Genome-wide transcriptome and gene family analysis reveal candidate genes associated with potassium uptake of maize colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

BACKGROUND: Potassium (K) is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. Maize (Zea mays) is a widely planted crops in the world and requires a huge amount of K fertilizer. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are closely related to the K uptake of maize. Genetic improvement of maize K utilization efficiency will require elucidating the molecular mechanisms of maize K uptake through the mycorrhizal pathway. Here, we employed transcriptome and gene family analysis to elucidate the mechanism influencing the K uptake and utilization efficiency of mycorrhizal maize. METHODS AND RESULTS: The transcriptomes of maize were studied with and without AMF inoculation and under different K conditions. AM symbiosis increased the K concentration and dry weight of maize plants. RNA sequencing revealed that genes associated with the activity of the apoplast and nutrient reservoir were significantly enriched in mycorrhizal roots under low-K conditions but not under high-K conditions. Weighted gene correlation network analysis revealed that three modules were strongly correlated with K content. Twenty-one hub genes enriched in pathways associated with glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism, and anthocyanin biosynthesis were further identified. In general, these hub genes were upregulated in AMF-colonized roots under low-K conditions. Additionally, the members of 14 gene families associated with K obtain were identified (ARF: 38, ILK: 4, RBOH: 12, RUPO: 20, MAPKK: 89, CBL: 14, CIPK: 44, CPK: 40, PIN: 10, MYB: 174, NPF: 79, KT: 19, HAK/HKT/KUP: 38, and CPA: 8) from maize. The transcript levels of these genes showed that 92 genes (ARF:6, CBL:5, CIPK:13, CPK:2, HAK/HKT/KUP:7, PIN:2, MYB:26, NPF:16, RBOH:1, MAPKK:12 and RUPO:2) were upregulated with AM symbiosis under low-K conditions. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that AMF increase the resistance of maize to low-K stress by regulating K uptake at the gene transcription level. Our findings provide a genome-level resource for the functional assignment of genes regulated by K treatment and AM symbiosis in K uptake-related gene families in maize. This may contribute to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of maize response to low K stress with AMF inoculation, and provided a theoretical basis for AMF application in the crop field.

Study of corneal and retinal thicknesses at five years after FS-LASIK and SMILE for myopia.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to observe corneal and retinal thicknesses at 5 years after femtosecond laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK) and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) for myopia, investigate the effect of epithelial remodeling on refractive status and visual quality, and compare retinal thicknesses among fundus tessellation grades. METHODS: Patients who received FS-LASIK or SMILE 5 years before were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. After 1:1 propensity score matching, each surgical group obtained 177 patients (177 eyes). Examinations including visual acuity, refraction, corneal and retinal thicknesses, corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs), and fundus photography were performed in this visit at 5 years after surgery. The Quality of Vision (QoV) questionnaire was used to assess visual symptoms and overall satisfaction. Corneal and retinal thicknesses between groups were compared, contributing factors were analyzed, and correlations with postoperative refractive status, HOAs, QoV scores and overall satisfaction were evaluated. RESULTS: The discrepancy of epithelial thickness between central and pericentral zones in FS-LASIK group was larger than that in SMILE group, which was negatively correlated with postoperative spherical equivalent (SE), positively correlated with spherical aberration (all P < 0.05), but not correlated with QoV scores and overall satisfaction (all P > 0.05) in both surgical groups. There was no statistical difference in stromal thickness and total corneal thickness (all P > 0.05). Most annuluses of epithelial and stromal thicknesse were linearly related to preoperative SE (all P < 0.05). The macular thickness, ganglion cell complex thickness, and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness exhibited comparable values between two surgical groups and four fundus tessellation grades, with no significant association observed with postoperative SE (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The tendency that epithelial thickness in central zone was thicker than peripheral zone was more obvious at 5 years after FS-LASIK compared to SMILE. This uneven distribution of epithelial thickness might play a role in myopic regression and the changes in HOAs, especially in patients with high myopia, but it had little effect on patients' subjective visual quality and satisfaction. Retinal thicknesses were not affected by these two surgical methods, and they did not appear to be the clinical indicators for myopic regression or fundus tessellation progression.

The influence of redox potential on phosphorus release from sediments in different water bodies.

Anthropogenic activities have significantly enriched P in sediments of many water bodies, with redox potential (Eh) being a key factor in controlling P adsorption or release.This study evaluates the impact of Eh on P release from sediments in the Weiyuan River, Honghu Lake, and Bao'enqiao Reservoir using reactor experiments. P speciation was further analyzed through SEDEX method. Results show that within an Eh range of -300 mV to +230 mV, more P is released from sediments into the water column. The P fractions CDB-P and Fe(II)-P exhibit the most significant changes, especially in reservoir sediments where ΔCDB-P (85.5 mg/kg) and ΔFe(II)-P (80.6 mg/kg) are the highest among the three water bodies, followed by lake sediments. Additionally, after redox oscillation, the EPC0 of lake and reservoir sediments increased to 16.2 and 18.8 times their initial values, respectively, significantly raising the risk of eutrophication.

The impact of processing voltage of wire electric discharge machining on the performance of Mo doped V-VO0.2 based Archimedean micro-supercapacitors.

Vanadium oxide-based electrode materials have attracted increasing attention owing to their extraordinary capacitance and prolonged lifespan, excellent conductivity and outstanding electrochemical reversibility. However, the development of vanadium oxide-based integrated electrodes with outstanding capacitive performance is an enduring challenge. This research reports a facile method for structuring 3D Archimedean micro-supercapacitors (AMSCs) composed of Mo doped V-VO0.2 (Mo@V-VO0.2) based integrated electrodes with designable geometric shape, using computer-aided wire electric discharge machining (WEDM). The performance of Mo@V-VO0.2 based AMSCs manufactured by different processing voltages of 60 V, 80 V and 100 V were evaluated. It was found that 80 V is the optimal processing voltage for manufacturing Mo@V-VO0.2 based AMSCs with the best electrochemical performance. This device demonstrates superior capacitive behavior even at an ultra-high scan rate of 50, 000 mV s-1, and achieves a good capacitance retention rate of 94.4% after 2000 cycles. Additionally, the characteristics of electric field distribution were also simulated for optimizing the geometric structure of the microdevices. This WEDM fabrication technique, which is easy, secure, patternable, efficient, economical, eco-friendly, and does not require binders or conductive additives, enables the development of high-capacity 3D pseudocapacitive micro-supercapacitors and demonstrates the great potential for metal oxide synthesis and microdevice manufacturing.

Predictors of Mortality, Drug Resistance, and Determinants among Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriales Infections in Chinese Elderly Patients.

Elderly patients with carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriales (CRE) infections represent considerable mortality rates. But data on the risk factors for the death of elderly patients following such infection remain limited. We aimed to assess the clinical outcomes, identify mortality-associated risk factors, and determine the antibiotic resistance and resistance genes of isolates for these patients. Hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years with CRE infection from January 2020 to December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Isolates identification and molecular characterization of CRE were carried out. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the potential factors associated with mortality. Of the 123 elderly patients with CRE infection included in our study, the all-cause mortality rate was 39.8% (49/123). The most prevalent pathogen was carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP, 116 of 123). The overall rates of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) were 100.0% and 66.7%. All CRE isolates exclusively harbored a singular variant of carbapenemase gene, such as bla KPC-2, bla IMP-4, bla NDM-5, or bla OXA-48, while 98.4% of isolates harbored more than one ß-lactamase gene, of which 106 (86.2%) isolates harbored bla CTX-M, 121 (98.4%) isolates harbored bla TEM, and 116 (94.3%) isolates harbored bla SHV. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that mechanical ventilation (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 33.607, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.176-270.463, P < 0.001), use of tigecycline during hospitalization (AOR = 5.868, 95% CI: 1.318-26.130, P = 0.020), and APACHE II score (AOR = 1.305, 95% CI: 1.161-1.468, P < 0.001) were independent factors associated with increasing the mortality of patients with CRE infection, while admission to intensive care unit (ICU) during hospitalization (AOR = 0.046, 95% CI: 0.004-0.496, P = 0.011) was a protective factor. CRE-infected elderly patients with mechanical ventilation, use of tigecycline during hospitalization, and high APACHE II score were related to poor outcomes. The isolates carried various antibiotic genes and presented high antibiotic resistance. These findings provide crucial guidance for clinicians to devise appropriate strategies for treatment.

A Comprehensive Model Outperformed the Single Radiomics Model in Noninvasively Predicting the HER2 Status in Patients with Breast Cancer.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop predictive models based on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) and radiomics features for predicting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status of breast cancer (BC) and compare their performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 287 patients with invasive BC in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent preoperative breast MRI consisting of fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging, axial dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, and diffusion-weighted imaging sequences. From these sequences, radiomics features were derived. Three distinct models were established utilizing cMRI features, radiomics features, and a comprehensive model that amalgamated both. The predictive capabilities of these models were assessed using the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The comparative performance was then determined through the DeLong test and net reclassification improvement (NRI). RESULTS: In a randomized split, the 287 patients with BC were allotted to either training (234; 46 HER2-zero, 107 HER2-low, 81 HER2-positive) or test (53; 8 HER2-zero, 27 HER2-low, 18 HER2-positive) at an 8:2 ratio. The mean area under the curve (AUCs) for cMRI, radiomics, and comprehensive models predicting HER2 status were 0.705, 0.819, and 0.859 in training set and 0.639, 0.797, and 0.842 in test set, respectively. DeLong's test indicated that the combined model's AUC surpassed the radiomics model significantly (p < 0.05). NRI analysis verified superiority of the combined model over the radiomics for BC HER2 prediction (NRI 25.0) in the test set. CONCLUSION: The comprehensive model based on the combination of cMRI and radiomics features outperformed the single radiomics model in noninvasively predicting the three-tiered HER2 status in patients with BC.

Pertussis upsurge, age shift and vaccine escape post-COVID-19 caused by ptxP3 macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis MT28 clone in China.

OBJECTIVES: China has experienced a notable upsurge in pertussis cases post-COVID-19, alongside an age shift to older children, increased vaccine escape, and a notable rise in the prevalence of macrolide-resistant Bordetella pertussis (MRBP). Here, we present a genomic epidemiological investigation of these events. METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study using culture-positive B. pertussis isolated in Shanghai, China between 2016 and 2024. We analysed strain and pertussis epidemiology dynamics by integrating whole-genome sequencing of 723 strains with antimicrobial susceptibility, transcriptomic profile, and clinical data. We compared the genome sequences of Shanghai strains with 6450 Chinese and global strains. RESULTS: From pre-COVID-19 (before December 2019) to post-COVID-19, patients shifted from predominantly infants (90%, 397/442) to a higher proportion of infections in older children (infant: 16%, 132/844), with the share of vaccinated individuals surging from 31% (107/340) to 88% (664/756). The MRBP prevalence increased from 60% (267/447) to 98% (830/845). The emergence and expansion of a ptxP3-lineage macrolide-resistant clone, MR-MT28, which is uniquely capable of causing substantial infections among older children and vaccinated individuals, was temporally strongly associated with the pertussis upsurge and epidemiological transition. While MR-MT28 showed increased expression of genes encoding pertussis toxin, it was associated with significantly milder clinical symtoms and a lower hospitalization rate. MR-MT28 likely originated in China around 2016, after acquiring several key mutations including a novel prn150 allele, and has been detected across multiple regions in China. Additionally, 26% (50/195) of MR-MT28 has evolved into predicted PRN-deficient strains, with an IS481 insertion being the predominant mechanism. CONCLUSIONS: We report that the post-COVID-19 upsurge of pertussis in China is associated with ptxP3-MR-MT28, and provide evidence that pathogen evolution is likely the primary factor driving pertussis upsurge, age shift and vaccine escape. MR-MT28 poses a high risk of global spread and warrants global surveillance.

Polymer-locking fusogenic liposomes for glioblastoma-targeted siRNA delivery and CRISPR-Cas gene editing.

In patients with glioblastoma (GBM), upregulated midkine (MDK) limits the survival benefits conferred by temozolomide (TMZ). RNA interference (RNAi) and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology are attractive approaches for regulating MDK expression. However, delivering these biologics to GBM tissue is challenging. Here we demonstrate a polymer-locking fusogenic liposome (Plofsome) that can be transported across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and deliver short interfering RNA or CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes into the cytoplasm of GBM cells. Plofsome is designed by integrating a 'lock' into the fusogenic liposome using a traceless reactive oxygen species (ROS)-cleavable linker so that fusion occurs only after crossing the BBB and entering the GBM tissue with high ROS levels. Our results showed that MDK suppression by Plofsomes significantly reduced TMZ resistance and inhibited GBM growth in orthotopic brain tumour models. Importantly, Plofsomes are effective only at tumour sites and not in normal tissues, which improves the safety of combined RNAi and CRISPR-Cas9 therapeutics.

Molecular epidemiology and genomic features of Bordetella parapertussis in Shanghai, China, 2017-2022.

Background: Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness mainly caused by Bordetella pertussis (BP). Bordetella parapertussis (BPP) can induce symptoms compatible with pertussis, but has been underdiagnosed and underreported. The current pertussis vaccines offer low protection against BPP. Herein, we aim to reveal the epidemiology and genomic evolution of BPP in Shanghai, China. Methods: Children diagnosed with BPP infection from January 2017 to December 2022 in Shanghai, China were enrolled. We performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), multiple locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), and whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis. A total of 260 international BPP genomes were chosen for comparison to investigate the genomic diversity and phylogenetic characteristics of Chinese strains within a global context. Results: Sixty patients were diagnosed with BPP infection by culture, with the positive ratio of 3.5‰ (60/17337) for BPP in nasopharyngeal swap samples. The average age of patients was 4.5 ± 0.3 years. BPPs contained four MLVA types including MT6 (65.0%), MT4 (26.7%), untype-1 (6.7%) and MT5 (1.7%), and none of strains showed resistance to macrolides. All strains carried virulence genotype of ptxP37/ptxA13/ptxB3/ptxC3/ptxD3/ptxE3/fim2-2/fim3-10. MT4 and MT5 strains carried prn54, whereas MT6 and untype-1 BPPs expressed prn101. We identified two outbreaks after 2020 caused by MT4 and MT6 strains, each corresponding to distinct WGS-based phylogenetic lineages. The MT4-lineage is estimated to have originated around 1991 and has since spread globally, being introduced to China between 2005 and 2010. In contrast, the MT6-lineage was exclusively identified in China and is inferred to have originated around 2002. Conclusion: We revealed the genomic diversity of BPPs circulating in Shanghai, China, and reported the outbreaks of MT6 and MT4 BPPs after 2020. This is the first report on the emergence and regional outbreak of MT6 BPPs in the world, indicating that continuous surveillance on BPPs are thus required.

Light-induced ligand-to-metal charge transfer of Fe(III)-OR species in organic synthesis.

Light-induced ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) has been utilized as a powerful strategy in various organic reactions. First-row transition metals, especially iron complexes, show good applications in this process. Fe(III)-Cl and Fe(III)-OR species are two key intermediates involved in the LMCT of iron complexes. This review highlights studies on LMCT of Fe(III)-OR species, including carboxylate-iron and alkoxy-iron species, in organic transformations. Reaction conditions, substrate scope and related mechanisms are discussed.

A pilot clinical risk model to predict polymyxin-induced nephrotoxicity: a real-world, retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Polymyxin-induced nephrotoxicity (PIN) is a major safety concern and challenge in clinical practice, which limits the clinical use of polymyxins. This study aims to investigate the risk factors and to develop a scoring tool for the early prediction of PIN. METHODS: Data on critically ill patients who received intravenous polymyxin B or colistin sulfate for over 24 h were collected. Logistic regression with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to identify variables that are associated with outcomes. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) classifier algorithm was used to further visualize factors with significant differences. A prediction model for PIN was developed through binary logistic regression analysis and the model was assessed by temporal validation and external validation. Finally, a risk-scoring system was developed based on the prediction model. RESULTS: Of 508 patients, 161 (31.6%) patients developed PIN. Polymyxin type, loading dose, septic shock, concomitant vasopressors and baseline blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level were identified as significant predictors of PIN. All validation exhibited great discrimination, with the AUC of 0.742 (95% CI: 0.696-0.787) for internal validation, of 0.708 (95% CI: 0.605-0.810) for temporal validation and of 0.874 (95% CI: 0.759-0.989) for external validation, respectively. A simple risk-scoring tool was developed with a total risk score ranging from -3 to 4, corresponding to a risk of PIN from 0.79% to 81.24%. CONCLUSIONS: This study established a prediction model for PIN. Before using polymyxins, the simple risk-scoring tool can effectively identify patients at risk of developing PIN within a range of 7% to 65%.

Genome-Scale Screening of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Deletion Mutants to Gain Molecular Insight into Tolerance to Mercury Ions.

Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant and a bioaccumulative toxin that seriously affects the environment. Though increasing information has been obtained on the mechanisms involved in mercury toxicity, there is still a knowledge gap between the adverse effects and action mechanisms, especially at the molecular level. In the current study, we screened a diploid library of Saccharomyces cerevisiae single-gene deletion mutants to identify the nonessential genes associated with increased sensitivity to mercury ions. By genome-scale screening, we identified 64 yeast single-gene deletion mutants. These genes are involved in metabolism, transcription, antioxidant activity, cellular transport, transport facilitation, transport routes, and the cell cycle, as well as in protein synthesis, folding, modification, and protein destination. The concentration of mercury ions was different in the cells of yeast deletion mutants. Moreover, the disruption of antioxidant systems may play a key role in the mercurial toxic effects. The related functions of sensitive genes and signal pathways were further analyzed using bioinformatics-related technologies. Among 64 sensitive genes, 37 genes have human homologous analogs. Our results may provide a meaningful reference for understanding the action mode, cellular detoxification, and molecular regulation mechanisms of mercury toxicity.

Clinical and pathological characteristics of gestational diabetes mellitus with different insulin resistance.

AIMS: To elucidate the clinical and pathological characteristics of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with high and low insulin resistance. METHODS: In total, 1393 GDM and 1001 non-GDM singleton deliveries were included in this study. Insulin resistance subtypes were classified according to the HOMA2-IR value. Clinical data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0. Placenta samples were collected for pathological analysis. RESULTS: Maternal age and fasting glucose were identified as independent risk factors for GDM with high insulin resistance (p < 0.01), while fasting glucose was the sole risk factor for GDM with low insulin resistance (p < 0.001). Fetal distress was associated with both of GDM subtypes (both p < 0.01), while anemia, fetal growth restriction, large for gestational age and intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy were related to specific GDM insulin resistance subtype. In addition, GDM with high insulin resistance showed an increase of syncytial knots with down-regulation of PI3K/AKT signaling, while GDM with low insulin resistance showed normal syncytial knot counts and up-regulation of PI3K/AKT signaling. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide novel perspectives to the clinical and pathological comprehensions of GDM with high and low insulin resistance, which might facilitate the mechanism study of GDM and its precision pregnancy management.

Analysis of Quadriceps Strength and Knee Pain.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of quadriceps strength with the presence of knee pain. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was based on data from the 1999-2000 to 2001-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. SETTING: This was a community-based study. PARTICIPANTS: This study included 2619 adults with complete data for knee pain, quadriceps strength, and covariates. INTERVENTION: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported knee pain. RESULTS: This study included 2619 individuals, 1287 (52.66%) of whom were women and 1543 (81.66%) identified as Non-Hispanic White. The mean ±standard deviation age was 62.48±9.71 years. After adjusting for covariates, the odds of knee pain decreased with every 20 N/m increase in quadriceps strength (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.94). Individuals in the upper quartile of quadriceps strength had lower odds of knee pain than those in the lower quartile (Q4 vs Q1 [reference]: odds ratio, 0.28, 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.52; Ptrend=.006). Nonlinear analyses indicated L-shaped associations for knee pain. The subgroup analyses showed no significant interactions, except for sex (Pinteraction=.046). The significance of the sex interaction indicated a correlation exclusively in women. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated an inverse association between quadriceps strength and the presence of knee pain. The subgroup analysis by sex showed that this inverse relationship was statistically significant in the women but not in the men subgroup.

Acute kidney injury with intravenous colistin sulfate compared with polymyxin B in critically ill patients: A real-world, retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Polymyxins have re-emerged as a last-resort therapeutic option for infections caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Nephrotoxicity induced by polymyxins is a significant limitation of its use in the clinic. Polymyxin B and colistin sulfate are two widely used active formulations of polymyxins. However, there is a lack of studies conducting a comparative assessment of nephrotoxicity between the two formulations. This study aimed to compare the nephrotoxicity of polymyxin B and colistin sulfate in critically ill patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study among critically ill patients who received intravenous polymyxin B or colistin sulfate for over 48 h from January 2017 to January 2024. The primary outcome was the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) associated with polymyxins, and the secondary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Additionally, the risk factors of polymyxins-induced AKI and 30-day all-cause mortality were identified by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 473 patients were included in this study. The overall incidence of AKI was significantly higher in patients who received polymyxin B compared to those who received colistin sulfate in the unmatched cohort (20.8% vs. 9.0%, p = 0.002) and in the propensity score matching cohort (21.1% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.004), respectively. However, there was no significant difference in 30-day all-cause mortality between the two groups. Polymyxin type, septic shock, and concomitant use of vasopressors were identified as independent risk factors for polymyxin-induced AKI. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of AKI was higher among patients who received polymyxin B compared to those treated with colistin sulfate. However, there was no significant difference in 30-day all-cause mortality between the two groups. Further prospective, multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings.

Changes of soil carbon along precipitation gradients in three typical vegetation types in the Alxa desert region, China.

The changes and influencing factors of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) and organic carbon (SOC) on precipitation gradients are crucial for predicting and evaluating carbon storage changes at the regional scale. However, people's understanding of the distribution characteristics of SOC and SIC reserves on regional precipitation gradients is insufficient, and the main environmental variables that affect SOC and SIC changes are also not well understood. Therefore, this study focuses on the Alxa region and selects five regions covered by three typical desert vegetation types, Zygophyllum xanthoxylon (ZX), Nitraria tangutorum (NT), and Reaumuria songarica (RS), along the climate transect where precipitation gradually increases. The study analyzes and discusses the variation characteristics of SOC and SIC under different vegetation and precipitation conditions. The results indicate that both SOC and SIC increase with the increase of precipitation, and the increase in SOC is greater with the increase of precipitation. The average SOC content in the 0-300cm profile is NT (4.13 g kg-1) > RS (3.61 g kg-1) > ZX (3.57 g kg-1); The average value of SIC content is: RS (5.78 g kg-1) > NT (5.11 g kg-1) > ZX (5.02 g kg-1). Overall, the multi-annual average precipitation (MAP) in the Alxa region is the most important environmental factor affecting SIC and SOC.

A new multifunctional phenanthroline-derived probe for colorimetric sensing of Fe2+ and fluorometric sensing of Zn2.

A new phenanthroline derivative bearing imidazole group, (2-(3,5-di(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl)-1-p-tolyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline) (1), has been devised. 1 can be used as a multifunctional probe exhibiting a highly sensitive colorimetric response to Fe2+ and a selectively ratiometric fluorescent response to Zn2+ in a buffer-ethanol solution. The absorption enhancement accompanied by a visual color change from colorless to red upon addition of Fe2+, makes 1 a suitable naked-eye sensor for Fe2+. Moreover, 1 displayed a Zn2+-induced red-shift of emission (44 nm) showing a color change from blue to light cyan under a 365-nm UV lamp. Its practical imaging applicability for intracellular Zn2+ was confirmed in HeLa cells using a confocal microscope. The improved emission properties and cell imaging capability would provide a new approach for fluorescence sensation for Zn2+.

Zinc finger protein 367 exerts a cancer-promoting role in small cell lung cancer by influencing the CIT/LATS2/YAP signaling cascade.

A remarkable cancer-related role of zinc finger protein 367 (ZNF367) has been demonstrated in multiple malignancies. However, whether ZNF367 has a role in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains unexplored. The purpose of this work was to explore the potential role and mechanism of ZNF367 in SCLC. In silico analysis using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset revealed high levels of the ZNF367 transcript in SCLC. Examination of clinical tissues confirmed the significant abundance of ZNF367 in SCLC tissues compared with adjacent non-malignant tissues. The genetic depletion of ZNF367 in SCLC cells led to remarkable alterations in cell proliferation, the cell cycle, colony formation and chemosensitivity. Mechanistically, ZNF367 was shown to regulate the activation of yes-associated protein (YAP) associated with the up-regulation of phosphorylated large tumour suppressor kinase 2 (LATS2). Further investigation revealed that ZNF367 affected the LATS2-YAP cascade by regulating the expression of citron kinase (CIT). Re-expression of constitutively active YAP diminished the tumour-inhibiting function of ZNF367 depletion. Xenograft experiments confirmed the tumour-inhibiting effect of ZNF367 depletion in vivo. In summary, our results demonstrate that the inhibition of ZNF367 displays anticancer effects in SCLC by inhibiting YAP activation, suggesting it as a potential druggable oncogenic target.

The role of pyroptosis in heart failure and related traditional chinese medicine treatments.

Pyroptosis is a type of programmed cell death that is mediated by both typical and atypical pathways and ultimately leads to the lysis and rupture of cell membranes and the release of proinflammatory factors, triggering an intense inflammatory response. Heart failure (HF) is a serious and terminal stage of various heart diseases. Myocardial hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, ventricular remodeling, oxidative stress, the inflammatory response and cardiomyocyte ionic disorders caused by various cardiac diseases are all risk factors for and aggravate HF. Numerous studies have shown that pyroptosis can induce and exacerbate these reactions, causing progression to HF. Therefore, targeting pyroptosis is a promising strategy to treat HF. This paper summarizes the role of pyroptosis in the development of HF and the underlying mechanism involved. Recent research progress on the ability of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) extracts and formulas to inhibit pyroptosis and treat HF was summarized, and some traditional Chinese medicine extracts and formulas can alleviate different types of HF, including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), and heart failure with midrange ejection fraction (HFmrEF), by targeting pyroptosis. These findings may provide new ideas and evidence for the treatment or adjuvant treatment of HF by targeting pyroptosis.

The dominant influencing factors of desertification and ecological risk changes in Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountains National Park: Climate change or human activity?

Transitional features of desert environments partially determine the risks associated with ecosystems. Influenced by climate change and human activities, the variability and uncertainty of desertification levels and ecological risks in the Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNPQA) has become increasingly prominent. As a critical ecological barrier in northwest China, monitoring desertification dynamics and ecological risks is crucial for maintaining ecosystem stability. This study identifies the optimal monitoring model from four constructed desertification monitoring models and analyzes spatiotemporal changes in desertification. The spatial and temporal changes in ecological risks and their primary driving factors were analyzed using methods such as raster overlay calculation, geographic detector, cloud model, and trend analysis. The main conclusions are as follows: The desertification feature spatial model based on GNDVI-Albedo demonstrates better applicability in the study area, with an inversion accuracy of 81.24%. The levels of desertification and ecological risks in QMNPQA exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity, with a gradual decrease observed from northwest to southeast. From 2000 to 2020, there is an overall decreasing trend in desertification levels and ecological risks, with the decreasing trend area accounting for 89.82% and 85.71% respectively, mainly concentrated in the southeastern and northwestern parts of the study area. The proportion of areas with increasing trends is 4.49% and 7.05% respectively, scattered in patches in the central and southern edge areas. Surface temperature (ST), Digital Elevation Map (DEM), and Green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI) are the most influential factors determining the spatial distribution of ecological risks in QMNPQA. The effects of management and climatic factors on ecological risks demonstrate a significant antagonistic effect, highlighting the positive contributions of human activities in mitigating the driving effects of climate change on ecological risks. The research results can provide reference for desertification prevention and ecological quality improvement in QMNPQA.