Effect of Salvia sclarea L. extract on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in lambs.

The aim of this experiment is to explore the effects of salvia sclarea extract on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, and immune function of lambs. Sixty female lambs (Chinese Merino sheep) aged 2 months and weighing 20 ± 2 kg were selected and randomly divided into five groups of twelve lambs in each. While the control group (CK) received only basal feed, the experimental group was supplemented with different concentrations of salvia sclarea extract in the basal feed at 0.04 mL/kg (group CL1), 0.08 mL/kg (group CL2), 0.12 mL/kg (group CL3), and 0.16 mL/kg (group CL4). The feeding period was 85 days, including 15 days of pre-feeding and 70 days of regular feeding. Body weight and feed intake were recorded during the test period, and blood was collected at the end of the test for the determination of immune and antioxidant indices. The results showed that the average daily gain and average daily feed intake of lambs were significantly increased in CL3 group compared to CK group (p < 0.05). Also, the apparent nutrient digestibility of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber was significantly increased (p < 0.05). The Dry matter, acid detergent fiber and Ether extract were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The serum levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and antioxidant capacity were significantly higher in the CL2, CL3, and CL4 groups compared to CK group, while malondialdehyde levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05). The serum levels of immune globulin A, immune globulin G, immune globulin M, interferon-γ, and interleukin-10 were significantly higher and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß were significantly lower in the CL2, CL3, and CL4 groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of salvia sclarea extract to the ration promotes growth performance and nutrient digestion in lambs. Improvement of immune response by increasing immunoglobulin and cytokine concentrations. And it enhances the antioxidant status by increasing the antioxidant enzyme activity in lambs. Introduction: This study aimed to explore the effects of Salvia sclarea extract on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, antioxidant capacity, and immune function of the lambs. Methods: Sixty female lambs (Chinese Merino sheep) aged 2 months and weighing 20 ± 2 kg were selected and randomly divided into five groups of 12 lambs each. The control group (CK) received only basal feed, whereas the experimental group was supplemented with different concentrations of salvia sclarea extract in the basal feed at 0.04, 0.08, 0.12, and 0.16 mL/kg (CL1, CL2, CL3, and CL4, respectively). The feeding period was 85 days, including 15 days of pre-feeding and 70 days of regular feeding. Body weight and feed intake were recorded during the test period, and blood was collected at the end of the test to determine immune and antioxidant indices. Results: The results showed that the average daily weight gain and feed intake of the lambs were significantly higher in the CL3 group than in the CK group (p < 0.05). In addition, the apparent nutrient digestibility of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber increased significantly (p < 0.05). The dry matter, acid detergent fiber, and ether extract were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Serum levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and antioxidant capacity were significantly higher in the CL2, CL3, and CL4 groups than in the CK group, whereas malondialdehyde levels were significantly lower (p < 0.05). The serum levels of immune globulin immune globulin A, immune globulin G, immune globulin M, interferon-γ, and interleukin-10 were significantly higher and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß were significantly lower in the CL2, CL3, and CL4 groups (p < 0.05). Discussion: In conclusion, the addition of the S. sclarea extract to the diet promoted growth performance and nutrient digestion in lambs. Immune response was improved by increasing Ig and cytokine concentrations. It enhances antioxidant status by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity in lambs.

Chemical characteristics, antioxidant capacity, bacterial community, and metabolite composition of mulberry silage ensiling with lactic acid bacteria.

Mulberry has high crude protein and biologically active compounds but is difficult to be ensiled due to the lack of adequate epiphytic LAB. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inoculation with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus isolated from mulberry with higher antioxidant capacity alone or in combination with Streptococcus bovis on chemical characteristics, antioxidant capacity, bacterial community, and metabolite composition of mulberry silage. The results showed that all inoculation groups had higher dry matter and lower pH than the control group, particularly in LP (dry matter, DM, 32.03% and pH = 4.44) and LP_PP_SB (DM, 31.68% and pH = 4.26) after 60 days of ensiling. Ammonia nitrogen (AN) content was the lowest in both LP_SB and LP_PP_SB groups, which were 1.86 g/kg FM and 1.05 g/kg FM, respectively, (P < 0.05). Only the LP_PP_SB group showed increased polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 1.2851 g/kg DM, P < 0.05) than the control group. Ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values were increased in all inoculation-treated groups compared with the control group (P < 0.05). 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH), 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), and FRAP exhibited the highest levels in the LP_PP- and LP_PP_SB-treated groups. Enterobacter was dominant in both the control and SB-treated groups, and the relative abundance was 41.18% and 32.35%, respectively (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus was higher in the LP-, LP_PP-, and LP_SB-treated groups (81.84%-82.69%). Relative abundance of Pediococcus was higher in the PP-, PP_SB-, and LP_PP_SB-treated groups (74.27%-85.27%). Untargeted metabolomics analysis results showed that five flavonoids (apigenin, eriodictyol, quercetin-3-glucoside, rutin, and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside)were upregulated in all inoculation groups (except for the SB-treated groups). Among them, eriodictyol was both positively correlated with ABTS and FRAP and also showed the highest relative abundance in the LP_PP- and LP_PP_SB-treated groups. To the best of our knowledge, this study was the first to investigate the relationship between inoculants of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria and antioxidant capacity by 16s rRNA Illumina sequencing technology and untargeted metabolomics analysis, respectively. Consequently, inoculated L. plantarum, P. pentosaceus alone, respectively, or in combination with S. bovis increased the relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus and Pediococcus and decreased the relative abundance of Enterobacter, particularly in the LP_PP_SB-treated group. In addition, inoculants could increase the relative abundance of five flavonoids (apigenin, eriodictyol, quercetin-3-glucoside, rutin, and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside), especially eriodictyol to improve the antioxidant capacity of mulberry silage.

Study on the structure-activity relationship of cationic polyacrylates for the treatment of oilfield produced water.

Cationic polyacrylates exhibit both reverse demulsification and flotation performance, which can avoid incompatibility between the reverse demulsifier and flotation agent during treatment of produced water from offshore oilfields. In our previous work, the effect of the structure of the cationic unit on the reverse demulsification and flotation performance of cationic polyacrylates was studied. However, the structure-activity relationship of cationic polyacrylates has not been systematically studied. In this study, the relationships between the structure (acrylate type, tertiary amine type, mass ratio of acrylate to tertiary amine, and degree of cationicity), interfacial properties (surface tension, interfacial tension, zeta potential, interfacial elastic modulus, interaction force between oil droplets, and film drainage time of an oil-covered bubble), and reverse demulsification and flotation performance of cationic polyacrylates were investigated. A reduction in the elastic modulus of the oil-water interface was the key factor for good reverse demulsification performance, whereas a decrease in the film drainage time of an oil-covered bubble was the key factor for good flotation performance. Ethyl acrylate (EA) was superior to methyl acrylate (MA), and dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide (DPM) was superior to dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEM). Increases in the mass ratio of ethyl acrylate to dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide and the degree of cationicity were beneficial for reducing the elastic modulus of the oil-water interface and the film drainage time of an oil-covered bubble. This is the first time that the structure-property-performance relationship of cationic polyacrylates has been systematically studied. A cationic polyacrylate that exhibited both good reverse demulsification performance and good flotation performance is recommended.

Response of maize yield and nitrogen recovery efficiency to nitrogen fertilizer application in field with various soil fertility.

Appropriate nitrogen (N) management system is essential for effective crop productivity and minimizing agricultural pollution. However, the underlying mechanistic understanding of how N fertilizer regulates crop yield via soil properties in soils with different fertilities remains unresolved. Here, we used a field experiment that spanned 3 cropping seasons to evaluate the grain yield (GY), aboveground biomass and N recovery efficiency (NRE) after treatment with five N fertilizer application rates (N0, N75, N112, N150, and N187) in soils with three levels of fertility. Our results indicated that the highest GY across low, moderate, and high fertility soils were 1.5 t hm-2 (N150), 4.9 t hm-2 (N187), and 5.4 t hm-2 (N112), respectively. The highest aboveground biomass and NRE were observed at N150 for all three levels of soil fertility, while only the N uptake by aboveground biomass of low and high fertility soils decreased at N187, confirming that excessive N fertilization results in a further decline in crop N uptake. The relationship between GY, NRE and N fertilizer application rates fit the unary quadratic polynomial model. To achieve a balance between grain production and environmental benefits in N fertilizer, appropriate N fertilizer rates were determined to be 97.5 kg hm-2, 140 kg hm-2 and 131 kg hm-2 for low, moderate and high fertility soils, respectively. Structural equation modeling suggested that GY was significant correlated with soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and N directly in low fertility field, with SMBC directly in moderate fertility field, and via SOC and NO3 -N in high fertility field. Therefore, a soil-based management strategy for N fertilizers could enhance food security while reducing agricultural N fertilizer inputs to mitigate environmental impacts.

Differential Microbial Composition and Interkingdom Interactions in the Intestinal Microbiota of Holstein and German Simmental × Holstein Cross F1 Calves: A Comprehensive Analysis of Bacterial and Fungal Diversity.

Calf intestines are colonized by rich and complex microbial communities, playing a crucial role in animal physiology, metabolism, nutrition, and immune function. In this study, we provide insight into the composition of fecal microbial bacteria and fungi, respectively, as well as the cross-kingdom interactions. We investigated the intestinal microbiota of different breeds of calves by characterizing the bacterial and fungal communities in the rectal feces of Holstein calves and German Simmental × Holstein cross F1 generation (GXH) using 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing techniques. PICRUSt2 (version 2.2.0) were used to determine microbial diversity and function and explore the reasons why Holstein calves are more susceptible to diarrhea. The results revealed no significant difference in the diversity of fecal microbiota among the groups (p > 0.05). We identified Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria as the dominant bacterial phyla in the fecal bacterial communities of the two breeds of calves. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota play important roles in the fungal community but differ in relative abundance. Bacteroides was the dominant genus at the group level for calf fecal microbiota in both breeds. The relative abundance of Prevotella, Escherichia-Shigella, Peptostreptococcus, and Butyricicoccus was higher in Holstein calves, and the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium, Megamonas, Butyricicoccus, and Alloprevotella was lower than GXH group. Aspergillus and Cladosporium were the dominating genera of fecal fungi in both groups of calves. LEfSe analysis revealed 33 different bacteria and 23 different fungi between the two groups, with more differential strains found in GXH. In addition, the feces fungi-bacteria interkingdom interactions varied among breeds. Thus, the composition and structure of bacterial and fungal communities in calf feces varied by breed, indicating a potential association between breed and microbial communities. We also found differences in the network between bacterial-fungal kingdoms. We explain the reasons for Holstein calves being more prone to diarrhea. This indicated that breed makes differences in calf diarrhea rates by influencing gut microbial composition and interactions.

Long-term liming mitigates the positive responses of soil carbon mineralization to warming and labile carbon input.

Liming, as a common amelioration practice worldwide, has the potential to alleviate soil acidification and ensure crop production. However, the impacts of long-term liming on the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization and its response to labile C input remain unclear. To fill the knowledge gap, soil samples were collected from a long-term (∼10 years) field trial with unlimed and limed (CaO) plots. These soil samples were incubated at 15 °C and 25 °C for 42 days, amended without and with 13C-labeled glucose. Results showed that compared to the unlimed soil (3.6-8.6 mg C g-1 SOC), liming increased SOC mineralization (6.1-11.2 mg C g-1 SOC). However, liming significantly mitigated the positive response of SOC mineralization to warming, resulting in a lower Q10. Long-term liming increased bacterial richness and Shannon diversity as well as their response to warming which were associated with the decreased Q10. Furthermore, the decreased Q10 due to liming was attributed to the decreased response of bacterial oligotrophs/copiotrophs ratio, ß-glucosidase and xylosidase activities to warming. Labile C addition had a strong impact on Q10 in the unlimed soil, but only a marginal influence in the limed soil. Overall, our research highlights that acidification amelioration by long-term liming has the potential to alleviate the positive response of SOC mineralization to warming and labile C input, thereby facilitating SOC stability in agroecosystems, especially for acidic soils in subtropical regions.

New vegetable field converted from rice paddy increases net economic benefits at the expense of enhanced carbon and nitrogen footprints.

China accounts for around 50 % of the global vegetable harvested area which is expected to increase continuously. Large cropland areas, including rice paddy, have been converted into vegetable cultivation to feed an increasingly affluent population and increase farmers' incomes. However, little information is available on the balance between economic benefits and environmental impacts upon rice paddy conversion into vegetable fields, especially during the initial conversion period. Herein, the life cycle assessment approach was applied to compare the differences in agricultural input costs, yield incomes, net economic benefits (NEB), carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) footprints and net ecosystem economic benefits (NEEB) between the double rice paddy (Rice) and newly vegetable field (Veg) converted from Rice based on a four-year field experiment. Results showed that yield incomes from Veg increased by 96-135 %, outweighing the increased agricultural input costs due to higher inputs of labor and pesticide, thus significantly increasing NEB by 80-137 %, as compared to Rice. Rice conversion into Veg largely increased C footprints by 2.3-10 folds and N footprints by 1.1-2.6 folds, consequently increasing the environmental damage costs (EDC) by 2.2 folds on average. The magnitudes of increases in C and N footprints and EDC due to conversion strongly declined over time. The NEEB, the trade-offs between NEB and EDC, decreased by 18 % in the first year, while increasing by 63 % in the second year and further to 135 % in the fourth year upon conversion. These results suggested that rice paddy conversion into vegetable cultivation could increase the NEB at the expense of enhanced EDC, particular during the initial conversion years. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of introducing interventions to mitigate C and N footprints from newly converted vegetable field, so as to maximize NEEB and realize the green and sustainable vegetable production.

DTX2 promotes glioma development via regulation of HLTF.

BACKGROUND: Human Deltex 2 (DTX2) is a ubiquitin E3 ligase that functions as an oncogene and has been shown to participate in many human cancers. However, the role of DTX2 in glioma progression has remained obscure. In this study, we explore the mechanism underlying the function of DTX2 in glioma progression. METHODS: The associations between DTX2 expression and clinical characteristics of glioma were determined by bioinformatic analysis of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Human Protein Atlas. The expression of DTX2 in glioma tissues was detected using immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Lentivirus-mediated gene knockdown and overexpression were used to determine the effects of DTX2 and helicase-like transcription element (HLTF) on glioma cell proliferation and migration with CCK-8, cell colony formation, transwell, and wound healing assays; flow cytometry in vitro; and animal models in vivo. The interaction of the DTX2 and HLTF proteins was verified by immunoprecipitation assay and confocal microscopy. RESULTS: DTX2 was highly expressed in glioma samples, and this was correlated with worse overall survival. Silencing of DTX2 suppressed glioma cell viability, colony formation, and migration and induced cell apoptosis. In vitro ubiquitination assays confirmed that DTX2 could downregulate HLTF protein levels by increasing ubiquitination of the HLTF protein. We also observed that HLTF inhibited proliferation and migration of glioma cells. Subcutaneous xenografts with DTX2-overexpressing U87 cells showed significantly increased tumor volumes and weights. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified DTX2/HLTF as a new axis in the development of glioma that could serve as a prognostic or therapeutic marker.

A global dataset of biochar application effects on crop yield, soil properties, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Biochar application is widely studied to mitigate the threats of soil degradation to food security and climate change. However, there are big variations in the effects of biochar application on crops, soils, and the atmosphere during crop production. This study provides a global dataset of biochar application effects on crop yield, soil properties, and greenhouse emissions. The dataset is extracted and integrated from 367 peer-reviewed studies with 891 independent field, laboratory, and incubation experiments across 37 countries. This dataset includes 21 variables before and after biochar application (including soil properties, crop yield, greenhouse gas emissions, etc.) of 2438 items, focusing on two main biochar application types: biochar application alone and combined with fertilizers. Background information on climate conditions, initial soil properties, management practices, and characteristics of biochar sources and production is also contained in the dataset. This dataset facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the impact of biochar application, supports the utilization of agricultural wastes for biochar production, and assists researchers in refining experimental protocols for further studies.

Integrated bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation identified CDCA families as prognostic biomarkers and sensitive indicators for rapamycin treatment of glioma.

The cell division cycle associated (CDCA) genes regulate the cell cycle; however, their relationship with prognosis in glioma has been poorly reported in the literature. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized to probe the CDCA family in relation to the adverse clinical features of glioma. Glioma single-cell atlas reveals specific expression of CDCA3, 4, 5, 8 in malignant cells and CDCA7 in neural progenitor cells (NPC)-like malignant cells. Glioma data from TCGA, the China Glioma Genome Atlas Project (CGGA) and the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database all demonstrated that CDCA2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 are prognostic markers for glioma. Further analysis identified CDCA2, 5 and 8 as independent prognostic factors for glioma. Lasso regression-based risk models for CDCA families demonstrated that high-risk patients were characterized by high tumor mutational burden (TMB), low levels of microsatellite instability (MSI), and low tumor immune dysfunction and rejection (TIDE) scores. These pointed to immunotherapy for glioma as a potentially viable treatment option Further CDCA clustering suggested that the high CDCA subtype exhibited a high macrophage phenotype and was associated with a higher antigen presentation capacity and high levels of immune escape. In addition, hsa-mir-15b-5p was predicted to be common regulator of CDCA3 and CDCA4, which was validated in U87 and U251 cells. Importantly, we found that CDCAs may indicate response to drug treatment, especially rapamycin, in glioma. In summary, our results suggest that CDCAs have potential applications in clinical diagnosis and as drug sensitivity markers in glioma.

Comparing letrozole and mifepristone pre-treatment in medical management of first trimester missed miscarriage: a prospective open-label non-inferiority randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether letrozole pre-treatment is non-inferior to mifepristone pre-treatment, followed by misoprostol, for complete evacuation in the medical treatment of first-trimester missed miscarriage. DESIGN: Prospective open-label non-inferiority randomised controlled trial. SETTING: A university-affiliated hospital. POPULATION: We recruited 294 women diagnosed with first-trimester missed miscarriage who opted for medical treatment. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to: (i) the mifepristone group, who received 200 mg mifepristone orally followed 24-48 h later by 800 µg misoprostol vaginally; or (ii) the letrozole group, who received 10 mg letrozole orally once-a-day for 3 days, followed by 800 µg misoprostol vaginally on the third (i.e. last) day of letrozole administration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the rate of complete evacuation without surgical intervention at 42 days post-treatment. Secondary outcomes included induction-to-expulsion interval, adverse effects, women's satisfaction, number of doses of misoprostol required, duration of vaginal bleeding, pain score on the day of misoprostol administration and other adverse events. RESULTS: The complete evacuation rates were 97.8% (95% CI 95.1%-100%) and 97.2% (95% CI 94.4%-99.9%) in the letrozole and mifepristone groups, respectively (p ≤ 0.001 for non-inferiority). The mean induction-to-tissue expulsion interval in the letrozole group was longer compared with the mifepristone group (15.4 vs 9.0 h) (p = 0.03). The letrozole group had less heavy post-treatment bleeding and an earlier return of menses. There were no statistically significant differences in the number of doses of misoprostol required, the duration of vaginal bleeding, the pain score on the day of misoprostol administration and the rate of other adverse events between the two groups. The majority of the women (91.2% and 93.9% in the letrozole and mifepristone groups, respectively) were satisfied with their treatment option. CONCLUSIONS: Letrozole is non-inferior to mifepristone as a pre-treatment, followed by misoprostol, for the medical treatment of first-trimester missed miscarriage.

Effects of two strains of Lactobacillus isolated from the feces of calves after fecal microbiota transplantation on growth performance, immune capacity, and intestinal barrier function of weaned calves.

Introduction: Weaning stress seriously affects the welfare of calves and causes huge economic losses to the cattle breeding industry. Probiotics play an important role in improving animal growth performance, enhancing immune function, and improving gut microbiota. The newly isolated strains of Lactobacillus reuteri L81 and Lactobacillus johnsonii L29 have shown potential as probiotics. Here, we studied the probiotic properties of these two strains on weaned calves. Methods: Forty calves were randomly assigned to four groups before weaning, with 10 calves in each group, control group (Ctrl group), L. reuteri L81 supplementation group (2 g per day per calf), L. johnsonii L29 supplementation group (2 g per day per calf), L. reuteri L81 and L. johnsonii L29 composite group (2 g per day per calf), and the effects of Lactobacillus reuteri L81 and Lactobacillus johnsonii L29 supplementation on growth performance, immune status, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal barrier function of weaned calves were evaluated. Results: The results showed that probiotics supplementation increased the average daily weight gain of calves after weaning, reduced weaning diarrhea index (p < 0.05), and increased serum IgA, IgM, and IgG levels (p < 0.05). L. reuteri L81 supplementation significantly decreased IL-6, increased IL-10 and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels at 21 d after weaning (p < 0.05). Moreover, probiotics supplementation significantly decreased serum endotoxin (ET), diamine oxidase (DAO), and D-lactic acid (D-LA) levels at different time points (p < 0.05). In addition, supplementation with L. reuteri L81 significantly reduced the crypt depth and increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (p < 0.05) in the ileum, increased gene expression of tight junction protein ZO-1, Claudin-1 and Occludin in jejunum and ileum mucosa, reduced the gene expression of INF- γ in ileum mucosa and IL-8 in jejunum mucosa, and increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Oscillospira, etc. Discussion: verall, these results showed that the two strains isolated from cattle feces after low concentration fecal microbiota transplantation improved the growth performance, immune performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal barrier function of weaned calves, indicating their potential as supplements to alleviate weaning diarrhea in calves.

Hypertrophy cardiomyopathy: A case of infantile-onset Pompe disease in cardiac magnetic resonance findings.

There are two clinical types of Pompe disease: infantile-onset and late-onset, while the former is much more severe. We reported a typical case of Pompe disease in a 9-month infant who presenting with repeated pneumonia, growth retardation and hypomyotonia, hepatomegaly, accompany with elevated of serum creatine kinase and liver transaminase. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) showed marked hypertrophy of both ventricles including the septum, and extensive myocardial late enhancement. The gene testing result was confirmed the disease finaly. Familiarity with the imaging findings can aid in making an accurate diagnosis and determining the appropriate treatment.

Phylogenomic and population genomic analyses reveal the spatial-temporal dynamics of diversification of the Nigella arvensis complex (Ranunculaceae) in the Aegean archipelago.

The continental-shelf islands of the Aegean Sea provide an ideal geographical setting for evolutionary-biogeographical studies but disentangling the relationships between palaeogeographical history and the times, orders of modes of taxon divergence is not straightforward. Here, we used phylogenomic and population genomic approaches, based on orthologous gene sequences and transcriptome-derived SNP data, to reconstruct the spatial-temporal evolution of the Aegean Nigella arvensis complex (Ranunculaceae; 11 out of 12 taxa). The group's early diversification in the Early/Mid-Pliocene (c. 3.77 Mya) resulted in three main lineages (Greek mainland vs. central Aegean + Turkish mainland/eastern Aegean islands), while all extant taxa are of Late Plio-/Early Pleistocene origin (c. 3.30-1.59 Mya). Demographic modelling of the outcrossing taxa uncovered disparate modes of (sub)speciation, including divergence with gene flow on the Greek mainland, para- or peripatric diversification across eastern Aegean islands, and a 'mixing-isolation-mixing (MIM)' mode of subspeciation in the Cyclades. The two selfing species (N. stricta, N. doerfleri) evolved independently from the outcrossers. Present-day island configurations are clearly insufficient to explain the spatial-temporal history of lineage diversification and modes of (sub)speciation in Aegean Nigella. Moreover, our identification of positively selected genes in almost all taxa calls into question that this plant group represents a case of 'non-adaptive' radiation. Our study revealed an episodic diversification history of the N. arvensis complex, giving new insight into the modes and drivers of island speciation and adaption across multiple spatiotemporal scales.

Evolutionary roles of polyploidization-derived structural variations in the phenotypic diversification of Panax species.

Genomic structural variations (SVs) are widespread in plant and animal genomes and play important roles in phenotypic novelty and species adaptation. Frequent whole genome duplications followed by (re)diploidizations have resulted in high diversity of genome architecture among extant species. In this study, we identified abundant genomic SVs in the Panax genus that are hypothesized to have occurred through during the repeated polyploidizations/(re)diploidizations. Our genome-wide comparisons demonstrated that although these polyploidization-derived SVs have evolved at distinct evolutionary stages, a large number of SV-intersecting genes showed enrichment in functionally important pathways related to secondary metabolites, photosynthesis and basic cellular activities. In line with these observations, our metabolic analyses of these Panax species revealed high diversity of primary and secondary metabolites both at the tissue and interspecific levels. In particular, genomic SVs identified at ginsenoside biosynthesis genes, including copy number variation and large fragment deletion, appear to have played important roles in the evolution and diversification of ginsenosides. A further herbivore deterrence experiment demonstrated that, as major triterpenoidal saponins found exclusively in Panax, ginsenosides provide protection against insect herbivores. Our study provides new insights on how polyploidization-derived SVs have contributed to phenotypic novelty and plant adaptation.

Soil organic carbon priming co-regulated by labile carbon input level and long-term fertilization history.

Labile carbon (C) input and fertilization have important consequences for soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition via the priming effect (PE), thereby impacting soil fertility and C sequestration. However, it remains largely uncertain on how the labile C input levels interact with long-term fertilization history to control PE intensity. To clarify this question, soil samples were collected from a 38-year fertilization field experiment (including five treatments: chemical nitrogen fertilizer, N; chemical fertilizer, NPK; manure, M1; 200 % manure, M2; NPK plus M2, NPKM2), with strongly altered soil physiochemical properties (i.e., soil aggregation, organic C and nutrient availability). These soil samples were incubated with three input levels of 13C-glucose (without glucose, control; low, 0.4 % SOC; high, 2.0 % SOC) to clarify the underlying mechanisms of PE. Results showed that the PE significantly increased with glucose input levels, with values increasing from negative or weak (-2.21 to 3.55 mg C g-1 SOC) at low input level to strongly positive (5.62 to 8.57 mg C g-1 SOC) at high input level across fertilization treatments. The increased PE intensity occurred along with decreased dissolved total nitrogen (DTN) contents and increased ratios of dissolved organic C to DTN, implying that the decline in N availability largely increased PE via enhanced microbial N mining from SOM. Compared to N and NPK treatments, the PE was significantly lower in the manure-amendment treatments, especially for low input level, due to more stable SOM by aggregate protection and higher N and phosphorus availability. These results suggested that manure application could alleviate SOM priming via increased soil C stability and nutrient availability. Collectively, our findings emphasize the importance of long-term fertilization-driven changes in labile C inputs, SOM stability, and nutrient availability in regulating PE and soil C dynamics. This knowledge advances our understanding of the long-term fertilization management for soil C sequestration.

Host shift promotes divergent evolution between closely related holoparasitic species.

Distinct hosts have been hypothesized to possess the potential for affecting species differentiation and genome evolution of parasitic organisms. However, what host shift history is experienced by the closely related parasites and whether disparate evolution of their genomes occur remain largely unknown. Here, we screened horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events in a pair of sister species of holoparasitic Boschniakia (Orobanchaceae) having obligate hosts from distinct families to recall the former host-parasite associations and performed a comparative analysis to investigate the difference of their organelle genomes. Except those from the current hosts (Ericaceae and Betulaceae), we identified a number of HGTs from Rosaceae supporting the occurrence of unexpected ancient host shifts. Different hosts transfer functional genes which changed nuclear genomes of this sister species. Likewise, different donors transferred sequences to their mitogenomes, which vary in size due to foreign and repetitive elements rather than other factors found in other parasites. The plastomes are both severely reduced, and the degree of difference in reduction syndrome reaches the intergeneric level. Our findings provide new insights into the genome evolution of parasites adapting to different hosts and extend the mechanism of host shift promoting species differentiation to parasitic plant lineages.

Climate heterogeneity shapes phylogeographic pattern of Hippophae gyantsensis (Elaeagnaceae) in the east Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains.

The interaction of recent orographic uplift and climate heterogeneity acted as a key role in the East Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains (EHHM) has been reported in many studies. However, how exactly the interaction promotes clade diversification remains poorly understood. In this study, we both used the chloroplast trnT-trnF region and 11 nuclear microsatellite loci to investigate the phylogeographic structure and population dynamics of Hippophae gyantsensis and estimate what role geological barriers or ecological factors play in the spatial genetic structure. The results showed that this species had a strong east-west phylogeographic structure, with several mixed populations identified from microsatellite data in central location. The intraspecies divergence time was estimated to be about 3.59 Ma, corresponding well with the recent uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. Between the two lineages, there was significant climatic differentiation without geographic barriers. High consistency between lineage divergence, climatic heterogeneity, and Qingzang Movement demonstrated that climatic heterogeneity but not geographic isolation drives the divergence of H. gyantsensis, and the recent regional uplift of the QTP, as the Himalayas, creates heterogeneous climates by affecting the flow of the Indian monsoon. The east group of H. gyantsensis experienced population expansion c. 0.12 Ma, closely associated with the last interglacial interval. Subsequently, a genetic admixture event between east and west groups happened at 26.90 ka, a period corresponding to the warm inter-glaciation again. These findings highlight the importance of the Quaternary climatic fluctuations in the recent evolutionary history of H. gyantsensis. Our study will improve the understanding of the history and mechanisms of biodiversity accumulation in the EHHM region.

The value of basement membrane-associated genes in the prognosis and immune regulation of glioma.

Gliomas have a high incidence rate in central nervous tumors. Although many breakthroughs have been made in the pathogenesis and treatment of glioma, the recurrence and metastasis rates of patients have not been improved based on the uniqueness of glioma. Glioma destroys the surrounding basement membrane (BM), leading to local infiltration, resulting in the corresponding clinical and neurological symptoms. Therefore, exploring the biological roles played by BM associated genes in glioma is particularly necessary for a comprehensive understanding of the biological processes of glioma and its treatment. Differential expression and univariate COX regression analyses were used to identify the basement membrane genes (BMGs) to be included in the model. LASSO regression was used to construct the BMG model. The Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis model was used to assess the prognosis discrimination between training sets, validation sets, and clinical subgroups. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to test the prognostic efficacy of the model. Use calibration curves to verify the accuracy of nomograms. Gene ontology (GO), Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were used to analyze the function and pathway enrichment among the model groups. ESTIMATE and other 7 algorithms including CIBERSORT were used to evaluate the immune microenvironment. "pRRophetic" was used to evaluate drug sensitivity. This study demonstrated that high-risk genes (LAMB4, MMP1, MMP7) promote glioma progression and negatively correlate with patient prognosis. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), high-risk genes have increased scores of macrophages, neutrophils, immune checkpoints, chemokines, and chemokine receptors. This study suggests that BMGs, especially high-risk-related genes, are potential sites for glioma therapy, a new prospect for comprehensively understanding the molecular mechanism of glioma.

Effect of replacing synthetic nitrogen fertilizer with animal manure on grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency in China: a meta-analysis.

To reduce reliance on synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer and sustain food production, replacing synthetic N fertilizer with animal manure as an effective method is widely used. However, the effects of replacing synthetic N fertilizer with animal manure on crop yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) remain uncertain under varying fertilization management practices, climate conditions, and soil properties. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and rice (Oryza sativa L.) based on 118 published studies conducted in China. Overall, the results indicated that substituting synthetic N fertilizer with manure increased yield by 3.3%-3.9% for the three grain crops and increased NUE by 6.3%-10.0%. Crop yields and NUE did not significantly increase at a low N application rate (≤120 kg ha-1) or high substitution rate (>60%). Yields and NUE values had higher increases for upland crops (wheat and maize) in temperate monsoon climate/temperate continental climate regions with less average annual rainfall (AAR) and lower mean annual temperature (MAT), while rice had higher increases in subtropical monsoon climate regions with more AAR and higher MAT. The effect of manure substitution was better in soil with low organic matter and available phosphorus. Our study shows that the optimal substitution rate was 44% and the total N fertilizer input cannot be less than 161 kg ha-1 when substituting synthetic N fertilizer with manure. Moreover, site-specific conditions should also be considered.