Populus euphratica GRP2 Interacts with Target mRNAs to Negatively Regulate Salt Tolerance by Interfering with Photosynthesis, Na+, and ROS Homeostasis.

The transcription of glycine-rich RNA-binding protein 2 (PeGRP2) transiently increased in the roots and shoots of Populus euphratica (a salt-resistant poplar) upon initial salt exposure and tended to decrease after long-term NaCl stress (100 mM, 12 days). PeGRP2 overexpression in the hybrid Populus tremula × P. alba '717-1B4' (P. × canescens) increased its salt sensitivity, which was reflected in the plant's growth and photosynthesis. PeGRP2 contains a conserved RNA recognition motif domain at the N-terminus, and RNA affinity purification (RAP) sequencing was developed to enrich the target mRNAs that physically interacted with PeGRP2 in P. × canescens. RAP sequencing combined with RT-qPCR revealed that NaCl decreased the transcripts of PeGRP2-interacting mRNAs encoding photosynthetic proteins, antioxidative enzymes, ATPases, and Na+/H+ antiporters in this transgenic poplar. Specifically, PeGRP2 negatively affected the stability of the target mRNAs encoding the photosynthetic proteins PETC and RBCMT; antioxidant enzymes SOD[Mn], CDSP32, and CYB1-2; ATPases AHA11, ACA8, and ACA9; and the Na+/H+ antiporter NHA1. This resulted in (i) a greater reduction in Fv/Fm, YII, ETR, and Pn; (ii) less pronounced activation of antioxidative enzymes; and (iii) a reduced ability to maintain Na+ homeostasis in the transgenic poplars during long-term salt stress, leading to their lowered ability to tolerate salinity stress.

Populus euphratica CPK21 Interacts with NF-YC3 to Enhance Cadmium Tolerance in Arabidopsis.

The toxic metal cadmium (Cd) poses a serious threat to plant growth and human health. Populus euphratica calcium-dependent protein kinase 21 (CPK21) has previously been shown to attenuate Cd toxicity by reducing Cd accumulation, enhancing antioxidant defense and improving water balance in transgenic Arabidopsis. Here, we confirmed a protein-protein interaction between PeCPK21 and Arabidopsis nuclear transcription factor YC3 (AtNF-YC3) by yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. AtNF-YC3 was induced by Cd and strongly expressed in PeCPK21-overexpressed plants. Overexpression of AtNF-YC3 in Arabidopsis reduced the Cd inhibition of root length, fresh weight and membrane stability under Cd stress conditions (100 µM, 7 d), suggesting that AtNF-YC3 appears to contribute to the improvement of Cd stress tolerance. AtNF-YC3 improved Cd tolerance by limiting Cd uptake and accumulation, activating antioxidant enzymes and reducing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production under Cd stress. We conclude that PeCPK21 interacts with AtNF-YC3 to limit Cd accumulation and enhance the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system and thereby positively regulate plant adaptation to Cd environments. This study highlights the interaction between PeCPK21 and AtNF-YC3 under Cd stress conditions, which can be utilized to improve Cd tolerance in higher plants.

Mean platelet volume may predict all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among incident peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: The association between mean platelet volume (MPV) and mortality in patients with cardiovascular disease has been demonstrated. However, the association between MPV and mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients remains unclear. METHODS: Patients catheterized at the First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, between November 1, 2005, and August 31, 2019, were enrolled. The primary endpoints were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Patients were divided into two groups according to the cutoff value, which was determined using maximally selected rank statistics. The mortality hazard ratio was evaluated using Cox regression models. RESULTS: Among the 1322 PD patients enrolled, the mean age was 49.3 ± 14.5 years, 57.6% were men, and 18.8% had diabetes. During a median follow-up of 50 months (IQR: 30-80), 360 patients died; among these, 167 deaths were attributed to cardiovascular diseases. Survival analysis revealed that all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates were lower in the higher-MPV group than in the lower-MPV group (p < .001 and p < .001, respectively). After full adjustment, a higher MPV was significantly associated with a hazard ratio of 0.77 for all-cause mortality (95% CI: 0.60-0.98, p = .036) and 0.75 for cardiovascular mortality (95% CI: 0.51-0.97, p = .041). Subgroup analysis showed that a significant interaction existed between age and MPV (p < .001). Decreased MPV was associated with higher mortality risk only in patients < 60 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that lower MPV can be associated with a higher risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with PD.

Populus euphratica GLABRA3 Binds PLDδ Promoters to Enhance Salt Tolerance.

High NaCl (200 mM) increases the transcription of phospholipase Dδ (PLDδ) in roots and leaves of the salt-resistant woody species Populus euphratica. We isolated a 1138 bp promoter fragment upstream of the translation initiation codon of PePLDδ. A promoter-reporter construct, PePLDδ-pro::GUS, was introduced into Arabidopsis plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) to demonstrate the NaCl-induced PePLDδ promoter activity in root and leaf tissues. Mass spectrometry analysis of DNA pull-down-enriched proteins in P. euphratica revealed that PeGLABRA3, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, was the target transcription factor for binding the promoter region of PePLDδ. The PeGLABRA3 binding to PePLDδ-pro was further verified by virus-induced gene silencing, luciferase reporter assay (LRA), yeast one-hybrid assay, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). In addition, the PeGLABRA3 gene was cloned and overexpressed in Arabidopsis to determine the function of PeGLABRA3 in salt tolerance. PeGLABRA3-overexpressed Arabidopsis lines (OE1 and OE2) had a greater capacity to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and to extrude Na+ under salinity stress. Furthermore, the EMSA and LRA results confirmed that PeGLABRA3 interacted with the promoter of AtPLDδ in transgenic plants. The upregulated AtPLDδ in PeGLABRA3-transgenic lines resulted in an increase in phosphatidic acid species under no-salt and saline conditions. We conclude that PeGLABRA3 activated AtPLDδ transcription under salt stress by binding to the AtPLDδ promoter region, conferring Na+ and ROS homeostasis control via signaling pathways mediated by PLDδ and phosphatidic acid.

Prevalence and risk factors of poor sleep quality in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients in Nanchang, Southeast China.

This study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors of poor sleep quality in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) at the peritoneal dialysis center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to December 2019. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate the sleep quality of patients undergoing CAPD. A PSQI score of ≥5 was defined as poor sleep quality, whereas a PSQI of <5 was defined as good sleep quality. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors for poor sleep quality. In total, 456 patients undergoing CAPD were investigated. The average PSQI score was 5.0 ± 2.9. Among the participants, 46.3% had poor sleep quality, and 45.6% were female patients. The average age was 49.4 ± 13.3 years. Compared with good sleepers, poor sleepers included a higher proportion of females and calcium-phosphorus (Ca × P) product, longer dialysis durations, lower total endogenous creatinine clearance rates, less residual renal function, and lower albumin levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a long dialysis duration, low albumin level, and high Ca × P product were independent risk factors for poor sleep quality in patients undergoing CAPD. Odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for these risk factors were 1.01 (1.00-1.02), 0.95 (0.91-1.00), and 1.02 (1.00-1.03), respectively. Interventions aimed at improving albumin and Ca × P product levels may improve quality of life for CAPD patients.

[Structural Analysis of Salivary Bacterial and Fungal Microbiome in Oral Lichen Planus Patients].

Objective: To explore the differences of oral mycobiome and bacteriome between the healthy controls (H) and oral lichen planus (OLP) patients, and the co-occurrence patterns of the salivary mycobiome and bacteriome and the association with host immunity. Methods: Saliva samples were collected from clinical OLP patients (n=35) and healthy volunteers (n=18). Microbiome DNA was extracted for bacterial 16S rRNA genes sequencing and fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis was performed on the data.The levels of IL-17 and IL-23, two pro-inflammatory cytokines, in the saliva were examined, and their correlation with the bacteria was analyzed. Results: There was no significant difference in the overall community structure of the mycobiome and the bacteriome between OLP patients and healthy controls. The abundance of Prevotellaand Solobacterium in the saliva bacteriome was significantly increased in the OLP group (P<0.05), and the relative abundance of Candidaand Aspergillusin the saliva mycobiome was also significantly increased (P<0.05). The co-occurrence pattern of the salivary mycobiome and bacteriome showed that the aforementioned difference was not related. However, the correlation between Aspergillusand bacteria was altered in the H group and the OLP group, and co-occurrence was reduced in the latter group. The level of IL-17 in the saliva was significantly increased in the OLP group. IL-17 and clinical scores were significantly correlated with the abundance of Porphyromonas. Conclusion: The increased abundance of Prevotella, Solobacterium, Candida, and Aspergillus was associated with the pathogenesis of OLP, and the changes of the microbiome co-occurrence relationship and host immunity may be involved in the pathogenesis of OLP.

The bHLH transcription factor AhbHLH112 improves the drought tolerance of peanut.

BACKGROUND: Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are one of the largest gene families in plants. They regulate gene expression through interactions with specific motifs in target genes. bHLH TFs are not only universally involved in plant growth but also play an important role in plant responses to abiotic stress. However, most members of this family have not been functionally characterized. RESULTS: Here, we characterized the function of a bHLH TF in the peanut, AhHLH112, in response to drought stress. AhHLH112 is localized in the nucleus and it was induced by drought stress. The overexpression of this gene improves the drought tolerance of transgenic plants both in seedling and adult stages. Compared to wild-type plants, the transgenic plants accumulated less reactive oxygen species (ROS), accompanied by increased activity and transcript levels of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase). In addition, the WT plants demonstrated higher MDA concentration levels and higher water loss rate than the transgenic plants under drought treatment. The Yeast one-hybrid result also demonstrates that AhbHLH112 directly and specifically binds to and activates the promoter of the peroxidase (POD) gene. Besides, overexpression of AhHLH112 improved ABA level under drought condition, and elevated the expression of genes associated with ABA biosynthesis and ABA responding, including AtNCED3 and AtRD29A. CONCLUSIONS: Drawing on the results of our experiments, we propose that, by improving ROS-scavenging ability, at least in part through the regulation of POD -mediated H2O2 homeostasis, and possibly participates in ABA-dependent stress-responding pathway, AhbHLH112 acts as a positive factor in drought stress tolerance.

Beware of pharyngeal Fusobacterium nucleatum in COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. n) is an important opportunistic pathogen causing oral and gastrointestinal disease. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (F. p) is a next-generation probiotic and could serve as a biomarker of gut eubiosis/dysbiosis to some extent. Alterations in the human oral and gut microbiomes are associated with viral respiratory infection. The aim of this study was to characterise the oral and fecal bacterial biomarker (i.e., F. n and F. p) in COVID-19 patients by qPCR and investigate the pharyngeal microbiome of COVID-19 patients through metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). RESULTS: Pharyngeal F. n was significantly increased in COVID-19 patients, and it was higher in male than female patients. Increased abundance of pharyngeal F. n was associated with a higher risk of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test (adjusted OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.06 ~ 1.65, P < 0.05). A classifier to distinguish COVID-19 patients from the healthy controls based on the pharyngeal F. n was constructed and achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.843 (95% CI = 0.688 ~ 0.940, P < 0.001). However, the level of fecal F. n and fecal F. p remained unaltered between groups. Besides, mNGS showed that the pharyngeal swabs of COVID-19 patients were dominated by opportunistic pathogens. CONCLUSIONS: Pharyngeal but not fecal F. n was significantly increased in COVID-19 patients, clinicians should pay careful attention to potential coinfection. Pharyngeal F. n may serve as a promising candidate indicator for COVID-19.

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol to apolipoprotein A1 ratio and all-cause mortality among incident peritoneal dialysis patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The ratio of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to apolipoprotein A1 (HAR) is associated with all-cause mortality in nonchronic kidney disease patients, but its role in predicting all-cause mortality in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between HAR and all-cause mortality in patients with PD. METHODS AND RESULTS: The medical records of 1199 patients with PD from November 1, 2005, to August 31, 2019, were collected retrospectively. The main outcome was defined as all-cause mortality. The HAR was divided into three groups by X-tile software. The association between HAR and all-cause mortality was evaluated by Cox models. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival curve. The median follow-up period was 35 months (interquartile range: 20-57 months), with a total of 326 deaths recorded. After multiple adjustments, the risk of all-cause mortality in the high HAR group was 1.96-fold higher than that in the low HAR group (hazard ratio: 1.96; 95% CI, 1.22 to 3.15; P = 0.005). The restricted cubic splines showed that the risk of all-cause mortality increased gradually when HAR was >0.37. In the stratified analysis, a high HAR was linked to a high risk of all-cause mortality in males, patients under 55 years old, and patients without diabetes or cardiovascular disease (CVD). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that HAR is independently related to all-cause mortality in PD patients, especially in males, patients under 55 years old, and patients without diabetes or CVD.

Minute Cu2+ coupling with HCO3- for efficient degradation of acetaminophen via H2O2 activation.

Homogeneous Cu2+-mediated activation of H2O2 has been widely applied for the removal of organic contaminants, but fairly high dosage of Cu2+ is generally required and may cause secondary pollution. In the present study, minute Cu2+ (2.5 µM) catalyzed H2O2 exhibited excellent efficiency in degradation of organic pollutants with the assistant of naturally occurring level HCO3- (1 mM). In a typical case, acetaminophen (ACE) was completely eliminated within 10 min which followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics. Singlet oxygen and superoxide radical rather than traditionally identified hydroxyl radical were the predominant reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsible for ACE degradation. Meanwhile, Cu3+ was deduced through Cu+ and p-hydroxybenzoic acid formation analysis. CuCO3(aq) was the main complex with high reactivity for the activation of H2O2 to form ROS and Cu3+. The removal efficiency of ACE depended on the operating parameters, such as Cu2+, HCO3- and H2O2 dosage, solution initial pH. The presence of Cl-, HPO42-, humic acid were found to retard ACE removal while other anions such as SO42- and NO3- had no obvious effect. ACE exhibited lower degradation efficiency in real water matrices than that in ultra-pure water. Nevertheless, 58-100% of ACE was removed from domestic wastewater, lake water and tap water within 60 min. Moreover, eight intermediate products were identified and the possible degradation pathways of ACE were proposed. Additionally, other typical organic pollutants including bisphenol A, norfloxacin, lomefloxacin hydrochloride and sulfadiazine, exhibited great removal efficiency in the Cu2+/H2O2/HCO3- system.

The partitioning behavior of PAHs between settled dust and its extracted water phase: Coefficients and effects of the fluorescent organic matter.

The occurrence and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a city of Central China were determined in the settled dust and its extracted water phase from different land use types and bus stops in Nanchang City. The physicochemical properties of its water extracted dissolved organic matter (WEOM) were characterized to investigate the effect of fluorescence organic matter on the dust-water partitioning coefficients (Kd) using three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy combined parallel factor analysis. Results showed that the range of ∑PAHs in settled dust and the extracted water phase was 0.05-15.92 µg·g-1 and 2-211 ng·L-1, respectively. These PAHs mostly came from the combustion of biomass. The risk assessment showed that PAHs in dust had no obvious health risk (less than the magnitude of 10-6). Additionally, the high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs and the low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs were preferentially adsorbed by dust and the dissolved portion, respectively. It was confirmed by the relatively high logKd values of 4.23 for the HMW-PAHs. Pearson correlation analysis suggested that the higher concentration of dissolved organic carbon and humic-like substance were in favor of PAHs in dust released into waters. This study can provide information on pollution control when considering the impact of fluorescent organic matter on the fate and transport of PAHs.

Comprehensive genomic characterization of NAC transcription factor family and their response to salt and drought stress in peanut.

BACKGROUND: Peanut is one of the most important oil crop species worldwide. NAC transcription factor (TF) genes play important roles in the salt and drought stress responses of plants by activating or repressing target gene expression. However, little is known about NAC genes in peanut. RESULTS: We performed a genome-wide characterization of NAC genes from the diploid wild peanut species Arachis duranensis and Arachis ipaensis, which included analyses of chromosomal locations, gene structures, conserved motifs, expression patterns, and cis-acting elements within their promoter regions. In total, 81 and 79 NAC genes were identified from A. duranensis and A. ipaensis genomes. Phylogenetic analysis of peanut NACs along with their Arabidopsis and rice counterparts categorized these proteins into 18 distinct subgroups. Fifty-one orthologous gene pairs were identified, and 46 orthologues were found to be highly syntenic on the chromosomes of both A. duranensis and A. ipaensis. Comparative RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)-based analysis revealed that the expression of 43 NAC genes was up- or downregulated under salt stress and under drought stress. Among these genes, the expression of 17 genes in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) was up- or downregulated under both stresses. Moreover, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR)-based analysis revealed that the expression of most of the randomly selected NAC genes tended to be consistent with the comparative RNA-seq results. CONCLUSION: Our results facilitated the functional characterization of peanut NAC genes, and the genes involved in salt and drought stress responses identified in this study could be potential genes for peanut improvement.

Alternative splicing profiling provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of peanut peg development.

BACKGROUND: The cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is one of the most important oilseed crops worldwide, and the generation of pegs and formation of subterranean pods are essential processes in peanut reproductive development. However, little information has been reported about alternative splicing (AS) in peanut peg formation and development. RESULTS: Herein, we presented a comprehensive full-length (FL) transcriptome profiling of AS isoforms during peanut peg and early pod development. We identified 1448, 1102, 832, and 902 specific spliced transcripts in aerial pegs, subterranean pegs, subterranean unswollen pegs, and early swelling pods, respectively. A total of 184 spliced transcripts related to gravity stimulation, light and mechanical response, hormone mediated signaling pathways, and calcium-dependent proteins were identified as possibly involved in peanut peg development. For aerial pegs, spliced transcripts we got were mainly involved in gravity stimulation and cell wall morphogenetic processes. The genes undergoing AS in subterranean peg were possibly involved in gravity stimulation, cell wall morphogenetic processes, and abiotic response. For subterranean unswollen pegs, spliced transcripts were predominantly related to the embryo development and root formation. The genes undergoing splice in early swelling pods were mainly related to ovule development, root hair cells enlargement, root apex division, and seed germination. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that multiple genes are related to gravity stimulation, light and mechanical response, hormone mediated signaling pathways, and calcium-dependent proteins undergoing AS express development-specific spliced isoforms or exhibit an obvious isoform switch during the peanut peg development. AS isoforms in subterranean pegs and pods provides valuable sources to further understand post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of AS in the generation of pegs and formation of subterranean pods.

Multiomics Profiling Reveals Protective Function of Schisandra Lignans against Acetaminophen-Induced Hepatotoxicity.

The action principles of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) feature multiactive components, multitarget sites, and weak combination with action targets. In the present study, we performed an integrated analysis of metabonomics, proteomics, and lipidomics to establish a scientific research system on the underlying mechanism of TCMs, and Schisandra lignan extract (SLE) was selected as a model TCM. In metabonomics, several metabolic pathways were found to mediate the liver injury induced by acetaminophen (APAP), and SLE could regulate the disorder of lipid metabolism. The proteomic study further proved that the hepatoprotective effect of SLE was closely related to the regulation of lipid metabolism. Indeed, the results of lipidomics demonstrated that SLE dosing has an obvious callback effect on APAP-induced lipidic profile shift. The contents of 25 diglycerides (DAGs) and 21 triglycerides (TAGs) were enhanced significantly by APAP-induced liver injury, which could further induce liver injury and inflammatory response by upregulating protein kinase C (PKCß, PKCγ, PKCδ, and PKCθ). The upregulated lipids and PKCs could be reversed to the normal level by SLE dosing. More importantly, phosphatidic acid phosphatase, fatty acid transport protein 5, and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 were proved to be positively associated with the regulation of DAGs and TAGs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Integrated multiomics was first used to reveal the mechanism of APAP-induced acute liver failure (ALF) and the hepatoprotective role of SLE. The results showed that the ALF caused by APAP was closely related to lipid regulation and that SLE dosing could exert a hepatoprotective role by reducing intrahepatic diglyceride and triglyceride levels. Our research can not only promote the application of multicomponent technology in the study of the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicines but also provide an effective approach for the prevention and treatment of ALF.

Silencing of long non-coding RNA CRNDE promotes autophagy and alleviates neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage in rats.

Hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain damage (HIBD) leads to high neonatal mortality and severe neurologic morbidity. Autophagy is involved in the pathogenesis of HIBD. This study aims to investigate the effect of long non-coding RNA colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) on HIBD and to validate whether autophagy is involved in this process. A HIBD model in rat pups and a HI model in rat primary cerebrocortical neurons were established. Autophagy was evaluated by western blot. The HIBD in rats was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, TUNEL staining, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, and morris water maze test. The HI injury in vitro was evaluated by determining cell viability and apoptosis. The results showed that CRNDE expression was time-dependently increased in the brain after HIBD. Administration with CRNDE shRNA-expressing lentiviruses alleviated pathological injury and apoptosis in rat hippocampus, decreased infarct volume, and improved behavior performance of rats subjected to HIBD. Furthermore, CRNDE silencing promoted cell viability and inhibited cell apoptosis in neurons exposed to HI. Moreover, CRNDE silencing promoted autophagy and the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine counteracted the neuroprotective effect of CRNDE silencing on HI-induced neuronal injury both in vivo and in vitro. Collectively, CRNDE silencing alleviates HIBD, at least partially, through promoting autophagy.

Long non-coding RNA CRNDE deteriorates intrauterine infection-induced neonatal brain injury.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) could exacerbate brain injury caused by intrauterine infection in neonatal rats. METHODS: Intrauterine infection was induced in pregnant rats by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After delivery, newborn rats with brain injury caused by intrauterine infection were randomly divided into control, control shRNA, and CRNDE shRNA groups. CRNDE expression in serum and amniotic fluid of pregnant rats and neonatal brain tissues were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Morris water maze (MWM) task was used to test the spatial learning and memory ability. Histological examination and apoptosis detection were performed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to evaluate the activation of astrocytes and microglia. RESULTS: LncRNA CRNDE was highly expressed in serum and amniotic fluid of maternal rats and in brain tissues of offspring rats. Furthermore, shRNA-mediated CRNDE downregulation could rescue the spatial learning and memory ability, improve brain histopathological changes and cell death, and inhibit the activation of astrocytes and microglia caused by LPS. CONCLUSION: CRNDE silencing possessed a cerebral protective effect in neonatal rats with brain injury caused by interauterine infection.

Monocyte to high-density lipoprotein ratio and cardiovascular events in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) is associated with multiple cardiovascular diseases. However, the role of the MHR in predicting cardiovascular diseases in patients on peritoneal dialysis remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight hundred and eighty incident peritoneal dialysis patients were enrolled from November 1, 2005, to February 28, 2017, and followed until May 31, 2017. Primary outcomes were cardiovascular events. Using the X-tile program, these patients were divided into three groups according to the MHR. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regressions were used for survival analysis. During a median follow-up period of 26 months (interquartile range: 12-39 months), 139 cardiovascular events were recorded. After multiple adjustment, the high MHR group was associated with a 1.97-fold increase in the cardiovascular events hazard compared to that of the low group in the overall population (hazard ratio: 1.97; 95% CI, 1.19-3.28; P = 0.009). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the association between the MHR and a higher risk of cardiovascular events was strongest in the subgroup of patients with diabetes (P for interaction = 0.004). In this subgroup, the high MHR group was found to be associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular events compared to the low group (hazard ratio: 7.69; 95% CI, 2.76-21.47). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the MHR is independently associated with the risk of cardiovascular events in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis, and diabetes status can influence the association between the MHR and the risk of cardiovascular events.

Serum C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and mortality associated with peritoneal dialysis.

Background: Serum C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) was recently identified as a poor marker of prognosis among various populations. The current study aimed to examine the association between CAR and all-cause mortality among patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).Methods: A total of 758 patients with PD were included in this study during the period from 1 November 2005 to 28 February 2017 and followed up until 31 May 2017. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. We used multivariate Cox proportional hazard models and Kaplan-Meier survival curves to assess the relationship between CAR and all-cause mortality in these patients.Results: Among 758 participants, mean age was 49.1 ± 14.2 years, with 56% males and 18.6% prevalence of diabetes. Median CAR was 0.13 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.07-0.34). After 27 months (IQR, 14-40 months) of follow-up, 157 deaths had been reported. After adjusting for confounding factors, we found a significant association between serum CAR and all-cause mortality among those in the highest CAR group (hazard ratio 1.91, 95% confidence interval 1.05- 3.47, p = 0.034).Conclusions: In patients undergoing PD, an increase in serum CAR is independently associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality.

[Biological Product Development Strategies for Prevention and Treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019].

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel coronavirus, also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), has become a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Due to the large infection population, broad transmissibility and high mortality, it is urgent to find out the efficient and specific methods to prevent and treat COVID-19. As biological products have broadly applied in the prevention and treatment of severe epidemic diseases, they are promising in blocking novel coronavirus infection. According to the research advances of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), we reviewed the potential application of biological products such as interferon, convalescent plasma, intestinal micro-ecological regulators, vaccines and therapeutic antibodies, etc. , on prevention and treatment of COVID-19. May this review be helpful for conquering COVID-19 in the near future.

Twelve complete chloroplast genomes of wild peanuts: great genetic resources and a better understanding of Arachis phylogeny.

BACKGROUND: The cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is one of the most important oilseed crops worldwide, however, its improvement is restricted by its narrow genetic base. The highly variable wild peanut species, especially within Sect. Arachis, may serve as a rich genetic source of favorable alleles to peanut improvement; Sect. Arachis is the biggest taxonomic section within genus Arachis and its members also include the cultivated peanut. In order to make good use of these wild resources, the genetic bases and the relationships of the Arachis species need first to be better understood. RESULTS: Here, in this study, we have sequenced and/or assembled twelve Arachis complete chloroplast (cp) genomes (eleven from Sect. Arachis). These cp genome sequences enriched the published Arachis cp genome data. From the twelve acquired cp genomes, substantial genetic variation (1368 SNDs, 311 indels) has been identified, which, together with 69 SSR loci that have been identified from the same data set, will provide powerful tools for future explorations. Phylogenetic analyses in our study have grouped the Sect. Arachis species into two major lineages (I & II), this result together with reports from many earlier studies show that lineage II is dominated by AA genome species that are mostly perennial, while lineage I includes species that have more diverse genome types and are mostly annual/biennial. Moreover, the cultivated peanuts and A. monticola that are the only tetraploid (AABB) species within Arachis are nested within the AA genome species-dominated lineage, this result together with the maternal inheritance of chloroplast indicate a maternal origin of the two tetraploid species from an AA genome species. CONCLUSION: In summary, we have acquired sequences of twelve complete Arachis cp genomes, which have not only helped us better understand how the cultivated peanut and its close wild relatives are related, but also provided us with rich genetic resources that may hold great potentials for future peanut breeding.