A high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of the topmouth culter (Culter alburnus Basilewsky, 1855).

Culter alburnus is extensively distributed in various rivers and lakes across China. As a widely adaptive fish species, it has significant economic values and special ecological roles. To meet research demands and provide better genomic resources, in this research, a chromosome-level genome assembly was constructed using HiFi long-reads and Hi-C sequencing data. Compared with the published versions, our genome assembly is of higher quality with only 31 gaps and closer to its true structure and sequence. The genome size was 1.052 Gb, with a contig N50 of 32.92 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 43.09 Mb. 55 contigs were anchored to 24 chromosomes on the basis of Hi-C data. A total of 598.23 Mb of repetitive sequences were annotated and 28,228 protein-coding genes were predicted. Additionally, BUSCO assessment indicated assembly and annotation scores of 98.3% and 99.2%, respectively. This high-quality genome will provide scientific support for excavating the species characteristics of C. alburnus and exploring its molecular mechanisms in response to environmental changes and stress.

Natural Albino Mutant of Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) Reveals a Link between Drought Sensitivity and Photosynthetic Pigments Metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Mutant analysis remains one of the main genetic tools for characterising unclarified gene functions in plants, especially in non-model plants. Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) is a popular perennial ornamental plant grown worldwide. Analysis of daylily mutants can enhance understanding of genes regulating the albino phenotype and improve the cultivar quality of daylily. METHODS: The natural albino mutant (Alb-⁣/-) was isolated by screening a self-pollinated progeny of daylily cultivar 'black-eyed stella'. Transmission electron microscopy was used in analysing the structure of plastids between mutant and wild-type seedlings. The content of chlorophyll, carotenoids and chlorophyll precursors in plants was measured by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. RNA sequencing and physiological measurements were performed to explore the association between drought tolerance and mutation. RESULTS: All the seedlings of the daylily albino mutants died spontaneously within fifteen days after germination when grown in soil. The carotenoid and chlorophyll content in the leaves of the mutant plants significantly decreased compared with those of the wild-type control. The mutant plants displayed stunted growth, and their leaves were white or light yellow in color. Abnormal plastids such as those showing endomembrane vesiculation and lacking stacking were discovered in the leaves of mutant plants. Furthermore, genetic analysis revealed that a single recessive nuclear gene mutation led to the albino trait, RNA sequencing and real-time quantitative PCR validation showed extensive differences in gene expression between the mutant plants and the wild-type control, and most of the genes related to chlorophyll metabolism were down-regulated, with foldchange ranging from 0.20-0.49. Additionally, the surviving homozygous plants (Alb+⁣/+), which do not contain this mutation, were also isolated by analysing the phenotype of their self-pollinated progeny. The net photosynthesis rate and light saturation point of Alb+⁣/+ were higher than those of heterozygous (Alb+⁣/-) plants. Additionally, the Alb+⁣/+ plants were more tolerant to drought conditions than the Alb+⁣/- plants, suggesting that a heterozygous Alb- mutation is sufficient to negatively affect photosynthetic efficiency and drought tolerance. CONCLUSIONS: The albino mutation negatively affects photosynthetic efficiency and drought tolerance, and homozygous mutation is required for the characteristic albino phenotype. This work highlights the link between albino mutation, photosynthetic pigment metabolism and drought sensitivity in daylily.

Gap-free genome assembly of Salangid icefish Neosalanx taihuensis.

Neosalanx taihuensis is widely distributed in freshwater and brackish water areas in China. Due to its high commercial value, it has been artificially introduced into many lakes and reservoirs, showing strong ecological adaptability. Here, a gap-free chromosome-level reference genome was constructed by combining short reads, PacBio HiFi long reads, Nanopore ultralong reads and Hi-C data. The reference genome of N. taihuensis was 397.29 Mb with a contig N50 of 15.61 Mb. The assembled sequences were anchored to 28 chromosomes. Furthermore, 20,024 protein-coding genes and 98.16% of the predicted genes were annotated in publicly available biological databases. This high-quality gap-free assembled genome will provide an essential reference for studying the evolution and ecological adaptability of N. taihuensis.

Bioactive secondary metabolites from endophytic strains of Neocamarosporium betae collected from desert plants.

Endophytic fungi from desert plants belong to a unique microbial community that has been scarcely investigated chemically and could be a new resource for bioactive natural products. In this study, 13 secondary metabolites (1-13) with diverse carbon skeletons, including a novel polyketide (1) with a unique 5,6-dihydro-4H,7H-2,6-methanopyrano[4,3-d][1,3]dioxocin-7-one ring system and three undescribed polyketides (2, 7, and 11), were obtained from the endophytic fungus Neocamarosporium betae isolated from two desert plant species. Different approaches, including HR-ESI-MS, UV spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, NMR, and CD, were used to determine the planar and absolute configurations of the compounds. The possible biosynthetic pathways were proposed based on the structural characteristics of compounds 1-13. Compounds 1, 3, 4, and 9 exhibited strong cytotoxicity toward HepG2 cells compared with the positive control. Several metabolites (2, 4-5, 7-9, and 11-13) were phytotoxic to foxtail leaves. The results support the hypothesis that endophytic fungi from special environments, such as desert areas, produce novel bioactive secondary metabolites.

Biofeedback combined with pelvic floor training in the treatment of male stress urinary incontinence / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of biofeedback combined with pelvic floor training on stress urinary incontinence in elderly men.Methods:This study was prospective and Patients with urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy from China Rehabilitation Research Center were enrolled. The patients who could not complete or refused the study, had a history of other urinary diseases, and central nervous system diseases were excluded. Patients were divided by random number table method into 3 groups. They were Kegel training group (Group A)which underwent anus contraction training with each contraction for 5 seconds and a rest interval of 2 seconds. Biofeedback combined with Kegel training group (Group B), which was biofeedback combined with anus contraction training and the biofeedback combined Pilates group (Group C) which received the biofeedback combined Pilates training. In group B and group C, patients were placed in the right lateral position and the surface electrode of the rectal probe was inserted into the anus. The reference electrode was fixed at the adductor muscle of the right thigh. The patient is asked to squeeze the electrode as hard as possible by constricting the anus so that the electromyographic signals produced by constricting the anus are synchronized with those on the computer screen. In the electrical stimulation stage of biofeedback therapy, rhomboid waves with current intensity of 30-50 Hz and pulse width of 300μs were used, and the electrical stimulation intensity was determined by the subtle muscle contraction visible. Each of the three training sessions lasted 45 minutes a day for 8 weeks. 1 hour pad test, daily incontinence times, (International Incontinence Counseling Questionnaire, ICIQ), and Oxford Score Scale were recorded every weekend. The 1-hour pad test, the number of incontinent episodes, ICIQ, Oxford Score scale before and after treatment were compared among the three groups, as well as the differences between the groups.Results:There were no significant differences in age, height, weight, history of diabetes or hypertension before treatment, time from postoperative to training, operation method, retention of nerve tract during surgery, Gleason score, 1-hour pad test, the number of episodes of incontinence, ICIQ and Oxford Grading Scale among the 3 groups. The 1-hour pad test results of group A, B and C were (37.4±7.2), (22.2±4.7) and (18.3±2.4) g, respectively, with statistical significance among the three groups ( P<0.01), and the difference between the three groups and before treatment was statistically significant ( P<0.01). The results of the number of episodes of incontinence in group A, B and C after treatment were (4.6±0.7), (3.4±0.6) and (3.0±0.8), respectively, and the difference among the three groups was statistically significant ( P<0.01), and the difference between the three groups and before treatment was statistically significant ( P<0.01). The results of The ICIQ in group A, B and C after treatment were 12(11, 14), 8(7, 9) and 6(5, 8), respectively, and the differences among the three groups were statistically significant ( P<0.01), and the differences between the three groups were statistically significant compared with before treatment ( P<0.01). The results of Oxford Grading Scale in group A, B and C after treatment were 3(3, 3), 4(3, 4) and 4(4, 4), respectively, and the difference between the three groups was statistically significant ( P<0.01), and the difference between the three groups was statistically significant compared with before treatment ( P<0.01). Conclusions:Biofeedback combined with pelvic floor training and biofeedback combined with Pilates training can improve urinary control, pelvic floor muscle strength, and stress urinary incontinence symptoms in male patients with stress urinary incontinence.

Simultaneous Enhancement of Magnetothermal and Photothermal Responses by Zn, Co Co-Doped Ferrite Nanoparticles.

Reducing nanoparticle (NP) dosage for hyperthermia therapy has remained a great challenge. In this work, efficiencies of alternating current (AC) magnetic field and near-infrared (NIR) heating are simultaneously enhanced by Zn and Co co-doping of magnetite NPs. The optimum magnetic anisotropy for maximized loss power under each magnetic field is achieved by tuning the doping concentration. The specific loss power of Zn0.3 Co0.08 Fe2.62 O4 @SiO2 NPs reaches 2428 W g-1 under an AC field of 27 kA m-1 at 430 kHz; 12 296 W g-1 under NIR laser irradiation at 808 nm and 2.5 W cm-2 ; and an unprecedented value of 14 724 W g-1 under dual mode. These values far exceed what has been achieved previously in iron oxide NPs. Ex vivo experiments on sacrificial mice show that while the NP dosage is substantially reduced to that used for magnetic resonance imaging, the surface body temperature of the mice reaches 50 °C after exposure to both AC field and laser irradiation under field parameters and laser intensity below safety limits. This nanoplatform is thus promising for multi-modal local hyperthermia therapy.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity of the Salangid, Neosalanx taihuensis, Based on the Mitochondrial COI Gene in Different Chinese River Basins.

The salangid Neosalanx taihuensis (Salangidae) is a commercially important economical fish endemic to China and restricted to large freshwater systems with a wide-ranging distribution. This fish species has continuous distribution ranges and a long-introduced aquaculture history in Chinese basins. However, the research on its population genetic differentiation within and between basins is very limited. In this regard, 197 individuals were sampled from 11 populations in the Nenjiang River Basin (A1-A4), Songhua River Basin (B1), Yellow River Basin (C1-C2), Yangtze River Basin (D1), Lanchang River Basin (E1-E2) and Huaihe River Basin (F1). Based on the COI sequence, the N.taihuensis population's genetic difference within and between river basins was investigated. The haplotypes and their frequency distributions were strongly skewed, with most haplotypes (n = 13) represented only in single samples each and thus restricted to a single population. The most common haplotype (H4, 67/197) was found in all individuals. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a random pattern in the distribution of genetic diversity, which is inconsistent with contemporary hydrological structure. The mismatch between the distribution and neutrality tests supported the evidence of a population expansion, which occurred during the late Pleistocene (0.041-0.051 million years ago). Significant levels of genetic subdivision were detected among populations within basins rather than between the six basins. Population history dynamics showed that N. taihuensis experienced an expansion during the glacial period in the late Pleistocene. Therefore, different populations should be considered as different management units to achieve effective conservation and management purposes. These results have great significance for the evaluation and exploitation of the germplasm resources of N. taihuensis.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the SWEET gene family in daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) and functional analysis of HfSWEET17 in response to cold stress.

BACKGROUND: The Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEETs) are a newly discovered family of sugar transporters whose members exist in a variety of organisms and are highly conserved. SWEETs have been reported to be involved in the growth and development of many plants, but little is known about SWEETs in daylily (Hemerocallis fulva), an important perennial ornamental flower. RESULTS: In this study, 19 daylily SWEETs were identified and named based on their homologous genes in Arabidopsis and rice. Phylogenetic analysis classified these HfSWEETs into four clades (Clades I to IV). The conserved motifs and gene structures showed that the HfSWEETs were very conservative during evolution. Chromosomal localization and synteny analysis found that HfSWEETs were unevenly distributed on 11 chromosomes, and there were five pairs of segmentally duplicated events and one pair of tandem duplication events. The expression patterns of the 19 HfSWEETs showed that the expression patterns of most HfSWEETs in different tissues were related to corresponding clades, and most HfSWEETs were up-regulated under low temperatures. Furthermore, HfSWEET17 was overexpressed in tobacco, and the cold resistance of transgenic plants was much higher than that of wild-type tobacco. CONCLUSION: This study identified the SWEET gene family in daylily at the genome-wide level. Most of the 19 HfSWEETs were expressed differently in different tissues and under low temperatures. Overexpression further suggests that HfSWEET17 participates in daylily low-temperature response. The results of this study provide a basis for further functional analysis of the SWEET family in daylily.

Genetic Diversity Evaluation and Conservation of Topmouth Culter (Culter alburnus) Germplasm in Five River Basins in China.

To study the genetic diversity of Culter alburnus (C. alburnus) populations, we analyzed the genetic diversity of five C. alburnus populations from Songhua Lake (SH), Huaihe River (HH), Changjiang River (CJ), Taihu Lake (TH), and Gehu Lake (GH) based on mitochondrial COI gene sequences. The results showed that the average contents of bases T, C, A, and G in the 526 bp COI gene sequence were 25.3%, 18.1%, 28.1%, and 28.6%, respectively, which showed AT bias. A total of 115 polymorphic sites were detected in the five populations, and 11 haplotypes (Hap) were defined. The nucleotide diversity (Pi) of the five populations ranged from 0.00053 to 0.01834, and the haplotype diversity (Hd) ranged from 0.280 to 0.746, with the highest genetic diversity in the TH population, followed by the SH population, with lower genetic diversity in the HH, CJ and GH populations. The analysis of the fixation index (Fst) and the genetic distance between populations showed that there was significant genetic differentiation between the SH population and the other populations, and the genetic distances between all of them were far; the genetic diversity within populations was higher than that between populations. Neutral tests, mismatch distributions, and Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analyses showed that the C. alburnus populations have not experienced population expansion and are relatively stable in historical dynamics.

Predictive value of SAVE score combined with 24-h lactate on the prognosis of patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the prognostic value of survival after veno-arterial ECMO (SAVE) score combined with 24-h lactate on the machine in patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR).Methods:Totally 59 patients treated with ECPR in the Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from April 2017 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the 28-day prognosis, the patients were divided into the death group ( n=36) and the survival group ( n=23). The differences in baseline data were analyzed, and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify the influencing factors of 28-day mortality in patients with ECPR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to evaluate the predictive value of SAVE score, 24-h lactate and their combined detection for predicting 28-day mortality risk in patients with ECPR. Results:The 28-day survival rate of patients with ECPR was 39% (23/59). SAVE score of the death group was significantly lower than that of the survival group (-11.67±4.60 vs. -2.43±4.77, P<0.001), and the 24-h lactate in the death group was significantly higher than that in the survival group [5.94 (3.37, 12.40) mmol/L vs. 1.65 (1.07, 3.15) mmol/L, P<0.001]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SAVE score ( OR=0.703, 95% CI: 0.566-0.873, P=0.001) and 24-h lactate ( OR=1.608, 95% CI: 1.025-2.523, P=0.039) were independent influencing factors of 28-day mortality in ECPR patients. ROC curve analysis showed that the best cut-off value of SAVE score was -6, the sensitivity was 78.30% and specificity was 91.70%. The best cutoff value of 24-h lactate was 4.7 mmol/L, the sensitivity was 63.90% and specificity was 100.00%. The sensitivity and specificity of the combined detection of SAVE score and 24-h lactate were 82.60% and 100.00%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of SAVE score combined with 24-h lactate for predicting the 28-day mortality risk in patients with ECPR was larger than that of SAVE score and 24-h lactate alone (0.952 vs. 0.917; 0.952 vs. 0.847). Conclusions:Lower SAVE score and higher 24-h lactate are independently risk factors of 28-day mortality in patients with ECPR, and SAVE score combined with 24-h lactate on the machine has a good predictive value for the prognosis of patients with ECPR.

Predictive value of APACHEⅡ score combined with systematic inflammation markers on outcome in patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical significance of the acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ (APACHEⅡ) combined with different systematic inflammation markers (SIMs) including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR)-in adult patients with venous-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO).Methods:A total of 89 adult patients with VA-ECMO ( ≥ 3 d) in the Emergency Department of Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital from January 2017 to June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: survivors ( n=39) and non-survivors ( n=50). The baseline APACHE Ⅱscore and PLR, NLR, LMR before ECMO implantation and at 1, 2, 3 day after ECMO were recorded. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of 28-day mortality in patients with VA-ECMO. The utility of APACHEⅡ score and SIMs alone or combination for predicting clinical prognosis was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The patients were divided into the high risk group and the low risk group according to the best cut-off value, and the difference of ECMO-related complications between the two groups was compared. Results:When combined APACHEⅡ score with SIMs, APACHEⅡ + PLR 48 h + LMR 24 h + LMR 72 h demonstrated the greatest predictive ability with an AUC of 0.833. Compared with the high-risk group, the low-risk group has a lower incidence of acute renal injury, infection, bleeding complications, the use of continuous renal replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation, and a higher hospital survival rate.Conclusions:The combination of APACHEⅡ score and SIMs-PLR, LMR- is better than a single one for death prediction, and it is expected to be a new predictive model for early identification of the risk of death or poor prognosis in patients with VA-ECMO.

Early whole body CT combined with coronary angiography for treatment guidance in patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the safety of early whole body computed tomography (WBCT) combined with coronary angiography (CAG) in patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) and its application value in the diagnosis of cardiac arrest and complications of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).Methods:This was a retrospective study. Patients who underwent ECPR in the Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to July 2021 were enrolled in this research. Patients younger than 18 years or with incomplete clinical data were excluded. The results of WBCT and CAG examinations after ECPR were collected.Results:A total of 89 patients with ECPR, aged (47±17) years, were enrolled in the study, all underwent WBCT examination, and no adverse events such as ECMO and tracheal tube shedding occurred. WBCT found 7 cases of pulmonary embolism, 3 cases of aortic dissection and 2 cases of cerebral hemorrhage. WBCT identified CPR-related complications in 42 cases, including rib fractures ( n=20), pneumothorax ( n=5), mediastinal emphysema ( n=5), subcutaneous emphysema ( n=6), and hematoma or swelling at puncture site ( n=6). Fifty-five patients underwent CAG examination, the most common culprit vessels were the left anterior descending branch disease (58.2%) followed by the left circumflex branch disease (27.3%), the right coronary artery disease (21.8%) and left main artery disease (12.7%). Conclusions:Early WBCT and CAG examinations are of great significance and safety for the guidance of treatment in ECPR patients.

Bone Tumor Suppression in Rabbits by Hyperthermia below the Clinical Safety Limit Using Aligned Magnetic Bone Cement.

Demonstrating highly efficient alternating current (AC) magnetic field heating of nanoparticles in physiological environments under clinically safe field parameters has remained a great challenge, hindering clinical applications of magnetic hyperthermia. In this work, exceptionally high loss power of magnetic bone cement under the clinical safety limit of AC field parameters, incorporating direct current field-aligned soft magnetic Zn0.3 Fe2.7 O4 nanoparticles with low concentration, is reported. Under an AC field of 4 kA m-1 at 430 kHz, the aligned bone cement with 0.2 wt% nanoparticles achieves a temperature increase of 30 °C in 180 s. This amounts to a specific loss power value of 327 W gmetal-1 and an intrinsic loss power of 47 nHm2 kg-1 , which is enhanced by 50-fold compared to randomly oriented samples. The high-performance magnetic bone cement allows for the demonstration of effective hyperthermia suppression of tumor growth in the bone marrow cavity of New Zealand White Rabbits subjected to rapid cooling due to blood circulation, and significant enhancement of survival rate.

One-Step Preparation of a Core-Spun Cu/P(VDF-TrFE) Nanofibrous Yarn for Wearable Smart Textile to Monitor Human Movement.

At present, wearable electronic sensors are widely investigated and applied for human life usage especially for the flexible piezoelectric sensor based on piezoelectric fibers. However, most of these fiber-based piezoelectric sensors are thin films, which might had poor air permeability, or do not adapt to complex body movements. In this study, a piezoelectric sensing fabric was proposed based on core-spun Cu/P(VDF-TrFE) nanofibrous yarns. These yarns were fabricated by P(VDF-TrFE) as a piezoelectric material and Cu wire as an inner electrode layer through a one-step conjugate electrospinning process. The Cu/P(VDF-TrFE) fabrics showed good flexibility, breathability, mechanical stability, and sensing capability after continuous running for 60 min or after washing. A 4 cm × 4 cm fabric could generate a current of 38 nA and voltage of 2.7 V under 15 N pressure. Once the fabric was fixed onto the clothes, human motion could be monitored by collecting its generated current, and the signal could be wirelessly transmitted onto a smartphone. Therefore, this study may provide a simple and promising approach to design a smart textile for human motion monitoring.

The Protective Effect of Cx43 Protein-Mediated Phosphocreatine on Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

OBJECTIVES: To verify the protective effect of phosphocreatine on myocardium in an ischemic model and the possible mechanism of action. METHODS: The model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) was established by the ligation balloon method. 30 SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, n = 10 in each group. Sham operation group: the coronary artery was not blocked and observed for 120 minutes. The ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) group was given ischemia for 30 minutes and ischemia reperfusion for 90 minutes. Phosphocreatine (PCr) group: after 30 minutes of ischemia, the rats were intraperitoneally injected with PCr (200 mg/kg) for 90 minutes. The animal groups of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion model in vitro were the same as those in vivo. The heart was removed by thoracotomy and washed immediately in H-K buffer solution. Then, the heart was installed on the Langendorff instrument. The concentration of PCr perfusion fluid in the PCr group was 10 mmol/L. The changes in coronary blood flow in isolated myocardium were recorded. The heart rate and electrocardiogram were recorded by RM6240BT. At the end of the experiment, myocardial pathological sections and Cx43 immunofluorescence staining were made, and the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in myocardial tissue were detected. RESULTS: Phosphocreatinine treatment improved the myocardial ischemia model, performance in electrocardiogram (ECG) changes (ST segment apparent), and histological changes (decrease in necrotic myocardial cells, inflammatory cell infiltration, and a reduction in myocardial edema). At the same time, MDA decreased, while coronary blood flow and Cx43 expression significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: Phosphocreatine can improve the electrocardiogram and restore histologic changes in ischemic myocardium and coronary blood flow. The postulated mechanism is by inhibiting the generation of free oxygen radicals and restoring the expression of Cx43 protein.

Fanconi anemia ortholog FANCM regulates meiotic crossover distribution in plants.

Meiotic recombination increases genetic diversity and manipulation of its frequency and distribution holds great promise in crop breeding. In Arabidopsis thaliana, FANCM (a homolog of mammalian Fanconi anemia complementation group M) suppresses recombination and its function seems conserved in other species including the rosids Brassica spp. and pea (Pisum sativum), and the monocot rice (Oryza sativa). To examine the role of FANCM during meiotic recombination in lettuce (Lactuca sativa, an asterid), we characterized the function of lettuce LsFANCM and found that it can functionally substitute for AtFANCM in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Moreover, three independent CRISPR/Cas9-edited lettuce Lsfancm mutants showed reduced pollen viability and seed setting. Unexpectedly, analyses of chromosome behavior revealed that 77.8% of Lsfancm meiocytes exhibited univalents. The normal formation of double-strand breaks in DNA and the discontinuous assembly of synaptonemal complex in Lsfancm mutants supports the hypothesis that LsFANCM might be dispensable for the initiation of meiotic recombination but required for normal synapsis. Furthermore, the frequency of lettuce HEI10 (Human Enhancer of Invasion 10) foci, a marker for Class-I crossovers (COs), was similar between wild-type (WT) and Lsfancm. Strikingly, the distribution of LsHEI10 foci and chiasmata in Lsfancm meiotic chromosomes was markedly different from the WT. A similar alteration in the distribution of Class-I COs was also observed in the Arabidopsis Atfancm mutant. Taken together, these results demonstrate that FANCM is important for shaping the distribution of meiotic Class-I COs in plants, and reveal an evolutionarily divergent role for FANCM in meiotic bivalent formation between Arabidopsis and lettuce.

Transcriptome changes of Takifugu obscurus liver after acute exposure to phenanthrene.

Phenanthrene (Phe) is a model compound in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) research. Reportedly, Phe treatment induced oxidative stress and histological disorders to Takifugu obscurus liver. In this study, to further explore the molecular responses of T. obscurus liver to Phe exposure, transcriptome sequencing was applied to compare mRNA transcription profiles between Phe treatment and the control. Compared with the control, 1,581 and 1,428 genes were significantly upregulated and downregulated in Phe treatment, respectively. Further analysis revealed that Phe treatment mainly upregulated genes in Ras-MAPK and PI3K-akt signaling pathways, which represented insulin resistance and further activated the FOXO signaling pathway. The triacylglycerol biosynthesis was promoted but the gluconeogenesis process was inhibited in response to Phe treatment, demonstrating that Phe exposure disturbed the sugar and lipid metabolism. Moreover, Phe treatment upregulated the Apelin-APJ and ErbB signaling pathways, promoting angiogenesis in T. obscurus liver. Insulin resistance, promoted triacylglycerol biosynthesis, and angiogenesis might explain the molecular mechanisms underlying carcinogenic toxicity of Phe. Overall, this study provides new insights to understand the environmental risk of Phe to fishes.

The prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To analyze the potential role and prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) at an early stage in arterial-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA -ECMO).Methods:Totally 83 adult patients with VA-ECMO from June 2018 to June 2020 treated at Emergency Department of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline characteristics between survivors ( n=46) and non-survivors ( n=37) were compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict the risk factors associated with 28-day mortality in VA-ECMO patients. The cut-off value was calculated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results:PLR48-h ( OR=1.018,95% CI: 1.001-1.036, P=0.039) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) ( OR=7.095,95% CI: 1.099-45.799, P=0.039) were relevant risk factors of 28-day mortality in VA-ECMO patients. The cut-off value of PLR48-h was 156.3 [sensitivity: 57.8%, specificity: 86.1%, and area under the curve (AUC): 0.756]. Compared with the high PLR group (>156.3), the incidences of acute kidney injury (AKI) ( P<0.001) and bleeding events ( P=0.013) were significantly higher in the low PLR group (<156.3). Conclusions:The early PLR reduction and CRRT application during VA-ECMO support are related to poor prognosis.

The sugar transporter system of strawberry: genome-wide identification and expression correlation with fruit soluble sugar-related traits in a Fragaria × ananassa germplasm collection.

Sugar from plant photosynthesis is a basic requirement for life activities. Sugar transporters are the proteins that mediate sugar allocation among or within source/sink organs. The transporters of the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) targeting carbohydrates represent the largest family of sugar transporters in many plants. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) is an important crop appreciated worldwide for its unique fruit flavor. The involvement of MFS sugar transporters (STs) in cultivated strawberry fruit sugar accumulation is largely unknown. In this work, we characterized the genetic variation associated with fruit soluble sugars in a collection including 154 varieties. Then, a total of 67 ST genes were identified in the v4.0 genome integrated with the v4.0.a2 protein database of F. vesca, the dominant subgenome provider for modern cultivated strawberry. Phylogenetic analysis updated the nomenclature of strawberry ST homoeologs. Both the chromosomal distribution and structural characteristics of the ST family were improved. Semi-RT-PCR analysis in nine tissues from cv. Benihoppe screened 34 highly expressed ST genes in fruits. In three varieties with dramatically differing fruit sugar levels, qPCR integrated with correlation analysis between ST transcript abundance and sugar content identified 13 sugar-correlated genes. The correlations were re-evaluated across 19 varieties, including major commercial cultivars grown in China. Finally, a model of the contribution of the sugar transporter system to subcellular sugar allocation in strawberry fruits was proposed. Our work highlights the involvement of STs in controlling strawberry fruit soluble sugars and provides candidates for the future functional study of STs in strawberry development and responses and a new approach for strawberry genetic engineering and molecular breeding.

Transcriptome analysis of Takifugu obscurus liver in response to acute retene exposure.

Retene (1-methyl-7-isopropyl-phenanthrene, RET) is an alkyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) with environmental risk to aquatic animals. Takifugu obscurus is a migratory fish species with high economic and ecological value. To assess the toxic effects of RET on molecular metabolism, juvenile T. obscurus in this study were acutely exposed to 44.30 µg/L of RET for four days. The transcriptome profiles of livers were compared between RET treatment group and the control, and the results revealed that 1,897 genes were significantly differentially expressed (DEGs) after exposure to RET, which enriched 17 KEGG pathways. Among these, glycerolipid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, insulin signaling pathway, and FOXO signaling pathways were significantly activated. Further exploration indicated that RET exposure disrupted glucose metabolism, stimulated insulin metabolism, and activated cell proliferation genes. Overall, these findings help explain the molecular mechanisms underlying RET toxicity, and may offer evidence to support T. obscurus protection.