[Accumulation and biosynthesis mechanism of volatile oils in glandular scale of Agastache rugosa].

The volatile oils are the effective components of Agastache rugosa, which are stored in the glandular scale. The leaves of pulegone-type A. rugosa were used as materials to observe the leaf morphology of A. rugosa at different growth stages, and the components of volatile oils in gland scales were detected by GC-MS. At the same time, qRT-PCR was used to determine the relative expression of key enzyme genes in the biosynthesis pathway of monoterpenes in volatile oils. The results showed that the density of A. rugosa glandular scale decreased first and then tended to be stable. With the growth of leaves, the relative content of pulegone decreased from 79.26% to 3.94%(89.97%-41.44%), while that of isomenthone increased from 2.43% to 77.87%(0.74%-51.01%), and the changes of other components were relatively insignificant. The correlation analysis between the relative content of monoterpenes and the relative expression levels of their key enzyme genes showed that there was a significant correlation between the relative content of menthone and isomenthone and the relative expression levels of pulegone reductase(PR)(r>0.6, P<0.01). To sum up, this study revealed the accumulation rules of the main components of the contents of the glandular scale of A. rugosa and the expression rules of the key enzyme genes for biosynthesis, which provided a scientific basis and data support for determining the appropriate harvesting period and quality control of the medicinal herbs. This study also initially revealed the biosynthesis mechanism of the monoterpenes mainly composed of pulegone and isomenthone in A. rugosa, laying a foundation for further research on the molecular mechanism of synthesis and accumulation of monoterpenes in A. rugosa.

RNA splicing analysis contributes to reclassifying variants of uncertain significance and improves the diagnosis of monogenic disorders.

BACKGROUND: Numerous variants of uncertain significance (VUSs) have been identified by whole exome sequencing in clinical practice. However, VUSs are not currently considered medically actionable. OBJECTIVE: To assess the splicing patterns of 49 VUSs in 48 families identified clinically to improve genetic counselling and family planning. METHODS: Forty-nine participants with 49 VUSs were recruited from the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya. Bioinformatic analysis was performed to preliminarily predict the splicing effects of these VUSs. RT-PCR and minigene analysis were used to assess the splicing patterns of the VUSs. According to the results obtained, couples opted for different methods of reproductive interventions to conceive a child, including prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). RESULTS: Eleven variants were found to alter pre-mRNA splicing and one variant caused nonsense-mediated mRNA decay, which resulted in the reclassification of these VUSs as likely pathogenic. One couple chose to undergo in vitro fertilisation with PGT treatment; a healthy embryo was transferred and the pregnancy is ongoing. Three couples opted for natural pregnancy with prenatal diagnosis. One couple terminated the pregnancy because the fetus was affected by short-rib thoracic dysplasia and harboured the related variant. The infants of the other two couples were born and were healthy at their last recorded follow-up. CONCLUSION: RNA splicing analysis is an important method to assess the impact of sequence variants on splicing in clinical practice and can contribute to the reclassification of a significant proportion of VUSs. RNA splicing analysis should be considered for genetic disease diagnostics.

[Identification and analysis of terpene synthase (TPS) gene family in Schizonepeta tenuifolia].

Terpenoids are important secondary metabolites of plants that possess both pharmacological activity and economic value. Terpene synthases(TPSs) are key enzymes in the synthesis process of terpenoids. In order to investigate the TPS gene family members and their potential functions in Schizonepeta tenuifolia, this study conducted a systematic analysis of the TPS gene family of S. tenuifolia based on the whole genome data of S. tenuifolia using bioinformatics methods. The results revealed 57 StTPS members identified from the genome database of S. tenuifolia. The StTPS family members encoded 285-819 amino acids, with protein molecular weights ranging from 32.75 to 94.11 kDa, all of which were hydrophilic proteins. The StTPS family members were mainly distributed in the cytoplasm and chloroplasts, exhibiting a random and uneven physical localization pattern. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the StTPS genes family were divided into six subgroups, mainly belonging to the TPS-a and TPS-b subfamilies. Promoter analysis predicted that the TPS gene family members could respond to various stressors such as light, abscisic acid, and methyl jasmonate(MeJA). Transcriptome data analysis revealed that most of the TPS genes were expressed in the roots of S. tenuifolia, and qRT-PCR analysis was conducted on genes with high expression in leaves and low expression in roots. Through the analysis of the TPS gene family of S. tenuifolia, this study identified StTPS5, StTPS18, StTPS32, and StTPS45 as potential genes involved in sesquiterpene synthesis of S. tenuifolia. StTPS45 was cloned for the construction of an prokaryotic expression vector, providing a reference for further investigation of the function and role of the TPS gene family in sesquiterpene synthesis.

Consistency between deposition of particulate matter and its removal by rainfall from leaf surfaces in plant canopies.

The leaf surfaces of plants are important organs for retaining particulate matter (PM). They can be renewed via washout processes (e.g., rainfall), thereby restoring the ability to retain new PM. Most of the current studies have focused on the mechanisms of rainfall characteristics on the renewal of PM on plant leaf surfaces and interspecific differences, while the effects of different leaf heights on PM renewal within the same plant canopy have been less studied. In addition, the dynamics of PM during rainfall, especially the water-soluble ions (WSII) component, are often neglected. This research used Salix matsudana, a tree species with a significant natural height difference between the upper and lower leaves of its canopy, as its study object. Using artificially simulated rainfall, the rainfall intensity was quantified as low, medium, and high (i.e., 30 mm/h, 45 mm/h, and 60 mm/h), and the rainfall process was divided into three sub-stages: pre (0-20 min), mid (20-40 min), and post (40-60 min). The experimental setup was divided into upper (2 m) and lower leaves (1 m) according to the height of the canopy. The concentration and distribution of water-insoluble PM (WIPM) were obtained using the elution weighing method, whereas WSII were obtained using ion chromatography. The dynamics of WIPM and WSII during the removal of PM from the leaf surface by rainfall were studied at different canopy heights, and the results showed that the composition and proportions of WIPM and WSII varied at different stages of the rainfall process and that the concentrations of WIPM and WSII removed from the upper leaves differed slightly from those of the lower leaves. In particular, the concentrations of WIPM and WSII removed from the lower leaves were greater than those from the upper leaves at high rainfall intensity (60 mm/h), showing consistency between rainfall removal of PM from the leaf surface at different heights within the plant canopy and deposition of PM, while at low (30 mm/h) and medium (45 mm/h) rainfall intensities the performance was slightly different.

Rainfall characteristics significantly affect the scavenging of water-soluble ions attached to leaves.

Precipitation is considered the most effective way to remove particulate matter from the leaves of plants. Changes in rainfall characteristics can affect the scavenging processes of particulate matter from leaves. In order to better understand the dynamics of PM scavenging during rainfall, especially the water-soluble ions components, leaves from the 11 plant species (trees, shrubs, terrestrial herbs, wetland plants) from the Olympic park were sampled and used in indoor experiments. During the experiments, the rainfall intensity was set at 30 mm/h, 45 mm/h, and 60 mm/h, and the duration was divided into 0-20 min, 20-40 min, and 40-60 min. The sampled plant leaves were set in the experiments at 1 m and 3 m height from the ground. Concentrations and compositions of nine water-soluble ions of rainfall samples were analyzed in this experiment. The results revealed that SO42-, Ca2+, and Na+ were the most abundant ionic species removed from the leaves, and NO3- ranked fourth, followed by Cl-, Mg2+ K+, NH4+, and F-. The ions concentration of rainfall samples decreased when the rain intensity increased from 30 to 45 mm/h and when the rain intensity increased to 60 mm/h. The efficiency of scavenging during different rainfall durations depends on the ionic species. Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and SO42- concentrations increased with the increase in rainfall duration, whereas those of NH4+, K+, and Cl- decreased. The effect of leaf height on ions concentration of rainfall samples was also different among the ionic species: Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NO3-, and F- concentrations were significantly higher at 1 m compared with 3 m. The principal component analysis of ions in rainfall samples revealed two main sources of particulate matter in our study. One is from vehicle exhaust and industrial and agricultural pollution. The other is agricultural combustion and ground dust sources. The results of the above study can provide a basis and theoretical support for the establishment of urban cleaning systems and the prevention of air pollution.

Concentrations and isotopic analysis for the sources and transfer of lead in an urban atmosphere-plant-soil system.

Lead pollution has attracted significant attention over the years. However, research on the transfer of lead between urban atmospheric particles, soils, and plants remains rare. We measured lead concentrations and lead isotope ratios in total suspended particles (TSP), soil, and plants in an urban wetland in Beijing. The study period was September 2016-August 2017- covering all four seasons. The concentrations of lead in the atmospheric particles vary from 3.13 to 6.68 mg/m3. It is significantly higher in autumn than that in spring and summer (P < 0.05). There is also a significant difference between summer and winter (P < 0.05). The soil lead concentrations range from 57 to 114 mg/kg, with the highest concentration in spring, followed by summer, winter and autumn. The lead concentrations are 1.28-7.75 mg/kg in plants. The concentration was highest in spring and significantly higher than in summer. The bioaccumulation factor of Phragmites australis was 0.064 (<0.1), indicating that lead is not easily transferred to plants. Unlike the bioaccumulation factors, translocation factors have much higher values, indicating a higher transfer within the plants. Results also indicate an interesting seasonal pattern with almost 97% of lead in plants during spring being of atmospheric origin, whereas in autumn, soilborne sources contribute almost 94%. The isotopic compositions of lead in the urban atmosphere-soil-plant system show that lead pollution results from the mixing of geogenic and anthropogenic materials. Vehicle exhaust, crustal rocks and ore deposits are likely primary sources of lead pollution within the study domain.

Implication of long non-coding RNA NEAT1 in the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis-induced blood-brain barrier damage.

PURPOSE: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage is closely related to various neurological disorders, including bacterial meningitis (BM). Determining a reliable strategy to prevent BBB damage in the context of infection would be highly desirable. In the present study, we investigated the implications of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) in moderating BBB damage. METHODS: In vitro BBB models were developed by co-culturing hCMEC/D3 cells with glioma cells, whereupon the glioma-exposed endothelial cells (GECs) were treated with a series of mimics, inhibitors, overexpression plasmids, and shRNAs for evaluating whether NEAT1, microRNA-135a (miR-135a) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) mediated BBB integrity and permeability. Furthermore, the in vivo biological function of NEAT1 was validated in a mouse model of BBB damage. RESULTS: NEAT1 and HIF1α were determined to be up-regulated, while miR-135a was under-expressed in GECs. As demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase reporter assays, NEAT1 could bind to miR-135a, and HIF1α was confirmed as a target of miR-135a. Either overexpression of NEAT1 or depletion of miR-135a impaired the integrity and augmented the permeability of BBB. However, HIF1α silencing could reverse the BBB damage induced by NEAT1 overexpression or by inhibition of miR-135a. In vivo experiments substantiated that knockdown of NEAT1 could alleviate BBB damage in living mice. CONCLUSIONS: Hence, NEAT1 knockdown prevents BBB disruption and exerts promise as a potential target for BM treatment.

The PM removal process of wetland plant leaves with different rainfall intensities and duration.

Today, particulate-matter (PM) pollution has become one of the most severe air-pollution problems. As the most commonly used method in daily life, phytoremediation can use plant organs (such as leaves) as biological filters for pollutants to repair the atmosphere. At the same time, rainfall can remove PM from plant-leaf surfaces and enable them to adsorb PM again. By simulating natural rainfall, the rainfall characteristics are quantified as rainfall intensity and rainfall duration, and we use the washout-weighing method to obtain the amount of PM removed from the leaf surface. Then, use a scanner to scan the leaves after rain to get their images, and use Image J software to process the images to obtain leaf area. Finally, the amount of PM removed by rain per unit leaf area can be calculated. It will be used to explore the impact of different rainfall intensity and duration on the removal of PM from the leaf surface of wetland plants. The results showed that under three rainfall intensities used in this experiment, the removal of PM from plant-leaf surfaces all increased with an increase in rainfall duration. When the particle size is 10-100-µm, and the rainfall intensity is 30 mm/h, the removal amount of plant particles tested in this experiment is the largest. With increased rainfall duration, the removal of PM from plant-leaf surfaces increased sharply at first, then slowly, and finally tended to be stable. The removal efficiency of PM on the blade surface is most apparent at the early stage of rainfall, and then gradually weakens. Among the four wetland plants tested in this experiment, in the range of 10-100-µm, the number of PM on the leaf surface of Scirpus validus is the largest, and the optimum rainfall intensity is 30 mm/h; in the range of 2.5-10-µm, the number of PM on the leaf surface of Typha orientalis is the largest, and the optimal rainfall intensity is 30 mm/h; in the range of 0.45-2.5-µm, the number of PM on the leaf surface of Iris wilsonii is the largest, and the optimal rainfall intensity is 15 mm/h. Wetland species with high particle accumulation capacity can provide references for vegetation restoration of degraded wetland plants and plant cultivation in constructed wetlands. At the same time, the best rainfall intensity and duration for removing particulate matter on the surface of plant leaves were obtained through experiments, which provided a reference for the design of automatic plant irrigation systems and dust removers in different scenarios.

The size and distribution of tidal creeks affects salt marsh restoration.

Salt marshes are changeable and important ecosystems that currently face various threats, including global climate change and human activities. The influence of these factors can result in the degradation of salt marshes. Tidal creeks, which are an important source of nutrients and other substances for salt marsh vegetation, play an important role in the health of salt marshes. In this study, the morphological characteristics of tidal creeks and the characteristics of two typical plants, Suaeda glauca (SG) and Phragmites communis (PC), in the Yellow River Delta, China were investigated to determine the effect of tidal creeks on these plants. Aerial photography and field measurements of tidal creeks were carried out from May to July 2018 in the study area. At the same time, nine line-intercepts were set in the vertical direction of tidal creeks to investigate plants. The results showed that different grades of tidal creek exerted no significant influence on the growth of either S. glauca or P. communis. However, unlike grade, the size of a creek and the distance from it had marked effects on these plants. The cross-sectional area of a tidal creek had a significant positive impact on the density of S. glauca (r = 0.39, p = 0.02). For P. communis, the depth of a tidal creek had a strong correlation with this species' density (r = 0.51, p = 0.04) and height (r = 0.63, p = 0.01). Meanwhile, there was a negative relationship between the distance from tidal creeks and the height of S. glauca (r = -0.52, p = 0.02). Conversely, the height (r = 0 0.90, p = 0.00) and density (r = 0.62, p = 0.01) of P. communis were positively affected by its vertical distance from tidal creeks. We found that the subtidal zone near a tidal creek was more conducive to the recovery and growth of S. glauca, and that areas further away from a tidal creek, located in the intertidal and subtidal zones, were more conducive to the recovery and growth of P. communis. The parameters associated with tidal creeks in the subtidal zone (cross sectional area 4.55 m2, distance 0-10 m) were beneficial for the growth of S. glauca. For P. communis, relevant features in the intertidal and subtidal zones (depth 0.40-0.45 m, distance 20-60 m) are useful. Our results suggest that attention should be paid to the effects of size and distribution of tidal creeks during the process of salt marsh restoration. This work also provides practical guidance for the restoration of native salt marshes in China.

Particle removal in polluted cities: Insights from the wash-off process dynamics for different wetland plants.

Particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere is a threat to human health. Wetland plants were confirmed to accumulate particles on the leaf surface; at the same time, rainfall could wash-off particles and accelerate the whole removal process, however, the dynamic processes occurring during rainfall events on wetland plants remain unclear. In order to provide sustainable strategies for authorities to take measures, we need to figure out how to reduce PM on leave surface by artificial rainfall efficiently. Four wetland species (Scirpus validus, Typha orientalis, Phragmites australis, and Iris wilsonii) were selected to examine for leave surface accumulation and simulate the experiment. We estimated the wash-off ability of rainfalls with three different intensities (15, 30, and 60 mm h-1) and determined the proportions of different PM size-fractions washed by the rains. The results showed that particles accumulated on the surface could be washed off efficiently (78% ∼ 89%) by the simulated rainfalls. The removal rates were high in the first 30 min and large particles comprised a large proportion of the removed particles. The rainfall with the intensity of 30 mm h-1 removed the most particles among three different rainfall intensities. When the rainfall intensity increased, fine particles (PM2.5) could be washed off more easily. Moreover, with a thinner wax layer, fine particles on wetland plants' leaf surfaces might be more easily removed by the rains. While wash off the plants, spraying rains with the intensity of 30 mm h-1 for about 30 min every time (high intensity with shorter time) may be particle removal efficiency.

Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of nurse-led care in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A randomized trial comparing with rheumatologist-led care.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The concept of nurse-led care (NLC) was not familiar in China. This study was designed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of NLC versus rheumatologist-led care (RLC) in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Patients of either gender (aged ≥18 years) with RA were enrolled at Wenhai Central Hospital, China (January 2015 to December 2015). The participants were then randomized to NLC or RLC. Outcomes of both the groups were compared in terms of effectiveness by measuring the Disease Activity Score 28, visual analogue scores pertaining to pain and fatigue, and duration of morning stiffness. Costs associated with resource use for RA were assessed and compared between both groups. RESULTS: A total of 214 RA patients in 2 groups (n = 107 in each group) were enrolled and analysed. Improvements in clinical outcomes (disease activity, pain, fatigue, and morning stiffness) over 12 months were significantly greater in the NLC group compared to RLC (P < 0.001). Overall, costs associated with resource use were higher in the RLC group compared to the NLC group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary finding suggested that RA patients managed by NLC compared to RLC may have better clinical outcomes and more cost-effective care in China.

Human cytomegalovirus inhibits apoptosis involving upregulation of the antiapoptotic protein Bag-1.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an important opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised individuals and is recognized as a major viral cause of birth defects. HCMV has the ability to establish lifelong persistence and latent infection following primary exposure. Apoptosis is an innate cellular defense response to viral infection. HCMV can block apoptosis in various cell types. Here we show that HCMV promotes survival of human embryonic lung fibroblasts by activating of MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Bag-1 is up-regulated in a MAPK/ERK-dependent fashion in infected cells. Depletion of Bag-1 suppresses the antiapoptotic effect of HCMV. Taken together, these data indicate that Bag-1 up-regulation is required to maintain apoptosis resistance in HCMV infected cells.

Identification and analysis of novel recessive alleles for Tan1 and Tan2 in sorghum.

Background: The identification and analysis of allelic variation are important bases for crop diversity research, trait domestication and molecular marker development. Grain tannin content is a very important quality trait in sorghum. Higher tannin levels in sorghum grains are usually required when breeding varieties resistant to bird damage or those used for brewing liquor. Non-tannin-producing or low-tannin-producing sorghum accessions are commonly used for food and forage. Tan1 and Tan2, two important cloned genes, regulate tannin biosynthesis in sorghum, and mutations in one or two genes will result in low or no tannin content in sorghum grains. Even if sorghum accessions contain dominant Tan1 and Tan2, the tannin contents are distributed from low to high, and there must be other new alleles of the known regulatory genes or new unknown genes contributing to tannin production. Methods: The two parents 8R306 and 8R191 did not have any known recessive alleles for Tan1 and Tan2, and it was speculated that they probably both had dominant Tan1 and Tan2 genotypes. However, the phenotypes of two parents were different; 8R306 had tannins and 8R191 had non-tannins in the grains, so these two parents were constructed as a RIL population. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) was used to determine other new alleles of Tan1 and Tan2 or new Tannin locus. Tan1 and Tan2 full-length sequences and tannin contents were detected in wild sorghum resources, landraces and cultivars. Results: We identified two novel recessive tan1-d and tan1-e alleles and four recessive Tan2 alleles, named as tan2-d, tan2-e, tan2-f, and tan2-g. These recessive alleles led to loss of function of Tan1 and Tan2, and low or no tannin content in sorghum grains. The loss-of-function alleles of tan1-e and tan2-e were only found in Chinese landraces, and other alleles were found in landraces and cultivars grown all around the world. tan1-a and tan1-b were detected in foreign landraces, Chinese cultivars and foreign cultivars, but not in Chinese landraces. Conclusion: These results implied that Tan1 and Tan2 recessive alleles had different geographically distribution in the worldwide, but not all recessive alleles had been used in breeding. The discovery of these new alleles provided new germplasm resources for breeding sorghum cultivars for food and feed, and for developing molecular markers for low-tannin or non-tannin cultivar-assisted breeding in sorghum.

Somatic embryogenesis from mature sorghum seeds: An underutilized genome editing recipient system.

Somatic embryogenesis is a process of cell totipotency in vitro, whereby an embryogenic cell develops from vegetative tissues rather than from zygotes after double fertilization. Sorghum is a recalcitrant crop in genetic transformation; previous recipient systems have usually been from immature zygotic embryos, which needed more time and labors to prepare. Here, an efficient 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-induced somatic embryogenesis system from mature sorghum seeds was introduced. 2,4-D can induce two types of calli from a plumular axis section. Low-concentration 2,4-D (e.g., 2 mg/L) induces white and loose non-embryogenic calli (type 1), while high-concentration 2,4-D (e.g., 8 mg/L) induces yellow and compact embryogenic calli (type 2), which can be clearly distinguished by Sudan red staining. Germinating seeds have a long 2-day window for SE induction. Somatic embryogenesis can be enhanced by HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase treatment, which shows more SE productivity and a bigger size. Importantly, this easily prepared protocol does not show obvious genotype dependency in sorghum hybrids. In this study, a high-concentration 2,4-D-induced SE system was established from mature sorghum seeds. This finding provides a technical option for the genome editing recipient in sorghum.

Impact of Age on the Characteristics of Corneal Nerves and Corneal Epithelial Cells in Healthy Adults.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate age-related changes in corneal nerves and corneal epithelial cell parameters and to establish age-adjusted reference values. METHODS: A total of 7025 corneal nerve images and 4215 corneal epithelial images obtained using in vivo confocal microscopy from 281 eyes of 143 healthy participants were included. Seven corneal nerve parameters and 3 corneal epithelial cell parameters were quantified using 2 automatic analytic software and analyzed across 6 age groups ranging from 21 to 80 years. RESULTS: There was a declining trend in all 7 nerve parameters with advancing age. In particular, corneal nerve fiber length and corneal nerve fiber density demonstrated a significant decrease in subjects aged 65 years or older compared with subjects younger than 65 years (10.8 ± 2.6 mm/mm 2 vs. 9.9 ± 2.0 mm/mm 2 , P = 0.011 in corneal nerve fiber length; 15.8 ± 5.2 fibers/mm 2 vs. 14.4 ± 4.3 fibers/mm 2 , P = 0.046 in corneal nerve fiber density), whereas corneal nerve fractal dimension demonstrated a borderline significant decrease ( P = 0.057). Similarly, there was a general declining trend in all epithelial cell parameters with advancing age. Corneal epithelial cell circularity was significantly lower in subjects aged 65 years and older as compared to subjects younger than 65 years (0.722 ± 0.021 µm 2 vs. 0.714 ± 0.021 µm 2 ; P = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Advancing age results in reduced corneal nerve metrics and alteration of corneal cell morphology. Aging effects should be considered when evaluating patients with corneal neuropathy.

SbPHO2, a conserved Pi starvation signalling gene, is involved in the regulation of the uptake of multiple nutrients in sorghum.

Sorghum is one of the five most productive crops worldwide, but its yield is seriously limited by phosphate (Pi) availability. Although inorganic Pi signalling is well studied in Arabidopsis and rice, it remains largely unknown in sorghum. The sorghum sbpho2 mutant was identified, showing leaf necrosis and short roots. Map-based cloning identified SbPHO2 as Sobic.009G228100, an E2 conjugase gene that is a putative orthologue of the PHO2 genes in rice and Arabidopsis, which play important roles in Pi signalling. Pi starvation experiments and transformation of SbPHO2 into the rice ospho2 mutant further revealed that SbPHO2 is likely involved in Pi accumulation and root architecture alteration in sorghum. qRTPCR results showed that SbPHO2 was expressed in almost the entire plant, especially in the leaves. Furthermore, some typical Pi starvation-induced genes were induced in sbpho2 even under Pi-sufficient conditions, including Pi transporters, SPXs, phosphatases and lipid composition alteration-related genes. In addition to P accumulation in the shoots of sbpho2, concentrations of N, K, and other metal elements were also altered significantly in the sbpho2 plants. Nitrate uptake was also suppressed in the sbpho2 mutant. Consistent with this finding, the expression of several nitrate-, potassium- and other metal element-related genes was also altered in sbpho2. Furthermore, the results indicated that N-dependent control of the P starvation response is regulated via SbPHO2 in sorghum. Our results suggest that SbPHO2 participates in the regulation of the absorption of multiple nutrients, although PHO2 is a crucial and conserved component of Pi starvation signalling.

Loss-of-function CFTR p.G970D missense mutation might cause congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens and be associated with impaired spermatogenesis.

Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is observed in 1%-2% of males presenting with infertility and is clearly associated with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutations. CFTR is one of the most well-known genes related to male fertility. The frequency of CFTR mutations or impaired CFTR expression is increased in men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). CFTR mutations are highly polymorphic and have established ethnic specificity. Compared with F508Del in Caucasians, the p.G970D mutation is reported to be the most frequent CFTR mutation in Chinese patients with cystic fibrosis. However, whether p.G970D participates in male infertility remains unknown. Herein, a loss-of-function CFTR p.G970D missense mutation was identified in a patient with CBAVD and NOA. Subsequent retrospective analysis of 122 Chinese patients with CBAVD showed that the mutation is a common pathogenic mutation (4.1%, 5/122), excluding polymorphic sites. Furthermore, we generated model cell lines derived from mouse testes harboring the homozygous Cftr p.G965D mutation equivalent to the CFTR variant in patients. The Cftr p.G965D mutation may be lethal in spermatogonial stem cells and spermatogonia and affect the proliferation of spermatocytes and Sertoli cells. In spermatocyte GC-2(spd)ts (GC2) Cftr p.G965D cells, RNA splicing variants were detected and CFTR expression decreased, which may contribute to the phenotypes associated with impaired spermatogenesis. Thus, this study indicated that the CFTR p.G970D missense mutation might be a pathogenic mutation for CBAVD in Chinese males and associated with impaired spermatogenesis by affecting the proliferation of germ cells.

A new "fully reduced" polyoxovanadate constructed from nanosized triangle-shaped [V(III)3V(IV)18P6O60(DACH)3]}9- cluster anions exhibiting ferrimagnetic interactions.

Magnetic personality: A pentavalent vanadium source was employed to prepare the largest highly reduced polyoxovanadate cluster by virtue of the reducing power of 1,2-diaminocyclohexane under hydrothermal conditions. The new non-classical triangle-shaped cluster shows good catalytic selectivity for the oxidation of styrene and exhibits ferrimagnetic interactions that could make it a promising magnetic material.

Polymorphisms in genes HSD17B1 and HSD17B2 and uterine leiomyoma risk in Chinese women.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association of HSD17B1 and HSD17B2 gene polymorphisms with uterine leiomyoma in Chinese women. METHODS: 121 Chinese women with clinically diagnosed uterine leiomyoma and 217 healthy normal Chinese women were investigated to compare three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs605059 and rs676387 of HSD17B1 gene and rs8191246 of HSD17B2 gene) by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing method. RESULTS: All the SNPs were polymorphisms in Chinese women. Frequencies of rs605059 AA genotype and A allele were significantly increased in patients with uterine leiomyoma compared to healthy controls (GG vs. AA, OR 0.40, 95 % CI 0.20-0.82; G vs. A, OR 0.68, 95 % CI 0.50-0.94). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the genotype of HSD17B1 rs605059 may play a role in the tumourgenesis of uterine leiomyoma.

Moxifloxacin Induced Liver Injury by Causing Lachnospiraceae Deficiency and Interfering with Butyric Acid Production through Gut-Liver Axis.

Cases of unpredictable, idiosyncratic liver damage of moxifloxacin (MXF) have been occasionally reported. However, the health effects of MXF exposure remain controversial. The current study examined the metabolic phenotypes and intestinal flora characteristics of hepatotoxicity induced by MXF. Rats were administered moxifloxacin hydrochloride tablets at doses of 36, 72, and 108 mg/kg body weight/day for 21 days. The levels of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates were decreased, whereas those of lipids (arachidonic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and linoleic acid) were increased, reflecting disorders of energy-related and lipid metabolism. Enrichment analysis of the differential metabolites suggested that butanoate metabolism was associated with MXF-induced liver injury. 16S rRNA sequencing uncovered that the diversity of gut intestinal was decreased in MXF-treated rats. Specifically, the abundance of Muribaculaceae was increased, whereas that of Lachnospiraceae, a family of butyrate-producing bacteria, was decreased. The combined serum metabonomics and gut microbiome datasets illustrated the involvement of butanoic acid and energy metabolism in the regulatory changes of the gut-liver axis associated with MXF-induced liver injury. The regulation of endogenous small molecules and intestinal flora during drug-induced liver injury was first described from the perspective of the gut-liver axis, providing a research basis for the mechanism of clinical drug-induced liver injury.