Genomic and transcriptomic significance of multiple primary lung cancers detected by next-generation sequencing in clinical settings.

Effective diagnosis and understanding of the mechanism of intrapulmonary metastasis (IM) from multiple primary lung cancers (MPLC) aid clinical management. However, the actual detection panels used in the clinic are variable. Current research on tumor microenvironment (TME) of MPLC and IM is insufficient. Therefore, additional investigation into the differential diagnosis and discrepancies in TME between two conditions is crucial. Two hundred and fourteen non-small cell lung cancer patients with multiple tumors were enrolled and 507 samples were subjected to DNA sequencing (NGS 10). Then, DNA and RNA sequencing (master panel) were performed on the specimens from 32 patients, the TME profiles between tumors within each patient and across patients and the differentially expressed genes were compared. Four patients were regrouped with NGS 10 results. Master panel resolved the classifications of six undetermined patients. The TME in MPLC exhibited a high degree of infiltration by natural killer (NK) cells, CD56dim NK cells, endothelial cells, etc., P < 0.05. Conversely, B cells, activated B cells, regulatory cells, immature dendritic cells, etc., P < 0.001, were heavily infiltrated in the IM. NECTIN4 and LILRB4 mRNA were downregulated in the MPLC (P < 0.0001). Additionally, NECTIN4 (P < 0.05) and LILRB4 were linked to improved disease-free survival in the MPLC. In conclusion, IM is screened from MPLC by pathology joint NGS 10 detections, followed by a large NGS panel for indistinguishable patients. A superior prognosis of MPLC may be associated with an immune-activating TME and the downregulation of NECTIN4 and LILRB4 considered as potential drug therapeutic targets.

Notoginsenoside R1 improves intestinal microvascular functioning in sepsis by targeting Drp1-mediated mitochondrial quality imbalance.

CONTEXT: Sepsis can result in critical organ failure, and notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1) offers mitochondrial protection. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether NGR1 improves organ function and prognosis after sepsis by protecting mitochondrial quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sepsis model was established in C57BL/6 mice using cecum ligation puncture (CLP) and an in vitro model with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 µg/mL)-stimulated primary intestinal microvascular endothelial cells (IMVECs) and then determine NGR1's safe dosage. Groups for each model were: in vivo-a control group, a CLP-induced sepsis group, and a CLP + NGR1 treatment group (30 mg/kg/d for 3 d); in vitro-a control group, a LPS-induced sepsis group, and a LPS + NGR1 treatment group (4 µM for 30 min). NGR1's effects on survival, intestinal function, mitochondrial quality, and mitochondrial dynamic-related protein (Drp1) were evaluated. RESULTS: Sepsis resulted in approximately 60% mortality within 7 days post-CLP, with significant reductions in intestinal microvascular perfusion and increases in vascular leakage. Severe mitochondrial quality imbalance was observed in IMVECs. NGR1 (IC50 is 854.1 µM at 30 min) targeted Drp1, inhibiting mitochondrial translocation, preventing mitochondrial fragmentation and restoring IMVEC morphology and function, thus protecting against intestinal barrier dysfunction, vascular permeability, microcirculatory flow, and improving sepsis prognosis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Drp1-mediated mitochondrial quality imbalance is a potential therapeutic target for sepsis. Small molecule natural drugs like NGR1 targeting Drp1 may offer new directions for organ protection following sepsis. Future research should focus on clinical trials to evaluate NGR1's efficacy across various patient populations, potentially leading to novel treatments for sepsis.

The risk of depressive and anxiety symptoms in women with premature ovarian insufficiency: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) appears to be associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, there is a lack of high-quality evidence relating to the risk of patients with POI developing depression or anxiety. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the risk of depressive and anxiety symptoms in women with POI. We searched English and Chinese databases to evaluate the risk of depression and anxiety disorders in patients with POI. The final search date was November 2021. The risk was quantified using meta-analysis, with an estimation of pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Sources of heterogeneity were explored by subgroup analysis. A total of seven primary studies with 1316 individuals were included, five of which were related to depression and six to anxiety disorders. All included articles were case-control studies of high quality. Patients with POI were associated with a higher odds of depression and anxiety (depression: OR = 3.33, 95% CI = 2.31-4.81, P < 0.001; anxiety: OR = 4.89, 95% CI = 3.28-7.30, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis also indicated that patients with POI are at a higher risk of anxiety and depression. POI appears to be associated with a high risk of depression and anxiety. Early psychosocial assessment and regular screening of patients with POI are also necessary. In addition, it is important to consider the mental health of patients with POI.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the GRF Gene Family in Melastoma dodecandrum.

Growth-regulating factor (GRF) is a kind of transcription factor unique to plants, playing an important role in the flowering regulation, growth, and development of plants. Melastoma dodecandrum is an important member of Melastomataceae, with ornamental, medicinal, and edible benefits. The identification of the GRF gene family in M. dodecandrum can help to improve their character of flavor and continuous flowering. The members of the GRF gene family were identified from the M. dodecandrum genome, and their bioinformatics, selective pressure, and expression patterns were analyzed. The results showed that there were 20 GRF genes in M. dodecandrum. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 71 GRF genes from M. dodecandrum, Arabidopsis thaliana, Camellia sinensis, and Oryza sativa can be divided into three clades and six subclades. The 20 GRF genes of M. dodecandrum were distributed in twelve chromosomes and one contig. Furthermore, the gene structure and motif analysis showed that the intron and motif within each clade were very similar, but there were great differences among different clades. The promoter contained cis-acting elements related to hormone induction, stress, and growth and development. Different transcriptomic expression of MdGRFs indicated that MdGRFs may be involved in regulating the growth and development of M. dodecandrum. The results laid a foundation for further study on the function and molecular mechanism of the M. dodecandrum GRF gene family.

Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of WRKY Gene Family in Melastoma dodecandrum.

WRKY is one of the largest transcription factor families in plants and plays an important role in plant growth and development as well as in abiotic and biological stresses. However, there is little information about the WRKY family in Melastoma dodecandrum. In this study, 126 WRKY members were identified in M. dodecandrum. According to phylogenetic analysis, they were divided into three major groups, and group II was further divided into five subgroups. MedWRKY genes were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes. Additionally, the gene structure and sequence composition were similar within the same group and differed between groups, suggesting their functional diversity. The promoter sequence analysis identified a number of cis-acting elements related to plant growth and development, stress response, and secondary metabolite synthesis in the WRKY gene family. The collinearity analysis showed that gene replication events were the main driving force of MedWRKY gene evolution. The transcriptome data and RT-qPCR analysis suggested that MedWRKY genes had higher expression in the roots and ripe fruit of M. dodecandrum. In short, this paper lays a foundation for further study of the functions and molecular mechanism of M. dodecandrum WRKY gene family.

Identification, Molecular Characteristics, and Evolution of YABBY Gene Family in Melastoma dodecandrum.

The YABBY gene family plays an important role in plant growth and development, such as response to abiotic stress and lateral organ development. YABBY TFs are well studied in numerous plant species, but no study has performed a genome-wide investigation of the YABBY gene family in Melastoma dodecandrum. Therefore, a genome-wide comparative analysis of the YABBY gene family was performed to study their sequence structures, cis-acting elements, phylogenetics, expression, chromosome locations, collinearity analysis, protein interaction, and subcellular localization analysis. A total of nine YABBY genes were found, and they were further divided into four subgroups based on the phylogenetic tree. The genes in the same clade of phylogenetic tree had the same structure. The cis-element analysis showed that MdYABBY genes were involved in various biological processes, such as cell cycle regulation, meristem expression, responses to low temperature, and hormone signaling. MdYABBYs were unevenly distributed on chromosomes. The transcriptomic data and real-time reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) expression pattern analyses showed that MdYABBY genes were involved in organ development and differentiation of M. dodecandrum, and some MdYABBYs in the subfamily may have function differentiation. The RT-qPCR analysis showed high expression of flower bud and medium flower. Moreover, all MdYABBYs were localized in the nucleus. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical basis for the functional analysis of YABBY genes in M. dodecandrum.

Genome-Wide Analysis of WUSCHEL-Related Homeobox Gene Family in Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).

WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) is a plant-specific transcription factor (TF), which plays an essential role in the regulation of plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, little information is available on the specific roles of WOX TFs in sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), which is a perennial aquatic plant with important edible, ornamental, and medicinal values. We identified 15 WOX TFs distributing on six chromosomes in the genome of N. nucifera. A total of 72 WOX genes from five species were divided into three clades and nine subclades based on the phylogenetic tree. NnWOXs in the same subclades had similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Cis-acting element analysis of the promoter regions of NnWOXs found many elements enriched in hormone induction, stress responses, and light responses, indicating their roles in growth and development. The Ka/Ks analysis showed that the WOX gene family had been intensely purified and selected in N. nucifera. The expression pattern analysis suggested that NnWOXs were involved in organ development and differentiation of N. nucifera. Furthermore, the protein-protein interaction analysis showed that NnWOXs might participate in the growth, development, and metabolic regulation of N. nucifera. Taken together, these findings laid a foundation for further analysis of NnWOX functions.

Comprehensive Analysis for GRF Transcription Factors in Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).

Sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is an aquatic perennial plant with essential food, ornamental, and pharmacological value. Growth-regulating factor (GRF) is a transcription factor (TF) family that plays an important role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the GRF family in N. nucifera was performed, and its role in N. nucifera development was studied. A total of eight GRF genes were identified in the N. nucifera genome. Phylogenetic analysis divided the 38 GRF genes into six clades, while the NuGRFs only contained five clades. The analyses of gene structures, motifs, and cis-acting regulatory elements of the GRF gene family were performed. In addition, the chromosome location and collinearity were analyzed. The expression pattern based on transcriptomic data and real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that the GRF genes were expressed in multiple organs and were abundant in actively growing tissues, and the expression levels decreased as the age of N. nucifera increased. Then, 3D structures of the NuGRF proteins were predicted by homology modeling. Finally, the subcellular localization of GRF1 was ascertained in the tobacco leaf through a vector. Therefore, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the GRF TF family in N. nucifera.

Investigation of the accuracy of a noninvasive continuous blood pressure device in different age groups and its ability in detecting hypertension and hypotension: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: CNAP monitor is a continuous and noninvasive blood pressure (BP) measurement device that can be used in intraoperative monitoring. But whether its accuracy changes with age and its detectability of hypertension and hypotension are still unclear. This study was to investigate the agreement of CNAP and invasive arterial pressure (IAP) in different age groups, and the ability of CNAP to detect hypertension and hypotension. METHODS: This observational study enrolled 48 Chinese patients undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia, including 25 relatively old patients (age between 50 and 70) and 23 relatively young patients (age between 18 and 49). IAP was monitored at the radial artery and CNAP was applied on the opposite arm simultaneously. Paired BP data in the entire surgery were recorded, and analyzed with Bland Altman plot and Spearman correlation. The ratio of the hypertension and hypotension episodes detected by IAP and CNAP was analyzed using chi-square test. RESULTS: 7990 valid paired BP data were analyzed, wherein 4186 data were from 25 relatively old patients, and the other data were from 23 relatively young patients. Bias (SD) for relatively old patients was: systolic BP (SBP): - 6.5 (18.6) mm Hg; diastolic BP (DBP): 9.3 (7.8) mmHg; and mean BP (MBP): 4.2 (9.5) mm Hg. Bias (SD) for relatively young patients was: SBP: - 6.2 (12.1) mm Hg; DBP: 10.6 (6.9) mmHg; and MBP: 4.8 (7.3) mm Hg. The correlation between CNAP and IAP was higher in MBP than those in SBP and DBP, and it decreased with the increase of age. Comparing to IAP, CNAP tended to miss reporting a high SBP, low DBP and low MBP, and misinform a low SBP, high DBP and high MBP. CONCLUSION: CNAP showed acceptable agreement with IAP in MBP for all age groups, but reduced agreement with IAP in SBP and DBP, especially for relatively old patients. Ability of CNAP to detect hypertension and hypotension episodes was weaker than IAP. Therefore, CNAP monitor is suitable for young patients and hemodynamically stable surgery, but may not be recommended for old patients with arteriosclerosis and diabetes or surgeries expecting to have fluctuating blood pressure.

Catgut embedding in acupoints combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

Background: To date, the clinical modulation for bone metabolism based on the neuro-bone mass regulation theory is still not popular. The stimulation of nerve systems to explore novel treatments for Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is urgent and significant. Preliminary research results suggested that changes brain function and structure may play a crucial role in bone metabolism with PMOP. Thus, we set up a clinical trial to investigate the effect of the combination of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and catgut embedding in acupoints (CEA) for PMOP and to elucidate the central mechanism of this neural stimulation in regulating bone metabolism. Method: This trial is a prospective and randomized controlled trial. 96 PMOP participants will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio into a CEA group, an rTMS group, or a combined one. Participants will receive CEA, rTMS, or combined therapy for 3 months with 8 weeks of follow-up. The primary outcomes will be the changes in Bone Mineral Density scores, total efficiency of Chinese Medicine Symptoms before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes include the McGill Pain Questionnaire Short-Form, Osteoporosis Symptom Score, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Beck Depression Inventory-II. The leptin, leptin receptor, and norepinephrine levels of peripheral blood must be measured before and after treatment. Adverse events that occur during the trial will be recorded. Discussion: CEA achieves brain-bone mass regulation through the bottom-up way of peripheral-central while rTMS achieves it through the top-down stimulation of central-peripheral. CEA combined with rTMS can stimulate the peripheral-central at the same time and promote peripheral bone mass formation. The combination of CEA and rTMS may play a coordinating, synergistic, and side-effect-reducing role, which is of great clinical significance in exploring better treatment options for PMOP.Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2300073863.

Postoperative esketamine improves ventilation after video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial.

Background: Pain management after lung resection plays a crucial role in reducing postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). This study aimed to examine the effect of postoperative esketamine infusion as an adjunct to opioid analgesia on ventilation and pulmonary complications in patients underwent lung resection. Methods: Patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection were randomly assigned to either the esketamine group or the control group. The esketamine group received a 24-h infusion of 1.5 mcg/ml sufentanil combined with 0.75 mcg/ml esketamine after surgery, while the control group received 1.5 mcg/ml sufentanil alone. The primary outcome measure was low minute ventilation, and the secondary outcome measures were hypoxemia, PaO2/FiO2 levels, postoperative pulmonary complications, hospital stay duration, ambulation time, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, depression and anxiety levels, sleep quality, and analgesia satisfaction. Results: 80 patients were randomly divided into two groups: the esketamine group (n = 40) and the control group (n = 40). The esketamine group exhibited notably reduced incidence of low minute ventilation (P = 0.014), lower occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) compared to the control group (P = 0.039), and decreased incidence of hypoxemia (P = 0.003). Furthermore, the esketamine group showed improved outcomes with lower VAS scores on the second postoperative day and enhanced sleep quality (P < 0.001) after the surgery. Conclusions: Postoperative esketamine infusion with opioids improved ventilation and reduced PPCs after lung resection, warranting further clinical studies. Trial registration: This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Trial ID: NCT05458453, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05458453).

Gut microbiota and Tritrichomonas foetus infection: A study of prevalence and risk factors based on pet cats.

Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus) is a protozoal pathogen that infects cats and constitutes a significant cause of chronic colitis and diarrhea. Perturbations in the gut microbiota (GM) are affected by Trichomonas infection. Furthermore, dysregulation of the host GM enhances Trichomonas pathogenicity. However, it remains unclear whether the occurrence of diarrhea is associated with a dysregulation in GM following T. foetus infection in cats. Hence, the primary objective of this investigation was to explore the correlation between T. foetus infection and dysregulation in GM by analyzing fecal samples obtained from pet cats in Henan Province, central China. We randomly collected 898 fecal samples from pet cats living in 11 prefectural cities within Henan Province, and T. foetus was screened with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification based on the 18 S rRNA gene. Subsequently, six T. foetus-positive and six T. foetus-negative samples underwent analysis through 16 S rRNA gene sequencing to evaluate the gut microbiota's composition. The overall prevalence of T. foetus infection among the collected samples was found to be 6.01% (54/898). Notably, a higher prevalence of infection was observed in young, undewormed, unimmunized, and diarrheic pet cats. T. foetus infection was found to significantly alter the composition of the pet cat fecal microbiota, leading to dysfunctions. Moreover, it resulted in a substantial increase in the abundance of Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Phascolarctobacterium spp., while decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) and the abundance of Actinobacteria, Clostridiaceae_Clostridium spp., Phascolarctobacterium spp., SMB53 spp., and Blautia spp. We constructed ROC curves to assess the diagnostic value of specific bacterial taxa in discriminating T. foetus infection. The analysis revealed that Proteobacteria and Clostridiaceae_Clostridium spp. were the most reliable single predictors for T. foetus infection. This finding suggests that alterations in the GM may be strongly associated with T. foetus infections.

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in pet cats in Henan Province, central China.

Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis often infect humans, cats, and other mammals, causing diarrhea and being responsible for numerous outbreaks of waterborne and foodborne infections worldwide. The rapid increase in the number of pet cats poses a substantial public health risk. However, there were few reports about the infection of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis infections in pet cats in Henan Province, central China. Thus, to understand the prevalence and genetic distribution of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis in pet cats, and to evaluate the zoonotic potential, possible transmission routes and public health implications of isolates, fecal samples (n = 898) were randomly collected from pet cats in 11 cities in Henan Province, central China. Nested PCR based on the SSU rRNA gene and bg gene was used to the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis, respectively. The prevalence was 0.8 % (7/898) and 2.0 % (18/898) for Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis respectively. Additionally, the Cryptosporidium spp. positive isolates were identified as C. parvum subtype IIdA19G1 by gp60 gene. In the present study, the IIdA19G1 subtype was discovered in pet cats for the first time in China, enriching the information on the host type and geographical distribution of Cryptosporidium spp. in China. For G. duodenalis, a total of 18 G. duodenalis positive samples were identified, belonging to four assemblages: a zoonotic assemblage A1 (4/898), three host-specific assemblages C (8/898), D (5/898), and F (1/898). Interestingly, we found that pet cats infected with Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis are more likely to experience emaciation symptoms compared to the negative group. More importantly, the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis detected in the present study were low, but the subtype IIdA19G1 of Cryptosporidium spp. and the assemblages A1, C, D, and F of G. duodenalis have the potential for zoonotic transmission. Thus, we should focus on preventing and controlling the risk of cross-species transmission that may occur in pet cats in Henan Province.

Comparative efficacy of acupuncture-related therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis: protocol for Bayesian network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The review aims to conduct the first network meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the application of multiple acupuncture techniques in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis, ranking the best acupuncture treatment and providing a reference for clinical treatment extensively. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Randomised controlled trials of different acupuncture-related therapies for postmenopausal osteoporosis will be searched in the following databases from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2022, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wanfang Database and China Biomedical Literature Database. Overall, clinical efficacy rate, bone mineral density and a Visual Analogue Scale score are used as the primary outcome indicators. In addition, the secondary outcome indicator is adverse reactions. The entire screening process will be conducted by two independent investigators; meanwhile, Stata (V.14.0) and RevMan (V.5.4) will be used to conduct the network meta-analysis. If the data are permissible and feasible, we will also perform meta-regression and subgroup analyses to address the underlying causes of data inconsistency and heterogeneity in the statistical analyses. Besides, to improve the credibility of this network meta-analysis, we will evaluate the quality of evidence in this research according to the GRADE assessment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required for network meta-analyses, which do not involve animals' or people's welfare. The results of this network meta-analysis will be submitted to a recognised journal for publication. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023401003.

Altered gut microbiota profile in patients with perimenopausal panic disorder.

Introduction: Females in the perimenopausal period are susceptible to mood disorders. Perimenopausal panic disorder (PPD) is characterized by repeated and unpredictable panic attacks during perimenopause, and it impacts the patient's physical and mental health and social function. Pharmacotherapy is limited in the clinic, and its pathological mechanism is unclear. Recent studies have demonstrated that gut microbiota is strongly linked to emotion; however, the relation between PPD and microbiota is limitedly known. Methods: This study aimed to discover specific microbiota in PPD patients and the intrinsic connection between them. Gut microbiota was analyzed in PPD patients (n = 40) and healthy controls (n = 40) by 16S rRNA sequencing. Results: The results showed reduced α-diversity (richness) in the gut microbiota of PPD patients. ß-diversity indicated that PPD and healthy controls had different intestinal microbiota compositions. At the genus level, 30 species of microbiota abundance had significantly different between the PPD and healthy controls. In addition, HAMA, PDSS, and PASS scales were collected in two groups. It was found that Bacteroides and Alistipes were positively correlated with PASS, PDSS, and HAMA. Discussion: Bacteroides and Alistipes dysbiosis dominate imbalanced microbiota in PPD patients. This microbial alteration may be a potential pathogenesis and physio-pathological feature of PPD. The distinct gut microbiota can be a potential diagnostic marker and a new therapeutic target for PPD.

[The objectification of ashi point diagnosis and treatment].

Ashi points play a significant role in the clinical localization and qualitative diagnosis of acupuncture, as well as in selecting acupoints along the meridians and applying tonifying or reducing techniques. This paper introduces the theoretical basis and existing technical methods of objectification of ashi point diagnosis and treatment. It proposes that using sensory quantitative testing to determine the temperature and tenderness thresholds of ashi points could help to identify the pathological characteristics of "cold" "heat" "deficiency" or "excess" of ashi points. In addition, the possibility of objectification of ashi point diagnosis-treatment plan is explored from three perspectives, precision of selection of ashi point therapy, objectification of effect evaluation of ashi point analgesia, and differentiation of the studies on ashi point analgesic mechanism, aiming to provide new research ideas for the modernization of traditional Chinese acupuncture.

Diploid and tetraploid genomes of Acorus and the evolution of monocots.

Monocots are a major taxon within flowering plants, have unique morphological traits, and show an extraordinary diversity in lifestyle. To improve our understanding of monocot origin and evolution, we generate chromosome-level reference genomes of the diploid Acorus gramineus and the tetraploid Ac. calamus, the only two accepted species from the family Acoraceae, which form a sister lineage to all other monocots. Comparing the genomes of Ac. gramineus and Ac. calamus, we suggest that Ac. gramineus is not a potential diploid progenitor of Ac. calamus, and Ac. calamus is an allotetraploid with two subgenomes A, and B, presenting asymmetric evolution and B subgenome dominance. Both the diploid genome of Ac. gramineus and the subgenomes A and B of Ac. calamus show clear evidence of whole-genome duplication (WGD), but Acoraceae does not seem to share an older WGD that is shared by most other monocots. We reconstruct an ancestral monocot karyotype and gene toolkit, and discuss scenarios that explain the complex history of the Acorus genome. Our analyses show that the ancestors of monocots exhibit mosaic genomic features, likely important for that appeared in early monocot evolution, providing fundamental insights into the origin, evolution, and diversification of monocots.

Why Black Flowers? An Extreme Environment and Molecular Perspective of Black Color Accumulation in the Ornamental and Food Crops.

Pollinators are attracted to vibrant flower colors. That is why flower color is the key agent to allow successful fruit set in food or ornamental crops. However, black flower color is the least attractive to pollinators, although a number of plant species produce black flowers. Cyanidin-based anthocyanins are thought to be the key agents to induce black color in the ornamental and fruit crops. R2R3-MYB transcription factors (TFs) play key roles for the tissue-specific accumulation of anthocyanin. MYB1 and MYB11 are the key TFs regulating the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes for black color accumulation. Post-transcriptional silencing of flavone synthase II (FNS) gene is the technological method to stimulate the accumulation of cyanidin-based anthocyanins in black cultivars. Type 1 promoter of DvIVS takes the advantage of FNS silencing to produce large amounts of black anthocyanins. Exogenous ethylene application triggers anthocyanin accumulation in the fruit skin at ripening. Environment cues have been the pivotal regulators to allow differential accumulation of anthocyanins to regulate black color. Heat stress is one of the most important environmental stimulus that regulates concentration gradient of anthocyanins in various plant parts, thereby affecting the color pattern of flowers. Stability of black anthocyanins in the extreme environments can save the damage, especially in fruits, caused by abiotic stress. White flowers without anthocyanin face more damages from abiotic stress than dark color flowers. The intensity and pattern of flower color accumulation determine the overall fruit set, thereby controlling crop yield and human food needs. This review paper presents comprehensive knowledge of black flower regulation as affected by high temperature stress, and the molecular regulators of anthocyanin for black color in ornamental and food crops. It also discusses the black color-pollination interaction pattern affected by heat stress for food and ornamental crops.

Beauty and the pathogens: A leaf-less control presents a better image of Cymbidium orchids defense strategy.

Biological control is a safe way of combating plant diseases using the living organisms. For the precise use of microbial biological control agents, the genetic information on the hypersensitive response (HR), and defense-related gene induction pathways of plants are necessary. Orchids are the most prominent stakeholders of floriculture industry, and owing to their long-awaited flowering pattern, disease control is imperative to allow healthy vegetative growth that spans more than 2 years in most of the orchids. We observed leaf-less flowering in three orchid species (Cymbidium ensifolium, C. goeringii and C. sinense). Using these materials as reference, we performed transcriptome profiling for healthy leaves from non-infected plants to identify genes specifically involved in plant-pathogen interaction pathway. For this pathway, a total of 253 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in C. ensifolium, 189 DEGs were identified in C. goeringii and 119 DEGs were found in C. sinense. These DEGs were mainly related to bacterial secretion systems, FLS2, CNGCs and EFR, regulating HR, stomatal closure and defense-related gene induction. FLS2 (LRR receptor-like serine/threonine kinase) contained the highest number of DEGs among three orchid species, followed by calmodulin. Highly upregulated gene sets were found in C. sinense as compared to other species. The great deal of DEGs, mainly the FLS2 and EFR families, related to defense and immunity responses can effectively direct the future of biological control of diseases for orchids.

Aflatoxin B1 Exposure in Sheep: Insights into Hepatotoxicity Based on Oxidative Stress, Inflammatory Injury, Apoptosis, and Gut Microbiota Analysis.

The widespread fungal toxin Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is an inevitable pollutant affecting the health of humans, poultry, and livestock. Although studies indicate that AFB1 is hepatotoxic, there are few studies on AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity in sheep. Thus, this study examined how AFB1 affected sheep liver function 24 h after the animals received 1 mg/kg bw of AFB1 orally (dissolved in 20 mL, 4% v/v ethanol). The acute AFB1 poisoning caused histopathological injuries to the liver and increased total bilirubin (TBIL) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) levels. AFB1 also markedly elevated the levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 while considerably reducing the expression of antioxidation-related genes (SOD-1 and SOD-2) and the anti-inflammatory gene IL-10 in the liver. Additionally, it caused apoptosis by dramatically altering the expression of genes associated with apoptosis including Bax, Caspase-3, and Bcl-2/Bax. Notably, AFB1 exposure altered the gut microbiota composition, mainly manifested by BF311 spp. and Alistipes spp. abundance, which are associated with liver injury. In conclusion, AFB1 can cause liver injury and liver dysfunction in sheep via oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, and gut-microbiota disturbance.