Genetic Dissection of Major Rice QTLs for Strong Culms and Fine Mapping of qWS5 for Breeding Application in Transplanted System.

BACKGROUND: Rice is one of the major staples that feeds about one half of the global populations, and it is important to identify the genetic loci for the traits related to yield improvement. Lodging will cause severe yield loss when it happens, and stem diameter has been characterized as an important trait for lodging resistance. However, most QTLs for stem diameter have not been finely dissected due to their sensitivity to environmental fluctuation. RESULT: In this study, we performed QTL analysis for stem diameter using populations derived from Nipponbare (NIP) and strong culm variety YYP1, and confirmed the single and combined effect of three major QTLs by recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Based on the QTL location, we found that qWS5 is a novel QTL not well characterized before. To finely dissect the novel locus, several recombinant heterogeneous inbred families (HIFs) were selected from the RILs for linkage analysis and their derived nearly isogenic lines (NILs) were subjected to detailed trait investigation throughout different years. The HIF-NILs strategy confined the QTL to about 380 kb region supported by repeated genotype and phenotype data, and it lays the foundation for QTL cloning in the future. In addition, introgression of the QTL to an elite japonica variety SD785 was performed by successive backcrossing, and it confirmed the value of qWS5 in increasing stem diameter and other agronomic traits during rice breeding. CONCLUSIONS: We prove that qWS5 is a novel QTL with relatively stable effect for stem diameter and the QTL can be finely mapped to small region by the HIF-NILs strategy. The result will facilitate the improvement of rice lodging resistance by molecular marker assisted selection breeding.

Predictive Value of Multiple Scoring Systems in the Prognosis of Septic Patients with Different Infection Sites: Analysis of the Medical Information Mart for the Intensive Care IV Database.

The heterogeneity nature of sepsis is significantly impacted by the site of infection. This study aims to explore the predictive value of multiple scoring systems in assessing the prognosis of septic patients across different infection sites. Data for this retrospective cohort study were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database (MIMIC-IV) (v2.2). Adult patients meeting the criteria for sepsis 3.0 and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were enrolled. Infection sites included were pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), cellulitis, abdominal infection, and bacteremia. The primary outcome assessed was 28-day mortality. The sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, Oxford Acute Severity of Illness Score (OASIS), and Logistic Organ Dysfunction System (LODS) score were compared. Binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between these variables and mortality. Additionally, differences in the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) among the scoring systems were analyzed. A total of 4721 patients were included in the analysis. The average 28-day mortality rate was 9.4%. Significant differences were observed in LODS, OASIS, and SOFA scores between the 28-day survival and non-survival groups across different infection sites (p < 0.01). In the pneumonia group and abdominal infection group, both the LODS and OASIS scoring systems emerged as independent risk factors for mortality in septic patients (odds ratio [OR]: 1.165, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.109-1.224, p < 0.001; OR: 1.047, 95% CI: 1.028-1.065, p < 0.001) (OR: 1.200, 95% CI: 1.091-1.319, p < 0.001; OR: 1.060, 95% CI: 1.025-1.095, p < 0.001). For patients with UTI, the LODS, OASIS, and SOFA scoring systems were identified as independent risk factors for mortality (OR: 1.142, 95% CI: 1.068-1.220, p < 0.001; OR: 1.062, 95% CI: 1.037-1.087, p < 0.001; OR: 1.146, 95% CI: 1.046-1.255, p = 0.004), with the AUC of LODS score and OASIS significantly higher than that of the SOFA score (p = 0.006). Among patients with cellulitis, the OASIS and SOFA scoring systems were identified as independent risk factors for mortality (OR: 1.055, 95% CI: 1.007-1.106, p = 0.025; OR: 1.187, 95% CI: 1.005-1.403, p = 0.044), with no significant difference in prognosis prediction observed (p = 0.243). In the bacteremia group, the LODS scoring system was identified as an independent risk factor for mortality (OR: 1.165, 95% CI: 1.109-1.224, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that LODS scores offer better prognostic accuracy for predicting the mortality risk in septic patients with pneumonia, abdominal infections, bacteremia, and UTI compared to SOFA scores.

Preliminary Analysis of Aging-Related Genes in Intracerebral Hemorrhage by Integration of Bulk and Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Technology.

Background: Aging is recognized as the key risk for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The detailed mechanisms of aging in ICH warrant exploration. This study aimed to identify potential aging-related genes associated with ICH. Methods: ICH-specific aging-related genes were determined by the intersection of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between perihematomal tissues and corresponding contralateral parts of four patients with ICH (GSE24265) and 349 aging-related genes obtained from the Aging Atlas database. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analyses were performed to identify the potential biological functions and pathways in which these ICH-specific aging-related genes may be involved. Then, PPI network was established to identify the hub genes of ICH-specific aging-related genes. Meanwhile, miRNA-mRNA and transcription factor (TF)-mRNA regulatory networks were constructed to further explore the ICH-specific aging-related genes regulation. The relationship between these hub genes and immune infiltration was also further explored. Additional single-cell RNA-seq analysis (scRNA-seq, GSE167593) was used to locate the hub genes in different cell types. Besides, expression levels of the hub genes were validated using clinical samples from our institute and another GEO dataset (GSE206971). Results: This study identified 24 ICH-specific aging-related genes, including 22 up-regulated and 2 down-regulated genes. The results of GO and KEGG suggested that the ICH-specific aging-related genes mainly enriched in immunity and inflammation-related pathways, suggesting that aging may affect the ich pathogenesis by regulating inflammatory and immune-related pathways. Conclusion: Our study revealed 24 ICH-specific aging-related genes and their functions highly pertinent to ICH pathogenesis, providing new insights into the impact of aging on ICH.

ABA-mediated regulation of rice grain quality and seed dormancy via the NF-YB1-SLRL2-bHLH144 Module.

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a crucial role in promoting plant stress resistance and seed dormancy. However, how ABA regulates rice quality remains unclear. This study identifies a key transcription factor SLR1-like2 (SLRL2), which mediates the ABA-regulated amylose content (AC) of rice. Mechanistically, SLRL2 interacts with NF-YB1 to co-regulate Wx, a determinant of AC and rice quality. In contrast to SLR1, SLRL2 is ABA inducible but insensitive to GA. In addition, SLRL2 exhibits DNA-binding activity and directly regulates the expression of Wx, bHLH144 and MFT2. SLRL2 competes with NF-YC12 for interaction with NF-YB1. NF-YB1 also directly represses SLRL2 transcription. Genetic validation supports that SLRL2 functions downstream of NF-YB1 and bHLH144 in regulating rice AC. Thus, an NF-YB1-SLRL2-bHLH144 regulatory module is successfully revealed. Furthermore, SLRL2 regulates rice dormancy by modulating the expression of MFT2. In conclusion, this study revealed an ABA-responsive regulatory cascade that functions in both rice quality and seed dormancy.

RGA1 regulates grain size, rice quality and seed germination in the small and round grain mutant srg5.

BACKGROUND: Generating elite rice varieties with high yield and superior quality is the main goal of rice breeding programs. Key agronomic traits, including grain size and seed germination characteristics, affect the final yield and quality of rice. The RGA1 gene, which encodes the α-subunit of rice G-protein, plays an important role in regulating rice architecture, seed size and abiotic stress responses. However, whether RGA1 is involved in the regulation of rice quality and seed germination traits is still unclear. RESULTS: In this study, a rice mutant small and round grain 5 (srg5), was identified in an EMS-induced rice mutant library. Systematic analysis of its major agronomic traits revealed that the srg5 mutant exhibited a semi-dwarf plant height with small and round grain and reduced panicle length. Analysis of the physicochemical properties of rice showed that the difference in rice eating and cooking quality (ECQ) between the srg5 mutant and its wild-type control was small, but the appearance quality was significantly improved. Interestingly, a significant suppression of rice seed germination and shoot growth was observed in the srg5 mutant, which was mainly related to the regulation of ABA metabolism. RGA1 was identified as the candidate gene for the srg5 mutant by BSA analysis. A SNP at the splice site of the first intron disrupted the normal splicing of the RGA1 transcript precursor, resulting in a premature stop codon. Additional linkage analysis confirmed that the target gene causing the srg5 mutant phenotype was RGA1. Finally, the introduction of the RGA1 mutant allele into two indica rice varieties also resulted in small and round rice grains with less chalkiness. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that RGA1 is not only involved in the control of rice architecture and grain size, but also in the regulation of rice quality and seed germination. This study sheds new light on the biological functions of RGA1, thereby providing valuable information for future systematic analysis of the G-protein pathway and its potential application in rice breeding programs.

Brassinosteroid regulates stomatal development in etiolated Arabidopsis cotyledons via transcription factors BZR1 and BES1.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are phytohormones that regulate stomatal development. In this study, we report that BR represses stomatal development in etiolated Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cotyledons via transcription factors BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) and bri1-EMS SUPPRESSOR1 (BES1), which directly target MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE KINASE 9 (MKK9) and FAMA, 2 important genes for stomatal development. BZR1/BES1 bind MKK9 and FAMA promoters in vitro and in vivo, and mutation of the BZR1/BES1 binding motif in MKK9/FAMA promoters abolishes their transcription regulation by BZR1/BES1 in plants. Expression of a constitutively active MKK9 (MKK9DD) suppressed overproduction of stomata induced by BR deficiency, while expression of a constitutively inactive MKK9 (MKK9KR) induced high-density stomata in bzr1-1D. In addition, bzr-h, a sextuple mutant of the BZR1 family of proteins, produced overabundant stomata, and the dominant bzr1-1D and bes1-D mutants effectively suppressed the stomata-overproducing phenotype of brassinosteroid insensitive 1-116 (bri1-116) and brassinosteroid insensitive 2-1 (bin2-1). In conclusion, our results revealed important roles of BZR1/BES1 in stomatal development, and their transcriptional regulation of MKK9 and FAMA expression may contribute to BR-regulated stomatal development in etiolated Arabidopsis cotyledons.

Perceived Social Support and Experiential Avoidance in Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Individual Relative Deprivation and Subjective Social Class.

Based on the integration of ecological systems theory and the risk and protective factor model, the current study tested whether individual relative deprivation mediated the association between perceived social support and adolescents' experiential avoidance and whether this mediation model was moderated by subjective social class. A sample of 582 senior high school students in China participated in the current survey. The results indicated that perceived social support was negatively related to the students' experiential avoidance. Mediation analysis showed a significant indirect effect of perceived social support on experiential avoidance, via individual relative deprivation. Moreover, the mediation effect of individual relative deprivation was moderated by subjective social class. Specifically, the negative relationship between perceived social support and individual relative deprivation, and the direct relationship between perceived social support and experiential avoidance were stronger for adolescents with low subjective social class. In contrast, the positive relationship between individual relative deprivation and experiential avoidance was stronger for adolescents with high subjective social class.

Neuronavigation-assisted neuroendoscopy versus conventional craniotomy for hypertensive cerebellar hemorrhage: A comparative analysis of efficacy and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Hypertensive cerebellar hemorrhage is a severe condition in neurosurgery, associated with high disability and mortality rates. The present study compares the efficacy and outcomes of neuronavigation-assisted neuroendoscopy versus conventional microscope (craniotomy) in treating patients with hypertensive cerebellar hemorrhage. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted by analyzing medical records of patients with hypertensive cerebellar hemorrhage treated at Wuhan No.1 Hospital between February 2015 and February 2019. The study included 65 patients who underwent either neuronavigation-assisted neuroendoscopy (n = 35) or conventional microscopy treatment (n = 30). All patients underwent standard neurological and clinical examinations, as well as routine laboratory tests upon admission. The diagnosis of hypertensive cerebellar hemorrhage was based on computed tomography (CT) findings. Basic parameters, clinical status on admission, imaging results, management, and outcome measures were evaluated and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Neuronavigation-assisted neuroendoscopy showed advantages over craniotomy in terms of surgical procedure time and intraoperative blood loss ((81.91 ± 17.77) min vs (195.20 ± 31.97) min, (63.66 ± 12.42) ml vs (335.00 ± 104.26) ml, P < 0.01). The hematoma evacuation rate was higher in neuroendoscopy group ((94.37 ± 5.174)% compared to the craniotomy group ((90.80 ± 5.404)%, P < 0.01). Additionally, the time of ventricular drainage was shorter in the neuroendoscopy group ((4.83 ± 1.671) days) than in the craniotomy group ((7.70 ± 1.878) days, P < 0.01). Neuroendoscopy group also resulted in fewer surgical complications and a shorter hospital stay (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the risk of rebleeding and mortality between the neuroendoscopy and craniotomy group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Neuronavigation-assisted neuroendoscopy is a rapid, safe, and effective minimally invasive technique for the treatment of hypertensive cerebellar hemorrhage. It offers potential benefits in reducing surgical complications and hospital stay compared to conventional craniotomy.

Gene editing of non-coding regulatory DNA and its application in crop improvement.

The development of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) system has provided precise and efficient strategies to edit target genes and generate transgene-free crops. Significant progress has been made in the editing of protein-coding genes; however, studies on the editing of non-coding DNA with regulatory roles lags far behind. Non-coding regulatory DNAs, including those which can be transcribed into long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and miRNAs, together with cis-regulatory elements (CREs), play crucial roles in regulating plant growth and development. Therefore, the combination of CRISPR/Cas technology and non-coding regulatory DNA has great potential to generate novel alleles that affect various agronomic traits of crops, thus providing valuable genetic resources for crop breeding. Herein, we review recent advances in the roles of non-coding regulatory DNA, attempts to edit non-coding regulatory DNA for crop improvement, and potential application of novel editing tools in modulating non-coding regulatory DNA. Finally, the existing problems, possible solutions, and future applications of gene editing of non-coding regulatory DNA in modern crop breeding practice are also discussed.

Role of self-esteem in the association between mindset of socioeconomic status and well-being: A cross-lagged panel analysis.

People who believe that their socioeconomic status (SES) can be changed-with growth mindset or incremental implicit theory of SES-tend to have better psychological well-being. Nevertheless, it remains unclear on why growth mindset of SES benefits well-being. The present research aims to answer this question by investigating the longitudinal associations between mindset of SES and well-being (i.e. depression and anxiety) and a potential mechanism (i.e. self-esteem). We recruited 600 adults in Guangzhou, China, as participants in this study. Participants completed a list of questionnaires containing measures of mindset of SES, self-esteem, depression, and anxiety at three time points over the course of 18 months. The cross-lagged panel model showed that individuals holding a growth mindset of SES reported significantly lower depression and anxiety 1 year later, but the effect was not sustained later. More importantly, self-esteem accounted for the associations of mindset of SES with both depression and anxiety, such that individuals with growth mindset of SES had higher self-esteem, and in turn, demonstrated lower depression and anxiety over 18 months. These findings deepen the understanding of the salutary effects of implicit theories of SES on psychological well-being. Implications for future research and mindset-related interventions are discussed.

Application potential of zero-valent aluminum in nitrophenols wastewater decontamination: Enhanced reactivity, electron selectivity and anti-passivation capability.

Nitrophenols (NPs) are highly toxic and easy to accumulate to high concentrations (> 500 mg/L) in real wastewater. The nitro group contained in NPs is an electron-absorbing group that is easy to reduce and difficult to oxidize, so there is an urgent need to develop reduction removal technology. Zero-valent aluminum (ZVAl) is an excellent electron donor that can reductively transform various refractory pollutants. However, ZVAl is prone to rapid deactivation due to non-selective reactions with water, ions, etc. To overcome this critical limitation, we prepared a new type of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) modified microscale ZVAl, CNTs@mZVAl, through a facile mechanochemical ball milling method. CNTs@mZVAl had outstanding high reactivity in degrading p-nitrophenol even 1000 mg/L and showed up to 95.50% electron utilization efficiency. Moreover, CNTs@mZVAl was highly resistant to the passivation by dissolved oxygen, ions and natural organic matters coexisting in water matrix, and remained highly reactive after aging in the air for 10 days. Furthermore, CNTs@mZVAl could effectively remove dinitrodiazophenol from real explosive wastewater. The excellent performance of CNTs@mZVAl is due to the combination of selective adsorption of NPs and CNTs-mediated e-transfer. CNTs@mZVAl looks promising for the efficient and selective degradation of NPs, with broader prospects for real wastewater treatment.

Combined effects of SSII-2RNAi and different Wx alleles on rice grain transparency and physicochemical properties.

Near-isogenic lines Nip(Wxb/SSII-2), Nip(Wxb/ss2-2), Nip(Wxmw/SSII-2), Nip(Wxmw/ss2-2), Nip(Wxmp/SSII-2) and Nip(Wxmp/ss2-2) in the Nipponbare (Nip) background containing the SSII-2RNAi cassette combined with different Waxy (Wx) alleles were investigated in terms of rice grain transparency and quality profiles. Rice lines carrying the SSII-2RNAi cassette displayed downregulation of SSII-2, SSII-3 and Wx genes. Introduction of the SSII-2RNAi cassette decreased apparent amylose content (AAC) in all transgenic lines, but grain transparency differed between low AAC rice lines. Grains from Nip(Wxb/SSII-2) and Nip(Wxb/ss2-2) were transparent, while those of rice were increasingly translucent with decreasing moisture due to cavities within starch granules. Rice grain transparency was positively correlated with grain moisture and AAC, but negatively correlated with cavity area within starch granules. Starch fine structure analysis revealed a marked increase in short amylopectin chains with DP 6-12, but a decrease in intermediate chains with DP 13-24, resulting in decreased gelatinisation temperature. Starch crystalline structure analysis showed that the transgenic rice starches have lower crystallinity and lamellar repeat distance than controls due to differences in starch fine structure. The results highlight the molecular basis underpinning rice grain transparency, and provide strategies for improving rice grain transparency.

Co-Overexpression of Two Key Source Genes, OsBMY4 and OsISA3, Improves Multiple Key Traits of Rice Seeds.

Optimized source-sink interactions are determinants of both rice yield and quality. However, most source genes have not been well studied in rice, a major grain crop. In this study, OsBMY4 and OsISA3, the key ß-amylase and debranching enzymes that control transient starch degradation in rice leaves, were co-overexpressed in rice in order to accelerate starch degradation efficiency and increase the sugar supply for sink organs. Systematic analyses of the transgenic rice indicated that co-overexpression of OsBMY4 and OsISA3 not only promoted rice yield and quality, but also improved seed germination and stress tolerance. Moreover, since the OsBMY4 gene has not been characterized, we generated osbmy4 mutants using CRIPSR/Cas9 gene editing, which helped to reveal the roles of ß-amylase in rice yield and quality. This study demonstrated that specific modulation of the expression of some key source genes improves the source-sink balance and leads to improvements in multiple key traits of rice seeds.

Application of Network Analysis to Uncover Variables Contributing to Functional Recovery after Stroke.

To estimate network structures to discover the interrelationships among variables and distinguish the difference between networks. Three hundred and forty-eight stroke patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. A network analysis was used to investigate the association between those variables. A Network Comparison Test was performed to compare the correlation of variables between networks. Three hundred and twenty-five connections were identified, and 22 of these differed significantly between the high- and low-Functional Independence Measurement (FIM) groups. In the high-FIM network structure, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and length of stay (LOS) had associations with other nodes. However, there was no association with BDNF and LOS in the low-FIM network. In addition, the use of amantadine was associated with shorter LOS and lower FIM motor subscores in the high-FIM network, but there was no such connection in the low-FIM network. Centrality indices revealed that amantadine use had high centrality with others in the high-FIM network but not the low-FIM network. Coronary artery disease (CAD) had high centrality in the low-FIM network structure but not the high-FIM network. Network analysis revealed a new correlation of variables associated with stroke recovery. This approach might be a promising method to facilitate the discovery of novel factors important for stroke recovery.

Genetic control of grain appearance quality in rice.

Grain appearance, one of the key determinants of rice quality, reflects the ability to attract consumers, and is characterized by four major properties: grain shape, chalkiness, transparency, and color. Mining of valuable genes, genetic mechanisms, and breeding cultivars with improved grain appearance are essential research areas in rice biology. However, grain appearance is a complex and comprehensive trait, making it challenging to understand the molecular details, and therefore, achieve precise improvement. This review highlights the current findings of grain appearance control, including a detailed description of the key genes involved in the formation of grain appearance, and the major environmental factors affecting chalkiness. We also discuss the integration of current knowledge on valuable genes to enable accurate breeding strategies for generation of rice grains with superior appearance quality.

Toward rapid reduction of carbon tetrachloride in water by zero-valent aluminum/persulfate system.

The oxidation performance of the zero-valent aluminum (ZVAl)/persulfate (PS) combined system had been studied by researchers in the past, which relied on the activation of PS by ZVAl to generate potent oxidizing radicals (•OH and SO4•-) to degrade pollutants. However, ZVAl is a strong reductant and its reduction effect cannot be ignored. The reductive performance of the ZVAl/PS combined system is still unknown. Therefore, carbon tetrachloride (CT), an antioxidant organic pollutant, was selected as the target pollutant to test the reductive performance of the ZVAl/PS system in this study. We found a significant synergistic effect between ZVAl and PS, and the ZVAl/PS combined system could rapidly degrade CT in a wide pH range of 3-11 after an induction period. By SEM-EDS, TEM, XPS, and XRD analysis, it was found that PS could promote the corrosion of the oxide film on the ZVAl surface. The quenching experiment proved that PS could accept the electrons released from ZVAl to produce superoxide radical anion (O2•-), which led to the degradation of CT rather than the oxidative process by •OH and SO4•-. The hydrogen evolution experiment indicated that electronic reduction might play a secondary role in CT degradation. In conclusion, our study further explored the reductive performance of the ZVAl/PS combined system and expanded the pathway of CT degradation without any organic solvent addition, which provides a new strategy for the efficient degradation of refractory halogenated organic pollutants.

Social Class-Based Discrimination and Psychological Symptoms Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged College Students: The Moderated Mediation Role of Stress Mindset and Rumination.

Discrimination as a crucial stressor damages the mental health of socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals through increased ruminative thinking. A "stress-is-enhancing" mindset may protect the mental health of socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals under the pressures of perceived discrimination and rumination. This study examined the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of stress mindset in the relationship between perceived discrimination and psychological symptoms among socioeconomically disadvantaged college students. A total of 919 socioeconomically disadvantaged undergraduate students (48.4% female, ages 17-25) were recruited. The results indicated that perceived discrimination was positively associated with psychological symptoms among socioeconomically disadvantaged undergraduate students through rumination (B = 0.11, boot SE = 0.01, boot 95% CIs = [0.08, 0.13]). Importantly, stress mindset moderated the indirect association between perceived discrimination and psychological distress through rumination (B = -0.18, boot SE = 0.08, boot 95% CIs = [-0.32, -0.03]). Specifically, compared with individuals with low levels of the stress-is-enhancing mindset, the indirect effect of perceived discrimination on psychological distress through rumination was weaker among individuals with high levels of the stress-is-enhancing mindset. The findings provide support for future intervention practice to promote a stress-is-enhancing mindset to protect the mental health of socioeconomically disadvantaged college students under the pressures of perceived discrimination and rumination.