Alfalfa MsbHLH115 confers tolerance to cadmium stress through activating the iron deficiency response in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Cadmium (Cd) pollution severely affects plant growth and development, posing risks to human health throughout the food chain. Improved iron (Fe) nutrients could mitigate Cd toxicity in plants, but the regulatory network involving Cd and Fe interplay remains unresolved. Here, a transcription factor gene of alfalfa, MsbHLH115 was verified to respond to iron deficiency and Cd stress. Overexpression of MsbHLH115 enhanced tolerance to Cd stress, showing better growth and less ROS accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of MsbHLH115 significantly enhanced Fe and Zn accumulation and did not affect Cd, Mn, and Cu concentration in Arabidopsis. Further investigations revealed that MsbHLH115 up-regulated iron homeostasis regulation genes, ROS-related genes, and metal chelation and detoxification genes, contributing to attenuating Cd toxicity. Y1H, EMSA, and LUC assays confirmed the physical interaction between MsbHLH115 and E-box, which is present in the promoter regions of most of the above-mentioned iron homeostasis regulatory genes. The transient expression experiment showed that MsbHLH115 interacted with MsbHLH121pro. The results suggest that MsbHLH115 may directly regulate the iron-deficiency response system and indirectly regulate the metal detoxification response mechanism, thereby enhancing plant Cd tolerance. In summary, enhancing iron accumulation through transcription factor regulation holds promise for improving plant tolerance to Cd toxicity, and MsbHLH115 is a potential candidate for addressing Cd toxicity issues.

Comprehensive Identification of the ß-Amylase (BAM) Gene Family in Response to Cold Stress in White Clover.

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is an allopolyploid plant and an excellent perennial legume forage. However, white clover is subjected to various stresses during its growth, with cold stress being one of the major limiting factors affecting its growth and development. Beta-amylase (BAM) is an important starch-hydrolyzing enzyme that plays a significant role in starch degradation and responses to environmental stress. In this study, 21 members of the BAM gene family were identified in the white clover genome. A phylogenetic analysis using BAMs from Arabidopsis divided TrBAMs into four groups based on sequence similarity. Through analysis of conserved motifs, gene duplication, synteny analysis, and cis-acting elements, a deeper understanding of the structure and evolution of TrBAMs in white clover was gained. Additionally, a gene regulatory network (GRN) containing TrBAMs was constructed; gene ontology (GO) annotation analysis revealed close interactions between TrBAMs and AMY (α-amylase) and DPE (4-alpha-glucanotransferase). To determine the function of TrBAMs under various tissues and stresses, RNA-seq datasets were analyzed, showing that most TrBAMs were significantly upregulated in response to biotic and abiotic stresses and the highest expression in leaves. These results were validated through qRT-PCR experiments, indicating their involvement in multiple gene regulatory pathways responding to cold stress. This study provides new insights into the structure, evolution, and function of the white clover BAM gene family, laying the foundation for further exploration of the functional mechanisms through which TrBAMs respond to cold stress.

First-principles study of Li-doped planar g-C3N5 as reversible H2 storage material.

Under the background of energy crisis, hydrogen owns the advantage of high combustion and shows considerable environment friendliness; however, to fully utilize this novel resource, the major hurdle lies in its delivery and storage. The development of the in-depth yet systematical methodology for two-dimensional (2D) storage media evaluation still remains to be challenging for computational scientists. In this study, we tried our proposed evaluation protocol on a 2D material, g-C3N5, and its hydrogen storage performance was characterized; and with addition of Li atoms, the changes of its electronical and structural properties were detected. First-principles simulations were conducted to verify its thermodynamics stability; and, its hydrogen adsorption capacity was investigated qualitatively. We found that the charges of the added Li atoms were transferred to the adjacent nitrogen atoms from g-C3N5, with the formation of chemical interactions. Thus, the isolated metallic sites tend to show considerable electropositivity, and can easily polarize the adsorbed hydrogen molecules, and the electrostatic interactions can be enhanced correspondingly. The maximum storage capacity of each primitive cell can be as high as 20 hydrogen molecules with a gravimetric capacity of 8.65 wt%, which surpasses the 5.5 wt% target set by the U.S. Department of Energy. The average adsorption energy is ranged from -0.22 to -0.13 eV. We conclude that the complex 2D material, Li-decorated g-C3N5 (Li@C3N5), can serve as a promising media for hydrogen storage. This methodology provided in this study is fundamental yet instructive for future 2D hydrogen storage materials development.

MsYSL6, A Metal Transporter Gene of Alfalfa, Increases Iron Accumulation and Benefits Cadmium Resistance.

Iron (Fe) is necessary for plant growth and development. The mechanism of uptake and translocation in Cadmium (Cd) is similar to iron, which shares iron transporters. Yellow stripe-like transporter (YSL) plays a pivotal role in transporting iron and other metal ions in plants. In this study, MsYSL6 and its promoter were cloned from leguminous forage alfalfa. The transient expression of MsYSL6-GFP indicated that MsYSL6 was localized to the plasma membrane and cytoplasm. The expression of MsYSL6 was induced in alfalfa by iron deficiency and Cd stress, which was further proved by GUS activity driven by the MsYSL6 promoter. To further identify the function of MsYSL6, it was heterologously overexpressed in tobacco. MsYSL6-overexpressed tobacco showed better growth and less oxidative damage than WT under Cd stress. MsYSL6 overexpression elevated Fe and Cd contents and induced a relatively high Fe translocation rate in tobacco under Cd stress. The results suggest that MsYSL6 might have a dual function in the absorption of Fe and Cd, playing a role in the competitive absorption between Fe and Cd. MsYSL6 might be a regulatory factor in plants to counter Cd stress. This study provides a novel gene for application in heavy metal enrichment or phytoremediation and new insights into plant tolerance to toxic metals.

Highly restricted near-surface permafrost extent during the mid-Pliocene warm period.

Accurate understanding of permafrost dynamics is critical for evaluating and mitigating impacts that may arise as permafrost degrades in the future; however, existing projections have large uncertainties. Studies of how permafrost responded historically during Earth's past warm periods are helpful in exploring potential future permafrost behavior and to evaluate the uncertainty of future permafrost change projections. Here, we combine a surface frost index model with outputs from the second phase of the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project to simulate the near-surface (~3 to 4 m depth) permafrost state in the Northern Hemisphere during the mid-Pliocene warm period (mPWP, ~3.264 to 3.025 Ma). This period shares similarities with the projected future climate. Constrained by proxy-based surface air temperature records, our simulations demonstrate that near-surface permafrost was highly spatially restricted during the mPWP and was 93 ± 3% smaller than the preindustrial extent. Near-surface permafrost was present only in the eastern Siberian uplands, Canadian high Arctic Archipelago, and northernmost Greenland. The simulations are similar to near-surface permafrost changes projected for the end of this century under the SSP5-8.5 scenario and provide a perspective on the potential permafrost behavior that may be expected in a warmer world.

Genome-wide analysis of the WRKY genes and their important roles during cold stress in white clover.

Background: White clover (Trifolium repens L) is a high-quality forage grass with a high protein content, but it is vulnerable to cold stress, which can negatively affect its growth and development. WRKY transcription factor is a family of plant transcription factors found mainly in higher plants and plays an important role in plant growth, development, and stress response. Although WRKY transcription factors have been studied extensively in other plants, it has been less studied in white clover. Methods and Results: In the present research, we have performed a genome-wide analysis of the WRKY gene family of white clover, in total, there were 145 members of WRKY transcription factors identified in white clover. The characterization of the TrWRKY genes was detailed, including conserved motif analysis, phylogenetic analysis, and gene duplication analysis, which have provided a better understanding of the structure and evolution of the TrWRKY genes in white clover. Meanwhile, the genetic regulation network (GRN) containing TrWRKY genes was reconstructed, and Gene Ontology (GO) annotation analysis of these function genes showed they contributed to regulation of transcription process, response to wounding, and phosphorylay signal transduction system, all of which were important processes in response to abiotic stress. To determine the TrWRKY genes function under cold stress, the RNA-seq dataset was analyzed; most of TrWRKY genes were highly upregulated in response to cold stress, particularly in the early stages of cold stress. These results were validated by qRT-PCR experiment, implying they are involved in various gene regulation pathways in response to cold stress. Conclusion: The results of this study provide insights that will be useful for further functional analyses of TrWRKY genes in response to biotic or abiotic stresses in white clover. These findings are likely to be useful for further research on the functions of TrWRKY genes and their role in response to cold stress, which is important to understand the molecular mechanism of cold tolerance in white clover and improve its cold tolerance.

Clinical characteristics of patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease: a seven-year follow-up study conducted in a certain tertiary hospital in Beijing.

Background: The incidence of non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) has increased in recent years. However, the clinical and immunologic characteristics of NTM-PD patients have received little attention. Methods: NTM strains, clinical symptoms, underlying diseases, lung CT findings, lymphocyte subsets, and drug susceptibility tests (DSTs) of NTM-PD patients were investigated. Then, the counts of immune cells of NTM-PD patients and their correlation were evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis. Results: 135 NTM-PD patients and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled from 2015 to 2021 in a certain tertiary hospital in Beijing. The number of NTM-PD patients increased every year, and Mycobacterium intracellulare (M. intracellulare), M. abscessus, M. avium, and M. kansasii were the major pathogens of NTM-PD. The main clinical symptoms of NTM-PD patients were cough and sputum production, and the primary lung CT findings were thin-walled cavity, bronchiectasis, and nodules. In addition, we identified 23 clinical isolates from 87 NTM-PD patients with strain records. The DST showed that almost all of M. abscessus and M. avium and more than half of the M. intracellulare and M. avium complex groups were resistant to anti-tuberculosis drugs tested in this study. M. xenopi was resistant to all aminoglycosides. M. kansasii was 100% resistant to kanamycin, capreomycin, amikacin, and para-aminosalicylic acid, and sensitive to streptomycin, ethambutol, levofloxacin, azithromycin, and rifamycin. Compared to other drugs, low resistance to rifabutin and azithromycin was observed among NTM-PD isolates. Furthermore, the absolute counts of innate and adaptive immune cells in NTM-PD patients were significantly lower than those in HCs. PCA and correlation analysis revealed that total T, CD4+, and CD8+ T lymphocytes played an essential role in the protective immunity of NTM-PD patients, and there was a robust positive correlation between them. Conclusion: The incidence of NTM-PD increased annually in Beijing. Individuals with bronchiectasis and COPD have been shown to be highly susceptible to NTM-PD. NTM-PD patients is characterized by compromised immune function, non-specific clinical symptoms, high drug resistance, thin-walled cavity damage on imaging, as well as significantly reduced numbers of both innate and adaptive immune cells.

MsNRAMP2 Enhances Tolerance to Iron Excess Stress in Nicotiana tabacum and MsMYB Binds to Its Promoter.

Iron(Fe) is a trace metal element necessary for plant growth, but excess iron is harmful to plants. Natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins (NRAMPs) are important for divalent metal transport in plants. In this study, we isolated the MsNRAMP2 (MN_547960) gene from alfalfa, the perennial legume forage. The expression of MsNRAMP2 is specifically induced by iron excess. Overexpression of MsNRAMP2 conferred transgenic tobacco tolerance to iron excess, while it conferred yeast sensitivity to excess iron. Together with the MsNRAMP2 gene, MsMYB (MN_547959) expression is induced by excess iron. Y1H indicated that the MsMYB protein could bind to the "CTGTTG" cis element of the MsNRAMP2 promoter. The results indicated that MsNRAMP2 has a function in iron transport and its expression might be regulated by MsMYB. The excess iron tolerance ability enhancement of MsNRAMP2 may be involved in iron transport, sequestration, or redistribution.

Correction of Asymmetric Bowtie Corneal Astigmatism with a Toric Intraocular Lens: Outcomes and Accuracy of Measurement Modes.

The outcomes of toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in correcting asymmetric bowtie corneal astigmatism remain uncertain. The accurate measurement of corneal astigmatism is essential for surgical planning. In this prospective cohort study, patients with asymmetric or symmetric bowtie corneal astigmatism who underwent toric IOL implantation were recruited. Preoperative corneal astigmatism was measured with an IOLMaster and Pentacam (including the simulated keratometry (SimK), total corneal refractive power (TCRP), and wavefront aberration (WFA) modes). At 3 months after surgery, the refractive outcomes and residual astigmatic refractive errors were compared with patients with symmetric bowtie astigmatism. The prediction errors (the differences between the calculated actual corneal astigmatism and the measured corneal astigmatism) were compared among the different measurement modes in the asymmetric group. There were no differences in residual astigmatism between the asymmetric and symmetric groups. However, the mean absolute residual astigmatic refractive error was greater in the asymmetric group than in the symmetric group (0.72 ± 0.42 D vs. 0.53 ± 0.24 D, p = 0.043). In the asymmetric group, the mean absolute prediction errors for the IOLMaster, SimK, TCRP and WFA modes were 0.53 ± 0.40, 0.56 ± 0.47, 0.68 ± 0.52, and 0.43 ± 0.40 D, respectively. The Pentacam WFA mode was the most accurate mode (p < 0.05). The absolute prediction error of the WFA mode was positively correlated with the total corneal irregular astigmatism higher-order aberrations and coma (r = 0.416 and r = 0.473, respectively; both p < 0.05). Our study suggests toric IOL implantation effectively corrected asymmetric bowtie corneal astigmatism. The Pentacam WFA mode may be the most accurate measurement mode, although its accuracy decreased as asymmetry increased.

Physical activity (PA) influences the risk of depression associated with long working hours.

BACKGROUND: Growing evidences showed that long working hours is associated with depression epidemic, but few studies investigate whether physical activity (PA) could modify the risk of depression associated with long working hours, which was the purpose of the present study. METHODS: A cross-sectional data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2018. According to the criteria of International Labour Organization, long working hours was defined as >40 h/wk. The Nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to identify depression. Binary logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to estimate the associations between long working hours and depression, furthermore to estimate the association of PA. RESULTS: 5958 participants were included in the study. The results indicated that 3074 (51.6 %) of participants worked >40 h/wk. The prevalence of depression was 7.7 %. Logistic regression analysis indicated a positive association between long working hours and depression [OR = 1.738, 95 CI (1.427, 2.117)], and the results were still robust after controlling other confounding factors. RCS models indicated that the high intensity PA group had the lowest risk of depression, followed by low intensity PA group and no PA group. CONCLUSION: Long working hours probably be associated with depression, while PA can modify the risk to some degree.

GmABCG5, an ATP-binding cassette G transporter gene, is involved in the iron deficiency response in soybean.

Iron deficiency is a major nutritional problem causing iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) and yield reduction in soybean, one of the most important crops. The ATP-binding cassette G subfamily plays a crucial role in substance transportation in plants. In this study, we cloned the GmABCG5 gene from soybean and verified its role in Fe homeostasis. Analysis showed that GmABCG5 belongs to the ABCG subfamily and is subcellularly localized at the cell membrane. From high to low, GmABCG5 expression was found in the stem, root, and leaf of young soybean seedlings, and the order of expression was flower, pod, seed stem, root, and leaf in mature soybean plants. The GUS assay and qRT-PCR results showed that the GmABCG5 expression was significantly induced by iron deficiency in the leaf. We obtained the GmABCG5 overexpressed and inhibitory expressed soybean hairy root complexes. Overexpression of GmABCG5 promoted, and inhibition of GmABCG5 retarded the growth of soybean hairy roots, independent of nutrient iron conditions, confirming the growth-promotion function of GmABCG5. Iron deficiency has a negative effect on the growth of soybean complexes, which was more obvious in the GmABCG5 inhibition complexes. The chlorophyll content was increased in the GmABCG5 overexpression complexes and decreased in the GmABCG5 inhibition complexes. Iron deficiency treatment widened the gap in the chlorophyll contents. FCR activity was induced by iron deficiency and showed an extraordinary increase in the GmABCG5 overexpression complexes, accompanied by the greatest Fe accumulation. Antioxidant capacity was enhanced when GmABCG5 was overexpressed and reduced when GmABCG5 was inhibited under iron deficiency. These results showed that the response mechanism to iron deficiency is more actively mobilized in GmABCG5 overexpression seedlings. Our results indicated that GmABCG5 could improve the plant's tolerance to iron deficiency, suggesting that GmABCG5 might have the function of Fe mobilization, redistribution, and/or secretion of Fe substances in plants. The findings provide new insights into the ABCG subfamily genes in the regulation of iron homeostasis in plants.

Actual lens positions of three intraocular lenses in highly myopic eyes: an ultrasound biomicroscopy-based study.

AIM: To evaluate the actual lens positions (ALPs) of three intraocular lenses (IOLs) in highly myopic eyes and to identify relevant factors using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). METHODS: Ninety-three highly myopic eyes (93 patients) that underwent uneventful cataract surgery were included: 36 eyes were implanted with Zeiss 409MP IOLs, 27 with Rayner 920H IOLs and 30 with HumanOptics MCX11 IOLs. The prediction error (PE), ALP determined by UBM and the factors associated with ALP at 3 months after surgery were evaluated. RESULTS: The eyes in the MCX11 IOL group had a more hyperopic PE (0.67±0.45 diopters (D)) and greater ALP (4.86±0.39 mm) than those in the 409MP and 920H IOL groups at 3 months after surgery (PE: -0.25±0.54 and -0.16±0.65 D, respectively; ALP: 4.34±0.26 and 4.14±0.32 mm, respectively). The MCX11 IOLs showed more backward bending deformation after surgery than 409MP and 920H IOLs. The radius of curvature of the IOL was negatively correlated with ALP (r=-0.532, p=0.002) in the MCX11 IOL group, but not in the other two groups. Multivariate analysis showed that MCX11 IOLs were more prone to bending in highly myopic eyes with a smaller anterior capsular opening (ß=0.236, p=0.023) and lower implanted power (ß=0.542, p=0.001). CONCLUSION: In highly myopic eyes, IOLs with good capsular support show less backward bending, which result in a more stable lens position and refractive status postoperatively. Severe capsular contraction and low implanted power are risk factors for bending of certain IOLs.

A Pan-Transcriptome Analysis Indicates Efficient Downregulation of the FIB Genes Plays a Critical Role in the Response of Alfalfa to Cold Stress.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a perennial forage legume that is widely distributed throughout the world, and cold stress is an important environmental factor limiting the growth and production of alfalfa in cold regions. However, little is known of the molecular mechanisms regarding cold tolerance in alfalfa. Here, we conducted physiological metabolism assays and pan-transcriptome sequencing on eight cultivars of alfalfa under cold stress conditions. The results of the RNA-seq analysis showed that the genes are "oxidoreductase activity" and "transcription regulator activity", suggesting that genes with such functions are more likely to play important roles in the response to cold stress by alfalfa. In addition, to identify specific gene modules and hub genes in response to alfalfa cold stress, we applied weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA) analyses to the RNA-seq data. Our results indicate that the modules of genes that focus on the ATPase complex, ribosome biogenesis, are more likely to be involved in the alfalfa response to cold stress. It is important to note that we identified two fibronectin (FIB) genes as hub genes in alfalfa in response to cold stress and that they negatively regulate alfalfa response to chilling stress, and it is possible that dormant alfalfa is more effective at down-regulating FIB expression and therefore more resistant to cold stress.

Experimental factors that impact CaV1.2 channel pharmacology-Effects of recording temperature, charge carrier, and quantification of drug effects on the step and ramp currents elicited by the "step-step-ramp" voltage protocol.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: CaV1.2 channels contribute to action potential upstroke in pacemaker cells, plateau potential in working myocytes, and initiate excitation-contraction coupling. Understanding drug action on CaV1.2 channels may inform potential impact on cardiac function. However, literature shows large degrees of variability between CaV1.2 pharmacology generated by different laboratories, casting doubt regarding the utility of these data to predict or interpret clinical outcomes. This study examined experimental factors that may impact CaV1.2 pharmacology. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Whole cell recordings were made on CaV1.2 overexpression cells. Current was evoked using a "step-step-ramp" waveform that elicited a step and a ramp current. Experimental factors examined were: 1) near physiological vs. room temperature for recording, 2) drug inhibition of the step vs. the ramp current, and 3) Ca2+ vs. Ba2+ as the charge carrier. Eight drugs were studied. KEY RESULTS: CaV1.2 current exhibited prominent rundown, exquisite temperature sensitivity, and required a high degree of series resistance compensation to optimize voltage control. Temperature-dependent effects were examined for verapamil and methadone. Verapamil's block potency shifted by up to 4X between room to near physiological temperature. Methadone exhibited facilitatory and inhibitory effects at near physiological temperature, and only inhibitory effect at room temperature. Most drugs inhibited the ramp current more potently than the step current-a preference enhanced when Ba2+ was the charge carrier. The slopes of the concentration-inhibition relationships for many drugs were shallow, temperature-dependent, and differed between the step and the ramp current. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: All experimental factors examined affected CaV1.2 pharmacology. In addition, whole cell CaV1.2 current characteristics-rundown, temperature sensitivity, and impact of series resistance-are also factors that can impact pharmacology. Drug effects on CaV1.2 channels appear more complex than simple pore block mechanism. Normalizing laboratory-specific approaches is key to improve inter-laboratory data reproducibility. Releasing original electrophysiology records is essential to promote transparency and enable the independent evaluation of data quality.

CRISPR-Based Diagnostics: A Potential Tool to Address the Diagnostic Challenges of Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which infects more than 23% of the world's population. With the emergence of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and latent TB infection (LTBI), rapid diagnosis of DR-TB and LTBI has become a challenge for the prevention and control of TB. Herein, we highlight these challenges and discuss emerging clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based diagnostics in TB detection. Currently, the clinical diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection mainly depends on pathogenic and molecular biological methods, including sputum smear, sputum culture, and Xpert. Although CRISPR-based diagnostics have not been applied to the clinical diagnosis of TB, they have shown exciting preponderances in TB diagnosis compared with traditional methods, including higher sensitivity, less sample input, and shorter turnaround time. CRISPR-based diagnostics represent a potential tool to address the challenges and natural weaknesses associated with traditional TB diagnosis methods. Based on the currently available data, we suggest that future CRISPR-based TB diagnostics should be developed in the direction of automation, modularization, diversification, and intelligence. By combining the CRISPR platform with various systems, such as microfluidic chips, droplet microfluidics, electrochemical techniques, and optical systems, the specificity and sensitivity of TB diagnosis may be revolutionized.

Lower thermal conductivity of body centered cubic carbon (C14): a comparative study with diamond.

In recent years, the material preparation technology has ushered into a stage of rapid development, increasingly more carbon materials are found to display superior properties, making them suitable for designing nano-scale devices. Within the applications of electronic devices, a considerable amount of consumed energy has to be converted into heat; thus the efficiency of heat transport inside these devices can largely determine their overall performance. Decent elucidations of the heat transport mechanisms within low-dimensional materials will be helpful to achieve thermal management control of the related devices and furthermore, to improve their conversion efficiency. It is well understood that the heat transport within these kinds of materials is largely associated with their structural features. In this study, we focused on a novel material, body centered cubic carbon (C14), which is composed of sp3 hybridized carbon atoms. Such a novel material displays superior electronic properties; however, its thermal properties remain to be investigated. In order to systematically evaluate the practical applicability of this novel material, first-principles calculations were employed to systematically solve its structure; furthermore, its thermal conductivity, phonon dispersion spectrum, phonon properties, Grüneisen parameters, scattering phase space and mechanical properties were all described in detail. We found that C14 performs well in heat transport; and via systematical comparison with another allotrope, diamond, its transport mechanism was further summarized. We hope the physical insights provided by this study could serve as theoretical support for nano-scale device design.

[Regulation of plant iron homeostasis by abscisic acid: a review].

Iron (Fe) is an important trace element involved in many important plant physiological and metabolic processes such as photosynthesis, respiration and nitrogen metabolism. Plants maintain iron homeostasis through absorption, transporting, storage and redistribution of iron. Iron metabolism is strictly regulated in plants. Iron regulatory transcription factors and iron transporters constitute the regulatory network of plant iron absorption and transport in plants. Ferritin and iron transporter jointly regulate the response to excess iron in plants. In recent years, important progress has been made in understanding how abscisic acid (ABA) regulates iron metabolism in plants. ABA may be used as a signal to regulate the absorption, transportation and reuse of Fe, or to relieve the symptoms of iron stress by regulating the oxidative stress responses in plants. In order to gain deeper insights into the crosstalk of ABA and iron metabolism in plants, this review summarized the mechanisms of iron absorption and transport and metabolic regulatory network in plants, as well as the mechanisms of ABA in regulating iron metabolism. The relationship between ABA and FER-like iron deficiency-induced transcription factor (FIT), iron-regulated transporter 1 (IRT1), and oxidative stress of iron deficiency were highlighted, and future research directions were prospected.

Local changes in snow depth dominate the evolving pattern of elevation-dependent warming on the Tibetan Plateau.

Elevation-dependent warming (EDW), whereby warming rates are stratified by elevation, may increase the threat to the life-supporting solid water reservoir on the Tibetan Plateau. Previous studies have debated whether EDW exists and how it is driven. Using temperatures at 133 weather stations on the Tibetan Plateau during 17 different periods generated using a 30-year sliding window over 1973-2018, this study finds that the existence of EDW varies as the period moves forward, and critically it has become more severe over time. During the early part of the record with weaker regional warming, there were limited changes in snow depth and no EDW, but as time advances and regional warming intensifies, snow depth declines significantly at higher elevations, causing development of EDW. We conclude that enhanced regional warming has caused decreases in snow depth, largely controlling the pattern of EDW on the Tibetan Plateau. This may explain contrasting conclusions on EDW from previous studies which have used data for different periods, and our findings support enhanced EDW and more severe depletion of the Tibetan Plateau solid water reserves in a warmer future.

A disease inference method based on symptom extraction and bidirectional Long Short Term Memory networks.

The wide applications of automatic disease inference in many medical fields improve the efficiency of medical treatments. Many efforts have been made to predict patients' future health conditions according to their full clinical texts, clinical measurements or medical codes. Symptoms reflect the onset of diseases and can provide credible information for disease diagnosis. In this study, we propose a new disease inference method by extracting symptoms and integrating two symptom representation approaches. To reduce the uncertainty and irregularity of symptom descriptions in Electronic Medical Records (EMR), a comprehensive clinical knowledge database consisting of massive amount of data about diseases, symptoms, and their relationships, we extract symptoms with existing nature language process tool Metamap which is designed for biomedical texts. To take advantages of the complex relationship between symptoms and diseases to enhance the accuracy of disease inference, we present two symptom representation models: term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) model for the representation of the relationship between symptoms and diseases and Word2Vec for the expression of the semantic relationship between symptoms. Based on these two symptom representations, we employ the bidirectional Long Short Term Memory networks (BiLSTMs) to model symptom sequences in EMR. Our proposed model shows a significant improvement in term of AUC (0.895) and F1 (0.572) for 50 diseases in MIMIC-III dataset. The results illustrate that the model with the combination of the two symptom representations perform better than the one with only one of them.

[Progress in bHLH transcription factors regulating the response to iron deficiency in plants].

Iron is one of the essential mineral micronutrients for plants. Low concentrations of effective iron in soil can easily increase risk of plant iron deficiency. Several members of bHLH transcription factors family participate in the response to iron deficiency and play an important role in iron regulation of plants. In order to better understand the mechanism of iron deficiency response, an overview of the structure, classification, function and regulatory mechanism of bHLH transcription factors was given in this review as well as signaling pathway triggered by iron deficiency. It will provide theoretical basis and design strategies for cultivating iron deficiency tolerant or iron-rich crops using bHLH transcription factors.