Integrated influence of sulfide modification on the reactivity of nanoscale zero-valent iron towards decabromodiphenyl ether under an electromagnetic field.

Individual application of sulfide modification and electromagnetic field (EMF) can enhance the reactivity of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), yet the potential of both in combination is not clear. This work found that the reactivity of nZVI towards decabromodiphenyl ether was significantly enhanced by the combined effect of sulfidation and EMF. The specific reaction rate constant of nZVI increased by 7 to 10 times. A series of characterization results revealed that the sulfidation level not only affects the inherent reactivity but also the magnetic-induced heating (MIH) and corrosion (MIC) of nZVI. These collectively influence the degradation efficiency of nZVI under EMF. Sulfidation generally diminished the MIH effect. The low degree of sulfidation (S/Fe = 0.1) slightly reduced the MIC effect by 21.4%. However, the high degree of sulfidation (S/Fe = 0.4) led to significantly enhanced MIC effect by 107.1%. For S/Fe = 0.1 and 0.4, the overall enhancement in the reactivity resulting from EMF was alternately dominated by the contributions of MIH and MIC. This work provides valuable insights into the MIH and MIC effects about the sulfidation level of nZVI, which is needed for further exploration and optimization of this combined technology.

The Impact of Elsinoë ampelina Infection on Key Metabolic Properties in Vitis vinifera 'Red Globe' Berries via Multiomics Approaches.

Grape anthracnose caused by Elsinoë ampelina (Shear) is one of the most serious fungal diseases that lead to the quality reduction and yield losses of grape (Vitis vinifera 'Red Globe') berries. In the present study, metabolome and transcriptome analyses were conducted using grape berries in the field after infection with E. ampelina at 7, 10, and 13 days to identify the metabolic properties of berries. In total, 132 metabolites with significant differences and 6,877 differentially expressed genes were detected and shared by three comparisons. The analyses demonstrated that phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, stilbenoid, and nucleotide metabolisms were enriched in E. ampelina-infected grape berries but not amino acid metabolism. Phenolamide, terpene, and polyphenole contents also accumulated during E. ampelina infection. The results provided evidence of the enhancement of secondary metabolites such as resveratrol, α-viniferin, ε-viniferin, and lignins involved in plant defense. The results showed the plant defense-associated metabolic reprogramming caused by E. ampelina infection in grape berry and provided a global metabolic mechanism under E. ampelina stimulation.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Metformin combined with insulin aspart for ameliorating blood glucose levels and maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus and chronic hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of metformin combined with insulin aspart on blood glucose levels and maternal and neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) accompanied by chronic hypertension (CH). METHODS: A prospective study was conducted on 112 women with GDM and CH. The patients were divided into the control group and the observation group according to a random number table method, with 56 patients in each group. The control group received injections of insulin aspart based on blood pressure control, and the observation group received injections of insulin aspart combined with oral metformin based on blood pressure control. Besides, blood glucose levels, maternal pregnancy outcomes and neonatal complications before and after intervention were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Before intervention, there was no significant difference in blood glucose and blood pressure levels between the two groups (P > 0.05). After intervention, the observation group showed significantly decreased fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels than the control group (P < 0.05); the blood pressure in the observation group was significantly lower as compared with that before intervention (P < 0.05). Additionally, the incidences of adverse pregnancy outcomes (e.g., premature rupture of membranes) and neonatal jaundice and macrosomia were significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group after intervention (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Metformin combined with insulin aspart for treating GDM and CH can effectively control blood glucose and blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of adverse perinatal and neonatal outcomes, which exerts positive effect in clinical treatment.

Transcriptome Analysis of the Grape-Elsinoë ampelina Pathosystem Reveals Novel Effectors and a Robust Defense Response.

Elsinoë ampelina is an ascomycetous fungus that causes grape anthracnose, a potentially devastating disease worldwide. In this study, a dual RNA-seq analysis was used to simultaneously monitor the fungal genes related to pathogenesis and grape genes related to defense during the interaction at 2, 3, 4, and 5 days postinoculation. Consistent with their potential roles in pathogenicity, genes for carbohydrate-active enzymes, secondary metabolite synthesis, pathogen-host interaction, and those encoding secreted proteins are upregulated during infection. Based on Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transient assays in Nicotiana benthamiana, we further showed that eight and nine candidate effectors, respectively, suppressed BAX- and INF1-mediated programmed cell death. The host response was characterized by the induction of multiple defense systems against E. ampelina, including synthesis of phenylpropanoids, stilbenes, and terpenoid biosynthesis, cell-wall modifications, regulation by phytohormones, and expression of defense-related genes. Together, these findings offer new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the grape-E. ampelina interaction.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Genome Sequence Resource for Elsinoë ampelina, the Causal Organism of Grapevine Anthracnose.

Elsinoë ampelina is an ascomycetous fungus that causes grape anthracnose, a potentially devastating disease worldwide. Here, we report a 28.29 Mb high-quality genome sequence of E. ampelina YL-1 that encodes 8,057 predicted protein-coding genes and represents the first sequenced genome assembly of E. ampelina. This study adds to the current genomic resources for the genus Elsinoë and paves the way for research on comparative genomic studies, E. ampelina-grape interactions, and improvement of management strategies.

The Dual Roles of Zinc Sulfate in Mitigating Peach Gummosis.

Peach gummosis, caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae, is one of the most prevalent diseases that affects peach production. In this study, we investigated the effect of zinc sulfate on inoculated peach shoots, as well as on the growth, morphology, and pathogenicity of L. theobromae in vitro, in the laboratory. Zinc deficiency was detected in diseased peach shoots by micronutrient analysis (Cu, Mn, and Zn) and confirmed by the measurement of transcript levels of zinc transporters (ZIP4, HAM4, and ZAT). The zinc was transferred from the diseased peach shoots to the peach gum. Applying zinc sulfate to the diseased peach shoots reduced the severity of peach gummosis, showing significantly reduced lesion size and gum weight, as well as downregulation of cell wall degradation-related gene (PG and PME) compared with the control. Zinc sulfate also specifically controlled peach gummosis under L. theobromae phytotoxin stress and induced the expression of defense-related genes (PR4, CHI, PAL, PGIP, and GNS3). In addition, in vitro mycelial growth of L. theobromae was significantly inhibited by zinc sulfate compared with the control. Zinc sulfate caused abnormal hyphae at 25 mM and swelling hyphal tips at 50 mM. Exposure of L. theobromae to zinc sulfate for 20 min inhibited the ability of the pathogen to cause peach gummosis. Our physiological and molecular data demonstrated that zinc sulfate has a dual function by reducing susceptibility in the host and by direct inhibition of the pathogen.