Association between weekend warrior physical activity pattern and all-cause mortality among adults living with type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study from NHANES 2007 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: It is uncertain whether the weekend warrior pattern is associated with all-cause mortality among adults living with type 2 diabetes. This study explored how the 'weekend warrior' physical activity (PA) pattern was associated with all-cause mortality among adults living with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This prospective cohort study investigated US adults living with type 2 diabetes in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Mortality data was linked to the National Death Index. Based on self-reported leisure-time and occupational moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), participants were categorized into 3 groups: physically inactive (< 150 min/week of MVPA), weekend warrior (≥ 150 min/week of MVPA in 1 or 2 sessions), and physically active (≥ 150 min/week of MVPA in 3 or more sessions). RESULTS: A total of 6067 participants living with type 2 diabetes [mean (SD) age, 61.4 (13.5) years; 48.0% females] were followed for a median of 6.1 years, during which 1206 deaths were recorded. Of leisure-time and occupational activity, compared with inactive individuals, hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality were 0.49 (95% CI 0.26-0.91) and 0.57 (95% CI 0.38-0.85) for weekend warrior individuals, and 0.55 (95% CI 0.45-0.67) and 0.64 (95% CI 0.53-0.76) for regularly active individuals, respectively. However, when compared leisure-time and occupational weekend warrior with regularly active participants, the HRs were 0.82 (95% CI 0.42-1.61) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.64-1.56) for all-cause mortality, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Weekend warrior PA pattern may have similar effects on lowering all-cause mortality as regularly active pattern among adults living with type 2 diabetes, regardless of leisure-time or occupational activity. Therefore, weekend warrior PA pattern may be sufficient to reduce all-cause mortality for adults living with type 2 diabetes.

Circular RNA RRM2 alleviates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease by targeting miR-142-5p to increase NRG1 expression.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a prevalent chronic liver condition worldwide, demanding further investigation into its pathogenesis. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as pivotal regulators in MASLD processes, yet their pathological implications in MASLD remain poorly understood. This study focused on elucidating the role of circular RNA ribonucleotide reductase subunit M2 (circRRM2) in MASLD progression. In this study, we used both in vitro and in vivo MASLD models using long-chain-free fatty acid (FFA)-treated hepatocytes and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced MASLD in mice, respectively. We determined the expression patterns of circRRM2, microRNA-142-5p (miR-142-5p), and neuregulin 1 (NRG1) in livers of MASLD-afflicted mice and MASLD hepatocytes by RT-qPCR. Dual-luciferase reporter assays verified the binding relationships among circRRM2, miR-142-5p, and NRG1. We conducted further analyses of their roles in MASLD hepatocytes and modulated circRRM2, miR-142-5p, and NRG1 expression in vitro by transfection. Our findings were validated in vivo. The results demonstrated reduced levels of circRRM2 and NRG1, along with elevated miR-142-5p expression in MASLD livers and hepatocytes. Overexpression of circRRM2 downregulated lipogenesis-related genes and decreased triglycerides accumulation in livers of MASLD mice. MiR-142-5p, which interacts with circRRM2, effectively counteracted the effects of circRRM2 in MASLD hepatocytes. Furthermore, NRG1 was identified as a miR-142-5p target, and its overexpression mitigated the regulatory impact of miR-142-5p on MASLD hepatocytes. In conclusion, circRRM2, via its role as a miR-142-5p sponge, upregulating NRG1, possibly influenced triglycerides accumulation in both in vitro and in vivo MASLD models.NEW & NOTEWORTHY CircRRM2 expression was downregulated in free fatty acid (FFA)-challenged hepatocytes and high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice. Overexpressed circular RNA ribonucleotide reductase subunit M2 (circRRM2) attenuated metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) development by suppressing FFA-induced triglycerides accumulation. CircRRM2 targeted microRNA-142-5p (miR-142-5p), which served as an upstream inhibitor of neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and collaboratively regulated MASLD progression.

The diagnostic accuracy of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in assessing kidney function in severe hydronephrosis.

Background: Up to now, there is no perfect indicator to evaluate the renal function of severe hydronephrosis, which poses difficulties in the selection of clinical treatment decisions. This study investigates the role of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in urine drained from the nephrostomy tube shortly after nephrostomy to evaluate the renal function of patients with severe hydronephrosis caused by ureteral obstruction. Methods: The clinical data, and blood and urine samples of 24 patients with severe hydronephrosis due to ureteral obstruction were retrospectively collected. The NGAL in the urine drained from the nephrostomy tube on the morning of the first day after the procedure was measured. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was determined using a nuclear scan, and the clearance rate of creatinine was calculated based on nephrostomy drainage. The correlation between the NGAL level, urine volume post-nephrostomy, affected side GFR, and creatinine clearance rate (Ccr) was assessed. Moreover, the relationship between the urinary NGAL levels and prognosis was analyzed based on whether the patients underwent nephrectomy. Results: There was a significant correlation between the urine NGAL from the nephrostomy of the affected side and the Ccr and urine volume post-nephrostomy (both P<0.05). Compared with the patients in the kidney preservation group, those who underwent nephrectomy had significantly increased NGAL levels, and significantly reduced Ccrs and nephrostomy drainage urine output. Through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve evaluation, the efficacy of NGAL in predicting nephrectomy was found to be superior to both the Ccr and urine output, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.845. Conclusions: The NGAL in the urine shortly after nephrostomy may indicate severe renal functional deterioration.

N-terminus GTPase domain of the cytoskeleton protein FtsZ plays a critical role in its adaptation to high hydrostatic pressure.

Studies in model microorganisms showed that cell division is highly vulnerable to high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). Disassembly of FtsZ filaments induced by HHP results in the failure of cell division and formation of filamentous cells in E. coli. The specific characteristics of FtsZ that allow for functional cell division in the deep-sea environments, especially in obligate piezophiles that grow exclusively under HHP condition, remain enigmatic. In this study, by using a self-developed HHP in-situ fixation apparatus, we investigated the effect of HHP on FtsZ by examining the subcellular localization of GFP-tagged FtsZ in vivo and the stability of FtsZ filament in vitro. We compared the pressure tolerance of FtsZ proteins from pressure-sensitive strain Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 (FtsZSo) and obligately piezophilic strain Shewanella benthica DB21MT-2 (FtsZSb). Our findings showed that, unlike FtsZSo, HHP hardly affected the Z-ring formation of FtsZSb, and filaments composed of FtsZSb were more stable after incubation under 50 MPa. By constructing chimeric and single amino acid mutated FtsZ proteins, we identified five residues in the N-terminal GTPase domain of FtsZSb whose mutation would impair the Z-ring formation under HHP conditions. Overall, these results demonstrate that FtsZ from the obligately piezophilic strain exhibits superior pressure tolerance than its homologue from shallow water species, both in vivo and in vitro. Differences in pressure tolerance of FtsZ are largely attributed to the N-terminal GTPase domain. This represents the first in-depth study of the adaptation of microbial cytoskeleton protein FtsZ to high hydrostatic pressure, which may provide insights into understanding the complex bioprocess of cell division under extreme environments.

Mild hypothermia therapy attenuates early BBB leakage in acute ischaemic stroke.

Reperfusion therapy inevitably leads to brain-blood barrier (BBB) disruption and promotes damage despite its benefits for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). An effective brain cytoprotective treatment is still needed as an adjunct to reperfusion therapy. Here, we explore the potential benefits of therapeutic hypothermia (HT) in attenuating early BBB leakage and improving neurological outcomes. Mild HT was induced during the early and peri-recanalization stages in a mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (tMCAO/R). The results showed that mild HT attenuated early BBB leakage in AIS, decreased the infarction volume, and improved functional outcomes. RNA sequencing data of the microvessels indicated that HT decreased the transcription of the actin polymerization-related pathway. We further discovered that HT attenuated the ROCK1/MLC pathway, leading to a decrease in the polymerization of G-actin to F-actin. Arachidonic acid (AA), a known structural ROCK agonist, partially counteracted the protective effects of HT in the tMCAO/R model. Our study highlights the importance of early vascular protection during reperfusion and provides a new strategy for attenuating early BBB leakage by HT treatment for ischaemic stroke.

Role of Vacancy Defects and Nitrogen Dopants for the Reduction of Oxygen on Graphene.

Disentangling the roles of nitrogen dopants and vacancy defects (VG) in metal-free carbon catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) ideally requires studying both the dopants and defects separately. Here, we systematically introduced nitrogen dopants and VGs via plasma treatment into the basal plane of monolayer graphene as a model carbon catalyst to investigate their specific roles in ORR catalysis. An increased defect density including dopants is positively associated with boosted ORR activity. Nitrogen dopants are responsible for an improved current via a 2e- pathway generating hydroperoxide, while VGs result in enhanced kinetics and water production. We therefore infer that VGs in graphene are responsible for the improved ORR kinetics, while nitrogen dopants majorly influence the selectivity of ORR reaction products. The nitrogen dopants without VGs lead to a higher overpotential compared with the pristine graphene. Instead of the attribution of the ORR active site to only nitrogen species in carbon materials, the improved ORR activity in nitrogen-doped carbon materials should be attributed to the active sites constituted of VGs, oxygen dopants, and nitrogen dopants. Through this work, we provide important insights into the intertwined roles of nitrogen and VGs as well as oxygen dopants in nitrogen-doped metal-free catalysts for a more efficient ORR.

Steric Hindrance-Mediated Enzymatic Reaction Enable Homogeneous Dual Fluorescence Indicators Aptasensing of Hepatocellular Carcinoma CTCs.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) serve as important biomarkers in the liquid biopsy of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, a homogeneous dual fluorescence indicators aptasensing strategy is described for CTCs in HCC, with the core assistance of a steric hindrance-mediated enzymatic reaction. CTCs in the sample could specifically bind to a 5'-biotin-modified glypican-3 (GPC3) aptamer and remove the steric hindrance formed by the biotin-streptavidin system. This influences the efficiency of the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase enzymatic reaction. Then, methylene blue (MB) was introduced to react with the main product poly cytosine (polyC) chain, and trivalent cerium ion (Ce3+) was added to react with the byproduct pyrophosphate to form fluorescent pyrophosphate cerium coordination polymeric nanoparticles. Finally, the CTCs were quantified by dual fluorescence indicators analysis. Under optimized conditions, the linear range was 5 to 104 cells/mL, and the limits of detection reached 2 cells/mL. Then, 40 clinical samples (15 healthy and 25 HCC patients) were analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.96, a sensitivity of 92%, and a specificity of 100%. Therefore, this study established a sensitive and accurate CTCs sensing system for clinical HCC patients, promoting early tumor diagnosis.

Fine-mapping and validation of the major quantitative trait locus QFlANG-4B for flag leaf angle in wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: This study precisely mapped and validated a quantitative trait locus (QTL) located on chromosome 4B for flag leaf angle in wheat. Flag leaf angle (FLANG) is closely related to crop architecture and yield. We previously identified the quantitative trait locus (QTL) QFLANG-4B for FLANG on chromosome 4B, located within a 14-cM interval flanked by the markers Xbarc20 and Xzyh357, using a mapping population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between Nongda3331 (ND3331) and Zang1817. In this study, we fine-mapped QFLANG-4B and validated its associated genetic effect. We developed a BC3F3 population using ND3331 as the recurrent parent through marker-assisted selection, as well as near-isogenic lines (NILs) by selfing BC3F3 plants carrying different heterozygous segments for the QFLANG-4B region. We obtained eight recombinant types for QFLANG-4B, narrowing its location down to a 5.3-Mb region. This region contained 76 predicted genes, 7 of which we considered to be likely candidate genes for QFLANG-4B. Marker and phenotypic analyses of individual plants from the secondary mapping populations and their progeny revealed that the FLANG of the ND3331 allele is significantly higher than that of the Zang1817 allele in multiple environments. These results not only provide a basis for the map-based cloning of QFLANG-4B, but also indicate that QFLANG-4B has great potential for marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding programs designed to improve plant architecture and yield.

Pathogenicity, Host Resistance, and Genetic Diversity of Fusarium Species under Controlled Conditions from Soybean in Canada.

Fusarium spp. are commonly associated with the root rot complex of soybean (Glycine max). Previous surveys identified six common Fusarium species from Manitoba, including F. oxysporum, F. redolens, F. graminearum, F. solani, F. avenaceum, and F. acuminatum. This study aimed to determine their pathogenicity, assess host resistance, and evaluate the genetic diversity of Fusarium spp. isolated from Canada. The pathogenicity of these species was tested on two soybean cultivars, 'Akras' (moderately resistant) and 'B150Y1' (susceptible), under greenhouse conditions. The aggressiveness of the fungal isolates varied, with root rot severities ranging from 1.5 to 3.3 on a 0-4 scale. Subsequently, the six species were used to screen a panel of 20 Canadian soybean cultivars for resistance in a greenhouse. Cluster and principal component analyses were conducted based on the same traits used in the pathogenicity study. Two cultivars, 'P15T46R2' and 'B150Y1', were consistently found to be tolerant to F. oxysporum, F. redolens, F. graminearum, and F. solani. To investigate the incidence and prevalence of Fusarium spp. in Canada, fungi were isolated from 106 soybean fields surveyed across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Quebec. Eighty-three Fusarium isolates were evaluated based on morphology and with multiple PCR primers, and phylogenetic analyses indicated their diversity across the major soybean production regions of Canada. Overall, this study contributes valuable insights into host resistance and the pathogenicity and genetic diversity of Fusarium spp. in Canadian soybean fields.

Unraveling the relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and frailty: evidence from longitudinal cohort study and genetic analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) with incident frailty as well as its effects on pre-frailty progression and regression among middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Based on the frailty index (FI) calculated with 41 items, 6890 eligible participants without frailty at baseline from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were categorized into health, pre-frailty, and frailty groups. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the longitudinal association between baseline hs-CRP and incident frailty. Furthermore, a series of genetic approaches were conducted to confirm the causal relationship between CRP and frailty, including Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC), pleiotropic analysis, and Mendelian randomization (MR). Finally, we evaluated the association of hs-CRP with pre-frailty progression and regression. RESULTS: The risk of developing frailty was 1.18 times (95% CI: 1.03-1.34) higher in participants with high levels of hs-CRP at baseline than low levels of hs-CRP participants during the 3-year follow-up. MR analysis suggested that genetically determined hs-CRP was potentially positively associated with the risk of frailty (OR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.08). Among 5241 participants with pre-frailty at baseline, we found pre-frailty participants with high levels of hs-CRP exhibit increased odds of progression to frailty (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09-1.79) and decreased odds of regression to health (OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72-0.98) when compared with participants with low levels of hs-CRP. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that reducing systemic inflammation is significant for developing strategies for frailty prevention and pre-frailty reversion in the middle-aged and elderly population.

Remote ischemic conditioning improves cerebral hemodynamics in symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis: A PET/CT-guided randomized controlled study.

Patients with symptomatic intracranial arterial stenosis (sICAS) suffer embarrassed hemodynamic status and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) recurrence. We aimed to assess the efficacy of remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) on improving this status by evaluating cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral glucose metabolism (CGM) via PET/CT. Adult patients with unilateral sICAS in middle cerebral artery and/or intracranial segment of internal carotid artery-related AIS or transient ischemic attack within 6 months prior to randomization were enrolled. Individuals who received intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular treatment, or sICAS caused by cardiac embolism, small vessel occlusion, or other determined causes were excluded. Twenty-three eligible patients were randomly assigned to standard medical treatment (SMT) (n = 10) or RIC group (n = 13). The RIC protocol consisted of 5 cycles, each for 5-min bilateral upper limb ischemia and 5-min reperfusion period, twice a day, with a total duration of 3 months. Ten healthy volunteers were enrolled as healthy control group. We tested CBF and CGM at the rest stage and the methazolamide-induced stress stage. All patients received PET/CT at baseline and three-month followup. Both CBF and CGM in ipsilateral hemisphere of sICAS patients were significantly decreased at the rest stage and the stress stage (p < .05), which were improved by three-month RIC (p < .05). The lesions decreased notably in RIC group compared to SMT group (p < .05). RIC ameliorated the hemodynamic status and glucose metabolism in regions at high risk of infarction, which might improve the resistance capacity towards ischemic load in sICAS patients.

Night shift work was associated with functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of late night shift work on the functional outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). Methods: Consecutive AIS patients who underwent EVT between June 2019 and June 2021 were enrolled and divided into non-night shift work and night shift work groups based on their occupational histories. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale score defined 3-month functional outcome. The secondary outcomes were 3-month mortality, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), ICH and early recanalization. Results: A total of 285 patients were enrolled, 35 patients (12.3%) were night shift workers, who were younger (P < 0.001) and had a significantly higher prevalence of smoking (P < 0.001), hyperlipidemia (P = 0.002), coronary heart disease (P = 0.031), and atrial fibrillation (P < 0.001). The 3-month favorable outcomes were achieved in 44.8% and 25.7% of patients in the non-night shift work and night shift work groups, respectively (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10-0.57; adjusted P = 0.001). No difference was found in 3-month mortality (adjusted OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.14-1.25, adjusted P = 0.121), rates of ICH (adjusted OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.33-1.60; adjusted P = 0.430), sICH (adjusted OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.34-1.67; adjusted P = 0.487), or early successful recanalization (adjusted OR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.12-1.56; adjusted P = 0.197). These results were consistent after PSM analysis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that late night shift work is significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with AIS after EVT.

PKM2 is a Novel Osteoporosis-Associated Protein in Chinese.

Purpose:Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and high risk of osteoporotic fracture (OF). Peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) can differentiate into osteoclasts to resorb bone. This study was to identify PBM-expressed proteins significant for osteoporosis in Chinese Han elderly population (>65 years), and focused on two phenotypes of osteoporosis: low BMD and OF. METHODS: Label-free quantitative proteomics was employed to profile PBM proteome and to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between OF (N=27) vs. non-fractured (NF, N=24) subjects and between low BMD (N=12) vs. high BMD (N=12) subjects in women. Western blotting (WB) was conducted to validate differential expression, and ELISA to evaluate translational value for secretory protein of interest. RESULTS: We discovered 59 DEPs with fold change (FC)>1.3 (P<1×10-5), and validated the significant up-regulation of pyruvate kinase isozyme 2 (PKM2) with osteoporosis (P<0.001). PKM2 protein upregulation with OF was replicated with PBM in men (P=0.04). Plasma PKM2 protein level was significantly elevated with OF in an independent sample (N=100, FC=1.68, P=0.01). Pursuant functional assays showed that extracellular PKM2 protein supplement not only promoted monocyte trans-endothelial migration, growth, and osteoclast differentiation (marker gene expression), but also inhibited osteoblast growth, differentiation (ALP gene expression), and activity. CONCLUSION: The above findings suggest that PKM2 protein is a novel osteoporosis-associated functional protein in Chinese Han elderly population. It may serve as a risk biomarker and drug target for osteoporosis.

High sensitivity C-reactive protein and prediabetes progression and regression in middle-aged and older adults: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effect of systemic inflammation, assessed by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, on prediabetes progression and regression in middle-aged and older adults based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). METHODS: Participants with prediabetes from CHARLS were followed up 4 years later with blood samples collected for measuring fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The level of hs-CRP was assessed at baseline and categorized into tertiles (low, middle, and high groups). Prediabetes at baseline and follow-up was defined primarily according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs). We also performed stratified analyses according to age, gender, BMI, the presence of hypertension, and the disease history of heart disease and dyslipidemia and sensitivity analyses excluding a subset of participants with incomplete data. RESULTS: Of the 2,874 prediabetes included at baseline, 834 participants remained as having prediabetes, 146 progressed to diabetes, and 1,894 regressed to normoglycemia based on ADA criteria with a 4 year follow-up. After multivariate logistics regression analysis, prediabetes with middle (0.67-1.62 mg/L) and high (>1.62 mg/L) hs-CRP levels had an increased incidence of progressing to diabetes compared with prediabetes with low hs-CRP levels (<0.67 mg/L; OR = 1.846, 95%CI: 1.129-3.018; and OR = 1.632, 95%CI: 0.985-2.703, respectively), and the incidence of regressing to normoglycemia decreased (OR = 0.793, 95%CI: 0.645-0.975; and OR = 0.769, 95%CI: 0.623-0.978, respectively). Stratified analyses and sensitivity analyses showed consistent results. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of hs-CRP are associated with a high incidence of regression from prediabetes to normoglycemia and reduced odds of progression to diabetes.

Effects of static magnetic field on the sulfate metabolic pathway involved in Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 cell growth and magnetosome formation.

AIMS: Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) can use their unique intracellular magnetosome organelles to swim along the Earth's magnetic field. They play important roles in the biogeochemical cycles of iron and sulfur. Previous studies have shown that the applied magnetic fields could affect the magnetosome formation and antioxidant defense systems in MTB. However, the molecular mechanisms by which magnetic fields affect MTB cells remain unclear. We aim to better understand the dark at 28°C-29°C for 20 h, as shownthe interactions between magnetic fields and cells, and the mechanism of MTB adaptation to magnetic field at molecular levels. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed microbiological, transcriptomic, and genetic experiments to analyze the effects of a weak static magnetic field (SMF) exposure on the cell growth and magnetosome formation in the MTB strain Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1. The results showed that a 1.5 mT SMF significantly promoted the cell growth but reduced magnetosome formation in AMB-1, compared to the geomagnetic field. Transcriptomic analysis revealed decreased expression of genes primarily involved in the sulfate reduction pathway. Consistently, knockout mutant lacking adenylyl-sulfate kinase CysC did no more react to the SMF and the differences in growth and Cmag disappeared. Together with experimental findings of increased reactive oxidative species in the SMF-treated wild-type strain, we proposed that cysC, as a key gene, can participate in the cell growth and mineralization in AMB-1 by SMF regulation. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the magnetic field exposure can trigger a bacterial oxidative stress response involved in AMB-1 growth and magnetosome mineralization by regulating the sulfur metabolism pathway. CysC may serve as a pivotal enzyme in mediating sulfur metabolism to synchronize the impact of SMF on both growth and magnetization of AMB-1.

The TorRS two component system regulates expression of TMAO reductase in response to high hydrostatic pressure in Vibrio fluvialis.

High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) regulated gene expression is one of the most commonly adopted strategies for microbial adaptation to the deep-sea environments. Previously we showed that the HHP-inducible trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) reductase improves the pressure tolerance of deep-sea strain Vibrio fluvialis QY27. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of HHP-responsive regulation of TMAO reductase TorA. By constructing torR and torS deletion mutants, we demonstrated that the two-component regulator TorR and sensor TorS are responsible for the HHP-responsive regulation of torA. Unlike known HHP-responsive regulatory system, the abundance of torR and torS was not affected by HHP. Complementation of the ΔtorS mutant with TorS altered at conserved phosphorylation sites revealed that the three sites were indispensable for substrate-induced regulation, but only the histidine located in the alternative transmitter domain was involved in pressure-responsive regulation. Taken together, we demonstrated that the induction of TMAO reductase by HHP is mediated through the TorRS system and proposed a bifurcation of signal transduction in pressure-responsive regulation from the substrate-induction. This work provides novel knowledge of the pressure regulated gene expression and will promote the understanding of the microbial adaptation to the deep-sea HHP environment.

Tepidibacter hydrothermalis sp. nov., a novel anaerobic bacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent.

A novel anaerobic heterotrophic bacterium, designated strain SWIR-1T, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent field sample collected from the Southwest Indian Ridge at a depth of 2700 m. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain SWIR-1T belongs to the genus Tepidibacter, and the most closely related species are Tepidibacter mesophilus B1T (99.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Tepidibacter formicigenes DV1184T (94.6 %) and Tepidibacter thalassicus SC562T (93.9 %). Strain SWIR-1T shares 77.3-87.2 % average nucleotide identity and 21.5-35.7 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization values with the three type strains of Tepidibacter species. Cells of strain SWIR-1T were Gram-stain-positive, motile, short straight rods. Endospores were observed in stationary-phase cells when grown on Thermococcales rich medium. Strain SWIR-1T grew at 15-45 °C (optimum, 30°C), at pH 5.5-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with 1.0-6.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.0 %). Substrates utilized by strain SWIR-1T included complex proteinaceous, chitin, starch, lactose, maltose, fructose, galactose, glucose, rhamnose, arabinose, ribose, alanine, glycine and glycerol. The major fermentation products from glucose were acetate, lactate, H2 and CO2. Elemental sulphur, sulphate, thiosulphate, sulphite, fumarate, nitrate, nitrite and FeCl3 are not used as terminal electron acceptors. The main cellular fatty acids consisted of iso-C15 : 0 (28.4 %), C15 : 1 iso F (15.4 %) and C16 : 0 (9.8 %). The major polar lipids were phospholipids and glycolipids. No respiratory quinones were detected. Genomic comparison revealed a distinctive blended gene cluster comprising hyb-tat-hyp genes, which play a crucial role in the synthesis, maturation, activation and export of NiFe-hydrogenase. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, genomic, physiologic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain SWIR-1T is considered to represent a novel species within the genus Tepidibacter, for which the name Tepidibacter hydrothermalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is strain SWIR-1T (=DSM 113848T=MCCC 1K07078T).

Unraveling the synergistic effects of Cu-Ag tandem catalysts during electrochemical CO2 reduction using nanofocused X-ray probes.

Controlling the selectivity of the electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide into value-added chemicals continues to be a major challenge. Bulk and surface lattice strain in nanostructured electrocatalysts affect catalytic activity and selectivity. Here, we unravel the complex dynamics of synergistic lattice strain and stability effects of Cu-Ag tandem catalysts through a previously unexplored combination of in situ nanofocused X-ray absorption spectroscopy and Bragg coherent diffraction imaging. Three-dimensional strain maps reveal the lattice dynamics inside individual nanoparticles as a function of applied potential and product yields. Dynamic relations between strain, redox state, catalytic activity and selectivity are derived. Moderate Ag contents effectively reduce the competing evolution of H2 and, concomitantly, lead to an enhanced corrosion stability. Findings from this study evidence the power of advanced nanofocused spectroscopy techniques to provide new insights into the chemistry and structure of nanostructured catalysts.

Effects of fermented herbal tea residue on meat quality, rumen fermentation parameters and microbes of black goats.

Herbal tea residue (HTR) is generally considered to be a reusable resource which has still retains considerable proportion of nutrients and active substances. This study aimed to investigate the effects of substitution of whole corn silage with fermented herbal tea residue (FHTR) on meat quality, serum indices, rumen fermentation, and microbes in Chuanzhong black goats. Twenty-two female Chuanzhong black goats (4 months old) with similar weight (9.55 ± 0.95 kg) were selected and randomly divided into two groups. FHTR was used to replace 0% (CON group) and 30% (FHTR group) of whole corn silage in the diets and fed as a total mixed ration (TMR) for Chuanzhong black goats. The adaptation feeding period was 7 days, and the experimental period was 35 days. Results illustrated that the FHTR group had higher value of a* and concentrations of DM and CP and lower rate of water loss (P < 0.05) than the CON group. For the serum indices, goats fed with 30% FHTR had higher (P < 0.05) concentration of CR on day 35. For rumen fermentation, the pH and ratio of acetic acid/propionic acid (AA/PA) in the FHTR group were significantly lower than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). In addition, we studied the goats's rumen microbial community composition and found that the dominant phyla were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes,and Tenericutes; and the dominant genera were Quinella, Candidatus_Saccharimonas, and Saccharofermentans. There was a significant difference in the beta diversity of the rumen microbiota between groups (P < 0.05). To sum up, the addition of FHTR can affect the meat quality, serum indices, improved rumen fermentation by adjusted the diversity and function of the rumen microbiota.