Exosomal circRNAs in the plasma serve as novel biomarkers for IPF diagnosis and progression prediction.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a type of chronic interstitial pneumonia, often fatal, with elusive causes and a bleak prognosis. Its treatment options are limited and largely ineffective. Early detection and precise diagnosis are pivotal in managing the disease effectively and enhancing patient survival rates. Recently, the quest for trustworthy biomarkers for IPF has gained momentum. Notably, emerging studies indicate that circular RNAs (circRNAs) found in exosomes may hold significant potential as valuable diagnostic markers. METHODS: In this study, we initially explored the expression profile of circRNAs in exosomes sourced from the blood of IPF patients and healthy volunteers, employing a human circRNA microarray. We then utilized RT-qPCR to corroborate the dysregulated circRNAs identified by the microarray during the training phase. Next, the circRNAs that displayed a significant increase during the training phase were selected for further validation in a larger cohort encompassing 113 IPF patients and 76 healthy volunteers. Ultimately, the expression level and function of hsa_circ_0044226 were substantiated through a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments. RESULTS: Utilizing a human circRNA microarray, we identified 11 dysregulated circRNAs in the exosomes derived from the blood of IPF patients and control volunteers. Subsequent RT-qPCR analysis revealed significant increases in three circRNAs (hsa_circ_0044226, hsa_circ_0004099, hsa_circ_0008898) within the IPF patients. Notably, hsa_circ_0044226 was markedly elevated in patients experiencing acute exacerbation of IPF (AE-IPF) compared to those with stable IPF (S-IPF). Additionally, an upregulation of hsa_circ_0044226 was observed in the blood exosomes derived from a bleomycin-induced IPF mouse model. CONCLUSION: The expression levels of hsa_circ_0044226, hsa_circ_0004099, and hsa_circ_0008898 in plasma exosomes introduce a new paradigm of biomarkers for the diagnosis and progression of IPF.

Floral-promoting GmFT homologs trigger photoperiodic after-effects: An important mechanism for early-maturing soybean varieties to regulate reproductive development and adapt to high latitudes.

Soybean (Glycine max) is a typical short-day plant, but has been widely cultivated in high-latitude long-day (LD) regions because of the development of early-maturing genotypes which are photoperiod-insensitive. However, some early-maturing varieties exhibit significant responses to maturity under different daylengths but not for flowering, depicting an evident photoperiodic after-effect, a poorly understood mechanism. In this study, we investigated the postflowering responses of 11 early-maturing soybean varieties to various preflowering photoperiodic treatments. We confirmed that preflowering SD conditions greatly promoted maturity and other postflowering developmental stages. Soybean homologs of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), including GmFT2a, GmFT3a, GmFT3b and GmFT5a, were highly accumulated in leaves under preflowering SD treatment. More importantly, they maintained a high expression level after flowering even under LD conditions. E1 RNAi and GmFT2a overexpression lines showed extremely early maturity regardless of preflowering SD and LD treatments due to constitutively high levels of floral-promoting GmFT homolog expression throughout their life cycle. Collectively, our data indicate that high and stable expression of floral-promoting GmFT homologs play key roles in the maintenance of photoperiodic induction to promote postflowering reproductive development, which confers early-maturing varieties with appropriate vegetative growth and shortened reproductive growth periods for adaptation to high latitudes.

Biocontrol Efficacy and Induced Resistance of Paenibacillus polymyxa J2-4 Against Meloidogyne incognita Infection in Cucumber.

Meloidogyne incognita is one of the most destructive agricultural pathogens around the world, resulting in severe damage to yield and quality in agricultural production. Biological control promises to be a great potential alternative to chemical agents against M. incognita. Paenibacillus polymyxa J2-4, isolated from ginger plants injured by M. incognita, has shown excellent biocontrol efficacy against M. incognita in cucumber. In vitro experiments with the strain J2-4 resulted in a correct mortality rate of 88.79% (24 h) and 98.57% (48 h) for second-stage juveniles (J2s) of M. incognita. Strain J2-4 significantly suppressed nematode infection on potted plants, with a 65.94% reduction in galls and a 51.64% reduction in eggs compared with the control. The split-root assay demonstrated that strain J2-4 not only reduced J2s' invasion but also inhibited nematode development through the dependence on salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signaling of strain J2-4 induction of plant resistance in local and systemic roots of cucumbers. Genomic analysis of strain J2-4 indicated biosynthetic gene clusters encoding polymyxin, fusaricidin B, paenilan, and tridecaptin. In addition, genetic analysis showed that none of the genes encoding virulence factors were detected in the genome of J2-4 compared with the pathogenic Bacillus species. Taking all the data together, we conclude that P. polymyxa J2-4 has potential as a biological control agent against M. incognita on cucumbers and can be considered biologically safe when used in agriculture.

Differences in rice component distribution across layers and their relationship with taste.

BACKGROUND: Rice taste is closely associated with endosperm composition, which varies among different rice layers. Although clarifying the relationship between this difference and nutritional taste can guide rice breeding and cultivation practices, research on this topic is limited. RESULTS: Here, typical rice varieties having excellent and poor taste characteristics were selected to analyze the distribution characteristics and differences of their components. The varieties with excellent taste exhibited lower apparent amylose content (AAC) and protein content (PC), lesser short-chain (Fa) and long-chain (Fb3 ) amylopectin (AP) and more medium-chain (Fb1+2 ) AP, higher long-to-short chain ratio (Fa:Fb3 ), and higher nitrogen (N), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) content in layer 1 (L1) than the varieties with poor taste. Layer 2 (L2) played a key role in AAC and PC regulation in the varieties with excellent taste by reducing AAC and appropriately increasing PC, consequently improving rice taste. AP structure in layer 3 (L3) substantially affected the taste of the two types of varieties. The mineral content was the highest in L1, and increased potassium (K), Ca, and Mg content improved taste in all varieties. CONCLUSION: AAC in each layer contributes to rice taste. PC and minerals primarily act on L1 and L2, whereas AP acts on L2 and L3. Therefore, the endosperm formation process should be exploited for improving rice taste. Furthermore, key resources and cultivation should be identified and regulated, respectively, to improve rice taste. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Chemical Biology Approach to Reveal the Importance of Precise Subcellular Targeting for Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus Eradication.

Intracellular bacterial pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, that may hide in intracellular vacuoles represent the most significant manifestation of bacterial persistence. They are critically associated with chronic infections and antibiotic resistance, as conventional antibiotics are ineffective against such intracellular persisters due to permeability issues and mechanistic reasons. Direct subcellular targeting of S. aureus vacuoles suggests an explicit opportunity for the eradication of these persisters, but a comprehensive understanding of the chemical biology nature and significance of precise S. aureus vacuole targeting remains limited. Here, we report an oligoguanidine-based peptidomimetic that effectively targets and eradicates intracellular S. aureus persisters in the phagolysosome lumen, and this oligomer was utilized to reveal the mechanistic insights linking precise targeting to intracellular antimicrobial efficacy. The oligomer has high cellular uptake via a receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway and colocalizes with S. aureus persisters in phagolysosomes as a result of endosome-lysosome interconversion and lysosome-phagosome fusion. Moreover, the observation of a bacterium's altered susceptibility to the oligomer following a modification in its intracellular localization offers direct evidence of the critical importance of precise intracellular targeting. In addition, eradication of intracellular S. aureus persisters was achieved by the oligomer's membrane/DNA dual-targeting mechanism of action; therefore, its effectiveness is not hampered by the hibernation state of the persisters. Such precise subcellular targeting of S. aureus vacuoles also increases the agent's biocompatibility by minimizing its interaction with other organelles, endowing excellent in vivo bacterial targeting and therapeutic efficacy in animal models.

Genome-wide association study for temperature response and photo-thermal interaction of flowering time in soybean using a panel of cultivars with diverse maturity groups.

KEY MESSAGE: A total of 101 QTNs were found to be associated with soybean flowering time responses to photo-thermal conditions; three candidate genes with non-synonymous substitutions were identified: Glyma.08G302500 (GmHY5), Glyma.08G303900 (GmPIF4c), and Glyma.16G046700 (GmVRN1). The flowering transition is a crucial component of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) development. The transition process is regulated by photoperiod, temperature, and their interaction. To examine the genetic architecture associated with temperature- and photo-thermal-mediated regulation of soybean flowering, we here performed a genome-wide association study using a panel of 201 soybean cultivars with maturity groups ranging from MG 000 to VIII. Each cultivar was grown in artificially controlled photoperiod and different seasons in 2017 and 2018 to assess the thermal response (TR) and the interactive photo-thermal response (IPT) of soybean flowering time. The panel contained 96,299 SNPs with minor allele frequencies > 5%; 33, 19, and 49 of these SNPs were significantly associated with only TR, only IPT, and both TR and IPT, respectively. Twenty-one SNPs were located in or near previously reported quantitative trait loci for first-flowering; 16 SNPs were located within 200 kb of the main-effect flowering genes GmFT2a, GmFT2b, GmFT3a, GmFT3b, GmFT5a, GmFT5b, GmCOL2b, GmPIF4b, and GmPIF4c, or near homologs of the known Arabidopsis thaliana flowering genes BBX19, VRN1, TFL1, FUL, AGL19, SPA1, HY5, PFT1, and EDF1. Natural non-synonymous allelic variations were identified in the candidate genes Glyma.08G302500 (GmHY5), Glyma.08G303900 (GmPIF4c), and Glyma.16G046700 (GmVRN1). Cultivars with different haplotypes showed significant variations in TR, IPT, and flowering time in multiple environments. The favorable alleles, candidate genes, and diagnostic SNP markers identified here provide valuable information for future improvement of soybean photo-thermal adaptability, enabling expansion of soybean production regions and improving plant resilience to global climate change.

Volatile Organic Compounds of Bacillus pumilus Strain S1-10 Exhibit Fumigant Activity Against Meloidogyne incognita.

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are highly specialized parasites that cause significant yield losses worldwide. In this study, we isolated Bacillus pumilus strain S1-10 from the rhizosphere soil of Zingiber officinale Rosc. plants and evaluated its fumigant activity against Meloidogyne incognita. S1-10 exhibited a strong repellent effect on second-stage juveniles (J2s) of M. incognita, and in vitro assays indicated that S1-10 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) suppressed J2 activity and egg hatching. Under greenhouse conditions, 71 and 79% reductions of nematodes and eggs were detected on plants treated with S-10 VOCs compared with controls. Ten VOCs were identified through gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), of which 2-(methylamino)-ethanol (2-ME) had strong fumigant activity against J2s of M. incognita, with an LC50 value of 1.5 mM at 12 h. These results indicate that S1-10 represents a potential novel biocontrol agent for RKNs.

The hypothalamus may mediate migraine and ictal photophobia: evidence from Granger causality analysis.

BACKGROUND: The hypothalamus plays a central role in the pathophysiology of migraine and is considered to be the "migraine generator." It participates in initiating a migraine attack through its connectivity to regions of the brain involved in processing and modulating pain. However, the underlying mechanisms of hypothalamic effective functional connectivity that bring about migraines remain unclear. This study investigated the hypothalamus-based directional effective connectivity in migraine without aura patients and assessed associations among the clinical characteristics. METHODS: Seven patients with migraine without aura during the attack (MWoA-DA) (four with photophobia (MWoA-DAWP) and three without photophobia (MWoA-DAWoP)), twenty-seven patients with migraine without aura during the interictal period (MWoA-DI), and twenty-nine healthy controls (HC) were included in this study. Granger causality analysis (GCA) was used to investigate the directional effective connectivity between the hypothalamus and other brain regions. RESULTS: MWoA-DA patients exhibited decreased outflow from the bilateral hypothalamus to the visual cortex compared with the MWoA-DI patients and HCs. The MWoA-DAWP group primarily contributed to this result. The MWoA-DA patients showed decreased outflow from the bilateral hypothalamus to the right inferior parietal gyrus compared with the HCs. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was negatively correlated with abnormal effective functional connectivity from the right hypothalamus to the right inferior parietal gyrus in the MWoA-DA group. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence that the hypothalamus might serve as a central component of a multisystem network implicated in migraine and ictal photophobia, which includes hypothalamus and the visual and trigeminovascular systems.

Increased grey matter volume and associated resting-state functional connectivity in chronic spontaneous urticaria: A structural and functional MRI study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic itch is one of the most common irritating sensations, yet its mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Although some studies have revealed relationships between itching and brain function, the structural changes in the brain induced by chronic itching, such as those accompanying chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential changes in brain structure and the associated functional circuitry in CSU patients to generate insights to aid chronic itch management. METHODS: Forty CSU patients and forty healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Seven-day urticaria activity score (UAS7) values were collected to evaluate clinical symptoms. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and seed-based resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) analysis were used to assess structural changes in the brain and associated changes in functional circuitry. RESULTS: Compared with HCs, CSU patients had significantly increased grey matter (GM) volume in the right premotor cortex, left fusiform cortex, and cerebellum. UAS7 values were positively associated with GM volume in the left fusiform cortex. In CSU patients relative to HCs, the left fusiform cortex as extracted by VBM analysis demonstrated decreased functional connectivity with the right orbitofrontal cortex, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), premotor cortex, primary motor cortex (MI), and cerebellum and increased functional connectivity with the right posterior insular cortex, primary somatosensory cortex (SI), and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII). The left cerebellum as extracted from VBM analysis demonstrated decreased functional connectivity with the right supplementary motor area (SMA) and MI in CSU patients relative to HCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that patients suffering from chronic itching conditions, such as CSU, are likely to demonstrate altered GM volume in some brain regions. These changes may affect not only the sensorimotor area but also brain regions associated with cognitive function.

Natural variations of FT family genes in soybean varieties covering a wide range of maturity groups.

BACKGROUND: Flowering time and maturity are among the most important adaptive traits in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merill). Flowering Locus T (FT) family genes function as key flowering integrators, with flowering-promoting members GmFT2a/GmFT5a and flowering-inhibiting members GmFT4/GmFT1a antagonistically regulating vegetative and reproductive growth. However, to date, the relations between natural variations of FT family genes and the diversity of flowering time and maturity in soybean are not clear. Therefore, we conducted this study to discover natural variations in FT family genes in association with flowering time and maturity. RESULTS: Ten FT family genes, GmFT1a, GmFT1b, GmFT2a, GmFT2b, GmFT3a, GmFT3b, GmFT4, GmFT5a, GmFT5b and GmFT6, were cloned and sequenced in the 127 varieties evenly covering all 14 known maturity groups (MG0000-MGX). They were diversified at the genome sequence polymorphism level. GmFT3b and GmFT5b might have experienced breeding selection in the process of soybean domestication and breeding. Haplotype analysis showed that a total of 17 haplotypes had correlative relationships with flowering time and maturity among the 10 FT genes, namely, 1a-H3, 1b-H1, 1b-H6, 1b-H7, 2a-H1, 2a-H3, 2a-H4, 2a-H9, 2b-H3, 2b-H4, 2b-H6, 2b-H7, 3b-H4, 5a-H1, 5a-H2, 5a-H4 and 5b-H1. Based on the association analysis, 38 polymorphic sites had a significant association with flowering time at the level of p < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Some natural variations exist within the 10 FT family genes, which might be involved in soybean adaptation to different environments and have an influence on diverse flowering time and maturity. This study will facilitate the understanding of the roles of FTs in flowering and maturity.

Surface-based shared and distinct resting functional connectivity in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: Both attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental disorders with a high prevalence. They are often comorbid and both exhibit abnormalities in sustained attention, yet common and distinct neural patterns of ASD and ADHD remain unidentified.AimsTo investigate shared and distinct functional connectivity patterns in a relatively large sample of boys (7- to 15-year-olds) with ADHD, ASD and typical development matched by age, gender and IQ. METHOD: We applied machine learning techniques to investigate patterns of surface-based brain resting-state connectivity in 86 boys with ASD, 83 boys with ADHD and 125 boys with typical development. RESULTS: We observed increased functional connectivity within the limbic and somatomotor networks in boys with ASD compared with boys with typical development. We also observed increased functional connectivity within the limbic, visual, default mode, somatomotor, dorsal attention, frontoparietal and ventral attention networks in boys with ADHD compared with boys with ASD. In addition, using a machine learning approach, we were able to discriminate typical development from ASD, typical development from ADHD and ASD from ADHD with accuracy rates of 76.3%, 84.1%, and 79.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results may shed new light on the underlying mechanisms of ASD and ADHD and facilitate the development of new diagnostic methods for these disorders.Declaration of interestJ.K. holds equity in a startup company, MNT.

Reactive paper spray mass spectrometry for rapid analysis of formaldehyde in facial masks.

RATIONALE: A reactive paper spray mass spectrometric approach for rapid analysis of formaldehyde (FA) in cosmetics was developed based on an on-line derivatization reaction between formaldehyde and dansyl hydrazine (DH). METHODS: The whole experimental procedure consists of three simple steps: (1) load the sample (2 µL) onto the paper; (2) add the spray solvent (10 µL DH); (3) apply a high voltage (+4.5 kV) to the sample. We used an internal standard (dansyl amide) to create the analytical calibration curve. The established approach has been successfully applied in the quantitation of FA in facial masks. RESULTS: Our approach shows good linearity for the FA concentrations between 3 and 300 µg L-1 , and the limit of detection is at 0.8 µg L-1 . Five brands of facial masks were analyzed by this approach without any sample pretreatment, and the FA contents varied from 0.05 to 2.6 mg L-1 with favorable recoveries achieved between 93.2% and 111.3%. CONCLUSIONS: This established approach presents a solution to rapid quantitation at extremely low cost of consumables and has potential as a simple, sensitive and robust strategy for the direct analysis of FA in cosmetics, food, environmental, and biological samples.

Revealing the regional distribution of soybean lunasin content in China and the effects of climate factors by sampling extensively.

BACKGROUND: Lunasin is a novel therapeutic peptide that was initially isolated from soybean. In this study, we quantified the variations in lunasin content in a total of 413 soybean samples that were collected from four major regions in China and harvested in 2014 and 2015 to reveal the regional distribution of soybean lunasin content in China and the effects of climate factors. RESULTS: The results showed that the cultivar Changmidou 30 collected from Jilin province and harvested in 2015 had the highest lunasin content (3.25 g kg-1 dry seeds). The data from both 2014 and 2015 showed that the lunasin content in soybean collected from northern China was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that from south China. There was a positive correlation (P < 0.01) between lunasin content and hours of sunshine (HS) as well as diurnal temperature range (DTR); however, there was a negative correlation (P < 0.01) between lunasin content and rainfall (RF). In addition, combined analysis of data from 2014 and 2015 demonstrated that DTR was the dominant factor that affected lunasin content with a direct path-coefficient of 0.301. CONCLUSIONS: These results were anticipated to contribute to guiding the cultivation of soybean with high lunasin content. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Dysfunction of the Cerebellum and Its Cerebellum-Reward-Sensorimotor Loops in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common itchy skin disease. Despite its prevalence, the neuropathology of CSU is uncertain. In this study, we explored resting state functional connectivity (rs-FC) changes in CSU, as well as how the symptom changes following intervention can modulate rs-FC. Forty patients and 40 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Following an intervention, 32 patients participated in a second scan approximately 6 weeks after the first scan. Compared with healthy controls, CSU subjects exhibited higher regional homogeneity (ReHo) values in the cerebellum, which were positively associated with urticaria activity scores over 7 days (UAS7) at baseline. After an intervention accompanied with clinical improvement, we found that ReHo values decreased at the cerebellum and increased at the bilateral primary somatosensory cortex (SI)/primary motor cortex (MI)/supplementary motor area (SMA). Using the cerebellum as a seed, CSU subjects exhibited increased rs-FC with reward regions when compared with HCs and exhibited decreased rs-FC at the right orbitofrontal cortex and right sensorimotor region following the intervention. The improvement rate values were positively associated with reduced rs-FC values in the two regions. Using the cluster of SI/MI/SMA as a seed, CSU patients exhibited decreased rs-FC with the left putamen, caudate, accumbens, and thalamus following the intervention. These results demonstrate the altered cerebellar activity and cerebellum-reward-sensorimotor loops in CSU.

Sensorimotor Cortical Neuroplasticity in the Early Stage of Bell's Palsy.

Neuroplasticity is a common phenomenon in the human brain following nerve injury. It is defined as the brain's ability to reorganize by creating new neural pathways in order to adapt to change. Here, we use task-related and resting-state fMRI to investigate neuroplasticity in the primary sensory (S1) and motor cortex (M1) in patients with acute Bell's palsy (BP). We found that the period directly following the onset of BP (less than 14 days) is associated with significant decreases in regional homogeneity (ReHo), fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and intrinsic connectivity contrast (ICC) values in the contralateral S1/M1 and in ReHo and ICC values in the ipsilateral S1/M1, compared to healthy controls. The regions with decreased ReHo, fALFF, and ICC values were in both the face and hand region of S1/M1 as indicated by resting-state fMRI but not task-related fMRI. Our results suggest that the early stages of BP are associated with functional neuroplasticity in both the face and hand regions of S1/M1 and that resting-state functional fMRI may be a sensitive tool to detect these early stages of plasticity in patient populations.

Dual Thermosensitive Hydrogels Assembled from the Conserved C-Terminal Domain of Spider Dragline Silk.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels have great potentials in biomedical and biotechnological applications. Due to the advantages of precise control over molecular weight and being biodegradable, protein-based hydrogels and their applications have been extensively studied. However, protein hydrogels with dual thermosensitive properties are rarely reported. Here we present the first report of dual thermosensitive hydrogels assembled from the conserved C-terminal domain of spider dragline silk. First, we found that recombinant C-terminal domain of major ampullate spidroin 1 (MaSp1) of the spider Nephila clavipes formed hydrogels when cooled to approximately 2 °C or heated to 65 °C. The conformational changes and self-assembly of the recombinant protein were studied to understand the mechanism of the gelation processes using multiple methods. It was proposed that the gelation in the low-temperature regime was dominated by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction between folded protein molecules, whereas the gelation in the high-temperature regime was due to cross-linking of the exposed hydrophobic patches resulting from partial unfolding of the protein upon heating. More interestingly, genetic fusion of the C-terminal domain to a short repetitive region of N. clavipes MaSp1 resulted in a chimeric protein that formed a hydrogel with significantly improved mechanical properties at low temperatures between 2 and 10 °C. Furthermore, the formation of similar hydrogels was observed for the recombinant C-terminal domains of dragline silk of different spider species, thus demonstrating the conserved ability to form dual thermosensitive hydrogels. These findings may be useful in the design and construction of novel protein hydrogels with tunable multiple thermosensitivity for applications in the future.

[Roles of epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway in silicon dioxide-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human pulmonary epithelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of silicon dioxide (SiO2) on the expression of E-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and transforming growth factor ß1(TGF-ß1) in human pulmonary epithelial cells (A549) with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and to study the roles of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway in SiO2-induced EMT in A549 cells in vitro. METHODS: Alveolar macrophages (AMs) were stimulated with 50 µg/ml SiO2for 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, or 36 h, and the supernatants were collected to measure the expression of TGF-ß1protein by ELISA. The AM supernatant in which TGF-ß1reached the highest expression (T=18 h) was used as AM-conditioned supernatant. A549 cells were cultured in AM-conditioned supernatant and stimulated with indicated doses of SiO2(0, 50, 100, and 200 µg/ml) for 48 h. The cell morphological changes were observed using an inverted microscope. The cells were collected at different times, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of E-cadherin, α-SMA, and EGFR were measured by RT-PCR and immunocytofluorescence, respectively. RESULTS: After stimulation by SiO2, the expression level of TGF-ß1protein at each time point was significantly higher in the presence of AM supernatants than in the absence of AM supernatants (P<0.05). With the action time, the expression level of TGF-ß1protein increased at first and then decreased, and the highest level was reached at 18 h. After exposure to SiO2, A549 cells exhibited mesenchymal characteristics, such as a spindle shape, pseudopodia change, and fibroblast-like morphology, as observed by inverted microscope, especially in the 200 µg/ml group. With increased concentration of SiO2, the mRNA and protein expression of E-cadherin was down-regulated gradually, especially in the 200 µg/ml group, whereas the mRNA and protein expression of α-SMA and EGFR was up-regulated gradually, especially in the 200 µg/m1 group. There were significant differences between the SiO2-treated groups (50, 100, and 200 µg/ml SiO2) and the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: After being stimulated by SiO2in vitro, AMs have significantly increased expression level of TGF-ß1protein. The AM supernatant together with SiO2can induce the transition of pulmonary epithelial cells to mesenchymal cells, and its mechanism may be related to the EGFR signaling pathway.

Crystal epitaxy-confined Pd, Ti-bimetallic sites in the MFI zeolite for benzylalcohol oxidation.

A general strategy for confining Pd, Ti-bimetallic sites in the MFI zeolite by crystal epitaxy was developed. The tailored spatial intimacy of the bimetallic sites demonstrated distinct catalytic performance for the oxidation of benzylalcohol. The related mechanism was clarified and afforded a valuable pathway for rational catalyst design.

Volatile organic compounds produced by Paenibacillus polymyxa J2-4 exhibit toxic activity against Meloidogyne incognita.

BACKGROUND: Root knot nematodes cause great damage to crops worldwide. Due to the negative effects of the application of fumigant and old chemical nematicides, biological nematicides have drawn increasing attention in recent years. Here we tested the fumigant activity of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) blends emitted from Paenibacillus polymyxa and pure commercial VOCs against M. incognita. RESULTS: In this study, we investigated whether P. polymyxa strain J2-4 could produce VOCs that exhibit nematicidal activity. In vitro assays indicated that J2-4 VOCs were highly toxic to second stage juveniles (J2s) and could inhibit egg hatching. Three-layered pot experiments showed that the number of nematodes that penetrating in cucumber roots was reduced by 69.27% after the application of J2-4 VOCs under greenhouse conditions. We identified 14 volatiles using solid-phase micro-extraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The efficacy of six commercially available VOCs, namely 2-isobutyl-3-methylpyrazine, 2,4-dimethoxybenzaldoxime, 2-dodecanone, 2-tridecanol, 2-tridecanone, and 2-tetradecanol, against M. incognita were examined. Except for 2,4-dimethoxybenzaldoxime, the remaining five VOCs showed strong direct-contact nematicidal activity against J2s of M. incognita, and only 2-isobutyl-3-methylpyrazine showed strong fumigant activity against J2s of M. incognita. In pot experiments, 2-isobutyl-3-methylpyrazine and 2-dodecanone reduced the number of root galls by about 70%, and 2-tridecanone reduced the number of root galls and egg masses by about 63% compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Paenibacillus polymyxa strain J2-4 exhibited high fumigant activity against M. incognita. Our results provide evidence for the use of J2-4 and its VOCs as biocontrol agents in the management of root-knot nematodes. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.