Soil organic matter and water content affect the community characteristics of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Helan mountain, an arid desert grassland area in China.

Introduction: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are vital in terrestrial ecosystems. However, the community structure characteristics and influencing factors of AMF in the forest ecosystems of arid desert grassland areas require further investigation. Methods: Therefore, we employed high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the soil AMF community characteristics at different elevations in the Helan mountains. Results: The results revealed that significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the soil physicochemical properties among different elevations, and these properties exhibited distinct trends with increasing elevation. Through high-throughput sequencing, we identified 986 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to 1 phylum, 4 classes, 6 orders, 12 families, 14 genera, and 114 species. The dominant genus was Glomus. Furthermore, significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the α-diversity of the soil AMF community across different elevations. Person correlation analysis, redundancy analysis (RDA), and Monte Carlo tests demonstrated significant correlations between the diversity and abundance of AMF communities with soil organic matter (OM) (P < 0.01) and soil water content (WC) (P < 0.05). Discussion: This study provides insights into the structural characteristics of soil AMF communities at various altitudes on the eastern slope of Helan mountain and their relationships with soil physicochemical properties. The findings contribute to our understanding of the distribution pattern of soil AMF and its associations with environmental factors in the Helan mountains, as well as the stability of forest ecosystems in arid desert grassland areas.

Berberine alleviates high-energy and low-protein diet-induced fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in laying hens: insights from microbiome and metabolomics.

Berberine (BBR), a well-known quaternary ammonium alkaloid, is recognized for its ability to prevent and alleviate metabolic disorders because of its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the underlying mechanisms of BBR to mitigate fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) through the modulation of gut microbiota and their metabolism remained unclear. The results revealed that BBR ameliorates lipid metabolism disorder in high-energy and low-protein (HELP) diet-induced FLHS laying hens, as evidenced by improved liver function and lipid deposition of the liver, reduced blood lipids, and the expression of liver lipid synthesis-related factors. Moreover, BBR alleviated HELP diet-induced barrier dysfunction, increased microbial population, and dysregulated lipid metabolism in the ileum. BBR reshaped the HELP-perturbed gut microbiota, particularly declining the abundance of Desulfovibrio_piger and elevating the abundance of Bacteroides_salanitronis_DSM_18170. Meanwhile, metabolomic profiling analysis revealed that BBR reshaped microbial metabolism and function, particularly by reducing the levels of hydrocinnamic acid, dehydroanonaine, and leucinic acid. Furthermore, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments revealed that BBR-enriched gut microbiota alleviated hepatic lipid deposition and intestinal inflammation compared with those chicks that received a gut microbiota by HELP. Collectively, our study provided evidence that BBR effectively alleviated FLHS induced by HELP by reshaping the microbial and metabolic homeostasis within the liver-gut axis.

Plasma GPI and PGD are associated with vascular normalization and may serve as novel prognostic biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma: Multi-omics and multi-dimensional analysis.

The aim of this study was to explore potential novel plasma protein biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). A plasma proteomics analysis was carried out and candidate protein biomarkers were validated in 102 LUAD cases and 102 matched healthy controls. The same LUAD tumor tissues were detected to explore the correlation between the expression of candidate proteins in tissues and plasma and vascular normalization. A LUAD active metastasis mice model was constructed to explore the role of candidate proteins for lung metastasis. GPI and PGD were verified to be upregulated in plasma from LUAD patients, and the expression of GPI in tumor tissue was positively correlated with the expression of GPI in plasma and negatively correlated with the normalization of tumor blood vessels. Meanwhile, a negative correlation between the expression of GPI and PGD in plasma and tumor vascular normalization was discovered. In the LUAD active metastasis model, the lowest levels of vascular normalization and the highest expression of GPI and PGD were found in mice with lung metastases. This study found that GPI and PGD may be potential plasma biomarkers for LUAD, and monitoring those may infer the risk of metastasis and malignancy of the tumor. SIGNIFICANT: We identified GPI and PGD as potential novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for LUAD. PGD and GPI can be used as diagnostic biomarkers in combination with other available strategies to assist in the screening and diagnosis of LUAD, and as prognostic biomarkers aid in predict the risk of tumor metastasis and malignancy in patients with LUAD.

Primary cilia formation requires the Leigh syndrome-associated mitochondrial protein NDUFAF2.

Mitochondria-related neurodegenerative diseases have been implicated in the disruption of primary cilia function. Mutation in an intrinsic mitochondrial complex I component NDUFAF2 has been identified in Leigh syndrome, a severe inherited mitochondriopathy. Mutations in ARMC9, which encodes a basal body protein, cause Joubert syndrome, a ciliopathy with defects in the brain, kidney, and eye. Here, we report a mechanistic link between mitochondria metabolism and primary cilia signaling. We discovered that loss of NDUFAF2 caused both mitochondrial and ciliary defects in vitro and in vivo and identified NDUFAF2 as a binding partner for ARMC9. We also found that NDUFAF2 was both necessary and sufficient for cilia formation and that exogenous expression of NDUFAF2 rescued the ciliary and mitochondrial defects observed in cells from patients with known ARMC9 deficiency. NAD+ supplementation restored mitochondrial and ciliary dysfunction in ARMC9-deficient cells and zebrafish and ameliorated the ocular motility and motor deficits of a patient with ARMC9 deficiency. The present results provide a compelling mechanistic link, supported by evidence from human studies, between primary cilia and mitochondrial signaling. Importantly, our findings have significant implications for the development of therapeutic approaches targeting ciliopathies.

Cognitively motivated or emotionally charged? Issue-switching mechanism of second screening-facilitated political participation during the 2022 COVID-19 waves in China.

This study examines the effects of mass media and mobile media on civil behaviors in China during COVID-19 outbreaks. It explores the media practices of the Chinese public and the psychological mechanisms that led to their protests and boycotts against the government's COVID policies. Chinese official media has a reputation for depoliticizing natural disasters and censoring the online mobilization of collective actions. Based on previous research and theories regarding media multitasking and political communication, this study demonstrates the psychological mechanism by which a special type of media multitasking-second screening-contributed to political participation in a politically restrictive environment. This study contributes to existing research on media multitasking by proposing a unique theoretical framework that entails an issue-based typology of second screening. The framework expands knowledge by highlighting the importance of issue-switching and investigating its psychological influence on political participation. Previous studies have primarily focused on device-switching and its effects, so this study offers fresh insights in this field. Drawing on a nationwide online survey (N = 1180) conducted during the late-2022 wave of COVID-19 in China, this study reveals that second screening on official televised COVID-19 news can elicit simultaneous issue-switching among Chinese audiences: from the de-politicalized COVID-19 propaganda toward politics. Further, second screening on different issues (i.e., politics vs. health sciences) may instigate political participation through cognitive and emotion channels differently. That is, both political efficacy (cognitive) and negative emotions (emotion) facilitate the process, with the former making a greater contribution.

Experience of Multiple Super-Selective Renal Angiographic Embolization (SRAE) After Minimally-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Haemorrhage: A Case Report.

Minimally invasive percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mini-PCNL) maintains a stone clearance rate similar to standard PCNL while reducing blood loss. Bleeding is a complex and serious complication that can arise after PCNL surgery. Pseudoaneurysm (PA) is an uncommon type of delayed bleeding problem, which affects less than 1% of patients after PCNL. The most effective treatment for severe post-PCNL hemorrhage is super-selective renal angiographic embolization (SRAE), but it can fail in some patients and require additional surgical intervention. This report details the case of a male patient, 55 years old, who experienced severe bleeding four times and had three SRAE procedures and one laparoscopic procedure after PCNL. The presence of a renal artery pseudoaneurysm was not initially identified during the first two attempts of angiography due to arterial spasm and a small, undeveloped lesion. This case report is intended to enhance awareness of tiny pseudoaneurysms, emphasizing the importance of avoiding oversight to improve the success rate of embolization.

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatocyte platform in modeling of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background and Aim: Currently, SARS-CoV-2 is still spreading rapidly and globally. A large proportion of patients with COVID-19 developed liver injuries. The human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocytes recapitulate primary human hepatocytes and have been widely used in studies of liver diseases. Methods: To explore the susceptibility of hepatocytes to SARS-CoV-2, we differentiated iPSCs to functional hepatocytes and tried infecting them with different MOI (1, 0.1, 0.01) of SARS-CoV-2. Results: The iPSC-derived hepatocytes are highly susceptible to virus infection, even at 0.01 MOI. Other than the ancestral strain, iHeps also support the replication of SARS-CoV-2 variants including alpha, beta, theta, and delta. More interestingly, the ACE2 expression significantly upregulated after infection, suggesting a vicious cycle between virus infection and liver injury. Conclusions: The iPSC-derived hepatocytes can support the replication of SARS-CoV-2, and this platform could be used to investigate the SARS-CoV-2 hepatotropism and hepatic pathogenic mechanisms.

De novo design of mini-binder proteins against IL-2 receptor ß chain.

IL-2 regulates the immune response by interacting with different IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) subunits. High dose of IL-2 binds to IL-2Rßγc heterodimer, which induce various side effects while activating immune function. Disrupting IL-2 and IL-2R interactions can block IL-2 mediated immune response. Here, we used a computational approach to de novo design mini-binder proteins against IL-2R ß chain (IL-2Rß) to block IL-2 signaling. The hydrophobic region where IL-2 binds to IL-2Rß was selected and the promising binding mode was broadly explored. Three mini-binders with amino acid numbers ranging from 55 to 65 were obtained and binder 1 showed the best effects in inhibiting CTLL-2 cells proliferation and STAT5 phosphorylation. Molecular dynamics simulation showed that the binding of binder 1 to IL-2Rß was stable; the free energy of binder1/IL-2Rß complex was lower, indicating that the affinity of binder 1 to IL-2Rß was higher than that of IL-2. Free energy decomposition suggested that the ARG35 and ARG131 of IL-2Rß might be the key to improve the affinity of binder. Our efforts provided new insights in developing of IL-2R blocker, offering a potential strategy for ameliorating the side effects of IL-2 treatment.

New species and records of Botryosphaeriales (Dothideomycetes) associated with tree dieback in Beijing, China.

Botryosphaeriales species are important pathogens that have worldwide distribution. In this study, 23 Botryosphaeriales strains were isolated from 13 host species during a dieback disease survey in Beijing, China. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, six Botryosphaeriales species were identified, including two new species named Dothiorellahortiarborum sp. nov. and Phaeobotryonfraxini sp. nov., and four new host records: Aplosporellaginkgonis from Cotinuscoggygriavar.cinereus, A.javeedii from Acermiyabei, Acertruncatum, Forsythiasuspensa, Lagerstroemiaindica, Sambucuswilliamsii, Syringavulgaris, Ulmuspumila, Xanthocerassorbifolium, A.yanqingensis from Acertruncatum, and Do.acericola from Forsythiasuspensa, Ginkgobiloba, and Syringaoblata. This study enriches the species diversity associated with tree dieback in Beijing, China, and contributes to the further study of the taxonomy of this order.

Multicolor recordable and erasable photonic crystals based on on-off thermoswitchable mechanochromism toward inkless rewritable paper.

Mechanochromic photonic crystals are attractive due to their force-dependent structural colors; however, showing unrecordable color and unsatisfied performances, which significantly limits their development and expansion toward advanced applications. Here, a thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystal with a multicolor recordability-erasability was fabricated by combining non-close-packing mechanochromic photonic crystals and phase-change materials. Multicolor recordability is realized by pressing thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystals to obtain target colors over the phase-change temperature followed by fixing the target colors and deformed configuration at room temperature. The stable recorded color can be erased and reconfigured by simply heating and similar color-recording procedures respectively due to the thermoswitchable on-off mechanochromism of thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystals along with solid-gel phase transition. These thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystals are ideal rewritable papers for ink-freely achieving multicolor patterns with high resolution, difficult for conventional photonic papers. This work offers a perspective for designing color-recordable/erasable and other stimulus-switchable materials with advanced applications.

Simulations of Anisotropic Monolayer GaSCl for p-Type Sub-10 nm High-Performance and Low-Power FETs.

Two-dimensional materials have been extensively studied in field-effect transistors (FETs). However, the performance of p-type FETs has lagged behind that of n-type, which limits the development of complementary logical circuits. Here, we investigate the electronic properties and transport performance of anisotropic monolayer GaSCl for p-type FETs through first-principles calculations. The anisotropic electronic properties of monolayer GaSCl result in excellent device performance. The p-type GaSCl FETs with 10 nm channel length have an on-state current of 2351 µA/µm for high-performance (HP) devices along the y direction and an on-state current of 992 µA/µm with an on/off ratio exceeding 107 for low-power (LP) applications along the x direction. In addition, the delay-time (τ) and power dissipation product of GaSCl FETs can fully meet the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors standards for HP and LP applications. Our work illustrates that monolayer GaSCl is a competitive p-type channel for next-generation devices.

Whole-exome sequencing of individuals from an isolated population under extreme conditions implicates rare risk variants of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia (SCZ), which affects approximately 1% of the world's population, is a global public health concern. It is generally considered that the interplay between genes and the environment is important in the onset and/or development of SCZ. Although several whole-exome sequencing studies have revealed rare risk variants of SCZ, no rare coding variants have been strongly replicated. Assessing isolated populations under extreme conditions might lead to the discovery of variants with a recent origin, which are more likely to have a higher frequency than chance to reflect gene-environment interactions. Following this approach, we examined a unique cohort of Tibetans living at an average altitude above 4500 meters. Whole-exome sequencing of 47 SCZ cases and 53 controls revealed 275 potential novel risk variants and two known variants (12:46244485: A/G and 22:18905934: A/G) associated with SCZ that were found in existing databases. Only one gene (C5orf42) in the gene-based statistics surpassed the exome-wide significance in the cohort. Metascape enrichment analysis suggested that novel risk genes were strongly enriched in pathways relevant to hypoxia, neurodevelopment, and neurotransmission. Additionally, 47 new risk genes were followed up in Han sample of 279 patients with SCZ and 95 controls, only BAI2 variant appearing in one case. Our findings suggest that SCZ patients living at high altitudes may have a unique risk gene signature, which may provide additional information on the underlying biology of SCZ, which can be exploited to identify individuals at greater risk of exposure to hypoxia.

Reversal of T-cell exhaustion: Mechanisms and synergistic approaches.

T cells suffer from long-term antigen stimulation and insufficient energy supply, leading to a decline in their effector functions, memory capabilities, and proliferative capacity, ultimately resulting in T cell exhaustion and an inability to perform normal immune functions in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, exploring how to restore these exhausted T cells to a state with effector functions is of great significance. Exhausted T cells exhibit a spectrum of molecular alterations, such as heightened expression of inhibitory receptors, shifts in transcription factor profiles, and modifications across epigenetic, metabolic, and transcriptional landscapes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various strategies to reverse T cell exhaustion, including immune checkpoint blockade, and explores the potential synergistic effects of combining multiple approaches to reverse T cell exhaustion. It offers new insights and methods for achieving more durable and effective reversal of T cell exhaustion.

Octahydroindolizine alkaloid Homocrepidine A from Dendrobium crepidatum attenuate P. acnes-induced inflammatory in vitro and in vivo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Dendrobium crepidatum Lindl. ex Paxton is a perennial epiphyte of Dendrobium genus, distributed in southern China, and utilized as the traditional Chinese medicine "Shihu" in Yunnan Province. Due to its heat-clearing and detoxicating properties, it is formulated as the "XiaoCuoWan" as recorded in the China Pharmacopoeia, and specially used to treat chronic skin inflammatory diseases, such as acne. AIM OF THE STUDY: This research aimed to estimate impact of the octahydroindoline alkaloid Homocrepidine A (HCA), isolated from D. crepidatum, on acne inflammation using both human THP-1 cells and mouse models. Furthermore, the potential anti-inflammatory mechanism of HCA has been analyzed through molecular biology methods and computer simulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THP-1 cells and mouse models induced by live Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) were employed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of crude extract of D. crepidatum (DCE) and HCA. ELISA was utilized to detect the release of inflammatory cytokines in both cellular and murine ear tissues. RNAseq was used to screen the pathways associated with HCA-mediated inflammatory inhibition, while Western blot, RT-qPCR, and immunofluorescence were utilized to detect the expression of relevant proteins. Additionally, molecular docking simulations and cellular thermal shift assays were employed to confirm the target of HCA. RESULTS: Our research shows that DCE and HCA can effectively alleviate acne inflammation. HCA inhibits TLR2 expression by interacting with amino acid residues in the TIR domain of hTLR2, including Pro-681, Asn-688, Trp-684, and Ile-685. Moreover, HCA disrupts inflammatory signal transduction mediated by MAPK and NF-κB pathways through MyD88-dependent pathway. Additionally, HCA treatment facilitates Nrf2 nuclear translocation and upregulates HO-1 expression, thereby inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasomes activation. In vivo experiments further revealed that HCA markedly attenuated erythema and swelling caused by P. acnes in mice ears, while also decreasing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß and IL-8. CONCLUSIONS: Our research highlights the protective effects of D. crepidatum and its bioactive compound HCA against acne inflammation, marking the first exploration of its potential in this context. The discoveries indicate that HCA treatment may represent a promising functional approach for acne therapy.

Digestion and absorption characteristics of iron-chelating silver carp scale collagen peptide and insights into their chelation mechanism.

Iron deficiency is widespread throughout the world, supplementing sufficient iron or improving the bioavailability of iron is the fundamental strategy to solve the problem of iron scarcity. Herein, we explored a new form of iron supplement, iron chelates of silver carp scales (SCSCP-Fe) were prepared from collagen peptide of silver carp scales (SCSCP) and FeCl2·4H2O, the effects of external environment and simulated gastrointestinal digestive environment on the stability of SCSCP-Fe and the structural changes of peptide iron chelates during digestion were investigated. The results of in vitro iron absorption promotion showed that the iron bioavailability of SCSCP-Fe was higher than that of FeSO4. Two potential high iron chelating peptides DTSGGYDEY (DY) and LQGSNEIEIR (LR) were screened and synthesized from the SCSCP sequence by molecular dynamics and LC-MS/MS techniques. The FTIR results displayed that the binding sites of DY and LR for Fe2+ were the carboxyl group, the amino group, and the nitrogen atom on the amide group on the peptide. ITC results indicated that the chelation reactions of DY and LR with Fe2+ were mainly dominated by electrostatic interactions, forming chelates in stoichiometric ratios of 1:2 and 1:1, respectively. Both DY and LR had a certain ability to promote iron absorption. The transport of DY-Fe chelate may be a combination of the three pathways: PepT1 vector pathway, cell bypass, and endocytosis, while LR-Fe chelate was dominated by bivalent metal ion transporters. This study is expected to provide theoretical reference and technical support for the high-value utilization of silver carp scales and the development of novel iron supplements.

Improved Cell Adhesion on Self-Assembled Chiral Nematic Cellulose Nanocrystal Films.

Chirality is ubiquitous in nature, and closely related to biological phenomena. Nature-originated nanomaterials such as cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are able to self-assemble into hierarchical chiral nematic CNC films and impart handedness to nano and micro scale. However, the effects of the chiral nematic surfaces on cell adhesion are still unknown. Herein, this work presents evidence that the left-handed self-assembled chiral nematic CNC films (L-CNC) significantly improve the adhesion of L929 fibroblasts compared to randomly arranged isotropic CNC films (I-CNC). The fluidic force microscopy-based single-cell force spectroscopy is introduced to assess the cell adhesion forces on the substrates of L-CNC and I-CNC, respectively. With this method, a maximum adhesion force of 133.2 nN is quantified for mature L929 fibroblasts after culturing for 24 h on L-CNC, whereas the L929 fibroblasts exert a maximum adhesion force of 78.4 nN on I-CNC under the same condition. Moreover, the instant SCFS reveals that the integrin pathways are involved in sensing the chirality of substrate surfaces. Overall, this work offers a starting point for the regulation of cell adhesion via the self-assembled nano and micro architecture of chiral nematic CNC films, with potential practical applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

The Influence of Piriformospora indica Colonization on the Root Development and Growth of Cerasus humilis Cuttings.

Numerous studies have shown that the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica has a broad range of promoting effects on root development and plant growth in host plants. However, there are currently no reports on the application of this fungus on Cerasus humilis. This study first compared the colonization ability of P. indica on 11 C. humilis varieties and found that the colonization rate of this fungus on these varieties ranged from 90% to 100%, with the colonization rate of the varieties '09-01' and 'Nongda 7' being as high as 100%. Subsequently, the effect of P. indica on root development and plant growth of C. humilis was investigated using cuttings of '09-01' and 'Nongda 7' as materials. P. indica colonization was found to increase the biomass of '09-01' and 'Nongda 7' plants; root activity, POD enzymes, and chlorophyll content were also significantly increased. In addition, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content in the roots of C. humilis plants increased after colonization, while jasmonic acid (JA) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-car- boxylic acid (ACC) content decreased. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that P. indica can promote the growth of C. humilis plants by accelerating biomass accumulation, promoting rooting, and enhancing the production of photosynthetic pigments, as well as regulating hormone synthesis.

Mapping of lymph node metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after neoadjuvant treatment: a prospective analysis from a high-volume institution in China.

The study aimed to describe the prevalence of lymph node metastases per lymph node station for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after neoadjuvant treatment. Clinicopathological variables of ESCC patients were retrieved from the prospective database of the Surgical Esophageal Cancer Patient Registry in West China Hospital, Sichuan University. A two-field lymphadenectomy was routinely performed, and an extensive three-field lymphadenectomy was performed if cervical lymph node metastasis was suspected. According to AJCC/UICC 8, lymph node stations were investigated separately. The number of patients with metastatic lymph nodes divided by those who underwent lymph node dissection at that station was used to define the percentage of patients with lymph node metastases. Data are also separately analyzed according to the pathological response of the primary tumor, neoadjuvant treatment regimens, pretreatment tumor length, and tumor location. Between January 2019 and March 2023, 623 patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy followed by transthoracic esophagectomy were enrolled. Lymph node metastases were found in 212 patients (34.0%) and most frequently seen in lymph nodes along the right recurrent nerve (10.1%, 58/575), paracardial station (11.4%, 67/587), and lymph nodes along the left gastric artery (10.9%, 65/597). For patients with pretreatment tumor length of >4 cm and non-pathological complete response of the primary tumor, the metastatic rate of the right lower cervical paratracheal lymph nodes is 10.9% (10/92) and 10.6% (11/104), respectively. For patients with an upper thoracic tumor, metastatic lymph nodes were most frequently seen along the right recurrent nerve (14.2%, 8/56). For patients with a middle thoracic tumor, metastatic lymph nodes were most commonly seen in the right lower cervical paratracheal lymph nodes (10.3%, 8/78), paracardial lymph nodes (10.2%, 29/285), and lymph nodes along the left gastric artery (10.4%, 30/289). For patients with a lower thoracic tumor, metastatic lymph nodes were most frequently seen in the paracardial station (14.2%, 35/247) and lymph nodes along the left gastric artery (13.1%, 33/252). The study precisely determined the distribution of lymph node metastases in ESCC after neoadjuvant treatment, which may help to optimize the extent of lymphadenectomy in the surgical management of ESCC patients after neoadjuvant therapy.