Immune-regulating effect of oxytocin and its association with the hypothalamic-pituitary axes.

Oxytocin can regulate immunological activity directly or indirectly; however, immunological functions and mechanisms of oxytocin actions under chronic stress like cesarean delivery (CD) are poorly understood. Our study found that abnormal oxytocin production and secretion in CD rats caused atrophy of thymic tissues. Neurotoxin kainic acid microinjected into the dorsolateral supraoptic nucleus in male rats selectively reduced hypothalamic oxytocin levels, increased corticotrophin-releasing hormone and plasma interleukin-1ß while reducing plasma oxytocin, thyroxine and testosterone levels and causing atrophy of immune tissues. Thus, plasma oxytocin is essential for immunological homeostasis, which involves oxytocin facilitation of thyroid hormone and sex steroid secretion.

Multidimensional ultrashort optical pulse manipulation using spatial light modulation.

Ultrashort optical pulse manipulation is one of the key techniques for applications such as high-speed imaging and high-precision laser processing. In this study, we demonstrate the multidimensional manipulation of ultrashort optical pulses by integrating spatial dispersion and spatial light modulation. Specifically, by modulating the phase of each wavelength, we achieve arbitrary adjustments in multiple dimensions, including number of sub pulses, time interval, intensity, and pulse width simultaneously and independently with a simple setup and few calculations. The performance of the optical pulse manipulation method is verified through both numerical simulations and experiments.

The effect of miR­155­5p on long­term memory of sleep­deprived mice through the BDNF/NF­κB pathway.

Sleep deprivation (SD) is a prevalent sleep issue in modern society that significantly impairs neurological function and quality of life in affected individuals. This study seeks to investigate the involvement of the miR­155­5p/BDNF axis in SD mice, aiming to establish a theoretical foundation for potential treatment strategies. Male C57BL/6 mice were utilized in the construction of a SD model using the flower pot technique. HT22 cells were selected for cellular experiments. The Morris water maze was employed to assess the learning and memory capabilities of the mice. HE staining was utilized to observe pathological changes in hippocampal tissue. Levels of IL­1ß, IL­6, and TNF­α were analyzed using ELISA. The expression level of miR­155­5p was quantified via RT­qPCR. The binding between miR­155­5p and brain­derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was confirmed through a dual­luciferase reporter assay. Apoptosis of hippocampal neurons was assessed using TUNEL. Western blot analysis was conducted to evaluate the expression levels of BDNF, p65, and p­p65. The Morris water maze test revealed that the mice exhibited prolonged escape latency, decreased swimming velocity, and reduced time spent in the target platform quadrant, which are indicative of a successful construction of the SD model. The observed cognitive deficits in the mice were associated with SD­induced damage to the hippocampal tissue, leading to increased levels of miR­155­5p and decreased levels of BDNF. miR­155­5p was found to directly bind to BDNF, thereby suppressing its mRNA and protein expression. The upregulation of BDNF effectively mitigated hippocampal damage by attenuating cell apoptosis and reducing inflammation levels in SD mice. Additionally, the BDNF/NF­κB pathway was found to be suppressed in SD mice through the downregulation of miR­155­5p. Therefore, the silencing of miR­155­5p inhibited the activation of the NF­κB pathway by upregulating BDNF, which improved long­term memory and reduced neuronal damage in SD mice.

Aerodynamic Effects of Time-Varying Corrugations on Dragonfly Wings in Flapping Flight.

The aerodynamic effects of wing corrugation on insect flight have received widespread attention. However, there has hardly been any specific focus on dynamic changes to corrugation angle in the models. The flexible vein joints containing resilin in the wings of dragonflies and damselflies enable the longitudinal veins to rotate and thereby change the corrugation angles throughout flapping cycles. Therefore, a two-dimensional corrugated airfoil with time-varying corrugation angles is proposed and the aerodynamic performance is evaluated in terms of aerodynamic force, power and efficiency. The results indicate that the airfoil with time-varying corrugations outperforms the rigid one in terms of enhancing thrust and reducing power consumption. The aerodynamic performance of time-varying corrugated airfoils is optimal when the angle varies in a specific range, and an excessively large angle variation may have negative effects. In addition, excessive height or a negative leading edge of the corrugation can lead to a reduction in the thrust. A design concept for the 2D airfoil with time-varying corrugations is provided and the findings are of significance for enhancing the aerodynamic performance of biomimetic flexible flapping-wing vehicles.

Optofluidic time-stretch imaging flow cytometry with a real-time storage rate beyond 5.9 GB/s.

Optofluidic time-stretch imaging flow cytometry (OTS-IFC) provides a suitable solution for high-precision cell analysis and high-sensitivity detection of rare cells due to its high-throughput and continuous image acquisition. However, transferring and storing continuous big data streams remains a challenge. In this study, we designed a high-speed streaming storage strategy to store OTS-IFC data in real-time, overcoming the imbalance between the fast generation speed in the data acquisition and processing subsystem and the comparatively slower storage speed in the transmission and storage subsystem. This strategy, utilizing an asynchronous buffer structure built on the producer-consumer model, optimizes memory usage for enhanced data throughput and stability. We evaluated the storage performance of the high-speed streaming storage strategy in ultra-large-scale blood cell imaging on a common commercial device. The experimental results show that it can provide a continuous data throughput of up to 5891 MB/s.

Rational design of molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor based on Nb2C-MWCNTs heterostructures for highly sensitive and selective detection of Ochratoxin a.

Developing an efficient method for screening Ochratoxin A (OTA) in agriculture products is vital to ensure food safety and human health. However, the complex food matrix seriously affects the sensitivity and accuracy. To address this issue, we designed a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electrochemical sensor based on multiwalled carbon nanotube-modified niobium carbide (Nb2C-MWCNTs) with the aid of the density functional theory (DFT). In this design, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was first modified by Nb2C-MWCNTs heterostructure. Afterward, the MIP layer was prepared, with ortho-toluidine as a functional monomer selected via DFT and OTA acting as a template on the surface of Nb2C-MWCNTs/GCE using in-situ electropolymerization. Electrochemical tests and physical characterization revealed that Nb2C-MWCNTs improved the sensor's active surface area and electron transmission capacity. Nb2C-MWCNTs had a good synergistic effect on MIP, endowing the sensor with high sensitivity and specific recognition of OTA in complex food matrix systems. The MIP sensor showed a wide linear range from 0.04 to 10.0 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.6 nM. Moreover, it presented good repeatability and stability for its highly antifouling effect on OTA. In real sample analysis, the recoveries, ranging from 89.77% to 103.70%, agreed well with the results obtained by HPLC methods, suggesting the sensor has good accuracy and high potential in practical applications.

The CONSTANS-LIKE gene PeCOL13 regulates flowering through intron-retained alternative splicing in Phyllostachys edulis.

Woody bamboo exhibits a unique flowering characteristic with a lengthy flowering cycle, often followed by death. In many plant species, alternative splicing (AS) is a common phenomenon involved in controlling flowering. In this study, a PeCOL13 gene in moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) was characterized. It produced two isoforms: PeCOL13α and PeCOL13ß, due to an intron-retained AS. The PeCOL13α expressed in the vegetative phase and the reproductive phase, but the PeCOL13ß didn't express during the vegetative phase and showed only a weak expression from F1 to F3 during the reproductive phase. Overexpression of PeCOL13α in rice (Oryza sativa) resulted in a delayed heading time through inhibiting the expressions of Hd3a, OsFTL1, and Ehd1 and activating the expressions of Ghd7 and RCN1. However, the PeCOL13ß-overexpressed rice didn't show any significant differences in flowering compared with wild-type (WT), and the expressions of downstream flowering genes had no notable changes. Further analysis revealed that both PeCOL13α and PeCOL13ß can bind to the PeFT promoter. Meanwhile, PeCOL13α can inhibit the transcription of PeFT, but PeCOL13ß showed no effect. When PeCOL13α and PeCOL13ß coexist, the inhibitory effect of PeCOL13α on PeFT transcription was weakened by PeCOL13ß. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of bamboo flowering research.

Cause Analysis and Surgical Treatment of Aponeurotic Ptosis With Upper Eyelid Depression.

BACKGROUND: Ptosis and upper eyelid depression were previously diagnosed as 2 separate diseases. The authors found that in patients with aponeurotic ptosis accompanied by upper eyelid depression, the main cause of upper eyelid depression was impaired dynamic transmission of the levator aponeurosis. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the causes of upper eyelid depression in patients with aponeurotic ptosis accompanied by upper eyelid depression and to introduce the best treatment methods. METHODS: The authors enrolled 15 eyes (11 patients) with aponeurotic ptosis accompanied by upper eyelid depression from October 2021 to August 2022. The authors analyzed the causes of upper eyelid depression in those patients and performed aponeurotic ptosis correction surgery and orbital septum fat release surgery. After 6 to 12 months of follow-up, the authors reviewed the patient's medical records and photographs to evaluate the treatment outcomes. RESULTS: After surgery, ptosis was corrected and upper eyelid depression significantly improved in all the patients. One patient had poor eyelid morphology and upper eyelid depression due to habitual brow lifting, which was relieved after an injection of botulinum toxin into the frontalis muscle. One patient had overcorrection of the upper eyelid depression on the affected side and no other complications. CONCLUSION: The main cause of upper eyelid depression in patients with aponeurotic ptosis is impaired dynamic transmission of the levator aponeurosis. Aponeurotic ptosis repair surgery and orbital septum fat release surgery are simple surgical procedures that restore the normal anatomy and physiology of the upper eyelid and maintain the normal structure of the eyelid, with good post-operative outcomes.

SMARCA5 reprograms AKR1B1-mediated fructose metabolism to control leukemogenesis.

A significant variation in chromatin accessibility is an epigenetic feature of leukemia. The cause of this variation in leukemia, however, remains elusive. Here, we identify SMARCA5, a core ATPase of the imitation switch (ISWI) chromatin remodeling complex, as being responsible for aberrant chromatin accessibility in leukemia cells. We find that SMARCA5 is required to maintain aberrant chromatin accessibility for leukemogenesis and then promotes transcriptional activation of AKR1B1, an aldo/keto reductase, by recruiting transcription co-activator DDX5 and transcription factor SP1. Higher levels of AKR1B1 are associated with a poor prognosis in leukemia patients and promote leukemogenesis by reprogramming fructose metabolism. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of AKR1B1 has been shown to have significant therapeutic effects in leukemia mice and leukemia patient cells. Thus, our findings link the aberrant chromatin state mediated by SMARCA5 to AKR1B1-mediated endogenous fructose metabolism reprogramming and shed light on the essential role of AKR1B1 in leukemogenesis, which may provide therapeutic strategies for leukemia.

NLRP3 Cys126 palmitoylation by ZDHHC7 promotes inflammasome activation.

Nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome hyperactivation contributes to many human chronic inflammatory diseases, and understanding how NLRP3 inflammasome is regulated can provide strategies to treat inflammatory diseases. Here, we demonstrate that NLRP3 Cys126 is palmitoylated by zinc finger DHHC-type palmitoyl transferase 7 (ZDHHC7), which is critical for NLRP3-mediated inflammasome activation. Perturbing NLRP3 Cys126 palmitoylation by ZDHHC7 knockout, pharmacological inhibition, or modification site mutation diminishes NLRP3 activation in macrophages. Furthermore, Cys126 palmitoylation is vital for inflammasome activation in vivo. Mechanistically, ZDHHC7-mediated NLRP3 Cys126 palmitoylation promotes resting NLRP3 localizing on the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and activated NLRP3 on the dispersed TGN, which is indispensable for recruitment and oligomerization of the adaptor ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD). The activation of NLRP3 by ZDHHC7 is different from the termination effect mediated by ZDHHC12, highlighting versatile regulatory roles of S-palmitoylation. Our study identifies an important regulatory mechanism of NLRP3 activation that suggests targeting ZDHHC7 or the NLRP3 Cys126 residue as a potential therapeutic strategy to treat NLRP3-related human disorders.

Sirt2 inhibition improves gut epithelial barrier integrity and protects mice from colitis.

Sirt2 is a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent protein lysine deacylase that can remove both acetyl group and long-chain fatty acyl groups from lysine residues of many proteins. It was reported to affect inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms in a mouse model. However, conflicting roles were reported, with genetic knockout aggravating while pharmacological inhibition alleviating IBD symptoms. These seemingly conflicting reports cause confusion and deter further efforts in developing Sirt2 inhibitors as a potential treatment strategy for IBD. We investigated these conflicting reports and elucidated the role of Sirt2 in the mouse model of IBD. We essentially replicated these conflicting results and confirmed that Sirt2 inhibitors' protective effect is not through off-targets as two very different Sirt2 inhibitors (TM and AGK2) showed similar protection in the IBD mouse model. We believe that the differential effects of inhibitors and knockout are due to the fact that the Sirt2 inhibitors only inhibit some but not all the activities of Sirt2. This hypothesis is confirmed by the observation that a PROTAC degrader of Sirt2 did not protect mice in the IBD model, similar to Sirt2 knockout. Our study provides an interesting example where genetic knockout and pharmacological inhibition do not align and emphasizes the importance of developing substrate-dependent inhibitors. Importantly, we showed that the effect of Sirt2 inhibition in IBD is through regulating the gut epithelium barrier by inhibiting Arf6-mediated endocytosis of E-cadherin, a protein important for the intestinal epithelial integrity. This mechanistic understanding further supports Sirt2 as a promising therapeutic target for treating IBD.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi offset NH3 emissions in temperate meadow soil under simulated warming and nitrogen deposition.

Most soil ammonia (NH3) emissions originate from soil nitrogen (N) that has been in the form of exchangeable ammonium. Emitted NH3 not only induces nutrient loss but also has adverse effects on the cycling of N and accelerates global warming. There is evidence that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can alleviate N loss by reducing N2O emissions in N-limited ecosystems, however, some studies have also found that global changes, such as warming and N deposition, can affect the growth and development of AM fungi and alter their functionality. Up to now, the impact of AM fungi on NH3 emissions, and whether global changes reduce the AM fungi's contribution to NH3 emissions reduction, has remained unclear. In this study, we examined how warming, N addition, and AM fungi alter NH3 emissions from high pH saline soils typical of a temperate meadow through a controlled microscopic experiment. The results showed that warming significantly increased soil NH3 emissions, but N addition and combined warming plus N addition had no impact. Inoculations with AM fungi strongly reduced NH3 emissions both under warming and N addition, but AM fungi effects were more pronounced under warming than following N addition. Inoculation with AM fungi reduced soil NH4+-N content and soil pH, and increased plant N content and soil net N mineralization rate while increasing the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacterial (AOB) gene. Structural equation modeling (SEM) shows that the regulation of NH3 emissions by AM fungi may be related to soil NH4+-N content and soil pH. These findings highlight that AM fungi can reduce N loss in the form of NH3 by increasing N turnover and uptake under global changes; thus, AM fungi play a vital role in alleviating the aggravation of N loss caused by global changes and in mitigating environmental pollution in the future.

Intersecting paths: Corporate and green innovation in Chinese firms-A penal cointegration analysis.

In today's dynamic and competitive business landscape, innovation is paramount for companies striving to maintain a competitive edge. Among various innovation strategies, corporate green innovation has gained prominence as an efficient means of achieving sustainable growth. In response to the pressing need for sustainable development, this study investigates the bidirectional cointegration link between green innovation and overall corporate innovation in a panel dataset of Chinese-listed enterprises.As China emphasizes principles like "greening" and "innovation" for twenty-first-century development, this research aligns with the nation's goal of fostering sustainable industry growth through "green innovation". It employs panel cointegration tests, including the Westerlund test, dynamic panel ordinary least square (DOLS), and the panel vector error correction model (VECM), using data from Chinese A-listed firms spanning from 2008 to 2020. The study reveals a robust long-term, bidirectional relationship between corporate innovation and green innovation. Notably, it demonstrates that green innovation causally impacts corporate innovation in both the short and long term. This research also conducts subsample analysis, ensuring the robustness of the main findings across both non-polluted and polluted industries. These findings provide valuable insights into how corporate innovation factors influence corporate green innovation. Consequently, they offer valuable insights for policymakers and organizations, aiding in the formulation of policies that promote environmentally friendly innovation while elevating corporate innovation standards.

Comparative Physiology and Transcriptome Analysis Provides Insights into the Regulatory Mechanism of Albinotic Bambusa oldhamii.

Albinism is a unique problem encountered in tissue culture experiments, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear in most bamboo species. In this study, we identified the putative regulatory genes in an albino mutant of Bambusa oldhamii using comparative physiology and transcriptome analysis. The degeneration of chloroplasts, low chlorophyll (Chl) content and reduced photosynthetic capacity were observed in albinotic B. oldhamii compared to normal lines. A total of 6191 unigenes were identified that were clearly differentially expressed between albino and normal lines by transcriptome sequencing. Most genes related to chloroplast development (such as Psa, Psb) and pigment biosynthesis (such as LHC, GUN4, ZEP) were downregulated significantly in albinotic lines, which might be responsible for the albino phenotype. Moreover, some transcription factors (TFs) such as PIF and GLK1 were identified to be involved in chloroplast development and Chl synthesis, indicating the involvement of putative regulatory pathways PIF-LHC and GLK1-LHC/Psa/Psb in albinotic B. oldhamii. Finally, the downregulation of some stress responsive TFs (like ICE1 and EREB1) suggested a reduction in stress resistance of albinotic B. oldhamii. The above findings provided new insights into the molecular mechanism of albinism in bamboo.

Mechanical Behavior of Honeybee Forewing with Flexible Resilin Joints and Stripes.

The flexibility of insect wings should be considered in the design of bionic micro flapping-wing aircraft. The honeybee is an ideal biomimetic object because its wings are small and possess a concise vein pattern. In this paper, we focus on resilin, an important flexible factor in honeybees' forewings. Both resilin joints and resilin stripes are considered in the finite element model, and their mechanical behaviors are studied comprehensively. Resilin was found to increase the static deflections in chordwise and spanwise directions by 1.4 times and 1.9 times, respectively. In modal analysis, natural frequencies of the first bending and first torsional modes were found to be decreased significantly-especially the latter, which was reduced from 500 Hz to 217 Hz-in terms of resilin joints and stripes, closely approaching flapping frequency. As a result, the rotational angle amplitude in dynamic responses is remarkable, with an amplification ratio of about six. It was also found that resilin joints and stripes together lead to well-cambered sections and improve the stress concentrations in dynamic deformation. As resilin is widespread in insect wings, the study could help our understanding of the flexible mechanism of wing structure and inspire the development of flexible airfoils.

An intramolecular vibrationally excited intermolecular potential energy surface and predicted 2OH overtone spectroscopy of H2O-Kr.

A new five-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for H2O-Kr which explicitly includes the intramolecular 2OH overtone state of the H2O monomer is presented. The intermolecular potential energies were evaluated using explicitly correlated coupled cluster theory [CCSD(T)-F12] with a large basis set. Four vibrationally averaged analytical intermolecular PESs for H2O-Kr with H2O molecules in its |00+〉, |02+〉, |02-〉, and |11+〉 states are obtained by fitting to the multi-dimensional Morse/Long-Range potential function form. Each vibrationally averaged PES fitted to 578 points has root-mean-square (RMS) deviations smaller than 0.14 cm-1 and requires only 58 parameters. The combined radial discrete variable representation/angular finite basis representation method and the Lanczos algorithm were employed to calculate the rovibrational energy levels for |00+〉, |02+〉, |02-〉, and |11+〉 states of the H2O-Kr complexes. The calculated |02-〉Πf/e(101) ← |00+〉Σe(000) and |02+〉Πf/e(110) ← |00+〉Σe(101) infrared transitions are in excellent agreement with the experimental values with RMS discrepancies being only 0.007 and 0.016 cm-1, respectively. These analytical PESs can be used to provide reliable theoretical guidance for future infrared overtone spectroscopy of H2O-Kr.

The Paracrine Effect of Hyaluronic Acid-Treated Endothelial Cells Promotes BMP-2-Mediated Osteogenesis.

The combination of hyaluronic acid (HA) and BMP-2 has been reported to promote bone regeneration. However, the interaction of endothelial cells and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) during HA + BMP-2 treatment is not fully understood. This study aimed to analyze the direct effect of HA, as well as the paracrine effect of HA-treated endothelial cells, on the BMP-2-mediated osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. The angiogenic differentiation potential of HA at different molecular weights and different concentrations was tested. The direct effect of HA, as well as the indirect effect of HA-treated human umbilical cord endothelial cells (HUVECs, i.e., conditioned medium (CM)-based co-culture) on the BMP-2-mediated osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs was analyzed using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and activity, alizarin red S (ARS) staining, and RT-qPCR of osteogenic markers. Angiogenic differentiation markers were also analyzed in HUVECs after treatment with HA + BMP-2. The bone regeneration potential of BMP-2 and HA + BMP-2 was analyzed in a rat ectopic model. We found that 1600 kDa HA at 300 µg/mL promoted tube formation by HUVECs in vitro and upregulated the mRNA expression of the angiogenic markers CD31, VEGF, and bFGF. HA inhibited, but conditioned medium from HA-treated HUVECs promoted, the BMP-2-mediated osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, as indicated by the results of ALP staining and activity, ARS staining, and the mRNA expression of the osteogenic markers RUNX-2, ALP, COLI, and OPN. HA + BMP-2 (50 ng/mL) upregulated the expression of the angiogenesis-related genes VEGF and bFGF in HUVECs and bone regeneration in vivo compared to BMP-2 treatment. In conclusion, the paracrine effect of hyaluronic acid-treated endothelial cells promotes BMP-2-mediated osteogenesis, suggesting the application potential of HA + BMP-2 in bone tissue engineering.

Recent Progress of the Vat Photopolymerization Technique in Tissue Engineering: A Brief Review of Mechanisms, Methods, Materials, and Applications.

Vat photopolymerization (VP), including stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP), and volumetric printing, employs UV or visible light to solidify cell-laden photoactive bioresin contained within a vat in a point-by-point, layer-by-layer, or volumetric manner. VP-based bioprinting has garnered substantial attention in both academia and industry due to its unprecedented control over printing resolution and accuracy, as well as its rapid printing speed. It holds tremendous potential for the fabrication of tissue- and organ-like structures in the field of regenerative medicine. This review summarizes the recent progress of VP in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. First, it introduces the mechanism of photopolymerization, followed by an explanation of the printing technique and commonly used biomaterials. Furthermore, the application of VP-based bioprinting in tissue engineering was discussed. Finally, the challenges facing VP-based bioprinting are discussed, and the future trends in VP-based bioprinting are projected.

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomal miR-345-3p Ameliorates Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury by Targeting TRAF6.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) exosomal miR-345-3p and tumor necrosis factor receptorassociated factor 6 (TRAF6) on cerebral ischemia reperfusion (CIR) injury. Exosomes (Exos) derived from BMSCs were isolated and identified. PC12 (rat pheochromocytoma) cells were used to establish an oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model. METHODS: Cell counting kit-8, TUNEL staining, lactate dehydrogenase staining, RT-qPCR, and western blotting were utilized for analyzing the functions of miR-345-3p about PC12 cells. Dualluciferase reporter experiment was then to confirm the link between miR-345-3p and TRAF6. Finally, using male SD rats, the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was constructed. Regulation of I/R damage in MCAO rats of miR-345-3p and TRAF6 were further explored in the changes of modified neurological severity score, cerebral infarction pictures, relative infarct volume, and histopathological changes. After OGD/R treatment, neuronal apoptosis was dramatically increased. After treatment with exosomal miR-345-3p, OGD/R-induced neuroapoptosis was dramatically inhibited. Exosomal miR-345-3p inhibited OGD/R-induced neuroapoptosis by downregulating the expression of TRAF6. However, the miR-345-3p inhibitor aggravated the changes caused by OGD/R. RESULTS: The corresponding regulations of miR-345-3p were reversed with TRAF6 overexpression. The animal experiments in vivo further verified that miR-345-3p ameliorated brain I/R injury in MCAO rats by targeting TRAF6. CONCLUSION: This study found that BMSCs-exosomal miR-345-3p protected against CIR injury by decreasing TRAF6.

Molecular identification of Bambusa changningensis is the natural bamboo hybrid of B. rigida × Dendrocalamus farinosus.

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants commonly used in food, fibre, paper, biofuel, ornamental and medicinal industries. Natural hybridization in bamboo is rare due to its long vegetative period followed by gregarious flowering and death of the entire population. In the current study, a new bamboo species, Bambusa changningensis, shows intermediate characteristics of Dendrocalamus farinosus and B. rigida morphologically, but it is unknown whether B. changningensis is a natural hybrid. Moreover, B. changningensis has been identified as a superior variety of Sichuan Province with high pulping yield, fibre length and width. Therefore, we analyzed the morphological characteristics, DNA markers, DNA barcoding and chloroplast genomes to identify the hybrid origin of B. changningensis and possible maternal parent. We have developed the transcriptomic data for B. changningensis and mined the SSR loci. The putative parental lines and hybrid were screened for 64 SSR makers and identified that SSR14, SSR28, SSR31 and SSR34 markers showed both alleles of the parental species in B. changningensis, proving heterozygosity. Sequencing nuclear gene GBSSI partial regions and phylogenetic analysis also confirm the hybrid nature of B. changningensis. Further, we have generated the complete chloroplast genome sequence (139505 bp) of B. changningensis. By analyzing the cp genomes of both parents and B. changningensis, we identified that B. rigida might be the female parent. In conclusion, our study identified that B. changningensis is a natural hybrid, providing evidence for bamboo's natural hybridization. This is the first report on confirming a natural bamboo hybrid and its parents through SSR and chloroplast genome sequence.