Genetic diversity and population structure of wheat landraces in Southern Winter Wheat Region of China.

BACKGROUND: Wheat landraces are considered a valuable source of genetic diversity for breeding programs. It is useful to evaluate the genetic diversity in breeding studies such as marker-assisted selection (MAS), genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and genomic selection. In addition, constructing a core germplasm set that represents the genetic diversity of the entire variety set is of great significance for the efficient conservation and utilization of wheat landrace germplasms. RESULTS: To understand the genetic diversity in wheat landrace, 2,023 accessions in the Jiangsu Provincial Crop Germplasm Resource Bank were used to explore the molecular diversity and population structure using the Illumina 15 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip. These accessions were divided into five subpopulations based on population structure, principal coordinate and kinship analysis. A significant variation was found within and among the subpopulations based on the molecular variance analysis (AMOVA). Subpopulation 3 showed more genetic variability based on the different allelic patterns (Na, Ne and I). The M strategy as implemented in MStratv 4.1 software was used to construct the representative core collection. A core collection with a total of 311 accessions (15.37%) was selected from the entire landrace germplasm based on genotype and 12 different phenotypic traits. Compared to the initial landrace collections, the core collection displayed higher gene diversity (0.31) and polymorphism information content (PIC) (0.25), and represented almost all phenotypic variation. CONCLUSIONS: A core collection comprising 311 accessions containing 100% of the genetic variation in the initial population was developed. This collection provides a germplasm base for effective management, conservation, and utilization of the variation in the original set.

Targeting VPS72 inhibits ACTL6A/MYC axis activity in HCC progression.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: HCC is a highly heterogeneous disease that is caused largely by genomic copy number variations. Herein, the mechanistic and therapeutically targeted role of vacuolar protein sorting 72 homologue (VPS72), a novel copy number variation cis-driven gained gene identified by genome-wide copy number variation and transcriptome analyses in HCC, is not well understood. APPROACH AND RESULTS: First, overexpression of VPS72 enhanced the initiation and progression of HCC in vitro and in vivo . Mechanistically, VPS72 interacted with the oncoproteins MYC and actin-like 6A (ACTL6A) and promoted the formation of the ACTL6A/MYC complex. Furthermore, ACTL6A regulated VPS72 protein stability by weakening the interaction between tripartite motif containing 21 (TRIM21) and VPS72. Thus, the interaction between VPS72 and ACTL6A enhanced the affinity of MYC for its target gene promoters and promoted their transcription, thereby contributing to HCC progression, which was inhibited by adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against VPS72. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the molecular mechanism of ACTL6A/VPS72/MYC in HCC, providing a theoretical basis and therapeutic target for this malignancy.

Children with severe neurological symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection during Omicron pandemic in China.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with severe neurological symptoms associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during the Omicron pandemic in China. METHODS: This study used a questionnaire to obtain data from pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) centers in seven tertiary hospitals in Northeast China from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023. RESULTS: A total of 255 patients were confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 45 patients (17.65 %) were included in this study. Of these, seven (15.6%) patients died, and the median time from admission to death was 35 h (IQR, 14-120 h). Twenty (52.6%) survivors experienced neurological sequelae. Patients with platelet counts lower than 100 × 109/L had a higher incidence of complications such as multiple organ dysfunction, mechanical ventilation rate, and mortality. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) always reveals cerebral tissue edema, with some severe lesions forming a softening site. CONCLUSION: Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 often exhibit severe neurological symptoms, and in some cases, they may rapidly develop malignant cerebral edema or herniation, leading to a fatal outcome. An early decrease in platelet count may associated with an unfavorable prognosis. IMPACT: Since early December 2022, China has gradually adjusted its prevention and control policy of SARS-CoV-2; Omicron outbreaks have occurred in some areas for a relatively short period. Due to the differences in ethnicity, endemic strains and vaccination status, there was a little difference from what has been reported about children with SARS-CoV-2 infection with severe neurological symptoms in abroad. This is the first multicenter clinical study in children with nervous system involvement after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in China, and helpful for pediatricians to have a more comprehensive understanding of the clinical symptoms and prognosis of such disease.

Total flavone of Abelmoschus manihot regulates autophagy through the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway to treat intestinal fibrosis in Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Drug therapy is the treatment of choice for Crohn's disease because it effectively controls or prevents intestinal inflammation. The purpose was to research the molecular mechanism of the total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot (TFA) on intestinal fibrosis in Crohn's disease. METHODS: A 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis model and IGF-1-treated intestinal fibroblasts were established. Then, TFA, 3-MA, and compound C were used treatments. Hematoxylin and eosin, Masson, and Picrosirius red staining were performed to observe the colon tissue. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect α-SMA expression. Flow cytometry, CCK8, wound healing, and Transwell assays were conducted to determine apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, and migration. Col1a1 and Col3a1 levels were detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Proteins related to autophagy and apoptosis were detected using western blotting. RESULTS: TFA treated intestinal fibrosis in chronic Crohn's disease. Colon length was the shortest in the ethanol + TNBS group, and TFA treatment significantly improved the situation. Intestinal fibrosis and the percentage of collagen area decreased after TFA treatment. TFA reduced fibrosis by enhancing autophagy stimulation, whereas an autophagy inhibitor reversed the TFA effect. TFA also inhibited migration, proliferation, and collagen synthesis in intestinal fibroblasts. Moreover, it enhanced autophagy and apoptosis of intestinal fibroblasts. TFA upregulated p-AMPK expression and decreases p-mTOR levels. Compound C partially rescued the effect of TFA, indicating that TFA affected intestinal fibroblasts via the AMPK/mTOR pathway in vitro and in vivo. TFA also downregulated Col1a1 and Col3a1 expression. CONCLUSION: TFA regulates autophagy through AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway to treat intestinal fibrosis, which may provide a new therapy for Crohn's disease treatment.

Identification and precise mapping of PmHSM, a novel recessive powdery mildew resistance allele from wheat landrace Heshangmai.

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the world's primary food crop, and ensuring its safe production is of utmost importance for global peace and human development. However, the continuous threat of fungal diseases, including Fusarium head scab, rusts, sharp eyespot, and powdery mildew (PM), poses a significant challenge to production. PM caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) causes substantial yield losses. Heshangmai (HSM), a wheat landrace originating from Sichuan Province, possesses high levels of resistance to PM. A comprehensive study using a large segregating population of a cross between HSM and Ningmaizi119 (NMZ119) revealed a single recessive allele conferring resistance. The gene, provisionally designated PmHSM, was located on the long arm of chromosome 4A (4AL). Molecular marker analysis, PM response array, and an allelism test indicated that PmHSM is a novel recessive resistance gene that shares an allelic relationship with PmHHXM. Thirteen simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed using the sequence information of the 4AL region in the Chinese spring reference sequence v2.1 (CS RefSeq v2.1). PmHSM was flanked by markers Xmp1567 and Xmp1444 at genetic distances of 0.11 cM and 0.18 cM, respectively, and co-segregated with markers Xmp1439/Xmp1440/Xmp1442.

Tubular cell transcriptional intermediary factor 1γ deficiency exacerbates kidney injury-induced tubular cell polyploidy and fibrosis.

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is considered the final convergent pathway of progressive chronic kidney diseases (CKD) regardless of etiology. However, mechanisms underlying kidney injury-induced fibrosis largely remain unknown. Recent studies have indicated that transcriptional intermediary factor 1γ (TIF1γ) inhibits the progression of fibrosis in other organs. Here, we found that TIF1γ was highly expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the kidney proximal tubule. Interestingly, we found tubular TIF1γ expression was decreased in patients with CKD, including those with diabetes, hypertension, and IgA nephropathy, and in mouse models with experimental kidney fibrosis (unilateral ureteral obstruction [UUO], folic acid nephropathy [FAN], and aristolochic acid-induced nephrotoxicity). Tubule-specific knock out of TIF1γ in mice exacerbated UUO- and FAN-induced tubular cell polyploidy and subsequent fibrosis, whereas overexpression of kidney TIF1γ protected mice against kidney fibrosis. Mechanistically, in tubular epithelial cells, TIF1γ exerted an antifibrotic role via transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)-dependent and -independent signaling. TIF1γ hindered TGF-ß signaling directly by inhibiting the formation and activity of the transcription factor Smad complex in tubular cells, and we discovered that TIF1γ suppressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling upstream of TGF-ß signaling in tubular cells by ubiquitylating EGFR at its lysine 851/905 sites thereby promoting EGFR internalization and lysosomal degradation. Pharmacological inhibition of EGFR signaling attenuated exacerbated polyploidization and the fibrotic phenotype in mice with tubule deletion of TIF1γ. Thus, tubular TIF1γ plays an important role in kidney fibrosis by suppressing profibrotic EGFR and TGF-ß signaling. Hence, our findings suggest that maintaining homeostasis of tubular TIF1γ may be a new therapeutic option for treating tubulointerstitial fibrosis and subsequent CKD.

Characterization of TGFß-associated molecular features and drug responses in gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma (GIAD) has caused a serious disease burden globally. Targeted therapy for the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) signaling pathway is becoming a reality. However, the molecular characterization of TGF-ß associated signatures in GIAD requires further exploration. METHODS: Multi-omics data were collected from TCGA and GEO database. A pivotal unsupervised clustering for TGF-ß level was performed by distinguish status of TGF-ß associated genes. We analyzed differential mRNAs, miRNAs, proteins gene mutations and copy number variations in both clusters for comparison. Enrichment of pathways and gene sets were identified in each type of GIAD. Then we performed differential mRNA related drug response by collecting data from GDSC. At last, a summarized deep neural network for TGF-ß status and GIADs was constracted. RESULTS: The TGF-ßhigh group had a worse prognosis in overall GIAD patients, and had a worse prognosis trend in gastric cancer and colon cancer specifically. Signatures (including mRNA and proteins) of the TGF-ßhigh group is highly correlated with EMT. According to miRNA analysis, miR-215-3p, miR-378a-5p, and miR-194-3p may block the effect of TGF-ß. Further genomic analysis showed that TGF-ßlow group had more genomic changes in gastric cancer, such as TP53 mutation, EGFR amplification, and SMAD4 deletion. And drug response dataset revealed tumor-sensitive or tumor-resistant drugs corresponding to TGF-ß associated mRNAs. Finally, the DNN model showed an excellent predictive effect in predicting TGF-ß status in different GIAD datasets. CONCLUSIONS: We provide molecular signatures associated with different levels of TGF-ß to deepen the understanding of the role of TGF-ß in GIAD and provide potential drug possibilities for therapeutic targets in different levels of TGF-ß in GIAD.

Genetic Dissection of Adult Plant Resistance to Sharp Eyespot Using an Updated Genetic Map of Niavt14 × Xuzhou25 Winter Wheat Recombinant Inbred Line Population.

Wheat sharp eyespot, a disease mainly caused by soilborne fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis, is a threat to world wheat production. Wheat's genetic resistance to sharp eyespot is a potential approach to reducing the application of fungicides and farming practice inputs. To identify the genetic basis of sharp eyespot resistance in Niavt14, a recombinant inbred line population comprising 215 F8 lines from Niavt14 × Xuzhou25, was developed. An earlier linkage map (148 simple sequence repeat markers) was updated with 5,792 polymorphic Affymetrix Axiom 55K single-nucleotide polymorphisms to a new map of 5,684.2 centimorgans with 1,406 nonredundant markers. The new linkage map covered all 21 chromosomes of common wheat and showed a good collinearity with the IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 genome. We conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for sharp eyespot resistance using the adult plant response data from the field of five consecutive growing seasons and one greenhouse test. Two stable QTL on chromosomes 2B and 7D that were identified in the previous study were confirmed, and three novel, stable QTL, explaining 4.0 to 17.5% phenotypic variation, were mapped on 1D, 6D, and 7A, which were independent of QTL for phenology and plant height. The QTL on 1D, 2B, 6D, and 7A showed low frequencies in 384 landraces (0 to 10%) and 269 elite cultivars (5 to 23%) from the southern winter wheat region and the Yellow and Huai River Valley facultative wheat region in China, respectively. These identified QTL could be used in wheat breeding programs for improving sharp eyespot resistance through marker-assisted selection.

Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Analysis in Alpha-Synuclein Transgenic Mice Reveals the Involvement of Aberrant p25/Cdk5 Signaling in Early-stage Parkinson's Disease.

A30P and A53T mutations in the gene encoding alpha-synuclein-a presynaptic protein-are the most frequently identified genetic causes of Parkinson's disease (PD). Aberrant alpha-synuclein likely plays central roles in dopaminergic neuronal death and motor symptoms in PD. This study investigated the protein phosphorylation profile in early-stage PD through phosphoproteomic analyses of tissue samples from the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) of 6-month-old alpha-synuclein transgenic mice (A30P/A53T double-mutant human alpha-synuclein; hm2α-SYN-39 strain). We identified 5351 phosphorylation sites in 2136 phosphoproteins. Of these, 357 upregulated sites in 245 proteins and 50 downregulated sites in 46 proteins were differentially phosphorylated between alpha-synuclein transgenic and wildtype mice. Bioinformatic analyses, including Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment, and motif analyses, were used to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying double-mutant human alpha-synuclein overexpression. Scansite-based computational analysis and prediction of differentially quantitated phosphoproteins identified the neuronal protein cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) as the most significantly enriched kinase. Biochemical experiments suggested that the p25/Cdk5 pathway was activated in an MPP+-induced cell culture model and MPTP-induced mouse model. Moreover, Cdk5 could directly phosphorylate the Ank2 protein at Ser1889 in vitro. Therefore, quantitative phosphoproteomic using an alpha-synuclein transgenic mouse model offers a powerful approach for elucidating the protein phosphorylation mechanism underlying SNpc dopaminergic neuronal death in an animal model of PD.

The wheat AGC kinase TaAGC1 is a positive contributor to host resistance to the necrotrophic pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis.

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the roles of AGC kinases in mammalian systems. However, very little is known about the roles of AGC kinases in wheat (Triticum aestivum). The necrotrophic fungus Rhizoctonia cerealis is the major pathogen of the destructive disease sharp eyespot of wheat. In this study, the wheat AGC kinase gene TaAGC1, responding to R. cerealis infection, was isolated, and its properties and role in wheat defence were characterized. R. cerealis-resistant wheat lines expressed TaAGC1 at higher levels than susceptible wheat lines. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the TaAGC1 protein is a serine/threonine kinase belonging to the NDR (nuclear Dbf2-related) subgroup of AGC kinases. Kinase activity assays proved that TaAGC1 is a functional kinase and the Asp-239 residue located in the conserved serine/threonine kinase domain of TaAGC1 is required for the kinase activity. Subcellular localization assays indicated that TaAGC1 localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Virus-induced TaAGC1 silencing revealed that the down-regulation of TaAGC1 transcripts significantly impaired wheat resistance to R. cerealis. The molecular characterization and responses of TaAGC1 overexpressing transgenic wheat plants indicated that TaAGC1 overexpression significantly enhanced resistance to sharp eyespot and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in wheat plants challenged with R. cerealis. Furthermore, ROS-scavenging and certain defence-associated genes were up-regulated in resistant plants overexpressing TaAGC1 but down-regulated in susceptible knock-down plants. These results suggested that the kinase TaAGC1 positively contributes to wheat immunity to R. cerealis through regulating expression of ROS-related and defence-associated genes.

[Effect of modified zuoguiwan on Th17/Treg subpopulation of estrogen deficiency induced bone loss mice].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Modified Zuoguiwan (MZ) on the balance between helper T cell subsets 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cell subsets (Treg) in estrogen deficiency induced bone loss mice and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: Totally 50 BALB/c mice were divided into the sham-operation group, the ovariectomy model group, the low dose MZ group, the middle dose MZ group, and the high dose MZ group by random digit table, 10 in each group. Mice in the low, middle, and high dose MZ groups were respectively administered with MZ at the daily dose of 7.25, 14.50, and 29.00 g/kg by gastrogavage, 0.5 mL each time for 12 successive weeks. Meanwhile, mice in the sham-operation group and the ovariectomy model group were administered with equal volume by gastrogavage, 0.50 mL each time. The serum estradiol (E2) level was assessed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Bone mineral density (BMD) of thigh bone was measured with dual energy X ray absorptiometry. In addition, the population of Th17/Treg subsets in spleen mononuclear cells was analyzed by extracellular and intracellular staining method using flow cytometry. Moreover, the mRNA expression of IL-17A and TGF-ß in the spleen mononuclear cells was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Compared with the sham-operation group, both E2 and BMD significantly decreased, the percentage of Th17 subset and Th17/Treg ratio both increased, the percentage of Treg subset obviously decreased, the expression of IL-17A mRNA significantly increased, and the expression of TGF-ß mRNA significantly decreased in the ovariectomy model group (all P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, BMD obviously increased, the percentage of Th17 subset and Th17/Treg ratio both decreased, the percentage of Treg subset obviously increased, the expression of IL-17A mRNA significantly decreased, and the expression of TGF-ß mRNA significantly increased in the middle dose MZ group and the high dose MZ group (all P < 0. 05). Correlation analyses showed that BMD was positively related to both the serum E2 level and the percentage of Treg subset (P < 0.05), but negatively related to the percentage of Th17 subset (P < 0.05). In addition, the serum E2 level was positively related to the percentage of Treg subset, but obviously negatively related to that of Th17 subset (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was correlation between Th17/Treg imbalance and E2 deficient bone loss. MZ could decrease the proportion of Th17 subset, but elevate the proportion of Treg subset in E2 deficient bone loss mice. It could achieve therapeutic effect through adjusting the balance of Th17/Treg in E2 deficient bone loss mice.

Exploring the stability of the gender gap in faculty perceptions of gender climate at a rural regional university.

Increasing awareness of gender barriers and biases in academic institutions is an essential component of institutional change strategies to promote equity and inclusion. There is an established perception gap in recognizing gender inequities in the workplace, whereby men faculty under acknowledge the stressors, barriers, and biases faced by their women faculty colleagues. This study explored the gender gap in faculty perceptions of institutional diversity climate at a rural comprehensive regional university in the United States. In addition to gender, differences across academic discipline and time were explored using 2 (men and women) x 2 (STEM and other) x 2 (2017 and 2022) between-groups ANOVAs. Results revealed a gender gap that persisted across time and perceptions of stressors, diversity climate, student behavior, leadership, and fairness in promotion/tenure procedures, with marginalized (women) faculty consistently reporting greater barriers/concern for women faculty relative to the perceptions of their men faculty colleagues. These findings are largely consistent with the extant literature and are discussed both with regard to future research directions and recommendations for reducing the perception gap and addressing institutional barriers to gender equity.

Tracking cognitive trajectories in older survivors of COVID-19 up to 2.5 years post-infection.

Emerging evidence suggests that neurological and other post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 can persist beyond or develop following SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the long-term trajectories of cognitive change after a COVID-19 infection remain unclear. Here we investigated cognitive changes over a period of 2.5 years among 1,245 individuals aged 60 years or older who survived infection with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain in Wuhan, China, and 358 uninfected spouses. We show that the overall incidence of cognitive impairment among older COVID-19 survivors was 19.1% at 2.5 years after infection and hospitalization, evaluated using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-40. Cognitive decline primarily manifested in individuals with severe COVID-19 during the initial year of infection, after which the rate of decline decelerated. Severe COVID-19, cognitive impairment at 6 months and hypertension were associated with long-term cognitive decline. These findings reveal the long-term cognitive trajectory of the disease and underscore the importance of post-infection cognitive care for COVID-19 survivors.

Research on fault diagnosis system for belt conveyor based on internet of things and the LightGBM model.

As an equipment failure that often occurs in coal production and transportation, belt conveyor failure usually requires many human and material resources to be identified and diagnosed. Therefore, it is urgent to improve the efficiency of fault identification, and this paper combines the internet of things (IoT) platform and the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) model to establish a fault diagnosis system for the belt conveyor. Firstly, selecting and installing sensors for the belt conveyor to collect the running data. Secondly, connecting the sensor and the Aprus adapter and configuring the script language on the client side of the IoT platform. This step enables the collected data to be uploaded to the client side of the IoT platform, where the data can be counted and visualized. Finally, the LGBM model is built to diagnose the conveyor faults, and the evaluation index and K-fold cross-validation prove the model's effectiveness. In addition, after the system was established and debugged, it was applied in practical mine engineering for three months. The field test results show: (1) The client of the IoT can well receive the data uploaded by the sensor and present the data in the form of a graph. (2) The LGBM model has a high accuracy. In the test, the model accurately detected faults, including belt deviation, belt slipping, and belt tearing, which happened twice, two times, one time and one time, respectively, as well as timely gaving warnings to the client and effectively avoiding subsequent accidents. This application shows that the fault diagnosis system of belt conveyors can accurately diagnose and identify belt conveyor failure in the coal production process and improve the intelligent management of coal mines.

Prediction of road dust concentration in open-pit coal mines based on multivariate mixed model.

The problem of dust pollution in the open-pit coal mine significantly impacts the health of staff, the regular operation of mining work, and the surrounding environment. At the same time, the open-pit road is the largest dust source. Therefore, it analyzes the influencing factors of road dust concentration in the open-pit coal mine. It is of practical significance to establish a prediction model for scientific and effective prediction of road dust concentration in the open pit coal mine. The prediction model helps reduce dust hazards. This paper uses the hourly air quality and meteorological data of an open-pit coal mine in Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021. Create a CNN-BiLSTM-Attention multivariate hybrid model consisting of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), a bidirectional long short-term memory neural network (BiLSTM), and an attention mechanism, Prediction of PM2.5 concentration in the next 24h. Establish prediction models of parallel and serial structures, and carry out many experiments according to the change period of the data to determine the optimal configuration and the input and output size. Then, a comparison of the proposed model and Lasso regression, SVR, XGBoost, LSTM, BiLSTM, CNN-LSTM, and CNN-BiLSTM models for short-term prediction (24h) and long-term prediction (48h, 72h, 96h, and 120h). The results show that the CNN-BiLSTM-Attention multivariate mixed model proposed in this paper has the best prediction performance. The mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (R2) of the short-term forecast (24h) are 6.957, 8.985, and 0.914, respectively. Evaluation indicators of long-term forecasts (48h, 72h, 96h, and 120h) are also superior to contrast models. Finally, we used field-measured data to verify, and the obtained evaluation indexes MAE, RMSE, and R2 are 3.127, 3.989, and 0.951, respectively. The model-fitting effect was good.

Self-Reported Neurological Symptoms Two Years After Hospital Discharge Among COVID-19 Survivors.

Background: The acute stage of COVID-19 often presents with neurological manifestations. Objective: This study aims to investigate the long-term neurological effects on survivors. Methods: This study recruited 1,546 COVID-19 survivors from Wuhan, including 1,119 nonsevere cases and 427 severe survivors. Participants were interviewed two years after discharge to report their neurological symptoms. The neurological symptoms of COVID-19 were compared between survivors of severe and nonsevere COVID-19. Results: Among the 1,546 COVID-19 survivors, 44.24% discovered at least one neurological symptom. The most prevalent self-reported symptom was fatigue (28.33%), memory deficit (13.26%), attention deficit (9.96%), myalgia (8.34%), dizziness (3.82%), and headache (2.52%). Severe cases had higher incidences of fatigue, myalgia, memory deficit, attention deficit than nonsevere cases. Older age, severe COVID-19, and comorbidity burden were associated with long-term neurological symptoms. Conclusion: Neurological symptoms are common among COVID-19 survivors, especially in severe cases.

Genetic analysis and molecular mapping of a new powdery mildew resistant gene Pm46 in common wheat.

Powdery mildew (PM), caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), has become a serious disease and caused severe yield losses in the wheat production worldwide. Resistance gene(s) in wheat cultivars can be quickly overcome by newly evolved pathogen races when these genes are employed for long time or in a large area. It is urgent to search for new sources of resistance to be used in wheat breeding. Tabasco is a German resistant cultivar and a new source of resistance gene(s) to PM. An F(2) population was developed from a cross between Tabasco and a Chinese susceptible cultivar Ningnuo 1. Infection types in 472 F(2) plants and 436 F(2-3) families were evaluated by inoculating plants with isolate Bgt19. Results showed that a single dominant gene, designed Pm46, controlled powdery mildew resistance in Tabasco. This gene was located to the short arm of chromosome 5D (5DS) and flanked by simple sequence repeat markers Xgwm205 and Xcfd81 at 18.9 cM apart. Because another resistance gene Pm2 was also located on 5DS, 15 Bgt isolates were used to inoculate Tabasco and Ulka/8*Cc (Pm2 carrier). The results showed that Tabasco was highly resistant to all of the 15 isolates tested, while Ulka/8*Cc was susceptible to 4 of the isolates, suggesting that Tabasco may carry resistant gene(s) different from Pm2 gene in Ulka/8*Cc. To test the allelism between Pm46 and Pm2, an F(2) population between Tabasco and Ulka/8*Cc was developed. Isolate Bgt2, avirulent to both parents, was used to evaluate the F(2) population and two susceptible plants were identified from 536 progenies with F(2) plants. This result indicated that Pm46 is not allelic to Pm2. Therefore, Pm46 is a new gene for PM resistance identified in this study.

The role of YAP1 in liver cancer stem cells: proven and potential mechanisms.

YAP1 (Yes-associated protein 1) is one of the principal factors that mediates oncogenesis by acting as a driver of gene expression. It has been confirmed to play an important role in organ volume control, stem cell function, tissue regeneration, tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis. Recent research findings show that YAP1 is correlated with the stemness of liver cancer stem cells, and liver cancer stem cells are closely associated with YAP1-induced tumor initiation and progression. This article reviews the advancements made in research on the mechanisms by which YAP1 promotes liver cancer stem cells and discusses some potential mechanisms that require further study.

Design of PM2.5 monitoring and forecasting system for opencast coal mine road based on internet of things and ARIMA Mode.

The dust produced by transportation roads is the primary source of PM2.5 pollution in opencast coal mines. However, China's opencast coal mines lack an efficient and straightforward construction scheme of monitoring and management systems and a short-term prediction model to support dust control. In this study, by establishing a PM2.5 and other real-time environmental information to monitor, manage, visualize and predict the Internet of things monitoring and prediction system to solve these problems. This study solves these problems by establishing an Internet of things monitoring and prediction system, which can monitor PM2.5 and other real-time environmental information for monitoring, management, visualization, and prediction. We use Lua language to write interface protocol code in the APRUS adapter, which can simplify the construction of environmental monitoring system. The Internet of things platform has a custom visualization scheme, which is convenient for managers without programming experience to manage sensors and real-time data. We analyze real-time data using a time series model in Python, and RMSE and MAPE evaluate cross-validation results. The evaluation results show that the average RMSE of the ARIMA (4,1,0) and Double Exponential Smoothing models are 12.68 and 8.34, respectively. Both models have good generalization ability. The average MAPE of the fitting results are 10.5% and 1.7%, respectively, and the relative error is small. Because the ARIMA model has a more flexible prediction range and strong expansibility, and ARIMA model shows good adaptability in cross-validation, the ARIMA model is more suitable as the short-term prediction model of the prediction system. The prediction system can continuously predict PM2.5 dust through the ARIMA model. The monitoring and prediction system is very suitable for managers of opencast coal mines to prevent and control road dust.

Construction of an evapotranspiration model and analysis of spatiotemporal variation in Xilin River Basin, China.

Surface evapotranspiration is a water exchange process between the atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. Accurate evapotranspiration estimations in arid and semi-arid regions are important for monitoring droughts and protecting the ecological environment. The main objective of this study is to build an evapotranspiration estimation model suitable for an effective scientific and objective evaluation of water consumption in the arid and semi-arid regions of the Xilin River Basin based on comprehensive parameters, including meteorological parameters, vegetation coverage, and soil water content. In this study, the community evapotranspiration model was initially constructed using field data, which was then expanded for applicability to the Xilin River Basin based on Geographic Information System technology and spatial heterogeneity characteristics of remote sensing data; both models were significant at the 0.05 level. The monthly evapotranspiration values in July during 2000-2017 and those from April to September (growing season) during the dry, normal, and wet years were calculated using the model at the basin scale. The evapotranspiration showed a generally increasing trend, which was consistent with the fluctuation trend in precipitation in July during 2000-2017. The trend curve for evapotranspiration was gentle during the growing season in dry years, but steep during wet years. The evapotranspiration was the lowest in April, with negligible spatial variations throughout the Xilin River Basin. During May-July, the evapotranspiration was higher than that in other months, in the following order: upper reaches > middle reaches > lower reaches; this was consistent with the vegetation coverage. The evapotranspiration declined and spatial variations were not evident during August-September. The results of this study provide a reference for evapotranspiration model construction and a scientific basis for evaluating regional water resources and protecting the ecological environment.