NRPS-like ATRR in Plant-Parasitic Nematodes Involved in Glycine Betaine Metabolism to Promote Parasitism.

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are among the most serious phytopathogens and cause widespread and serious damage in major crops. In this study, using a genome mining method, we identified nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS)-like enzymes in genomes of plant-parasitic nematodes, which are conserved with two consecutive reducing domains at the N-terminus (A-T-R1-R2) and homologous to fungal NRPS-like ATRR. We experimentally investigated the roles of the NRPS-like enzyme (MiATRR) in nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) parasitism. Heterologous expression of Miatrr in Saccharomyces cerevisiae can overcome the growth inhibition caused by high concentrations of glycine betaine. RT-qPCR detection shows that Miatrr is significantly upregulated at the early parasitic life stage (J2s in plants) of M. incognita. Host-derived Miatrr RNA interference (RNAi) in Arabidopsis thaliana can significantly decrease the number of galls and egg masses of M. incognita, as well as retard development and reduce the body size of the nematode. Although exogenous glycine betaine and choline have no obvious impact on the survival of free-living M. incognita J2s (pre-parasitic J2s), they impact the performance of the nematode in planta, especially in Miatrr-RNAi plants. Following application of exogenous glycine betaine and choline in the rhizosphere soil of A. thaliana, the numbers of galls and egg masses were obviously reduced by glycine betaine but increased by choline. Based on the knowledge about the function of fungal NRPS-like ATRR and the roles of glycine betaine in host plants and nematodes, we suggest that MiATRR is involved in nematode-plant interaction by acting as a glycine betaine reductase, converting glycine betaine to choline. This may be a universal strategy in plant-parasitic nematodes utilizing NRPS-like ATRR to promote their parasitism on host plants.

Novel Biomimetic "Spider Web" Robust, Super-Contractile Liquid Crystal Elastomer Active Yarn Soft Actuator.

In nature, spider web is an interwoven network with high stability and elasticity from silk threads secreted by spider. Inspired by the structure of spider webs, light-driven liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) active yarn is designed with super-contractile and robust weavability. Herein, a novel biomimetic gold nanorods (AuNRs) @LCE yarn soft actuator with hierarchical structure is fabricated by a facile electrospinning and subsequent photocrosslinking strategies. Meanwhile, the inherent mechanism and actuation performances of the as-prepared yarn actuator with interleaving network are systematically analyzed. Results demonstrate that thanks to the unique "like-spider webs" structure between fibers, high molecular orientation within the LCE microfibers and good flexibility, they can generate super actuation strain (≈81%) and stable actuation performances. Importantly, benefit from the robust covalent bonding at the organic-inorganic interface, photopolymerizable AuNRs molecules are uniformly introduced into the polymer backbone of electrospun LCE yarn to achieve tailorable shape-morphing under different light intensity stimulation. As a proof-of-concept illustration, light-driven artificial muscles, micro swimmers, and hemostatic bandages are successfully constructed. The research disclosed herein can offer new insights into continuous production and development of LCE-derived yarn actuator that are of paramount significance for many applications from smart fabrics to flexible wearable devices.

2D Ionic Liquid-Like State of Charged Rare-Earth Clusters on a Metal Surface.

Rare-earth complexes are vital for separation chemistry and useful in many advanced applications including emission and energy upconversion. Here, 2D rare-earth clusters having net charges are formed on a metal surface, enabling investigations of their structural and electronic properties on a one-cluster-at-a-time basis using scanning tunneling microscopy. While these ionic complexes are highly mobile on the surface at ≈100 K, their mobility is greatly reduced at 5 K and reveals stable and self-limiting clusters. In each cluster, a pair of charged rare-earth complexes formed by electrostatic and dispersive interactions act as a basic unit, and the clusters are chiral. Unlike other non-ionic molecular clusters formed on the surfaces, these rare-earth clusters show mechanical stability. Moreover, their high mobility on the surface suggests that they are in a 2D liquid-like state.

Childhood maltreatment and insomnia in college students: The role of alexithymia and psychological distress.

Insomnia, which is highly prevalent among college students, has been identified as one of the negative consequences of childhood maltreatment. While prior studies have uncovered distinct correlations between childhood maltreatment, insomnia, and other variables, the potential underlying mechanisms need to be further explored. This study focused on the chain-mediating role of alexithymia and psychological distress in the relationship between childhood maltreatment and insomnia. An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among Chinese college students, yielding 999 valid questionnaires that included demographic information, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). A chain-mediating model was then tested. The results revealed significant positive correlations between each pair of the four variables. Alexithymia and psychological distress separately mediated the link between childhood maltreatment and insomnia (effect of alexithymia was 0.06 with 95 % CI [0.03, 0.09]; effect of psychological distress was 0.24 with 95 % CI [0.19, 0.29]). Additionally, a chain-mediating effect of alexithymia and psychological distress was observed (chain-mediating effect was 0.12 with 95 % CI [0.09, 0.15]). The findings suggest that emotional interventions may mitigate the long-term effect of childhood maltreatment on sleep problems among college students, by improving the ability to recognize emotions and decreasing emotional problems.

Parasitism of Hirsutella rhossiliensis on Different Nematodes and Its Endophytism Promoting Plant Growth and Resistance against Root-Knot Nematodes.

The endoparasitic fungus Hirsutella rhossiliensis is an important biocontrol agent of cyst nematodes in nature. To determine the potential parasitism of the fungus on a non-natural host, the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) living in pine trees and the endophytic ability of the fungus on plants, in this paper, we first constructed and utilized a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged H. rhossiliensis HR02 transformant to observe the fungal infection process on B. xylophilus and its colonization on Arabidopsis roots. Then, we compared the fungal parasitism on three species of nematodes with different lifestyles, and we found that the fungal parasitism is correlated with nematode species and stages. The parasitic effect of H. rhossiliensis on adults of B. xylophilus is similar to that on second-stage juveniles (J2) of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita after 24 h of inoculation, although the virulence of the fungus to second-stage juveniles of M. incognita is stronger than that to those of B. xylophilus and Caenorhabditis elegans. Moreover, the endophytism of H. rhossiliensis was confirmed. By applying an appropriate concentration of H. rhossiliensis conidial suspension (5 × 106 spores/mL) in rhizosphere soil, it was found that the endophytic fungus can promote A. thaliana growth and reproduction, as well as improve host resistance against M. incognita. Our results provide a deeper understanding of the fungus H. rhossiliensis as a promising biocontrol agent against plant-parasitic nematodes.

miR-3612 regulates the malignant biological behaviors of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via targeting SEMA4C / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[摘 要] 目的：探讨miR-3612靶向信号素（SEMA）4C对肝细胞癌细胞增殖与侵袭能力的影响。方法: 收集2020年5月至2021年9月间在皖南医学院第一附属医院弋矶山医院手术切除的肝细胞肝癌的40对癌组织和相应癌旁组织，常规培养肝细胞癌Hep3B和Huh7细胞，将其分为对照组、miR-3612 mimics-NC组、miR-3612 mimics组、miR-3612 inhibitor-NC组、miR-3612 inhibitor组、si-NC组、si-SEMA4C组、mimics-NC+pcDNA-NC组、miR-3612 mimics+pcDNA-NC组和miR-3612 mimics+pcDNA-SEMA4C组，用转染试剂将相应的核酸和质粒转染各组细胞。qPCR法检测miR-3612和SEMA4C mRNA在肝细胞癌组织和Hep3B和Huh7细胞中的表达，双荧光素酶报告基因实验和免疫共沉淀（RIP）实验验证miR-3612与SEMA4C的结合及调控关系，qPCR法和WB法检测转染后各组Hep3B和Huh7细胞中miR-3612、SEMA4C mRNA和蛋白的表达，CCK-8法、细胞划痕实验和Transwell小室实验分别检测各组Hep3B和Huh7细胞的增殖、迁移和侵袭能力。结果: miR-3612在肝细胞癌组织和Hep3B和Huh7细胞中呈低表达（P<0.001），而SEMA4C则呈高表达（P<0.001），过表达miR-3612可抑制Hep3B和Huh7细胞的增殖、迁移、侵袭和vimentin、SEMA4C蛋白的表达，促进E-cadherin蛋白的表达（P<0.05或P<0.01或P<0.001），敲低miR-3612则促进Hep3B和Huh7细胞的增殖、迁移、侵袭和SEMA4C蛋白的表达（P<0.05或P<0.01或P<0.001）。双荧光素酶报告基因实验和RIP实验证实miR-3612与SEMA4C可直接结合（P<0.001），miR-3612与SEMA4C的表达呈负相关也间接证明了这一点（P<0.001）。敲减SEMA4C能明显抑制Hep3B、Huh7细胞的增殖、侵袭和迁移能力（P<0.05或P<0.01或P<0.001），过表达SEMA4C可逆转过表达miR-3612对Hep3B和Huh7细胞增殖、迁移、侵袭和EMT的抑制作用（P<0.05或P<0.01或P<0.001）。结论: miR-3612通过调控SEMA4C表达影响Hep3B和Huh7细胞的恶性生物学行为，miR-3612有望成为临床肝细胞癌治疗的潜在靶点。

High Electrochemical Capacity MnO2/Graphene Hybrid Fibers Based on Crystalline Regulatable MnO2 for Wearable Supercapacitors.

Fiber-based supercapacitors (FSCs) exhibit desirable application potential and development prospects in wearable energy storage devices because of their flexibility and wearability. However, the low capacity in the unit volume and insufficient fiber strength hinder their further development in practical application. Herein, the MnO2 nanomaterials with regulatable crystalline structure were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal strategy. The formation of the MnO2 crystalline structure involved the "crimp-phase transition" process. Among them, the 2 × 2 tunnel type α-MnO2 nanowires exhibited excellent electrochemical capacitance (43.8 F g-1), high rate performance (61%, 0.25 to 6 A g-1), and remarkable cyclic stability (99%), which can be attributed to their good symmetry in space and high shared vertices proportion. On this basis, the α-MnO2 nanowires were coblended with GO to construct MnO2/rGO hybrid fibers by scalable continuous wet spinning and in situ acid reduction. Noteworthily, in MnO2/rGO hybrid fibers, the doping amount of MnO2 nanowires as high as 50 wt % could be achieved, while the strength reached 11.73 MPa, which can be ascribed to the superior surface morphology of MnO2 nanowires and the unique cement wall structure of hybrid fibers. Finally, the obtained hybrid fiber electrodes were assembled into symmetrical FSCs. Notably, the FSCs delivered remarkable volume specific capacitance (129.5 F cm-3) and impressive energy density (18 mWh cm-3) at 1.75 A cm-3. In addition, the assembled all-solid-state FSCs indicated excellent deformability and application potential. This work offers some insight for promoting the continuous preparation of fiber electrodes, the development of FSCs, and practical application in wearable energy textile.

X-ray Spectroscopy of a Rare-Earth Molecular System Measured at the Single Atom Limit at Room Temperature.

We investigate the limit of X-ray detection at room temperature on rare-earth molecular films using lanthanum and a pyridine-based dicarboxamide organic linker as a model system. Synchrotron X-ray scanning tunneling microscopy is used to probe the molecules with different coverages on a HOPG substrate. X-ray-induced photocurrent intensities are measured as a function of molecular coverage on the sample, allowing a correlation of the amount of La ions with the photocurrent signal strength. X-ray absorption spectroscopy shows cogent M4,5 absorption edges of the lanthanum ion originated by the transitions from the 3d3/2 and 3d5/2 to 4f orbitals. X-ray absorption spectra measured in the tunneling regime further reveal an X-ray excited tunneling current produced at the M4,5 absorption edge of the La ion down to the ultimate atomic limit at room temperature.

Distribution of bacteria and risk factors in patients with multidrug-resistant pneumonia in a single center rehabilitation ward.

Stroke patients may have dysphagia and frequent aspiration increasing exposure to antibiotics and the chance of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria infection. This study investigated clinical risk factors and related antibiotic use of MDR bacteria infection in stroke patients in the rehabilitation ward, hoping that it can help prevent and reduce the condition of MDR bacteria. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the database of stroke patients with pneumonia admitted to the rehabilitation ward from January 1, 2020, to June 30, 2022. The selected stroke patients were divided into the MDR and non-MDR groups. Analyze the infection bacteria of the 2 groups. Forward logistic regression was applied to identify possible independent MDR bacteria infection risk factors. A total of 323 patients were included. The top 3 common MDR pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Almost all Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii are resistant to ertapenem. National Institute of Health stroke scale at admission was associated with MDR bacteria infection pneumonia (OR [odds ratio] = 1.078, 95%CI [1.017, 1.142]). Long-term tracheotomy (OR = 2.695, 95%CI [1.232, 5.897]), hypoalbuminemia (OR = 473, 95%CI [1.318, 4.642]), and bilateral cerebral hemisphere stroke (OR = 4.021, 95%CI [2.009, 8.048]) were significant clinical risk factors of MDR pneumonia after stroke. The detection rate of MDR bacteria has increased. Understanding the distribution and drug resistance of MDR bacteria in stroke patients with pneumonia in the neurological rehabilitation ward and the related susceptibility of MDR bacteria infection is necessary. This way, the treatment plan can be adjusted more timely, avoiding the abuse of antibiotics.

Generating high-valent iron-oxo ≡FeIV=O complexes by calcium sulfite activation in neutral microenvironments for enhanced degradation of CIP.

Although alkaline sulfite activation of ferrate (Fe(VI)) has advantages of fast response and high activity for degradation of organic contaminants, the specific production pathways of active species and the pH conditions still hinder its widespread application. Based on this, our study constructed a novel advanced oxidation process of calcium sulfite (CaSO3) could activated Fe(VI) continuously by Ca2+ buffering and investigated the mechanism under different pH values and CaSO3 dosages with ciprofloxacin as a target organic pollutant. The results showed that Ca2+ stabilized the process at a neutral/weakly alkaline microenvironment of pH 7-8, which could alleviate the hydrolysis of ≡FeIV=O by protons and iron hydroxyl groups. Besides, the removal of pollutants occurred efficiently when sulfate (SO32-) was excessive and had a 3:1 ratio of SO32- to Fe(VI), achieving more than 99% removal of electron-rich phenolic organic pollutants within 2 min. By adding different radical scavengers and combining electrochemical analysis methods and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques to revealed that the main active species in Fe(VI)/CaSO3 process were ≡FeIV=O/≡FeV=O. Furthermore, the reactivity of various sulfate species (such as SO32-, SO3•-, SO4•-, SO5•-) with Fe(VI) was calculated using density functional theory (DFT), and it was found that Fe(VI)-SO32- reaction has a much lower energy barrier (-36.08 kcal/mol), indicating that SO32- can readily activate Fe(VI) and generate ≡FeIV=O to attack the atoms with high Fukui index (f -) in organic pollutants. The above results confirm the feasibility of Fe(VI)/CaSO3 process. Thus, this study can theoretically and practically prove that the main active species is ≡FeIV=O, rather than SO4•- or •OH in Fe(VI)/CaSO3 process.

Characterization of just one atom using synchrotron X-rays.

Since the discovery of X-rays by Roentgen in 1895, its use has been ubiquitous, from medical and environmental applications to materials sciences1-5. X-ray characterization requires a large number of atoms and reducing the material quantity is a long-standing goal. Here we show that X-rays can be used to characterize the elemental and chemical state of just one atom. Using a specialized tip as a detector, X-ray-excited currents generated from an iron and a terbium atom coordinated to organic ligands are detected. The fingerprints of a single atom, the L2,3 and M4,5 absorption edge signals for iron and terbium, respectively, are clearly observed in the X-ray absorption spectra. The chemical states of these atoms are characterized by means of near-edge X-ray absorption signals, in which X-ray-excited resonance tunnelling (X-ERT) is dominant for the iron atom. The X-ray signal can be sensed only when the tip is located directly above the atom in extreme proximity, which confirms atomically localized detection in the tunnelling regime. Our work connects synchrotron X-rays with a quantum tunnelling process and opens future X-rays experiments for simultaneous characterizations of elemental and chemical properties of materials at the ultimate single-atom limit.

Alkali-oxygen cooking coupled with ultrasonic etching for directly defibrillation of bagasse parenchyma cells into cellulose nanofibrils.

A scheme combining alkali­oxygen cooking and ultrasonic etching cleaning was developed for the short range preparation of CNF from bagasse pith, which has a soft tissue structure and is rich in parenchyma cells. This scheme expands the utilization path of sugar waste sucrose pulp. The effect of NaOH, O2, macromolecular carbohydrates, and lignin on subsequent ultrasonic etching was analyzed, and it was found that the degree of alkali­oxygen cooking was positively correlated with the difficulty of subsequent ultrasonic etching. The mechanism of ultrasonic nano-crystallization was found to be the bidirectional etching mode from the edge and surface cracks of the cell fragments by ultrasonic microjet in the microtopography of CNF. The optimum preparation scheme was obtained under the condition of 28 % NaOH content and 0.5 MPa O2, which solves the problem of low-value utilization of bagasse pith and environmental pollution, providing a new possibility for the source of CNF.

Influence of Acupuncture and Other Clinical Factors on the Recovery of Limb Motor Function in Patients After Stroke: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Limb motor disorders after stroke are very common, and the clinical related factors of improving limb motor function are still unclear. As a part of comprehensive rehabilitation strategy, acupuncture has been widely used in rehabilitation after stroke in China. But more evidence is needed for the influence of acupuncture and some other clinical factors on post-stroke motor disorders. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using the database of patients with post-stroke motor disorders admitted to the Neurological Rehabilitation Unit of the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The included patients were grouped according to whether NIHSS improved or muscle strength improved. The positive logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of possible NIHSS improvement. Combined with the influencing factors of NIHSS improvement and muscle strength improvement, the influencing factors of limb motor function recovery after stroke were obtained. Results: When analyzing the baseline of the included patients, it was found that patients with NIHSS improvement had earlier acupuncture intervention time (M, (IQR):13.5 (14), OR=0.716, 95% CI [0.591-0.869], p=0.001), more cumulative acupuncture treatment times (M,(IQR):29 (12), OR=0.744, 95% CI [0.608-0.910], p=0.004), and less hypertension history (OR=0.256, 95% CI [0.082-0.801], p=0.019). Smoking history only has positive significance in univariate and multivariate analysis of NIHSS, not muscle strength (OR=0.274, 95% CI [0.097-0.779], p=0.015). Conclusion: The earlier acupuncture intervention and the more cumulative acupuncture treatment times are, the more beneficial the limb function of stroke patients with motor disorders will be. The previous history of hypertension is the influencing factor of limb motor function not improving in patients with limb motor disorder after a stroke. The effect of smoking history on limb movement function of patients with limb motor disorder after stroke needs further study.

URA3 as a Selectable Marker for Disruption and Functional Assessment of PacC Gene in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Isaria javanica.

An effective selection marker is necessary for genetic engineering and functional genomics research in the post-genomic era. Isaria javanica is an important entomopathogenic fungus with a broad host range and prospective biocontrol potentials. Given that no antibiotic marker is available currently in this fungus, developing an effective selection marker is necessary. In this study, by applying overlap PCR and split-marker deletion strategy, combining PEG-mediated protoplasm transformation method, the uridine auxotrophy gene (ura3) in the I. javanica genome was knocked out. Then, using this transformation system, the pH response transcription factor gene (IjpacC) was disrupted successfully. Loss of IjpacC gene results in an obvious decrease in conidial production, but little impact on mycelial growth. The virulence of the ΔIjpacC mutant on caterpillars is similar to that of the wild-type strain. RT-qPCR detection shows that expression level of an acidic-expressed S53 gene (IF1G_06234) in ΔIjpacC mutant is more significantly upregulated than in the wild-type strain during the fungal infection on caterpillars. Our results indicate that a markerless transformation system based upon complementation of uridine auxotrophy is successfully developed in I. javanica, which is useful for exploring gene function and for genetic engineering to enhance biological control potential of the fungus.

Clinical Factors Affecting the Recovery of Sensory Impairment After Cerebral Infarction: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: About 75% of patients with cerebral infarction suffer from sensory impairment in varying degrees. It prolongs the time for patients to resume normal life and work. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the clinical characteristics affecting the recovery of sensory impairment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study. Data of inpatients at the First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were investigated. We collected information on the patients with sensory disturbances after cerebral infarction. Cases were defined according to whether the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores improved. A total of 1078 inpatients from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021, were screened. Among those, 187 cases included in this study were divided into no improvement and improvement groups. We compared the clinical characteristics affecting the rehabilitation of these patients. RESULTS: The number of patients aged between 63 and 73 years in the no improvement group were significantly higher ( P <0.05). The incidence of coronary heart disease and thalamus infarction was significantly higher in patients in the no improvement cohort ( P <0.05). Furthermore, coronary heart disease [odds ratio=0.466, 95% confidence interval (0.252, 0.863), P =0.015] and thalamic infarction [odds ratio=0.457, 95% confidence interval (0.230, 0.908), P =0.025] were the independent risk factors against the recovery of sensory disturbance after cerebral infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with thalamus infarction and coronary heart disease may be more inclined to recover poorly from somatosensory deficits.

Chromosomal-level genome assembly of potato tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella: a pest of solanaceous crops.

The potato tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella Zeller, is an oligophagous pest feeding on crops mainly belonging to the family Solanaceae. It is one of the most destructive pests of potato worldwide and attacks foliage and tubers in the field and in storage. However, the lack of a high-quality reference genome has hindered the association of phenotypic traits with their genetic basis. Here, we report on the genome assembly of P. operculella at the chromosomal level. Using Illumina, Nanopore and Hi-C sequencing, a 648.2 Mb genome was generated from 665 contigs, with an N50 length of 3.2 Mb, and 92.0% (596/648.2 Mb) of the assembly was anchored to 29 chromosomes. In total, 16619 genes were annotated, and 92.4% of BUSCO genes were fully represented. The chromosome-level genome of P. operculella will provide a significant resource for understanding the genetic basis for the biological study of this insect, and for promoting the integrative management of this pest in future.

Atomically precise control of rotational dynamics in charged rare-earth complexes on a metal surface.

Complexes containing rare-earth ions attract great attention for their technological applications ranging from spintronic devices to quantum information science. While charged rare-earth coordination complexes are ubiquitous in solution, they are challenging to form on materials surfaces that would allow investigations for potential solid-state applications. Here we report formation and atomically precise manipulation of rare-earth complexes on a gold surface. Although they are composed of multiple units held together by electrostatic interactions, the entire complex rotates as a single unit when electrical energy is supplied from a scanning tunneling microscope tip. Despite the hexagonal symmetry of the gold surface, a counterion at the side of the complex guides precise three-fold rotations and 100% control of their rotational directions is achieved using a negative electric field from the scanning probe tip. This work demonstrates that counterions can be used to control dynamics of rare-earth complexes on materials surfaces for quantum and nanomechanical applications.

Roles of Species-Specific Legumains in Pathogenicity of the Pinewood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus.

Peptidases are very important to parasites, which have central roles in parasite biology and pathogenesis. In this study, by comparative genome analysis, genome-wide peptidase diversities among plant-parasitic nematodes are estimated. We find that genes encoding cysteine peptidases in family C13 (legumain) are significantly abundant in pine wood nematodes Bursaphelenchus genomes, compared to those in other plant-parasitic nematodes. By phylogenetic analysis, a clade of B. xylophilus-specific legumain is identified. RT-qPCR detection shows that these genes are highly expressed at early stage during the nematode infection process. Utilizing transgene technology, cDNAs of three species-specific legumain were introduced into the Arabidopsis γvpe mutant. Functional complementation assay shows that these B. xylophilus legumains can fully complement the activity of Arabidopsis γVPE to mediate plant cell death triggered by the fungal toxin FB1. Secretory activities of these legumains are experimentally validated. By comparative transcriptome analysis, genes involved in plant cell death mediated by legumains are identified, which enrich in GO terms related to ubiquitin protein transferase activity in category molecular function, and response to stimuli in category biological process. Our results suggest that B. xylophilu-specific legumains have potential as effectors to be involved in nematode-plant interaction and can be related to host cell death.

Constructing the vacancies and defects by hemp stem core alkali extraction residue biochar for highly effective removal of heavy metal ions.

Defects and vacancies are the essential reasons for the removal of heavy metal ions from wastewater by low-cost biochar materials. This study aimed to use chemically activated hemp stem core alkali extraction residue biochar as an adsorbent to remove nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu) ions from the simulated waste liquid. A large number of defects and vacancies were introduced into the pyrolysis process to study the efficient removal of heavy metal ions Cu and Ni by hemp rod biomass carbon material (HSR-BC) with different carbon base mass ratios and temperatures. The specific surface area of the prepared hemp rod active biochar was highly correlated with the aperture and carbon base ratio and temperature, and reached the maximum value (1429 m2/g) at 600 °C with the ratio of carbon to base (1:3.5). The removal rates of heavy metals Ni(II) and Cu(II) were as high as 94.25% and 99.54%, respectively, and the adsorption capacities were up to 7.85 mg/g and 24.88 mg/g. The adsorption isotherm follows the Langmuir equation and chemo-adsorption was the main adsorption process. Comparing the surface defects and vacancies of biochar materials before and after adsorption showed that the defects of sp-C and oxygen vacancies produced on the edge of the carbon were the main active sites of the biochar material, an amount of carbon defects would become an anchor site for the Lewis acidic groups, the defective acid site strengthened the electron transfer between the functional group and the Ni(II)/Cu(II), promoted the strong cooperation of Ni(II)/Cu(II) ions with -COOH group to enable efficient and rapid adsorption removal. In addition, a large number of carbon-deficient structures could quickly anchor the Ni(II)/Cu(II) due to their local electron deficiency state, which was difficult to desorb. This study provided an in-depth understanding and guidance for the development of low-cost biochar materials with excellent removal performance of heavy metal ions.

Corticosterone triggers anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects, and downregulates the ACVR1-SMAD1-ID3 cascade in chicken ovarian prehierarchical, but not preovulatory granulosa cells.

The coordinated proliferation and apoptosis of granulosa cells plays a critical role in follicular development. To identify the exact mechanisms of how stress-driven glucocorticoid production suppresses reproduction, granulosa cells were isolated from chicken follicles at different developmental stages and then treated with corticosterone. Using CCK-8, EDU and TUNEL assays, we showed that corticosterone could trigger both anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in granulosa cells from 6 to 8 mm follicles only, while depicting no influence on granulosa cells from any preovulatory follicles. High-throughput transcriptomic analysis identified 1362 transcripts showing differential expression profiles in granulosa cells from 6 to 8 mm follicles after corticosterone treatment. Interestingly, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that 17 genes were enriched in the TGF-ß signaling pathway, and 13 showed differential expression patterns consistent with corticosterone-induced effects. The differential expression profiles of these 13 genes were examined by quantitative real-time PCR in cultured chicken ovarian granulosa cells at diverse developmental stages following corticosterone challenge for a short (8 h) or long period (24 h). After 24 h of treatment, INHBB, FST, FMOD, NOG, ACVR1, SMAD1 and ID3 were the genes that responded consistently with corticosterone-induced proliferative and apoptotic events in all granulosa cells detected. However, only ACVR1, SMAD1 and ID3 could initiate coincident expression patterns after being treated for 8 h, suggesting their significance in corticosterone-mediated actions. Collectively, these findings indicate that corticosterone can inhibit proliferation and cause apoptosis in chicken ovarian prehierarchical, but not preovulatory granulosa cells, through impeding ACVR1-SMAD1-ID3 signaling presumptively.