovules, 37 genes were found to express differently in the fertilized ovules that were aborting compared to the normally developing ovules. A transcriptome analysis also revealed that in normally developing ovules after fertilization, 12 potential invertase genes were actively expressed. Hexoses (glucose and fructose) accumulated at high concentrations in normally developing ovules during syncytial endosperm development. In contrast, a low ratio of hexose and sucrose levels was detected in aborting ovules with a high strigolactone content. XsD14 virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) increased the hexose content in fertilized ovules and induced the proliferation of endosperm free nuclei, thereby promoting early seed development and fruit set. We propose that the crosstalk between sugar and strigolactone signals may be an important part of a system that accurately regulates the abortion of ovules after fertilization. This study is useful for understanding the mechanisms underlying ovule abortion, which will serve as a guide for genetic or chemical approaches to promote seed yield in Xanthoceras.

CCLOOW: Chinese children's lexicon of oral words.

In this article, we introduce the Chinese Children's Lexicon of Oral Words (CCLOOW), the first lexical database based on animated movies and TV series for 3-to-9-year-old Chinese children. The database computes from 2.7 million character tokens and 1.8 million word tokens. It contains 3920 unique character and 22,229 word types. CCLOOW reports frequency and contextual diversity metrics of the characters and words, as well as length and syntactic categories of the words. CCLOOW frequency and contextual diversity measures correlated well with other Chinese lexical databases, particularly well with that computed from children's books. The predictive validity of CCLOOW measures were confirmed with Grade 2 children's naming and lexical decision experiments. Further, we found that CCLOOW frequencies could explain a considerable proportion in adults' written word recognition, indicating that early language experience might have lasting impacts on the mature lexicon. CCLOOW provides validated frequency and contextual diversity estimates that complements current children's lexical database based on written language samples. It is freely accessible online at https://www.learn2read.cn/ccloow .

[Bionic design, preparation and clinical translation of oral hard tissue restorative materials].

Oral diseases concern almost every individual and are a serious health risk to the population. The restorative treatment of tooth and jaw defects is an important means to achieve oral function and support the appearance of the contour. Based on the principle of "learning from the nature", Deng Xuliang's group of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology has proposed a new concept of "microstructural biomimetic design and tissue adaptation of tooth/jaw materials" to address the worldwide problems of difficulty in treating dentine hypersensitivity, poor prognosis of restoration of tooth defects, and vertical bone augmentation of alveolar bone after tooth loss. The group has broken through the bottleneck of multi-stage biomimetic technology from the design of microscopic features to the enhancement of macroscopic effects, and invented key technologies such as crystalline/amorphous multi-level assembly, ion-transportation blocking, and multi-physical properties of the micro-environment reconstruction, etc. The group also pioneered the cationic-hydrogel desensitizer, digital stump and core integrated restorations, and developed new crown and bridge restorative materials, gradient functionalisation guided tissue regeneration membrane, and electrically responsive alveolar bone augmentation restorative membranes, etc. These products have established new clinical strategies for tooth/jaw defect repair and achieved innovative results. In conclusion, the research results of our group have strongly supported the theoretical improvement of stomatology, developed the technical system of oral hard tissue restoration, innovated the clinical treatment strategy, and led the progress of the stomatology industry.

[Mechanism of Xinshubao Tablets in exerting anti-inflammatory, vasodilation, and cardioprotective effects based on network pharmacology].

This study aims to explore the anti-inflammatory, vasodilation, and cardioprotective effects of the intestinal absorption liquids containing Xinshubao Tablets or single herbs, and to elucidate the potential mechanism based on network pharmacology. Western blot was then conducted to validate the expression changes of core proteins. Lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were used to observe the anti-inflammatory effect. The vasodilation activity was examined by the microvessel relaxation assay in vitro. Oxygen-glucose deprivation(OGD)-induced H9c2 cells were used to investigate the cardioprotective effect. The chemical components were retrieved from Herb databases and composition of Xinshubao Tablets drug-containing intestinal absorption solution. Drug targets were retrieved from SwissTargetPrediction databases. GeneCards was searched for the targets associated with the anti-inflammatory, vasodilation, and cardioprotective effects. The common targets shared by the drug and the effects were used to establish the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, from which the core targets were obtained. Finally, the core targets were imported into Cytoscape 3.9.1 for Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) analyses. The anti-inflammatory experiment showed that both Xinshubao Tablets and the single herbs constituting this formula had anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumae Radix had the strongest inhibitory effect on the production of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma had the strongest inhibitory effect on the generation of interleukin-6(IL-6). Xinshubao Tablets, Curcumae Radix, and Crataegi Fructus had vasodilation effect, and Crataegi Fructus had the strongest effect. Xinshubao Tablets, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Acanthopanacis Senticosi Radix et Rhizoma seu Caulis, and Paeoniae Radix Alba had cardioprotective effects, and Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma had the strongest cardioprotective effect. Network pharmacology results demonstrated that except the whole formula, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma had the most components with anti-inflammatory effect, and Curcumae Radix had the most components with vasodilation and cardioprotective effects, followed by Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. The nitric oxide synthase 3(NOS3) was predicted as the core target for the anti-inflammatory, vasodilation, and cardioprotective effects. Western blot results showed that Xinshubao Tablets significantly up-regulated the expression of NOS3 in OGD-induced H9c2 cells. GO enrichment analysis showed that the effects were mainly related to lipid exported from cell, regulation of blood pressure, and inflammatory response. KEGG pathway enrichment predicted AGE-RAGE and HIF-1 signaling pathways as the key pathways.

Multiomics comparative analysis of the maize large grain mutant tc19 identified pathways related to kernel development.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of grain development in elite maize breeding lines has not been fully elucidated. Grain length, grain width and grain weight are key components of maize grain yield. Previously, using the Chinese elite maize breeding line Chang7-2 and its large grain mutant tc19, we characterized the grain size developmental difference between Chang7-2 and tc19 and performed transcriptomic analysis. RESULTS: In this paper, using Chang7-2 and tc19, we performed comparative transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic analyses at different grain development stages. Through proteomics analyses, we found 2884, 505 and 126 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) at 14, 21 and 28 days after pollination, respectively. Through metabolomics analysis, we identified 51, 32 and 36 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) at 14, 21 and 28 days after pollination, respectively. Through multiomics comparative analysis, we showed that the phenylpropanoid pathways are influenced at transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic levels in all the three grain developmental stages. CONCLUSION: We identified several genes in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, which may be related to the large grain phenotype of tc19. In summary, our results provided new insights into maize grain development.

The Histone Methyltransferase SETDB2 Modulates Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinase-Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity During Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development.

OBJECTIVE: To determine macrophage-specific alterations in epigenetic enzyme function contributing to the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). BACKGROUND: AAA is a life-threatening disease, characterized by pathologic vascular remodeling driven by an imbalance of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Identifying mechanisms regulating macrophage-mediated extracellular matrix degradation is of critical importance to developing novel therapies. METHODS: The role of SET Domain Bifurcated Histone Lysine Methyltransferase 2 (SETDB2) in AAA formation was examined in human aortic tissue samples by single-cell RNA sequencing and in a myeloid-specific SETDB2 deficient murine model induced by challenging mice with a combination of a high-fat diet and angiotensin II. RESULTS: Single-cell RNA sequencing of human AAA tissues identified SETDB2 was upregulated in aortic monocyte/macrophages and murine AAA models compared with controls. Mechanistically, interferon-ß regulates SETDB2 expression through Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling, which trimethylates histone 3 lysine 9 on the TIMP1-3 gene promoters thereby suppressing TIMP1-3 transcription and leading to unregulated matrix metalloproteinase activity. Macrophage-specific knockout of SETDB2 ( Setdb2f/fLyz2Cre+ ) protected mice from AAA formation with suppression of vascular inflammation, macrophage infiltration, and elastin fragmentation. Genetic depletion of SETDB2 prevented AAA development due to the removal of the repressive histone 3 lysine 9 trimethylation mark on the TIMP1-3 gene promoter resulting in increased TIMP expression, decreased protease activity, and preserved aortic architecture. Lastly, inhibition of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of the transcription pathway with an FDA-approved inhibitor, Tofacitinib, limited SETDB2 expression in aortic macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: These findings identify SETDB2 as a critical regulator of macrophage-mediated protease activity in AAAs and identify SETDB2 as a mechanistic target for the management of AAAs.

Effect the accumulation of bioactive constituents of a medicinal plant (Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bge.) by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community.

BACKGROUND: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form symbiotic relationships with various terrestrial plants and have attracted considerable interest as biofertilizers for improving the quality and yield of medicinal plants. Despite the widespread distribution of AMFs in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge's roots, research on the impact of multiple AMFs on biomass and active ingredient accumulations has not been conducted. In this study, the effects of five native AMFs (Glomus formosanum, Septoglomus constrictum, Rhizophagus manihotis, Acaulospora laevis, and Ambispora gerdemannii) and twenty-six communities on the root biomass and active ingredient concentrations of S. miltiorrhiza were assessed using the total factor design method. RESULTS: Thirty-one treatment groups formed symbiotic relationships with S. miltiorrhiza based on the pot culture results, and the colonization rate ranged from 54.83% to 89.97%. AMF communities had higher colonization rates and total phenolic acid concentration than single AMF, and communities also appeared to have higher root fresh weight, dry weight, and total phenolic acid concentration than single inoculations. As AMF richness increased, there was a rising trend in root biomass and total tanshinone accumulations (ATTS), while total phenolic acid accumulations (ATP) showed a decreasing trend. This suggests that plant productivity was influenced by the AMF richness, with higher inoculation benefits observed when the communities contained three or four AMFs. Additionally, the affinities of AMF members were also connected to plant productivity. The inoculation effect of closely related AMFs within the same family, such as G. formosanum, S. constrictum, and R. manihotis, consistently yielded lower than that of mono-inoculation when any combinations were applied. The co-inoculation of S. miltiorrhiza with nearby or distant AMFs from two families, such as G. formosanum, R. manihotis, and Ac. laevis or Am. gerdemannii resulted in an increase of ATP and ATTS by more than 50%. AMF communities appear to be more beneficial to the yield of bioactive constituents than the single AMF, but overall community inoculation effects are related to the composition of AMFs and the relationship between members. CONCLUSION: This study reveals that the AMF community has great potential to improve the productivity and the accumulation of bioactive constituents in S. miltiorrhiza, indicating that it is an effective way to achieve sustainable agricultural development through using the AMF community.