Nitrification inhibitor chlorate and nitrogen substrates differentially affect comammox Nitrospira in a grassland soil.

Introduction: Through the combined use of two nitrification inhibitors, Dicyandiamide (DCD) and chlorate with nitrogen amendment, this study aimed to investigate the contribution of comammox Nitrospira clade B, ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) to nitrification in a high fertility grassland soil, in a 90-day incubation study. Methods: The soil was treated with nitrogen (N) at three levels: 0 mg-N kg-1 soil, 50 mg-N kg-1 soil, and 700 mg-N kg-1 soil, with or without the two nitrification inhibitors. The abundance of comammox Nitrospira, AOA, AOB, and nitrite oxidising bacteria (NOB) was measured using qPCR. The comammox Nitrospira community structure was assessed using Illumina sequencing. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the application of chlorate inhibited the oxidation of both NH4+ and NO2- in all three nitrogen treatments. The application of chlorate significantly reduced the abundance of comammox Nitrospira amoA and nxrB genes across the 90-day experimental period. Chlorate also had a significant effect on the beta diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) of the comammox Nitrospira clade B community. Whilst AOB grew in response to the N substrate additions and were inhibited by both inhibitors, AOA showed litle or no response to either the N substrate or inhibitor treatments. In contrast, comammox Nitrospira clade B were inhibited by the high ammonium concentrations released from the urine substrates. These results demonstrate the differential and niche responses of the three ammonia oxidising communities to N substrate additions and nitrification inhibitor treatments. Further research is needed to investigate the specificity of the two inhibitors on the different ammonia oxidising communities.

Unraveling the mechanism of interaction: accelerated phenanthrene degradation and rhizosphere biofilm/iron plaque formation influenced by phenolic root exudates.

Phenolic root exudates (PREs) secreted by wetland plants facilitate the accumulation of iron in the rhizosphere, potentially providing the essential active iron required for the generation of enzymes that degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, thereby enhancing their biodegradation. However, the underlying mechanisms involved are yet to be elucidated. This study focuses on phenanthrene (PHE), a typical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutant, utilizing representative PREs from wetland plants, including p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric, caffeic, and ferulic acids. Using hydroponic experiments, 16S rRNA sequencing, and multiple characterization techniques, we aimed to elucidate the interaction mechanism between the accelerated degradation of PHE and the formation of rhizosphere biofilm/iron plaque influenced by PREs. Although all four types of PREs altered the biofilm composition and promoted the formation of iron plaque on the root surface, only caffeic acid, possessing a similar structure to the intermediate metabolite of PHE (catechol), could accelerate the PHE degradation rate. Caffeic acid, notable for its catechol structure, plays a significant role in enhancing PHE degradation through two main mechanisms: (a) it directly boosts PHE co-metabolism by fostering the growth of PHE-degrading bacteria, specifically Burkholderiaceae, and by facilitating the production of the key metabolic enzyme catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (C12O) and (b) it indirectly supports PHE biodegradation by promoting iron plaque formation on root surfaces, thereby enriching free iron for efficient microbial synthesis of C12O, a crucial factor in PHE decomposition.

Exploring the efficiency of tide flow constructed wetlands for treating mariculture wastewater: A comprehensive study on antibiotic removal mechanism under salinity stress.

Antibiotic residues in aquaculture environment pose persistent threats to ecology and human health, exacerbated by salt-alkali mariculture wastewater. Yet, little is known about antibiotic removal in tidal flow constructed wetlands (TFCWs) under salinity stress, especially considering TFCW constitution, configuration, and influent water characteristics. Here, the removal performance and mechanism of different TFCWs for sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs: sulfadiazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamonomethoxine, and sulfamethoxazole) and trimethoprim (TMP) from mariculture wastewater (with low, medium, and high salinity) were evaluated alongside comparisons of environmental factors and microbial responses. Results showed substantial reduction in alkalinity (from 8.25-8.26 to 7.65-8.18), salinity (from 3.67-11.30 ppt to 3.20-10.79 ppt), and SAs concentrations (from 7.79-15.46 mg/L to 0.25-10.00 mg/L) for mariculture wastewater using TFCWs. Zeolite and yellow flag configurations exhibited superior performance in SAs removal from mariculture wastewater. Furthermore, the salt-alkali neutralization and oxygen transport capabilities of zeolite, along with the salt-alkali tolerance and biofilm formation characteristics of yellow flag, promoted the development of a biofilm in the rhizosphere dominated by oxidative stress tolerance and facultative anaerobic traits, thereby improving the TFCW microenvironment. Consequently, aerobic (Sulfuritalea and Enterobacter) and salt-tolerant (Pseudomonas) functional bacteria involved in antibiotic degradation were selectively enriched in the zeolite- and yellow flag-TFCWs, contributing to the effective biodegradation of SAs (achieving removal efficiency of 92-97 %). Besides, the high salt-alkali levels of mariculture wastewater and the strong oxygen-enriched capacity of the TFCWs not only enhanced the aerobic oxidation reaction of SAs, but also bidirectionally inhibited the substrate adsorption and anaerobic reduction process of TMP. These findings address a critical gap by investigating the efficacy of TFCWs in removing antibiotics from mariculture wastewater under various salinity conditions, providing essential insights for optimizing wetland design and improving wastewater management in mariculture environments.

Assessment of the correlation between KAP scores regarding sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and hyperuricemia amongst Chinese young adults.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hyperuricemia in China has been consistently increasing, particularly among the younger generation. The excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with hyperuricemia. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese young adults regarding sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and the correlation with hyperuricemia. METHODS: This cross-sectional investigation was conducted from June 28th, 2023, to July 21st, 2023, and enrolled Chinese young adults. Demographics and KAP were evaluated using a questionnaire (Cronbach's α = 0.787). Factors influencing KAP scores were analyzed using multivariable analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1288 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The median knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 16 (12,19)/22, 22 (20,24)/30, and 27.5 (23,31.75)/40. The multivariable analysis showed that bachelor's/associate education (OR = 1.912, 95%CI: 1.128-3.239), white collar/employee (OR = 0.147, 95%CI: 0.105-0.206), educator (OR = 0.300, 95%CI: 0.174-0.518), healthcare worker (OR = 0.277, 95%CI: 0.188-0.407), not suffering from hyperuricemia (OR = 0.386, 95%CI: 0.253-0.590), and not having gout (OR = 0.456, 95%CI: 0.282-0.736) were independently associated with knowledge. Age 26-30 (OR = 1.470, 95%CI: 1.052-2.052), age 31-35 (OR = 1.489, 95%CI: 1.097-2.022), age 36-40 (OR = 0.328, 95%CI: 1.010-1.746), age 41-44 (OR = 1.548, 95%CI: 1.091-2.198), and not having hyperuricemia (OR = 0.512, 95%CI: 0.345-0.760) were independently associated with attitude. White collar/employee (OR = 0.386, 95%CI: 0.285-0.521), educator (OR = 0.534, 95%CI: 0.317-0.899), healthcare worker (OR = 0.341, 95%CI: 0.236-0.493), having siblings (OR = 0.725, 95%CI: 0.573-0.917), and not suffering from hyperuricemia (OR = 0.442, 95%CI: 0.296-0.659), were independently associated with practice. CONCLUSION: Chinese young adults display moderate KAP toward sugar-sweetened beverages. Notably, an association was observed between hyperuricemia and each KAP dimension.

AOB Nitrosospira cluster 3a.2 (D11) dominates N2O emissions in fertilised agricultural soils.

Ammonia-oxidation process directly contribute to soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in agricultural soils. However, taxonomy of the key nitrifiers (within ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB), archaea (AOA) and complete ammonia oxidisers (comammox Nitrospira)) responsible for substantial N2O emissions in agricultural soils is unknown, as is their regulation by soil biotic and abiotic factors. In this study, cumulative N2O emissions, nitrification rates, abundance and community structure of nitrifiers were investigated in 16 agricultural soils from major crop production regions of China using microcosm experiments with amended nitrogen (N) supplemented or not with a nitrification inhibitor (nitrapyrin). Key nitrifier groups involved in N2O emissions were identified by comparative analyses of the different treatments, combining sequencing and random forest analyses. Soil cumulative N2O emissions significantly increased with soil pH in all agricultural soils. However, they decreased with soil organic carbon (SOC) in alkaline soils. Nitrapyrin significantly inhibited soil cumulative N2O emissions and AOB growth, with a significant inhibition of the AOB Nitrosospira cluster 3a.2 (D11) abundance. One Nitrosospira multiformis-like OTU phylotype (OTU34), which was classified within the AOB Nitrosospira cluster 3a.2 (D11), had the greatest importance on cumulative N2O emissions and its growth significantly depended on soil pH and SOC contents, with higher growth at high pH and low SOC conditions. Collectively, our results demonstrate that alkaline soils with low SOC contents have high N2O emissions, which were mainly driven by AOB Nitrosospira cluster 3a.2 (D11). Nitrapyrin can efficiently reduce nitrification-related N2O emissions by inhibiting the activity of AOB Nitrosospira cluster 3a.2 (D11). This study advances our understanding of key nitrifiers responsible for high N2O emissions in agricultural soils and their controlling factors, and provides vital knowledge for N2O emission mitigation in agricultural ecosystems.

Role of Chemotaxis of Vδ2 T Cells to the Synovium in the Pathogenesis of Acute Gouty Arthritis.

Background: This study aimed to explore the potential roles of Vδ2 T cells in the pathogenesis of acute gouty arthritis. Methods: Patients with gout (n=86), rheumatoid arthritis (n=7), osteoarthritis (n=9), and healthy controls (n=40) were enrolled. γδT cell frequency, chemokine receptor expression and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in cells from peripheral blood and synovial fluid samples were quantified by flow cytometry. The chemotaxis ability of Vδ2 T cells was determined by transwell migration assay. The levels of chemokines were also detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Peripheral Vδ2 T cells had significantly lower frequencies in acute gout patients than that in healthy controls (P<0.001). These peripheral Vδ2 T cells were negatively correlated with inflammatory markers. Vδ2 T cells from acute gout patients accumulated in synovial fluid, as evidenced by a higher abundance of Vδ2 T cells in it than that in the serum (P<0.01). And Vδ2 T cells expressed a high level of C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 (P=0.035), and its corresponding chemokine C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 showed a high concentration in synovial fluid (P<0.05). Vδ2 T cells from synovial fluid of acute gout patients produced a high level of interleukin-17 (P=0.033). Conclusion: The up-regulated expression of C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 on Vδ2 T cells potentially facilitates their infiltration into synovial fluid during acute gouty arthritis. Further production of interleukin-17 by Vδ2 T cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of gout. This study sheds new light on developing novel Vδ2 T cells-based therapeutic strategies for gout treatment.

Development and Evaluation of a Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Model for Mechanism Interpretation and Efficacy Prediction of Atezolizumab in Combination with Carboplatin and Nab-Paclitaxel in Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Immunotherapy has shown clinical benefit in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Due to the limited response of monotherapy, combining immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and chemotherapy is considered a treatment option for advanced NSCLC. However, the mechanism of combined therapy and the potential patient population that could benefit from combined therapy remain undetermined. Here, we developed an NSCLC model based on the published quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP)-immuno-oncology platform by making necessary adjustments. After calibration and validation, the established QSP model could adequately characterise the biological mechanisms of action of the triple combination of atezolizumab, nab-paclitaxel, and carboplatin in patients with NSCLC, and identify predictive biomarkers for precision dosing. The established model could efficiently characterise the objective response rate and duration of response of the IMpower131 trial, reproducing the efficacy of alternative dosing. Furthermore, CD8+ and CD4+ T cell densities in tumours were found to be significantly related to the response status. This significant extension of the QSP model not only broadens its applicability but also more accurately reflects real-world clinical settings. Importantly, it positions the model as a critical foundation for model-informed drug development and the customisation of treatment plans, especially in the context of combining single-agent ICIs with platinum-doublet chemotherapy.

Physiological Mechanisms Underlying Tassel Symptom Formation in Maize Infected with Sporisorium reilianum.

Head smut is a soil-borne fungal disease caused by Sporisorium reilianum that infects maize tassels and ears. This disease poses a tremendous threat to global maize production. A previous study found markedly different and stably heritable tassel symptoms in some maize inbred lines with Sipingtou blood after infection with S. reilianum. In the present study, 55 maize inbred lines with Sipingtou blood were inoculated with S. reilianum and classified into three tassel symptom types (A, B, and C). Three maize inbred lines representing these classes (Huangzao4, Jing7, and Chang7-2, respectively) were used as test materials to investigate the physiological mechanisms of tassel formation in infected plants. Changes in enzyme activity, hormone content, and protein expression were analyzed in all three lines after infection and in control plants. The activities of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and phenylalanine-ammonia-lyase (PAL) were increased in the three typical inbred lines after inoculation. POD and SOD activities showed similar trends between lines, with the increase percentage peaking at the V12 stage (POD: 57.06%, 63.19%, and 70.28% increases in Huangzao4, Jing7, and Chang7-2, respectively; SOD: 27.01%, 29.62%, and 47.07% in Huangzao4, Jing7, and Chang7-2, respectively. These were all higher than in the disease-resistant inbred line Mo17 at the same growth stage); this stage was found to be key in tassel symptom formation. Levels of gibberellic acid (GA3), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and abscisic acid (ABA) were also altered in the three typical maize inbred lines after inoculation, with changes in GA3 and IAA contents tightly correlated with tassel symptoms after S. reilianum infection. The differentially expressed proteins A5H8G4, P09233, and Q8VXG7 were associated with changes in enzyme activity, whereas P49353, P13689, and P10979 were associated with changes in hormone contents. Fungal infection caused reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) bursts in the three typical inbred lines. This ROS accumulation caused biofilm disruption and altered host signaling pathways, whereas NO signaling triggered strong secondary metabolic responses in the host and altered the activities of defense-related enzymes. These factors together resulted in the formation of varying tassel symptoms. Thus, interactions between S. reilianum and susceptible maize materials were influenced by a variety of signals, enzymes, hormones, and metabolic cycles, encompassing a very complex regulatory network. This study preliminarily identified the physiological mechanisms leading to differences in tassel symptoms, deepening our understanding of S. reilianum-maize interactions.

The Transcription Factor ZmNAC89 Gene Is Involved in Salt Tolerance in Maize (Zea mays L.).

The NAC gene family has transcription factors specific to plants, which are involved in development and stress response and adaptation. In this study, ZmNAC89, an NAC gene in maize that plays a role in saline-alkaline tolerance, was isolated and characterized. ZmNAC89 was localized in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity during in vitro experiments. The expression of ZmNAC89 was strongly upregulated under saline-alkaline, drought and ABA treatments. Overexpression of the ZmNAC89 gene in transgenic Arabidopsis and maize enhanced salt tolerance at the seedling stage. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were then confirmed via RNA-sequencing analysis with the transgenic maize line. GO analyses showed that oxidation-reduction process-regulated genes were involved in ZmNAC89-mediated salt-alkaline stress. ZmNAC89 may regulate maize saline-alkali tolerance through the REDOX pathway and ABA signal transduction pathway. From 140 inbred maize lines, 20 haplotypes and 16 SNPs were found in the coding region of the ZmNAC89 gene, including the excellent haplotype HAP20. These results contribute to a better understanding of the response mechanism of maize to salt-alkali stress and marker-assisted selection during maize breeding.

The G protein-coupled receptor COLD1 promotes chilling tolerance in maize during germination.

The geographic range and yield of the staple crop maize (Zea mays L.) are both strongly limited by low-temperature conditions. One of the most economical and effective measures for improvement of maize production is chilling tolerance enhancement. In this study, a chilling-tolerance gene in maize, ZmCOLD1, was cloned and characterized. This gene encodes a G protein-coupled receptor that is localized to the plasma membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in ZmCOLD1, SNP2738, was found to confer chilling tolerance and to have promoted maize adaptations during speciation from teosinte. Overexpression of the excellent haplotype ZmCOLD1Hap11 significantly enhanced chilling tolerance, whereas knocking down ZmCOLD1 increased sensitivity to low temperatures during the germination and seedling stages. ZmCOLD1 was associated with an influx of extracellular Ca2+, increases in abscisic acid content, and decreases in gibberellic acid and indole-3-acetic acid content under low temperatures during the germination stage. ZmCOLD1 interacted with the G protein α subunit ZmCT2 at the plasma membrane, and ZmCT2 interacted with ZmLanCL in the nucleus. These proteins are components of the chilling tolerance signaling pathway in maize that are triggered by abscisic acid and photosynthesis. These results offer novel strategies for improvement of chilling tolerance in key crop species.

Impeding DNA Polymerase ß Activity by Oleic Acid to Inhibit Base Excision Repair and Induce Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Hepatic Cells.

Free fatty acids (FFAs) hepatic accumulation and the resulting oxidative stress contribute to several chronic liver diseases including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. However, the underlying pathological mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we propose a novel mechanism whereby the toxicity of FFAs detrimentally affects DNA repair activity. Specifically, we have discovered that oleic acid (OA), a prominent dietary free fatty acid, inhibits the activity of DNA polymerase ß (Pol ß), a crucial enzyme involved in base excision repair (BER), by actively competing with 2'-deoxycytidine-5'-triphosphate. Consequently, OA hinders the efficiency of BER, leading to the accumulation of DNA damage in hepatocytes overloaded with FFAs. Additionally, the excessive presence of both OA and palmitic acid (PA) lead to mitochondrial dysfunction in hepatocytes. These findings suggest that the accumulation of FFAs hampers Pol ß activity and contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction, shedding light on potential pathogenic mechanisms underlying FFAs-related diseases.

Hyperuricemia and gout increased the risk of long-term mortality in patients with heart failure: insights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hyperuricemia, gout, and heart failure (HF) is on the rise, and these conditions often share similar risk factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship among hyperuricemia, gout, HF, and all-cause mortality. METHODS: The data on nonpregnant participants aged ≥ 20 years with or without hyperuricemia, gout, and HF from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2018 and 2007-2018 were included in this study. The binary logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier curve, Cox proportional-hazards model, and restricted cubic spline analysis were employed to evaluate the relationship among hyperuricemia, gout, HF, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Of 204,179,060 and 223,702,171 weighted eligible participants, 40,044,228 (19.6%) and 9,158,600 (4.1%) had hyperuricemia and gout, respectively. Older age, diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease were the risk factors for HF among patients with hyperuricemia and gout. The median survival time was 7.00 years and 6.25 years and the 5-year survival rate was 59.9% and 55.9% for patients with HF and hyperuricemia and those with HF and gout, respectively. Patients with hyperuricemia or gout were 2.46 and 2.35 times more likely to have HF and 1.37 and 1.45 times more likely to experience all-cause mortality compared with those who did not exhibit these conditions. The restricted cubic spline showed a nonlinear correlation between uric acid levels and HF and a J-shaped correlation between uric acid levels and all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Ambulatory patients with hyperuricemia or gout were more likely to have HF compared with those without hyperuricemia or gout. Patients with HF with hyperuricemia or gout were more likely to experience all-cause mortality in the long-term follow-up.

Fate of 15N-labelled urea as affected by long-term manure substitution.

Quantifying the fate of fertilizer nitrogen (N) is essential to develop more sustainable agricultural fertilization practices. However, the fate of chemical fertilizer N, particularly in long-term manure substitution treatment regimes, is not fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the fate of 15N-labelled urea in a chemical fertilizer treatment (CF, 240 kg 15N ha-1) and N manure 50 % substitution treatment (1/2N + M, 120 kg 15N ha-1 + 120 kg manure N ha-1) in two continuous crop seasons, based on a 10-year long-term experiment in the North China Plain (NCP). The results showed that manure substitution greatly enhanced 15N use efficiency (15NUE) (39.9 % vs. 31.3 %) and suppressed 15N loss (6.9 % vs. 7.5 %) compared with the CF treatment in the first crop. However, the N2O emissions factor in the 1/2N + M treatment was increased by 0.1 % (0.5 kg 15N ha-1 for CF vs. 0.4 kg 15N ha-1 for 1/2N + M) compared with the CF treatment, although N leaching and NH3 volatilization rates decreased by 0.2 % (10.8 kg 15N ha-1 for CF vs. 5.1 kg 15N ha-1 for 1/2N + M) and 0.5 % (6.6 kg 15N ha-1 for CF vs. 2.8 kg 15N ha-1 for 1/2N + M), respectively. In which, only NH3 volatilization presented significantly difference between treatments. It is important to note that in the second crop, the residual 15N in soil (0-20 cm) remained mostly in the soil for the CF (79.1 %) and the 1/2N + M treatment (85.3 %), and contributed less to crop N uptake (3.3 % vs. 0.8 %) and leached losses (2.2 % vs. 0.6 %). This proved that manure substitution could enhance the stabilization of chemical N. These results suggested that long-term manure substitution effectively increases NUE, suppresses N loss, and improves N stabilization in soil, but negative impacts such as N2O emissions due to climate change should be investigated further.

Degradation of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase transgenic maize BZ-136 straw and its effects on soil nutrients and fungal community.

The development of salt-alkali tolerant genetically modified crops represents an important approach to increase grain production in saline-alkali soils. However, there is a paucity of research on the impact of such genetically modified crops on soil microbial diversity. This study aims to investigate the straw degradation of betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH) transgenic maize BZ-136 and its effects on soil chemical properties, fungal community composition, community diversity and ecological function compared to non-transgenic maize Zheng58 straw. The degradation experiments of BZ-136 straw were carried out under a simulated burying condition with saline-alkali soil for 210 days. The results showed that the degradation rate of C and N of BZ-136 straw was significantly faster than that of Zheng58 in the early stage (p < 0.05). Compared to Zheng58, the straw degradation of BZ-136 increased the soil available nitrogen (AN), total phosphorus (TP), and available phosphorus (AP) in the early stage (p < 0.05). The AN content of soil with BZ-136 straw was 18.16 and 12.86% higher than that of soil with Zheng58 at day 60 and 120 (p < 0.05). The TP content of soil with BZ-136 was higher 20.9 and 20.59% than that with Zheng58 at day 30 and 90 (p < 0.05). The AP content of soil with BZ-136 was 53.44% higher than that with Zheng58 at day 60 (p < 0.05). The straw degradation of BZ-136 increased the OTU number of soil fungal community by 127 (p < 0.05) at day 60, and increased Chao1 and Shannon index at day 60 and 180 (p < 0.05). The degradation rate of C and N in BZ-136 straw was higher than that in Zheng58 at early stage, which led to the phased increase of soil AN and TP contents, and the obvious changes of relative abundances (RA) of some genera and guilds. These findings are important as they provide insight into the potential benefits of BADH transgenic crops in upgrading the soil fertility and the fungal community diversity.

Lower Serum Uric Acid Levels May Lower the Incidence of Diabetic Chronic Complications in U.S. Adults Aged 40 and Over.

Previous studies have generally reported the association between serum uric acid (SUA) and diabetic complications, but large-scale research exploring the above association in U.S. adults with diabetes is limited. To explore the association between SUA and chronic complications of diabetes among U.S. patients aged ≥40, we used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999−2008. SUA was divided into three levels: T1 (SUA ≥ 420 µmol/L), T2 (300 ≤ SUA < 420 µmol/L), and T3 (SUA < 300 µmol/L). Binary logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were applied to evaluate the association between SUA and chronic complications of diabetes. A trend test was performed as the SUA increased substantially. After full-adjusted confounding factors, patients in the T3 group had a lower risk of diabetic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and peripheral neuropathy compared with the T1 group, with a OR (95% CIs) of 0.33 (0.21−0.52), 0.56 (0.36−0.87), and 0.49 (0.27−0.89), respectively. The restricted cubic spline showed a significant positive relationship between SUA and cardiovascular disease and diabetic kidney disease in diabetes patients, but not peripheral neuropathy. Maintaining a SUA of less than 300 µmol/L might be protective against the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetic kidney disease, and peripheral neuropathy other than diabetic retinopathy compared with a SUA of more than 420 µmol/L in U.S. diabetes patients aged 40 and over.

Response of nitrate leaching to no-tillage is dependent on soil, climate, and management factors: A global meta-analysis.

No tillage (NT) has been proposed as a practice to reduce the adverse effects of tillage on contaminant (e.g., sediment and nutrient) losses to waterways. Nonetheless, previous reports on impacts of NT on nitrate ( NO 3 - ) leaching are inconsistent. A global meta-analysis was conducted to test the hypothesis that the response of NO 3 - leaching under NT, relative to tillage, is associated with tillage type (inversion vs non-inversion tillage), soil properties (e.g., soil organic carbon [SOC]), climate factors (i.e., water input), and management practices (e.g., NT duration and nitrogen fertilizer inputs). Overall, compared with all forms of tillage combined, NT had 4% and 14% greater area-scaled and yield-scaled NO 3 - leaching losses, respectively. The NO 3 - leaching under NT tended to be 7% greater than that of inversion tillage but comparable to non-inversion tillage. Greater NO 3 - leaching under NT, compared with inversion tillage, was most evident under short-duration NT (<5 years), where water inputs were low (<2 mm day-1 ), in medium texture and low SOC (<1%) soils, and at both higher (>200 kg ha-1 ) and lower (0-100 kg ha-1 ) rates of nitrogen addition. Of these, SOC was the most important factor affecting the risk of NO3 - leaching under NT compared with inversion tillage. Globally, on average, the greater amount of NO3 - leached under NT, compared with inversion tillage, was mainly attributed to corresponding increases in drainage. The percentage of global cropping land with lower risk of NO3 - leaching under NT, relative to inversion tillage, increased with NT duration from 3 years (31%) to 15 years (54%). This study highlighted that the benefits of NT adoption for mitigating NO 3 - leaching are most likely in long-term NT cropping systems on high-SOC soils.

Soil moisture is a primary driver of comammox Nitrospira abundance in New Zealand soils.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the abundance and community composition of comammox Nitrospira under: (i) pasture-based dairy farms from different regions, and (ii) different land uses from the same region and soil type. The results clearly showed that comammox Nitrospira were most abundant (3.0 × 106 copies) under the west coast dairy farm conditions, where they were also significantly more abundant than canonical ammonia oxidisers. This was also true in the Canterbury dairy farm. The six land uses investigated were pine monoculture, a long term no input ecological trial, sheep + beef and Dairy, both irrigated and non-irrigated. It was concluded that comammox Nitrospira was most abundant under the irrigated dairy farm (2.7 × 106 copies). Contrary to the current industry opinion, the relatively high abundance of comammox Nitrospira under fertile irrigated dairy land suggests that comammox Nitrospira found in terrestrial ecosystems may be copiotrophic. it was also determined that comammox Nitrospira was more abundant under irrigated land use than their non-irrigated counterparts, suggesting that soil moisture is a key environmental parameter influencing comammox abundance. Comammox abundance was also positively correlated with annual rainfall, further supporting this theory. Phylogenetic analysis of the comammox Nitrospira detected determined that 17 % of the comammox community belonged to a newly distinguished subclade, clade B.2. The remaining 83 % belonged to clade B.1. No sequences from clade A were found.

Time- and concentration-dependent stimulation of oxidative stress in chondrocytes by intracellular soluble urate.

BACKGROUND: Gout could result in irreversible bone erosion, and chondrocyte might be involved in the process. Increased soluble urate is the early stage of gout and is strongly oxidative. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of intracellular urate on the oxidative status of chondrocytes Methods: A chondrocyte model was used. Serial concentrations of exogenous urate were incubated with chondrocytes for increasing amounts of time. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidant, and anti-oxidant molecules were measured with biochemical assays, rt-PCR, and western blot. A urate transport inhibitor and oxidative inhibitors were used to confirm the effect of exogenous urate. RESULTS: All concentrations of exogenous urate stimulated the production of ROS in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, as well as oxidant molecules, including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase, nitric oxide (NO) inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and these effects, could be inhibited by oxidant inhibitors. However, anti-oxidant molecules, including acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein-32A (ANP32A), ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-related (Nrf2), was decreased by high concentrations of exogenous urate after prolonged incubation, but not by low to medium concentrations of exogenous urate. By inhibiting soluble urate trafficking, benzbromarone significantly suppressed the effect of urate stimulus on the oxidant and anti-oxidant molecules. CONCLUSION: Intracellular soluble urate could regulate chondrocyte redox balance in a time and concentration-dependent manner, and would be a target for regulating and protecting chondrocyte function in the early gout stage.

Comammox Nitrospira Clade B is the most abundant complete ammonia oxidizer in a dairy pasture soil and inhibited by dicyandiamide and high ammonium concentrations.

The recent discovery of comammox Nitrospira, a complete ammonia oxidizer, capable of completing the nitrification on their own has presented tremendous challenges to our understanding of the nitrification process. There are two divergent clades of comammox Nitrospira, Clade A and B. However, their population abundance, community structure and role in ammonia and nitrite oxidation are poorly understood. We conducted a 94-day microcosm study using a grazed dairy pasture soil amended with urea fertilizers, synthetic cow urine, and the nitrification inhibitor, dicyandiamide (DCD), to investigate the growth and community structure of comammox Nitrospira spp. We discovered that comammox Nitrospira Clade B was two orders of magnitude more abundant than Clade A in this fertile dairy pasture soil and the most abundant subcluster was a distinctive phylogenetic uncultured subcluster Clade B2. We found that comammox Nitrospira Clade B might not play a major role in nitrite oxidation compared to the role of canonical Nitrospira nitrite-oxidizers, however, comammox Nitrospira Clade B is active in nitrification and the growth of comammox Nitrospira Clade B was inhibited by a high ammonium concentration (700 kg synthetic urine-N ha-1) and the nitrification inhibitor DCD. We concluded that comammox Nitrospira Clade B: (1) was the most abundant comammox in the dairy pasture soil; (2) had a low tolerance to ammonium and can be inhibited by DCD; and (3) was not the dominant nitrite-oxidizer in the soil. This is the first study discovering a new subcluster of comammox Nitrospira Clade B2 from an agricultural soil.

Global Landscape of Alternative Splicing in Maize Response to Low Temperature.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important food crop planted across the world, and low-temperature stress can affect maize germination. Alternative splicing (AS) is widely present in plants under abiotic stress; however, the response of AS to low-temperature stress in maize remains unclear. In this study, a genome-wide analysis of AS during maize response to low temperatures was performed. AS events were distributed on each chromosome, approximately 2.05-2.09 AS events per gene. Seven genes only had AS in low-temperature-resistant inbred lines. A total of 278 KEGGs and 46 GOs were enriched based on overlapping AS genes, which were associated with hormone and oxidoreductase activity. The mutant was used to verify the function of AS gene ZmWRKY48, and the RGR, RSL, RRL, and RRSA of the mutant decreased by 15.16%-19.87% compared with the normal line. These results contribute to subsequent analysis of the regulatory mechanism of maize in response to low-temperature stress.