Cold-induced inhibition of photosynthesis-related genes integrated by a TOP6 complex in rice mesophyll cells.

Photosynthesis is the most temperature-sensitive process in the plant kingdom, but how the photosynthetic pathway responds during low-temperature exposure remains unclear. Herein, cold stress (4°C) induced widespread damage in the form DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) in the mesophyll cells of rice (Oryza sativa), subsequently causing a global inhibition of photosynthetic carbon metabolism (PCM) gene expression. Topoisomerase genes TOP6A3 and TOP6B were induced at 4°C and their encoded proteins formed a complex in the nucleus. TOP6A3 directly interacted with KU70 to inhibit its binding to cold-induced DSBs, which was facilitated by TOP6B, finally blocking the loading of LIG4, a component of the classic non-homologous end joining (c-NHEJ) pathway. The repression of c-NHEJ repair imposed by cold extended DSB damage signaling, thus prolonging the inhibition of photosynthesis in leaves. Furthermore, the TOP6 complex negatively regulated 13 crucial PCM genes by directly binding to their proximal promoter regions. Phenotypically, TOP6A3 overexpression exacerbated the γ-irradiation-triggered suppression of PCM genes and led to the hypersensitivity of photosynthesis parameters to cold stress, dependent on the DSB signal transducer ATM. Globally, the TOP6 complex acts as a signal integrator to control PCM gene expression and synchronize cold-induced photosynthesis inhibition, which modulates carbon assimilation rates immediately in response to changes in ambient temperature.

Enhanced Positive Charge Performance in Triboelectric Series: Molecular Engineering of Conjugated Mesoporous Fibers for Machine Learning-Based Wearable Sensors.

With the increasing focus on triboelectric-based sensors, research on synthesizing dielectric layers from specific substances is gradually emerging. Despite numerous negatively-charged triboelectric materials, there is a scarcity of synthesizable positively-charged materials, creating a research gap. This study demonstrates the molecular design of a conjugated, mesoporous, self-assembled sheet via bottom-up synthesis. The synthesized sheet is functionalized to create a triboelectric nanogenerator. Its large specific surface area, softness, and internal space increase the actual contact area and provide adsorption sites for polypyrrole nanoparticles. The incorporation of -COO functional group enhances positive triboelectric performance, forming a dielectric layer with charge-trapping capabilities. When contact with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), this structure boosts the output voltage, showing significant amplification after charge injection with minimal decay. As a demonstration, the bilayer structure is applied as a touchpad on the experimenter's arm to write symbols. The signals are input into an innovative machine-learning model to interpret the writer's intent. Additionally, the device connects to a terminal for real-time medical services, suggesting practical applications for wearable triboelectric sensors with artificial intelligence.

Amide Proton Transfer-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Application in Renal Fibrosis: A Radiological-Pathological-Based Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Renal fibrosis (RF), being the most important pathological change in the progression of CKD, is currently assessed by the evaluation of a biopsy. This present study aimed to apply a novel functional MRI (fMRI) protocol named amide proton transfer (APT) weighting to evaluate RF noninvasively. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were initially subjected to bilateral kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI), unilateral ureteral obstruction, and sham operation, respectively. All rats underwent APT mapping on the 7th and 14th days after operation. Besides, 26 patients underwent renal biopsy at the Nephrology Department of Shanghai Tongji Hospital between July 2022 and May 2023. Patients underwent APT and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mappings within 1 week before biopsy. MRI results of both patients and rats were calculated by comparing with gold standard histology for fibrosis assessment. RESULTS: In animal models, the cortical APT (cAPT) and medullary APT (mAPT) values were positively correlated with the degree of RF. Compared to the sham group, IRI group showed significantly increased cAPT and mAPT values on the 7th and 14th days after surgery, but no group differences were found in ADC values. Similar results were found in human patients. Cortical/medullary APT values were significantly increased in patients with moderate-to-severe fibrosis than in patients with mild fibrosis. ROC curve analysis indicated that APT value displayed a better diagnostic value for RF. Furthermore, combination of cADC and cAPT improved fibrosis detection by imaging variables alone (p < 0.1). CONCLUSION: APT values had better diagnostic capability at early stage of RF compared to ADC values, and the addition of APT imaging to conventional ADC will significantly improve the diagnostic performance for predicting kidney fibrosis.

The Value of Amide Proton Transfer MRI in the Diagnosis of Malignant and Benign Urinary Bladder Lesions: Comparison With Diffusion-Weighted Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has certain limitations in distinguishing between malignant and benign urinary bladder (UB) lesions. Amide proton transfer (APT) imaging may provide more diagnostic information than diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to distinguish between malignant and benign UB. PURPOSE: To investigate the potential of APT imaging in the diagnosis of malignant and benign UB lesions and to compare its diagnostic efficacy with that of conventional DWI. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. SUBJECTS: Eighty patients with UB lesions. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 3.0 T/turbo spin echo (TSE) T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging, single-shot echo planar DWI, and three-dimensional TSE APT imaging. ASSESSMENT: Patients underwent radical cystectomy or transurethral resection of the bladder lesions within 2 weeks after CT urography and MRI examination. APT signal intensity in UB lesions was quantified by the asymmetric magnetization transfer ratio (MTRasym). MTRasym and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured and compared between malignant and benign UB lesions. STATISTICAL TESTS: Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), Delong test, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The significance threshold was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients had pathologically confirmed benign UB lesions, including 2 bladder leiomyomas, 1 submucosal amyloidosis, 1 inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, and 28 inflammatory lesions, and 48 patients had pathologically confirmed urothelial carcinoma. Urothelial carcinomas showed significantly higher MTRasym values (1.53% [0.74%] vs. 0.85% [0.23%]) and significantly lower ADC values (1.24 ± 0.34 × 10-3 mm2/s vs. 1.43 ± 0.22 × 10-3 mm2/s) than benign UB lesions. The MTRasym value (AUC = 0.928) was significantly better in differentiating urothelial carcinoma from benign UB lesions than the ADC value (AUC = 0.722). DATA CONCLUSION: APT imaging may have value in discriminating malignant from benign UB lesions and has better diagnostic performance than DWI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Synthesis of a Zn(II)-2-aminoimidazole Framework as an Efficient Carbonic Anhydrase Mimic.

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) plays a crucial role in the CO2 capture processes by catalyzing the hydration of CO2. In this study, we synthesized a bioinspired carbonic anhydrase Zn-MOF (metal-organic framework) incorporating 2-aminoimidazole and Zn2+ as initial constituents. The synthesized Zn-MOF exhibited promising potential for efficiently catalyzing the CO2 hydration. Structural analyses such as SEM, XRD, and BET confirmed that the Zn-MOF crystal consisted of stacked grains with an average size of approximately 36 nm, forming a micron-sized spherical structure. Functionally, Zn-MOF exhibited effective catalytic activity toward both CO2 hydration and ester hydrolysis. The introduction of amino groups significantly enhanced the esterase activity of Zn-MOF to 0.28 U/mg at ambient temperature, which was twice that of ZIF-8. Furthermore, the introduction of amino groups resulted in remarkable hydrothermal stability, with the esterase activity reaching 0.72 U/mg after undergoing hydrothermal treatment at 80 °C for 12 h. Additionally, Zn-MOF exhibited enhanced capability in CO2 hydration at a pH value exceeding 8.5. After six repeated uses, ZIF-8 and Zn-MOF retained approximately 68 and 65% of their initial enzyme activity, respectively, underscoring the potential practical applicability of Zn-MOF in industrial CO2 capture processes. This work showcases the development of a novel Zn-MOF crystal as an efficient CA mimic, effectively emulating the active sites of natural CA using 2-aminoimidazole as a coordinating ligand for Zn2+ coordination. These findings not only advance the field of innovative enzyme mimics but also pave the way for further exploration of industrial CO2 capture catalysts.

A diet-wide association study for liver cancer risk: findings from a prospective cohort study in Chinese men.

Dietary factors have been extensively investigated as possible risk factors for liver cancer, but the evidence is inconclusive. Our study systematically assessed the association between 142 foods and nutrients and liver cancer risk in a Chinese population using a diet-wide association study. Based on data from 59,844 men in the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS), we assessed the diet intake by dietary questionnaires. Cox regression was used to quantify the association between each food and nutrient and liver cancer risk. A false discovery rate (FDR) of 0.05 was used to select the foods and nutrients for validation. In the cohort, 431 liver cancer cases were identified during 712,373 person-years of follow-up. Retinol (HR per 1 SD increment = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03-1.14) was associated with a higher risk of liver cancer, whereas onions (HR per 1 SD increment = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.54-0.84) and manganese (HR per 1 SD increment = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78-0.94) were inversely associated with liver cancer risk. In the replication analysis, estimates for these foods and nutrients were similar in magnitude and direction. Our findings confirm that retinol, onions and manganese were associated with liver cancer risk, which provides reliable evidence between diet and liver cancer development.

Sex-specific impact of dietary patterns on liver cancer incidence: updated results from two population-based cohort studies in China.

PURPOSE: The associations between dietary patterns and liver cancer risk have received much attention, but evidence among the Chinese population is scarce. This study aims to update the results of two cohort studies and provide the sex-specific associations in the Chinese population. METHODS: This study was based on two cohorts from the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS) and the Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS). Diet information was collected by validated food frequency questionnaires. Dietary patterns were derived by factor analysis. Cox regression model was utilized to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for associations between dietary patterns and liver cancer risk. RESULTS: During median follow-up years of 11.2 (male) and 17.1 (female) years, 427 males and 252 females were identified as incident primary liver cancer cases. In males, vegetable-based dietary pattern was inversely associated with liver cancer (HRQ4-Q1: 0.67, 95%CI 0.51-0.88, Ptrend < 0.001). Interaction analysis indicated that in males lower vegetable-based dietary pattern score and older age/medical history of chronic hepatitis combined increase the hazard of liver cancer more than the sum of them, with a 114% and 1061% higher risk, respectively. In females, the fruit-based dietary pattern was associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer (HRQ4-Q1: 0.63, 95%CI 0.42-0.95, Ptrend = 0.03). In both males and females, null associations were observed between the meat-based dietary pattern and the risk of liver cancer. CONCLUSION: A vegetable-based dietary pattern in males and a fruit-based dietary pattern in females tended to have a protective role on liver cancer risk. This study provided updated information that might be applied to guide public health action for the primary prevention of liver cancer.

Residential mobility and liver cancer risk: findings from a prospective cohort study in Chinese women.

BACKGROUND: Residential mobility is believed to influence the occurrence and development of cancer; however, the results are inconclusive. Furthermore, limited studies have been conducted on Asian populations. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between residential mobility and liver cancer risk among Chinese women. METHODS: We enrolled 72,818 women from urban Shanghai between 1996 and 2000, and then followed them until the end of 2016. Cox regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the association between residential mobility and liver cancer risk. A linear trend test was conducted by ranking variables. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted, excluding participants with follow-up times of less than 2 years, to prevent potential bias. RESULTS: During the 1,269,765 person-years of follow-up, liver cancer was newly diagnosed in 259 patients. Domestic migration (HR = 1.47, 95% CI, 1.44-1.50), especially immigration to Shanghai (HR = 1.47, 95% CI, 1.44-1.50) was associated with an increased risk of liver cancer. In addition, migration frequency, age at initial migration and first immigration to Shanghai had linear trends with an increased liver cancer risk (Ptrend <0.001). The results were similar when excluding participants with less than two years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The possible association between residential mobility and a higher risk of liver cancer in women could suggest the need for effective interventions to reduce adverse environmental exposures and enhance people's health.

Tetrahedral Framework Nucleic Acids Inhibit Muscular Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis and Ameliorate Muscle Atrophy in Sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is known as age-related muscle atrophy, which influences over a quarter of the elderly population worldwide. It is characterized by a progressive decline in muscle mass, strength, and performance. To date, clinical treatments in sarcopenia are limited to rehabilitative interventions and dietary supplements. Tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) represent a novel kind of DNA-based nanomaterial with superior antiapoptosis capacity in cells, tissues, organs, and systems. In our study, the therapeutic effect of tFNAs treatment on sarcopenia was evaluated both in vivo and in vitro. Results from muscular biophysiological characteristics demonstrated significant improvement in muscle function and endurance in the aged mouse model, and histologic examinations also showed beneficial morphological changes in muscle fibers. In vitro, DEX-induced sarcopenic myotube atrophy was also ameliorated through the inhibition of mitochondria-mediated cell apoptosis. Collectively, tFNAs treatment might serve as an alternative option to deal with sarcopenia in the near future.

Cumulative consumption of tea is associated with lower risk of liver cancer: Updated results from the Shanghai Women's Health Study.

Prospective epidemiological studies have provided limited evidence for an association between tea consumption and liver cancer risk. Based on a population-based prospective cohort study in middle-aged Chinese women, we investigated the association between tea consumption and the risk of primary liver cancer. Detailed information on tea drinking habits and other potential confounders was obtained at the baseline interview. Incident liver cancer cases were identified through record linkage with the population-based cancer registry and verified through home visits and review of medical charts by medical experts. Multiple aspects of tea drinking habits including starting age, duration, intensity and cumulative consumption of any type of tea and green tea were considered. Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived from the Cox regression models. After a median follow-up time of 18.12 (interquartile range = 1.59) years, 253 incident liver cancer cases were identified from 71 841 cohort members. Compared with never tea drinkers, the risk of liver cancer for participants who have consumed over 30 kg of dried tea leaves cumulatively was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.32-0.97). For those who drank green tea only, the aHR was 0.54 (95% CI: 0.30-0.98). This updated study suggested an inverse association between cumulative consumption of tea, especially green tea and the risk of primary liver cancer.

REVERSAL OF RDO5 1, a Homolog of Rice Seed Dormancy4, Interacts with bHLH57 and Controls ABA Biosynthesis and Seed Dormancy in Arabidopsis.

The control of seed dormancy by abscisic acid (ABA) has been extensively studied, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Here, we report the characterization of two ABA-related seed dormancy regulators in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana): ODR1 (for reversal of rdo5), an ortholog of the rice (Oryza sativa) Seed dormancy4 (Sdr4), and the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor bHLH57. ODR1, whose transcript levels are directly suppressed by the transcription factor ABA INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3), negatively regulates seed dormancy by affecting ABA biosynthesis and ABA signaling. By contrast, bHLH57 positively regulates seed dormancy by inducing the expression of the genes 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE6 (NCED6) and NCED9, which encode ABA biosynthetic enzymes, and thus leads to higher ABA levels. ODR1 interacts with bHLH57 and inhibits bHLH57-modulated NCED6 and NCED9 expression in the nucleus. bhlh57 loss-of-function alleles can partially counteract the enhanced NCED6 and NCED9 expression seen in odr1 mutants and can therefore rescue their associated hyper-dormancy phenotype. Thus, we identified a novel ABI3-ODR1-bHLH57-NCED6/9 network that provides insights into the regulation of seed dormancy by ABA biosynthesis and signaling.

Sex-Specific Correlation Analysis of Branched-Chain Amino Acids in Dietary Intakes and Plasma among Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND: Previous findings about the influence of dietary intakes of the branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) on their plasma concentrations have been limited and inconsistent, and evidence from the Chinese population was lacking. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the diet-plasma BCAA correlations in Chinese male and female adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was based on a nested case-control study within 2 prospective population-based cohorts in Shanghai, China. Diet information was collected by the food frequency questionnaires. Plasma BCAA concentrations were measured by ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Spearman correlations and linear regression models were conducted to examine the relationships between dietary BCAA intakes and plasma BCAA. The multivariable model was adjusted for age at the interview, total energy intake, time of blood collection from last meal, dietary patterns, body mass index (in kg/m2), type 2 diabetes, and physical activity. RESULTS: A total of 322 males (median age of 57.0 y) and 187 females (median age of 60.0 y) were included in this cross-sectional study. The geometric means of dietary intake of leucine, isoleucine, valine, and BCAA were 4937.7, 3029.6, 3268.5, and 11237.4 mg/d in males, and 4125.7, 2567.8, 2754.3, and 9449.4 mg/d in females. The geometric means of plasma concentrations of leucine, isoleucine, valine, and BCAA were 181.9, 65.0, 219.8, and 469.4 µM/L in males and 161.6, 61.1, 206.5, and 431.6 µM/L in females. Only leucine (r = 0.1660, P = 0.0028) and total BCAA (r = 0.1348, P = 0.0155) in males exhibited weak positive correlation coefficients. After adjustment for the covariates, leucine, isoleucine, valine, and total BCAA in dietary intakes and plasma were not correlated in both males and females. CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese male and female adults, dietary intakes are not major determinants of plasma concentrations of BCAA, and plasma concentrations might not be reflected by usual dietary intakes of BCAA.

Cross-sectional relationships between general and central adiposity and plasma amino acids in Chinese adults.

Adiposity is an important determinant of blood metabolites, but little is known about the variations of blood amino acids according to general and central adiposity status among Chinese population. This study included 187 females and 322 males who were cancer-free subjects randomly selected from two cohorts in Shanghai, China. Participants' plasma concentrations of amino acids were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Linear regression models were used to examine the cross-sectional correlations between general and central adiposity and amino acid levels. A total of 35 amino acids in plasma were measured in this study. In females, alanine, aspartic acid and pyroglutamic acid were positively correlated with general adiposity. In males, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, valine and pyroglutamic acid showed positive correlations, and glutamine, serine and glycine showed negative correlations with both general and central adiposity; phenylalanine, isoleucine and leucine were positively correlated and N-phenylacetylglutamine was negatively correlated with general adiposity; asparagine was negatively correlated with central adiposity. In summary, general adiposity and central adiposity were correlated with the concentrations of specific plasma amino acids among cancer-free female and male adults in China. Adiposity-metabolite characteristics and relationships should be considered when studying blood biomarkers for adiposity-related health outcomes.

New measure of functional tooth loss for successful Oral ageing: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional study evaluated the impacts of functional tooth loss on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among elderly people compared with the impacts of several common indicators of oral health. Additionally, the cut-off of functional tooth loss needed for a better OHRQoL was investigated to establish a new measure for successful oral ageing. METHODS: Data from people aged 65-74 were extracted from the Fourth National Oral Health Survey in Sichuan, China. Functional tooth loss was defined as both natural tooth loss and nonfunctional teeth, such as third molars, residual roots, and removable dentures. The cut-offs of tooth loss were first identified as 12, based on the previous definition of functional dentition (≥20 natural teeth except the third molars), and 14, 16, or 18 for further investigation. OHRQoL was evaluated by the standardized Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (sGOHAI) score. Logistic regression was performed to estimate the impacts on OHRQoL. Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted using the stratified chi-square test to explore the effect of functional tooth loss at each position. RESULTS: The mean GOHAI score of the 744 participants was 48.25 ± 7.62. Elderly people who had lost ≤12 functional teeth had greater odds of reporting a higher sGOHAI score than those who had lost more functional teeth (odds ratio (OR) 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-2.11). No significant difference in the sGOHAI score was detected between people who had lost 13-16 functional teeth and those who had lost ≤12 functional teeth (0.61, 0.35-1.07). The loss of second premolars and first and second molars had great impacts on the sGOHAI score when ≤12 or ≤ 16 functional teeth had been lost. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with natural tooth loss, functional dentition and occluding pairs, functional tooth loss can be a better indicator of OHRQoL in the elderly population. Sixteen remaining functional teeth seem to be sufficient to maintain good OHRQoL and successful oral ageing despite that number being previously acknowledged as ≥20 teeth.

Privacy Preservation in Smart Meters: Current Status, Challenges and Future Directions.

Recent years have seen the rapid development of technologies in Smart Grids (SGs) to enhance electricity networks with digital and data communication technologies. SGs can proactively detect, react, and respond to dynamic changes in the network. SGs can also enhance the efficiency and reliability of electricity supplies and promote the integration of renewable energy sources. Smart Meters (SMs) are often seen as the first step to a successful implementation of SGs. While SMs enable Utility Providers and consumers to obtain near real-time information of energy consumption, they can also be exploited to infer sensitive consumer data. Therefore, privacy preservation in SMs is paramount in ensuring the widespread and successful deployment of SGs. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey of the state-of-the-art SM privacy-preserving techniques published in the literature over the past decade. We categorize these techniques based on the attack types and their objectives. We aim to offer a unique perspective in this survey article through the lens of privacy preservation, cross-cutting the wide range of techniques presented in the literature. We conclude by identifying the challenges and highlighting key future research directions in the field.

A prolific and robust whole-genome genotyping method using PCR amplification via primer-template mismatched annealing.

Whole-genome genotyping methods are important for breeding. However, it has been challenging to develop a robust method for simultaneous foreground and background genotyping that can easily be adapted to different genes and species. In our study, we accidently discovered that in adapter ligation-mediated PCR, the amplification by primer-template mismatched annealing (PTMA) along the genome could generate thousands of stable PCR products. Based on this observation, we consequently developed a novel method for simultaneous foreground and background integrated genotyping by sequencing (FBI-seq) using one specific primer, in which foreground genotyping is performed by primer-template perfect annealing (PTPA), while background genotyping employs PTMA. Unlike DNA arrays, multiple PCR, or genome target enrichments, FBI-seq requires little preliminary work for primer design and synthesis, and it is easily adaptable to different foreground genes and species. FBI-seq therefore provides a prolific, robust, and accurate method for simultaneous foreground and background genotyping to facilitate breeding in the post-genomics era.

The efficacy of mouthwashes on oral microorganisms and gingivitis in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mouthwashes were convenient adjuncts to mechanical cleaning procedures. This review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mouthwashes on oral microorganisms and gingivitis in orthodontic patients. METHODS: By April 16, 2022, multiple databases and grey literature were searched based on the PICOS strategy. Randomized controlled trials in orthodontic patients evaluating the efficacy of mouthwashes with at least one microbial parameter and/or plaque- and/or gingival inflammation-related index were included. Relevant data were extracted, and the risk of bias was evaluated using Cochrane's tool. Individual mean and standard deviation of the outcomes in mouthwashes and placebos/blank controls were pooled to estimate the weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Sensitivity analysis, and certainty of evidence were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 1684 articles, 32 studies satisfied the eligibility criteria, and nine were included for meta-analysis. Missing outcome data was the primary source of bias. Compared to blank controls, the short-term application of fluoride mouthwashes significantly reduced the colony counts of Mutans streptococci (MS), while the long-term application may not be effective. Compared to placebos or blank controls, Chlorhexidine mouthwashes significantly reduced the colony counts of multiple microorganisms in the short-term. Compared to placebos or blank controls, herbal mouthwashes showed the inhibitory effect of MS in the short-term, with some results lacking statistical significance. After meta-analysis, significant lower plaque- and gingival inflammation-related indexes were observed in the Chlorhexidine mouthwashes groups [Gingival Index: WMD = -0.45, 95%CI = -0.70 to -0.20 (placebos as control); WMD = -0.54, 95%CI = -0.96 to -0.13 (blank controls); Plaque Index: WMD = -0.70, 95%CI = -1.12 to -0.27 (blank controls)]. Significant lower gingival inflammation-related indexes were observed in the herbal mouthwashes groups [Gingival Index: WMD = -0.20, 95%CI = -0.32 to -0.09 (blank controls)]. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term application of fluoride mouthwashes may reduce the colony counts of cariogenic bacteria, but the long-term effect is not evident. Chlorhexidine may reduce the colony counts of multiple microorganisms in the short-term. Short-term application Chlorhexidine and herbal mouthwashes may effectively reduce plaque- and gingival inflammation-related indexes. However, the risk of bias, inconsistency, and imprecision in the included studies may reduce the certainty of the evidence.

DELAY OF GERMINATION 1, the Master Regulator of Seed Dormancy, Integrates the Regulatory Network of Phytohormones at the Transcriptional Level to Control Seed Dormancy.

Seed dormancy, an important adaptive trait that governs germination timing, is endogenously controlled by phytohormones and genetic factors. DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1) is the vital genetic regulator of dormancy, significantly affecting the expression of numerous ABA and GA metabolic genes. However, whether DOG1 could influence the expression of other phytohormone-related genes is still unknown. Here, we comprehensively investigated all well-documented hormone-related genes which might be affected in dog1-2 dry or imbibed seeds by using whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). We found that DOG1 could systematically control the expression of phytohormone-related genes. An evident decrease was observed in the endogenous signal intensity of abscisic acid (ABA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), while a dramatic increase appeared in that of gibberellins (GA), brassinosteroids (BR), and cytokinin (CK) in the dog1-2 background, which may contribute considerably to its dormancy-deficient phenotype. Collectively, our data highlight the role of DOG1 in balancing the expression of phytohormone-related genes and provide inspirational evidence that DOG1 may integrate the phytohormones network to control seed dormancy.

Stable Lithium Plating and Stripping Enabled by a LiPON Nanolayer on PP Separator.

The practical application of the Li metal anode (LMA) is hindered by its low coulombic efficiency and dendrite formation. Although solid-state electrolytes hold promise as ideal partners for LMA, their effectiveness is limited by the poor workability and ionic conductivity. Herein, a modified separator combining the rapid Li+ transport of a liquid electrolyte and the interfacial stability of a solid-state electrolyte is explored to realize stable cycling of the LMA. A conformal nanolayer of LiPON is coated on a polypropylene separator by a scalable magnetron sputtering method, which is compatible with current Li-ion battery production lines and promising for the practical applications. The resulting LMA-electrolyte/separator interface is Li+ -conductive, electron-insulating, mechanically and chemically stable. Consequently, Li|Li cells maintain stable dendrite-free cycling with overpotentials of 10 and 40 mV over 2000 h at 1 and 5 mA cm-2 , respectively. Additionally, the Li|LiFePO4 full cells achieve a capacity retention of 92% after 550 cycles, confirming its application potential.

A framework to decipher the genetic architecture of combinations of complex diseases: applications in cardiovascular medicine.

MOTIVATION: Currently, most genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are studies of a single disease against controls. However, an individual is often affected by more than one condition. For example, coronary artery disease (CAD) is often comorbid with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Similarly, it is clinically meaningful to study patients with one disease but without a related comorbidity. For example, obese T2DM may have different pathophysiology from nonobese T2DM. RESULTS: We developed a statistical framework (CombGWAS) to uncover susceptibility variants for comorbid disorders (or a disorder without comorbidity), using GWAS summary statistics only. In essence, we mimicked a case-control GWAS in which the cases are affected with comorbidities or a disease without comorbidity. We extended our methodology to analyze continuous traits with clinically meaningful categories (e.g. lipids), and combination of more than two traits. We verified the feasibility and validity of our method by applying it to simulated scenarios and four cardiometabolic (CM) traits. In total, we identified 384 and 587 genomic risk loci respectively for 6 comorbidities and 12 CM disease 'subtypes' without a relevant comorbidity. Genetic correlation analysis revealed that some subtypes may be biologically distinct from others. Further Mendelian randomization analysis showed differential causal effects of different subtypes to relevant complications. For example, we found that obese T2DM is causally related to increased risk of CAD (P = 2.62E-11). AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: R code is available at: https://github.com/LiangyingYin/CombGWAS. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.