Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of calmodulin and calmodulin-like genes in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and their involvement in flower and fruit development.

BACKGROUND: The calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin-like (CML) proteins play regulatory roles in plant growth and development, responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, and other biological processes. As a popular fruit and ornamental crop, it is important to explore the regulatory mechanism of flower and fruit development of passion fruit. RESULTS: In this study, 32 PeCaM/PeCML genes were identified from passion fruit genome and were divided into 9 groups based on phylogenetic analysis. The structural analysis, including conserved motifs, gene structure and homologous modeling, illustrates that the PeCaM/PeCML in the same subgroup have relative conserved structural features. Collinearity analysis suggested that the expansion of the CaM/CML gene family likely took place mainly by segmental duplication, and the whole genome replication events were closely related with the rapid expansion of the gene group. PeCaM/PeCMLs were potentially required for different floral tissues development. Significantly, PeCML26 had extremely high expression levels during ovule and fruit development compared with other PeCML genes, suggesting that PeCML26 had potential functions involved in the development of passion fruit flowers and fruits. The co-presence of various cis-elements associated with growth and development, hormone responsiveness, and stress responsiveness in the promoter regions of these PeCaM/PeCMLs might contribute to their diverse regulatory roles. Furthermore, PeCaM/PeCMLs were also induced by various abiotic stresses. This work provides a comprehensive understanding of the CaM/CML gene family and valuable clues for future studies on the function and evolution of CaM/CML genes in passion fruit. CONCLUSION: A total of 32 PeCaM/PeCML genes were divided into 9 groups. The PeCaM/PeCML genes showed differential expression patterns in floral tissues at different development stages. It is worth noting that PeCML26, which is highly homologous to AtCaM2, not only interacts with multiple BBR-BPC TFs, but also has high expression levels during ovule and fruit development, suggesting that PeCML26 had potential functions involved in the development of passion fruit flowers and fruits. This research lays the foundation for future investigations and validation of the potential function of PeCaM/PeCML genes in the growth and development of passion fruit.

New results on bifurcation for fractional-order octonion-valued neural networks involving delays.

This work chiefly explores fractional-order octonion-valued neural networks involving delays. We decompose the considered fractional-order delayed octonion-valued neural networks into equivalent real-valued systems via Cayley-Dickson construction. By virtue of Lipschitz condition, we prove that the solution of the considered fractional-order delayed octonion-valued neural networks exists and is unique. By constructing a fairish function, we confirm that the solution of the involved fractional-order delayed octonion-valued neural networks is bounded. Applying the stability theory and basic bifurcation knowledge of fractional order differential equations, we set up a sufficient condition remaining the stability behaviour and the appearance of Hopf bifurcation for the addressed fractional-order delayed octonion-valued neural networks. To illustrate the justifiability of the derived theoretical results clearly, we give the related simulation results to support these facts. Simultaneously, the bifurcation plots are also displayed. The established theoretical results in this work have important guiding significance in devising and improving neural networks.

Revealing Further Insights into Astringent Seeds of Chinese Fir by Integrated Metabolomic and Lipidomic Analyses.

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) stands as one of the pivotal afforestation tree species and timber resources in southern China. Nevertheless, the occurrence of seed abortion and a notably high proportion of astringent seeds significantly curtail the yield and quality of elite seeds, resulting in substantial economic losses. The development of astringent seeds is accompanied by significant physiological and biochemical alterations. Here, the first combined lipidomic and metabolomic analysis was performed to gain a comprehensive understanding of astringent seed traits. A total of 744 metabolites and 616 lipids were detected, of which 489 differential metabolites and 101 differential lipids were identified. In astringent seeds, most flavonoids and tannins, as well as proline and γ-aminobutyric acid, were more accumulated, along with a notable decrease in lipid unsaturation, indicating oxidative stress in the cells of astringent seeds. Conversely, numerous elemental metabolites were less accumulated, including amino acids and their derivatives, saccharides and alcohols, organic acids and nucleotides and their derivatives. Meanwhile, most lipid subclasses, mainly associated with energy storage (triglyceride and diglyceride) and cell membrane composition (phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine), also exhibited significant reductions. These results reflected a disruption in the cellular system or the occurrence of cell death, causing a reduction in viable cells within astringent seeds. Furthermore, only one lipid subclass, sphingosine phosphate (SoP), was more accumulated in astringent seeds. Additionally, lower accumulation of indole-3-acetic acid and more accumulation of salicylic acid (SA) were also identified in astringent seeds. Both SA and SoP were closely associated with the promotion of programmed cell death in astringent seeds. Collectively, our study revealed significant abnormal changes in phytohormones, lipids and various metabolites in astringent seeds, allowing us to propose a model for the development of astringent seeds in Chinese fir based on existing research and our findings. This work enriches our comprehension of astringent seeds and presents valuable bioindicators for the identification of astringent seeds.

Comparative efficiency and safety of insulin degludec/aspart with insulin glargine in type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Recent studies have found compared with insulin glargine (IGlar), insulin degludec/aspart (IDeg/Asp) may provide adequate glycemic control and prevent hypoglycemia events in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Consequently, we performed a meta-analysis to appraise and compare the efficiency and safety of IDeg/Asp and IGlar in the treatment of T2DM. We sought the databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane library to confirm related articles which inspected the effect of IDeg/Asp versus IGlar for the treatment of T2DM until May 2021. Finally, six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of 1,346 patients were included. The results showed that IDeg/Asp significantly decreased the mean hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level but was prone to serious adverse events, and IGlar increased the nocturnal confirmed hypoglycemia events. Besides, there were no significant changes in other indicators, including mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level, nine-point self-measured plasma glucose (SMPG) level, and adverse events. What's more, we found that there was no significant difference in the occurrence of hypoglycemia overall, but our subgroup analysis of confirmed hypoglycemia revealed the population in this subgroup (duration of diabetes ≤11 years) might has its particularity effecting the hypoglycemia outcome. Concerning efficiency, IDeg/Asp may have advantages in controlling the mean HbA1c level. Regarding safety, IGlar might increase the risk of nocturnal confirmed hypoglycemia. Further evidence is needed to compare better the efficiency and safety of IDeg/Asp versus IGlar therapy.

Status and Challenges of Blue OLEDs: A Review.

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have outperformed conventional display technologies in smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, and televisions while gradually growing to cover a sizable fraction of the solid-state lighting industry. Blue emission is a crucial chromatic component for realizing high-quality red, green, blue, and yellow (RGBY) and RGB white display technologies and solid-state lighting sources. For consumer products with desirable lifetimes and efficiency, deep blue emissions with much higher power efficiency and operation time are necessary prerequisites. This article reviews over 700 papers covering various factors, namely, the crucial role of blue emission for full-color displays and solid-state lighting, the performance status of blue OLEDs, and the systematic development of fluorescent, phosphorescent, and thermally activated delayed fluorescence blue emitters. In addition, various challenges concerning deep blue efficiency, lifetime, and approaches to realizing deeper blue emission and higher efficacy for blue OLED devices are also described.

An easy-to-apply method for determining permissible exposure limit of retina to light.

Long exposure to intensive artificial light imposes threats to the retina. It is crucial to know the permissible exposure time to prevent photoretinitis. One complicated quantification method is available, which, however, also requires instrumentally measured spectrum and illuminance. We present herein an easy-to-apply formula and a ready-to-use table derived therefrom to determine the permissible exposure limit for any given desk lamp at any viewing distance. One only needs to acquire its color temperature and luminous flux labeled on the product. The method can be used to assist the general public in quickly assessing the potential hazardous status of their desk lamps, if any, and guide the field experts in designing human-eye-friendly lighting.

Antibiotic-induced depletion of Clostridium species increases the risk of secondary fungal infections in preterm infants.

Preterm infants or those with low birth weight are highly susceptible to invasive fungal disease (IFD) and other microbial or viral infection due to immaturity of their immune system. Antibiotics are routinely administered in these vulnerable infants in treatment of sepsis and other infectious diseases, which might cause perturbation of gut microbiome and hence development of IFD. In this study, we compared clinical characteristics of fungal infection after antibiotic treatment in preterm infants. As determined by 16S rRNA sequencing, compared with non-IFD patients with or without antibiotics treatment, Clostridium species in the intestinal tracts of patients with IFD were almost completely eliminated, and Enterococcus were increased. We established a rat model of IFD by intraperitoneal inoculation of C. albicans in rats pretreated with meropenem and vancomycin. After pretreatment with antibiotics, the intestinal microbiomes of rats infected with C. albicans were disordered, as characterized by an increase of proinflammatory conditional pathogens and a sharp decrease of Clostridium species and Bacteroides. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that C. albicans-infected rats pretreated with antibiotics were deficient in IgA and IL10, while the number of Pro-inflammatory CD11c+ macrophages was increased. In conclusion, excessive use of antibiotics promoted the imbalance of intestinal microbiome, especially sharp decreases of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)-producing Clostridium species, which exacerbated the symptoms of IFD, potentially through decreased mucosal immunomodulatory molecules. Our results suggest that inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics may promote the colonization of invasive fungi. The results of this study provide new insights into the prevention of IFD in preterm infants.

Effects of dapagliflozin in the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIMS: At present, an increasing number of studies are trying to determine whether dapagliflozin has a significant effect on the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but there is no consensus. In addition, the former meta-analyses, relying on only a few previous studies and a minimal number of research indicators, have not been able to draw sufficient conclusions simultaneously. Consequently, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of dapagliflozin in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM. METHODS: We searched electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus) and reference lists in relevant papers for articles published in 2011-2021. We selected studies that evaluated the effects of dapagliflozin on the risk factors related to the occurrence or development of atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM. A fixed or random-effect model calculated the weighted average difference of dapagliflozin on efficacy, and the factors affecting heterogeneity were determined by Meta-regression analysis. RESULTS: Twelve randomized controlled trials (18,758 patients) were incorporated in our meta-analysis. In contrast with placebo, dapagliflozin was associated with a significantly increase in high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) [MD = 1.39; 95% CI (0.77, 2.01); P < 0.0001], Δflow-mediated vasodilatation (ΔFMD) [MD = 1.22; 95% CI (0.38, 2.06); P = 0.005] and estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate(eGFR) [MD = 1.94; 95% CI (1.38, 2.51); P < 0.00001]. Furthermore, dapagliflozin had a tremendous advantage in controlling triglycerides (TG) in subgroups whose baseline eGFR < 83 ml/min/1.73m2 [MD = - 10.38; 95% CI (- 13.15, - 7.60); P < 0.00001], systolic blood pressure (SBP) [MD = - 2.82; 95% CI (- 3.22, - 2.42); P < 0.00001], HbA1c, BMI, body weight and waist circumference. However, dapagliflozin has an adverse effect on increasing total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). Besides, there were no significant changes in other indicators, including adiponectin and C-peptide immunoreactivity. CONCLUSIONS: Our pooled analysis suggested that dapagliflozin has a terrifically better influence over HDL-C, ΔFMD, and eGFR, and it concurrently had a tremendous advantage in controlling TG, SBP, DBP, HbA1c, BMI, body weight, and waist circumference, but it also harms increasing TC and LDL-C. Furthermore, this study found that the effect of dapagliflozin that decreases plasma levels of TG is only apparent in subgroups of baseline eGFR < 83 ml/min/1.73m2, while the subgroup of baseline eGFR ≥ 83 ml/min/1.73m2 does not. Finally, the above results summarize that dapagliflozin could be a therapeutic option for the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42021278939.