Identification of pivotal genes and regulatory networks associated with atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis based on comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and machine learning.

Objective: Bioinformatics methods were applied to investigate the pivotal genes and regulatory networks associated with atherosclerotic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) and provide new insights for the treatment of this disease. Methods: The study utilized five ACAS datasets (GSE100927, GSE11782, GESE28829, GSE41571, and GSE43292) downloaded from the NCBI GEO database. The first four datasets were combined as the training set (n = 99), while GSE43292 (n = 64) was used as the validation set. Difference analysis and functional enrichment analysis were then performed on the training set. The pathogenic targets of ACAS were screened by protein-protein interaction networks and MCODE analyses, combined with three machine learning algorithms. The results were next verified by analysis of inter-group differences and ROC curve analysis. Next, immune-related function and immune cell correlation analyses were performed, and plaques of human ACAS were applied to verify the results via immunohistochemistry (IH) and immunofluorescence (IF). Finally, the competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) and transcription factors (TFs) regulatory networks of the characterized genes were constructed. Results: A total of 177 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 67 genes downregulated and 110 genes upregulated. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that five pathways were active in the experimental group, including xenograft rejection, autoimmune thyroid disease, graft-versus-host disease, leishmaniasis infection, and lysosomes. Four key genes were identified, with C3AR1 being upregulated and FBLN5, PPP1R12A, and TPM1 being downregulated. The analysis of inter-group differences demonstrated that the four characterized genes were differentially expressed in both the control and experimental groups. The ROC analysis showed that they had high AUC values in both the training and validation sets. Therefore, a predictive ACAS patient nomogram model based on the screened genes was established. Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between C3AR1 expression and neutrophils, which was further validated in IH and IF. One or multiple lncRNAs may compete with the characterized genes for binding miRNAs. Additionally, each characterized gene interacts with multiple TFs. Conclusion: Four pivotal genes were screened, and relevant ceRNA and TFs were predicted. These molecules may exert a crucial role in ACAS and serve as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Identification of metabolic components of carotid plaque in high-risk patients utilizing liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVE: Carotid atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive vascular disease that can be complicated by stroke in severe cases. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of high-risk patients are quite difficult due to the lack of reliable clinical biomarkers. This study aimed to explore potential plaque metabolic markers of stroke-prone risk and relevant targets for pharmacological intervention. METHOD: Carotid intima and plaque sample tissues were obtained from 20 patients with cerebrovascular symptoms of carotid origin. An untargeted metabolomics approach based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was utilized to characterize the metabolic profiles of the tissues. Multivariate and univariate analysis tools were used. RESULTS: A total of 154 metabolites were significantly altered in carotid plaque when compared with thickened intima. Of these, 62 metabolites were upregulated, whereas 92 metabolites were downregulated. Support vector machines identified the 15 most important metabolites, such as N-(cyclopropylmethyl)-N'-phenylurea, 9(S)-HOTrE, ACar 12:2, quinoxaline-2,3-dithiol, and l-thyroxine, as biomarkers for high-risk plaques. Metabolic pathway analysis showed that abnormal purine and nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and vitamin metabolism may contribute to the occurrence and progression of carotid atherosclerotic plaque. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies the biomarkers and related metabolic mechanisms of carotid plaque, which is stroke-prone, and provides insights and ideas for the precise prevention and targeted intervention of the disease.

Improving the prediction performance of leaf water content by coupling multi-source data with machine learning in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

BACKGROUND: Leaf water content (LWC) significantly affects rice growth and development. Real-time monitoring of rice leaf water status is essential to obtain high yield and water use efficiency of rice plants with precise irrigation regimes in rice fields. Hyperspectral remote sensing technology is widely used in monitoring crop water status because of its rapid, nondestructive, and real-time characteristics. Recently, multi-source data have been attempted to integrate into a monitored model of crop water status based on spectral indices. However, there are fewer studies using spectral index model coupled with multi-source data for monitoring LWC in rice plants. Therefore, 2-year field experiments were conducted with three irrigation regimes using four rice cultivars in this study. The multi-source data, including canopy ecological factors and physiological parameters, were incorporated into the vegetation index to accurately predict LWC in rice plants. RESULTS: The results presented that the model accuracy of rice LWC estimation after combining data from multiple sources improved by 6-44% compared to the accuracy of a single spectral index normalized difference index (ND). Additionally, the optimal prediction accuracy of rice LWC was produced using a machine algorithm of gradient boosted decision tree (GBDT) based on the combination of ND(1287,1673) and crop water stress index (CWSI) (R2 = 0.86, RMSE = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The machine learning estimation model constructed based on multi-source data fully utilizes the spectral information and considers the environmental changes in the crop canopy after introducing multi-source data parameters, thus improving the performance of spectral technology for monitoring rice LWC. The findings may be helpful to the water status diagnosis and accurate irrigation management of rice plants.

Washed microbiota transplantation improves symptoms and intestinal barrier function in patients with functional bowel disorders: a propensity-score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Alterations in the intestinal microbiota may play a role in the pathogenesis of functional bowel disorders (FBDs). Probiotics are widely used to improve intestinal dysbacteriosis in FBDs. In the context of FBDs, washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) appear to be a promising therapeutic option. We aimed to compare probiotics with WMT by using a propensity-score matching analysis (PSMA). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective investigation of 103 patients with FBDs, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional constipation (FC), functional diarrhea (FDr), functional abdominal bloating (FAB). Patients were divided into the WMT group or probiotics group (taking probiotics capsules). Data on the following parameters were matched for PSMA: age; sex; disease course; body mass index; anxiety; insomnia; tobacco smoking; alcohol consumption; and levels of D-lactate, diamine oxidase, and lipopolysaccharide. Intestinal barrier function (IBF) and symptoms were evaluated both before and after treatment initiation. Prognostic factors were assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: PSMA identified in 34 matched pairs (11 IBS, 12 FC, 7 FDr, and 4 FAB in the probiotics group and 14 IBS, 13 FC, 5 FDr, and 2 FAB in the WMT group. Improvement of FBD symptoms was greater with WMT than probiotics (P = 0.002). The WMT group had significantly fewer patients with intestinal barrier damage than the probiotics group (38.2% vs. 67.6%, P = 0.041). This improvement of FBD with WMT was further reflected as a reduction in D-lactate levels (P = 0.031). Increased D-lactate levels which were identified as a prognostic factor for FBDs (HR = 0.248, 95%CI 0.093-0.666, P = 0.006) in multivariate Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSION: WMT could improve symptoms and IBF in patients with FBDs. Increased D-lactate levels in patients with FBDs may predict a favorable response to WMT treatment.

OsNAC5 orchestrates OsABI5 to fine-tune cold tolerance in rice.

Due to its tropical origins, rice (Oryza sativa) is susceptible to cold stress, which poses severe threats to production. OsNAC5, a NAC-type transcription factor, participates in the cold stress response of rice, but the detailed mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that OsNAC5 positively regulates cold tolerance at germination and in seedlings by directly activating the expression of ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 5 (OsABI5). Haplotype analysis indicated that single nucleotide polymorphisms in a NAC-binding site in the OsABI5 promoter are strongly associated with cold tolerance. OsNAC5 also enhanced OsABI5 stability, thus regulating the expression of cold-responsive (COR) genes, enabling fine-tuned control of OsABI5 action for rapid, precise plant responses to cold stress. DNA affinity purification sequencing coupled with transcriptome deep sequencing identified several OsABI5 target genes involved in COR expression, including DEHYDRATION-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING FACTOR 1A (OsDREB1A), OsMYB20, and PEROXIDASE 70 (OsPRX70). In vivo and in vitro analyses suggested that OsABI5 positively regulates COR gene transcription, with marked COR upregulation in OsNAC5-overexpressing lines and downregulation in osnac5 and/or osabi5 knockout mutants. This study extends our understanding of cold tolerance regulation via OsNAC5 through the OsABI5-CORs transcription module, which may be used to ameliorate cold tolerance in rice via advanced breeding.

T12-L3 Nerve Transfer-Induced Locomotor Recovery in Rats with Thoracolumbar Contusion: Essential Roles of Sensory Input Rerouting and Central Neuroplasticity.

Locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) remains an unmet challenge. Nerve transfer (NT), the connection of a functional/expendable peripheral nerve to a paralyzed nerve root, has long been clinically applied, aiming to restore motor control. However, outcomes have been inconsistent, suggesting that NT-induced neurological reinstatement may require activation of mechanisms beyond motor axon reinnervation (our hypothesis). We previously reported that to enhance rat locomotion following T13-L1 hemisection, T12-L3 NT must be performed within timeframes optimal for sensory nerve regrowth. Here, T12-L3 NT was performed for adult female rats with subacute (7-9 days) or chronic (8 weeks) mild (SCImi: 10 g × 12.5 mm) or moderate (SCImo: 10 g × 25 mm) T13-L1 thoracolumbar contusion. For chronic injuries, T11-12 implantation of adult hMSCs (1-week before NT), post-NT intramuscular delivery of FGF2, and environmentally enriched/enlarged (EEE) housing were provided. NT, not control procedures, qualitatively improved locomotion in both SCImi groups and animals with subacute SCImo. However, delayed NT did not produce neurological scale upgrading conversion for SCImo rats. Ablation of the T12 ventral/motor or dorsal/sensory root determined that the T12-L3 sensory input played a key role in hindlimb reanimation. Pharmacological, electrophysiological, and trans-synaptic tracing assays revealed that NT strengthened integrity of the propriospinal network, serotonergic neuromodulation, and the neuromuscular junction. Besides key outcomes of thoracolumbar contusion modeling, the data provides the first evidence that mixed NT-induced locomotor efficacy may rely pivotally on sensory rerouting and pro-repair neuroplasticity to reactivate neurocircuits/central pattern generators. The finding describes a novel neurobiology mechanism underlying NT, which can be targeted for development of innovative neurotization therapies.

Construction of a point-of-care electrochemical biosensor for Escherichia coli 16S rRNA analysis based on MoS2 nanoprobes.

Foodborne pathogens are harmful to human health because they can contaminate food and induce diseases. To efficiently distinguish and determine foodborne bacteria, an ultrasensitive point-of-care electrochemical biosensor was designed for 16S rRNA detection by coupling a signal amplification strategy with MoS2-based nanoprobes. Gold nanoparticles and thionine co-functionalized molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanocomposites (MoS2-Thi-AuNPs) were used to construct nanoprobes, which can efficiently monitor the detection process and amplify the detection signal. In the presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli) 16S rRNA, a classical sandwiched DNA structure was formed on the surface of a hierarchical flower-like gold nanostructure-decorated screen-printed carbon electrode (HFGN-SPCE), generating an obvious electrochemical signal from Thi. Under optimal conditions, this designed electrochemical biosensor showed a wide dynamic range (0-1.0 × 106 fM), low detection limit (2.8 fM), high selectivity and accepted stability for E. coli 16S rRNA detection in ideal buffers. Moreover, this biosensor can efficiently determine 16S rRNA in milk samples and 10 CFU mL-1 bacterial lysate. All experimental results suggested that this biosensor has a promising application in the detection of foodborne pathogens.

Efficacy of washed microbiota transplantation for therapeutic targets of refractory functional constipation and the influencing factors: a single-center, retrospective, 24-week follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) in terms of refractory functional constipation (FC)-related therapeutic targets and influencing factors have not been elucidated. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and influencing factors of WMT in treating refractory FC-related therapeutic targets. METHODS: The clinical data of patients diagnosed with refractory FC and received with WMT were retrospectively collected. The therapeutic targets included straining, hard stools, incomplete evacuation, a sense of anorectal obstruction, manual maneuvers, and decreased stool frequency. Each target was recorded as 1 (yes) or 0 (no). All patients were followed up for approximately 24 weeks from the end of the first course of WMT. The primary outcomes were the improvement rates for the individual therapeutic targets and the overall response in respect of the therapeutic targets decreased by 2 at weeks 4, 8, and 24. The secondary outcomes were the clinical remission rate (i.e., the proportion of patients with an average of 3 or more spontaneous complete bowel movements per week), clinical improvement rate (i.e., the proportion of patients with an average increase of 1 or more SCBMs/week or patients with remission), stool frequency, Wexner constipation score, Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) score, and adverse events. The factors influencing the efficacy were also analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 63 patients with 112 WMT courses were enrolled. The improvement rates at weeks 8 and 24 were 45.6% and 35.0%, 42.9% and 38.6%, 45.0% and 35.7%, 55.6% and 44.4%, and 60.9% and 50.0%, respectively, for straining, hard stools, incomplete evacuation, a sense of anorectal obstruction, and decreased stool frequency. The overall response rates were 49.2%, 50.8%, and 42.9%, respectively, at weeks 4, 8, and 24. The rates of clinical remission and clinical improvement were 54.0% and 68.3%, respectively, at weeks 4. The stool frequency, BSFS score, and Wexner constipation score tended to improve post-WMT. Only 22 mild adverse events were observed during the 112 WMT courses and the follow-up. The number of WMT courses was identified to be the independent factor influencing the efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: WMT is efficacious in improving refractory FC-related therapeutic targets. The effectiveness of WMT in the management of FC is enhanced with the administration of multiple courses.

Identification of anoikis-related genes classification patterns and immune infiltration characterization in ischemic stroke based on machine learning.

Introduction: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a type of stroke that leads to high mortality and disability. Anoikis is a form of programmed cell death. When cells detach from the correct extracellular matrix, anoikis disrupts integrin junctions, thus preventing abnormal proliferating cells from growing or attaching to an inappropriate matrix. Although there is growing evidence that anoikis regulates the immune response, which makes a great contribution to the development of IS, the role of anoikis in the pathogenesis of IS is rarely explored. Methods: First, we downloaded GSE58294 set and GSE16561 set from the NCBI GEO database. And 35 anoikis-related genes (ARGs) were obtained from GSEA website. The CIBERSORT algorithm was used to estimate the relative proportions of 22 infiltrating immune cell types. Next, consensus clustering method was used to classify ischemic stroke samples. In addition, we used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and random forest (RF) algorithms to screen the key ARGs in ischemic stroke. Next, we performed receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis to assess the accuracy of each diagnostic gene. At the same time, the nomogram was constructed to diagnose IS by integrating trait genes. Then, we analyzed the correlation between gene expression and immune cell infiltration of the diagnostic genes in the combined database. And gene ontology (GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed on these genes to explore differential signaling pathways and potential functions, as well as the construction and visualization of regulatory networks using NetworkAnalyst and Cytoscape. Finally, we investigated the expression pattern of ARGs in IS patients across age or gender. Results: Our study comprehensively analyzed the role of ARGs in IS for the first time. We revealed the expression profile of ARGs in IS and the correlation with infiltrating immune cells. And The results of consensus clustering analysis suggested that we can classify IS patients into two clusters. The machine learning analysis screened five signature genes, including AKT1, BRMS1, PTRH2, TFDP1 and TLE1. We also constructed nomogram models based on the five risk genes and evaluated the immune infiltration correlation, gene-miRNA, gene-TF and drug-gene interaction regulatory networks of these signature genes. The expression of ARGs did not differ by sex or age. Discussion: This study may provide a beneficial reference for further elucidating the pathogenesis of IS, and render new ideas for drug screening, individualized therapy and immunotherapy of IS.

Fatostatin induces ferroptosis through inhibition of the AKT/mTORC1/GPX4 signaling pathway in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and fatal primary malignant central nervous system tumor in adults. Although there are multiple treatments, the median survival of GBM patients is unsatisfactory, which has prompted us to continuously investigate new therapeutic strategies, including new drugs and drug delivery approaches. Ferroptosis, a kind of regulated cell death (RCD), has been shown to be dysregulated in various tumors, including GBM. Fatostatin, a specific inhibitor of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs), is involved in lipid and cholesterol synthesis and has antitumor effects in a variety of tumors. However, the effect of fatostatin has not been explored in the field of ferroptosis or GBM. In our study, through transcriptome sequencing, in vivo experiments, and in vitro experiments, we found that fatostatin induces ferroptosis by inhibiting the AKT/mTORC1/GPX4 signaling pathway in glioblastoma. In addition, fatostatin inhibits cell proliferation and the EMT process through the AKT/mTORC1 signaling pathway. We also designed a p28-functionalized PLGA nanoparticle loaded with fatostatin, which could better cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and be targeted to GBM. Our research identified the unprecedented effects of fatostatin in GBM and presented a novel drug-targeted delivery vehicle capable of penetrating the BBB in GBM.

Overexpressing SIRT6 can Attenuate the Injury of Intracerebral Hemorrhage by Down-Regulating NF-kB.

Sirtuin-6 (SIRT6), a member of the sirtuins family of NAD ( +) dependent deacetylases, has been shown to have beneficial effects in ischemic stroke. However, the role of SIRT6 in intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) has not reported. We observed that SIRT6 expression was down-regulated in human ICH patients and down-regulated in ICH-induced rat cortical neurons. We subsequently found that SIRT6 overexpression reduced brain tissue damage and increased neuronal survival in the ICH model of rats and hemin-induced cortical neurons. Our further study found that overexpression of SIRT6 can reduce inflammatory response by down-regulating the expression of NF-kB and thus promote the recovery of neurological function in ICH animals. In conclusion, SIRT6 can inhibit the expression of NF-kB and plays a neuroprotective role in ICH by inhibiting the NF-kB-mediated inflammatory response.SIRT6 could be a novel therapeutic target for ICH.

Physiological Adaptation Mechanisms to Drought and Rewatering in Water-Saving and Drought-Resistant Rice.

Water-saving and drought-resistant rice (WDR) has high a yield potential in drought. However, the photosynthetic adaptation mechanisms of WDR to drought and rehydration have yet to be conclusively determined. Hanyou 73 (HY73, WDR) and Huanghuazhan (HHZ, drought-sensitive cultivar) rice cultivars were subjected to drought stress and rewatering when the soil water potential was −180 KPa in the booting stage. The leaf physiological characteristics were dynamically determined at 0 KPa, −30 KPa, −70 KPa, −180 KPa, the first, the fifth, and the tenth day after rewatering. It was found that the maximum net photosynthetic rate (Amax) and light saturation point were decreased under drought conditions in both cultivars. The change in dark respiration rate (Rd) in HY73 was not significant, but was markedly different in HHZ. After rewatering, the photosynthetic parameters of HY73 completely returned to the initial state, while the indices in HHZ did not recover. The antioxidant enzyme activities and osmoregulatory substance levels increased with worsening drought conditions and decreased with rewatering duration. HY73 had higher peroxidase (POD) activity as well as proline levels, and lower catalase (CAT) activity, ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and soluble protein (SP) content during all of the assessment periods compared with HHZ. In addition, Amax was markedly negatively correlated with superoxide dismutase (SOD), POD, CAT, and SP in HY73 (p < 0.001), while in HHZ, it was negatively correlated with SOD, CAT, APX, MDA, Pro, and SP, and positively correlated with Rd (p < 0.001). These results suggest that WDR has a more simplified adaptation mechanism to protect photosynthetic apparatus from damage in drought and rehydration compared with drought-sensitive cultivars. The high POD activity and great SP content would be considered as important physiological bases to maintain high photosynthetic production potential in WDR.

Melatonin alleviates copper stress to promote rice seed germination and seedling growth via crosstalk among various defensive response pathways.

Copper (Cu) contamination dramatically affects crop growth and thus threatens crop production; while applications of melatonin (MT) serve as an effective way to tolerate Cu stress for plant development, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown in rice. Here, we found that Cu toxicity remarkably decreased germination rates and seedling growth compared to the untreated control (CK), while seed priming with a solution of 100 µM MT significantly alleviated the adverse effects on Cu-stressed seeds. In addition, the MT treatment decreased the accumulation of Cu in seedlings at 7 days after imbibition (DAI), possibly through enhanced Cu sequestration, and improved reserve mobilization through the promoted activity of α-amylase and protease in seeds under Cu stress. Interestingly, gibberellin (GA) synthesis was restored to or even exceeded the CK levels in the MT presoaking treatment, while the abscisic acid (ABA) content decreased compared to those of the Cu-stressed seeds, suggesting crosstalk between MT and other phytohormones, e.g., GA and ABA. More importantly, MT pretreatment also significantly promoted the growth of postgermination seedlings. This was largely ascribed to the MT-ameliorated antioxidant system, which consequently reduced the accumulation of Cu stress-induced oxidative products, e.g., hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide (O2·_). Collectively, these results demonstrate that seed priming with MT could greatly mitigate the adverse effects of Cu stress on seed germination and subsequent postgermination growth through crosstalk among various defensive response pathways. This study provides vital guidance for applications of MT in agronomic production.

Melatonin Promotes SGT1-Involved Signals to Ameliorate Drought Stress Adaption in Rice.

Drought has become one of the environmental threats to agriculture and food security. Applications of melatonin (MT) serve as an effective way to alleviate drought stress, but the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. Here, we found that foliar spray of 100-µM MT greatly mitigated the severe drought stress-induced damages in rice seedlings, including improved survival rates, enhanced antioxidant system, and adjusted osmotic balance. However, mutation of the suppressor of the G2 allele of skp1 (OsSGT1) and ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 5 (OsABI5) abolished the effects of MT. Furthermore, the upregulated expression of OsABI5 was detected in wild type (WT) under drought stress, irrespective of MT treatment, whereas OsABI5 was significantly downregulated in sgt1 and sgt1abi5 mutants. In contrast, no change of the OsSGT1 expression level was detected in abi5. Moreover, mutation of OsSGT1 and OsABI5 significantly suppressed the expression of genes associated with the antioxidant system. These results suggested that the functions of OsSGT1 in the MT-mediated alleviation of drought stress were associated with the ABI5-mediated signals. Collectively, we demonstrated that OsSGT1 was involved in the drought response of rice and that melatonin promoted SGT1-involved signals to ameliorate drought stress adaption.

Identification of immunogenic cell death-related gene classification patterns and immune infiltration characterization in ischemic stroke based on machine learning.

Ischemic stroke (IS) accounts for more than 80% of strokes and is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. Due to the narrow time window for treatment and the frequent occurrence of severe bleeding, patients benefit less from early intravenous thrombolytic drug therapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore the molecular mechanisms poststroke to drive the development of new therapeutic approaches. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a type of regulatory cell death (RCD) that is sufficient to activate the adaptive immune response of immunocompetent hosts. Although there is growing evidence that ICD regulation of immune responses and immune responses plays an important role in the development of IS, the role of ICD in the pathogenesis of IS has rarely been explored. In this study, we systematically evaluated ICD-related genes in IS. The expression profiles of ICD-related genes in IS and normal control samples were systematically explored. We conducted consensus clustering, immune infiltration analysis, and functional enrichment analysis of IS samples using ICD differentially expressed genes. The results showed that IS patients could be classified into two clusters and that the immune infiltration profile was altered in different clusters. In addition, we performed machine learning to screen nine signature genes that can be used to predict the occurrence of disease. We also constructed nomogram models based on the nine risk genes (CASP1, CASP8, ENTPD1, FOXP3, HSP90AA1, IFNA1, IL1R1, MYD88, and NT5E) and explored the immune infiltration correlation, gene-miRNA, and gene-TF regulatory network of the nine risk genes. Our study may provide a valuable reference for further elucidation of the pathogenesis of IS and provide directions for drug screening, personalized therapy, and immunotherapy for IS.

Photosynthetic physiological response of water-saving and drought-resistant rice to severe drought under wetting-drying alternation irrigation.

Water-saving and drought-resistant rice (WDR) is widely grown in central China in recent years. However, studies have not explored the interaction effect of WDR and irrigation regimes on drought-resistance capacities under severe drought at sensitive growth periods. A pot experiment was conducted using a WDR cultivar Hanyou73 (HY73) and traditional high-yielding and drought-sensitive cultivar Huiliangyou 898 (HLY898). Three irrigation regimes, including flooding irrigation (W1), mild wetting-drying alternation irrigation (W2), and severe wetting-drying alternation irrigation (W3), were applied before heading. At heading, severe drought with -50 KPa soil water potential was established for all treatments and cultivars. The findings showed that cultivar HY73 under W2 treatment had the highest yield, 1000-grain yield, filled grain, relative water content, and photosynthesis potential compared with the other combinations. The higher net photosynthetic rate (Pn ) was attributed to larger mesophyll conductance (gm ) in drought for cultivar HY73 under W2 treatment compared with that for cultivar HLY898 and the other water treatments. Enhanced photo-respiration rate may be an important photoprotection mechanism for achieving high Pn for cultivar HY73 coupled with W2 treatment than for other combinations in drought. The relative expression level of OsPIP1;1 gene was significantly down-regulated during drought in all cultivars and water regimes. But OsPIP1;2, OsPIP2;3, OsTIP2;2, and OsTIP3;1 genes were upregulated to alleviate the significant decrease in gs and gm under drought. These results suggest that WDR and mild wetting-drying alternation irrigation (W2) have significant interaction effects in improving photosynthetic production potential by maintaining higher gm under severe drought.

Relationship Between the Vascular Bundle Structure of Panicle Branches and the Filling of Inferior Spikelets in Large-Panicle Japonica Rice.

The vascular bundles of rice panicles serve to connect the source and the sink, as well as serving as a channel for the transportation of materials. In this study, two homozygous japonica rice strains were used as materials. The vascular bundle structures of the branches in different positions within a rice panicle were observed, and their cross-sectional areas were calculated. In addition, the ultrastructure of the central large vascular bundle (LVB) phloem in the rachillae of superior spikelets (SS) and inferior spikelets (IS) was observed during the grain filling period. Moreover, the soluble sugar and protein contents of the SS and IS rachillae were also measured to study whether the differences in the structure of vascular bundles of the branches were related to the plumpness of grain at different positions. The results showed that vascular bundle cross-sectional areas of the basal primary branches were greater than those in the upper primary branches. Moreover, there was little difference in the areas of vascular bundles between the basal secondary branches and upper secondary branches. However, the vascular bundle areas of the IS rachillae were lower than those in the SS rachillae. Therefore, we believe that the poor vascular tissue channel of the IS rachillae could be the limiting factor in IS plumpness. The results also showed that a similar time course in the degradation pattern of some organelles of the sieve elements and companion cells in central LVB was observed in the SS rachillae and IS rachillae during the grain filling period. Compared with the IS rachillae, more abundant mitochondria and plasmodesmata were found in the companion cells of SS rachillae at the beginning of the filling stage, while no significant differences between SS and IS rachillae were identified at the middle and late filling stages, which implies that the SS rachillae were relatively more effective at transportation compared with the IS rachillae at the initial filling stage. Therefore, the undeveloped vascular bundles of the IS rachillae and their poor physiology and lack of ability to transport at the initial filling stages could be the limiting factor in IS plumpness.

[Effects of Nano Material on Cadmium Accumulation Capacity and Grain Yield of Indica Hybrid Rice Under Wetting-drying Alternation Irrigation].

Wetting-drying alternation irrigation (WDI) can harvest high grain yield under effective irrigation water saving conditions. However, the kernel cadmium (Cd) content usually exceeds the national standard of 0.20 mg Cd per kg kernel in WDI. Applying a passivating agent with high-efficient repairing capabilities could be a feasible approach to reduce Cd content lower than 0.20 mg·kg-1 in WDI. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted with different irrigation regimes and passivating agents in a mildly Cd-polluted paddy field, of which the irrigation regimes were WDI and traditional flooded irrigation (FI) and the six passivating agents treatments were CK (no passivating agent; T1), slaked lime with 1125 kg·hm-2(T2), 1125 kg slaked lime and 3000 kg biochar per hectare (T3), 1125 kg slaked lime and 3000 kg organic fertilizer per hectare (T4), 1500 kg porous Nano stupalith per hectare (T5), and 1125 kg slaked lime combined with 1500 kg porous Nano stupalith per hectare (T6). Two typical Indica hybrid rice varieties with a high accumulated capacity named cultivar Shenliangyou 1813 and a low accumulated trait named cultivar Liangyou 6206 were utilized. The main reason that Indica hybrid rice cultivars were selected was their higher absorbed and accumulated characteristics than that of Japonica rice. The results indicated that available Cd content of the soil significantly declined with 17.13%-61.01% decreasing amplitude at maturity when compared with pre-transplanting in WDI; however, the reduction was in the range of -43.45%-21.07% for the FI treatment across cultivars and passivating agents treatments. The available Cd content at maturity was significantly greater in FI than in WDI (P<0.05). In contrast, WDI had higher Cd content on stem, leaf, and kernel organs at maturity than with FI treatment of both cultivars and all of the passivating agents (P<0.05). Generally, the T1 treatment had the maximum available Cd content in the soil layer and highest accumulated Cd content on different aboveground organs, followed by the T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6 treatments considering both cultivars and irrigation regimes. The Cd kernel contents were 0.23-0.24 mg·kg-1 and 0.16-0.21 mg·kg-1 for cultivars Shenliangyou 1813 and Liangyou 6206, respectively, in the T6 treatment. The higher Cd kernel content was generally related to a larger Cd content in the stem organ. For the grain yield, no significant differences were observed among cultivars, irrigation regimes, or passivating agents treatments (P>0.05). Under WDI, the kernel Cd content was still slightly higher than 0.20 mg·kg-1 in the T6 treatment (0.24 mg·kg-1 for cultivar Shenliangyou 1813 and 0.21 mg·kg-1 for cultivar Liangyou 6206); however, there is a predictability potential to produce lower than 0.20 mg·kg-1 kernel content in the T6 treatment if a cultivar with low accumulated capacity is used. Thus, the combined mode of the WDI+T6+cultivar with accumulated low Cd content could be considered an optimized cultivation scheme to obtain no Cd contaminated kernels with high grain yield and water-use efficiency in mildly polluted paddy fields.