A large sequenced mutant library - valuable reverse genetic resource that covers 98% of sorghum genes.

Mutant populations are crucial for functional genomics and discovering novel traits for crop breeding. Sorghum, a drought and heat-tolerant C4 species, requires a vast, large-scale, annotated, and sequenced mutant resource to enhance crop improvement through functional genomics research. Here, we report a sorghum large-scale sequenced mutant population with 9.5 million ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS)-induced mutations that covered 98% of sorghum's annotated genes using inbred line BTx623. Remarkably, a total of 610 320 mutations within the promoter and enhancer regions of 18 000 and 11 790 genes, respectively, can be leveraged for novel research of cis-regulatory elements. A comparison of the distribution of mutations in the large-scale mutant library and sorghum association panel (SAP) provides insights into the influence of selection. EMS-induced mutations appeared to be random across different regions of the genome without significant enrichment in different sections of a gene, including the 5' UTR, gene body, and 3'-UTR. In contrast, there were low variation density in the coding and UTR regions in the SAP. Based on the Ka /Ks value, the mutant library (~1) experienced little selection, unlike the SAP (0.40), which has been strongly selected through breeding. All mutation data are publicly searchable through SorbMutDB (https://www.depts.ttu.edu/igcast/sorbmutdb.php) and SorghumBase (https://sorghumbase.org/). This current large-scale sequence-indexed sorghum mutant population is a crucial resource that enriched the sorghum gene pool with novel diversity and a highly valuable tool for the Poaceae family, that will advance plant biology research and crop breeding.

A leucine-rich repeat receptor kinase as a regulator in the cuticular wax deposition in sorghum.

Cuticular wax (CW) is the first defensive barrier of plants that forms a waterproof barrier, protects the plant from desiccation, and defends against insects, pathogens, and UV radiation. Sorghum, an important grass crop with high heat and drought tolerance, exhibits a much higher wax load than other grasses and the model plant Arabidopsis. In this study, we explored the regulation of sorghum CW biosynthesis using a bloomless mutant. The CW on leaf sheaths of bloomless 41 (bm41) mutant showed significantly reduced very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), triterpenoids, alcohols, and other wax components, with an overall 86% decrease in total wax content compared to the wild-type. Notably, the 28-carbon and 30-carbon VLCFAs were decreased in the mutants. Using bulk segregant analysis, we identified the causal gene of the bloomless phenotype as a leucine-rich repeat transmembrane protein kinase. Transcriptome analysis of the wild-type and bm41 mutant leaf sheaths revealed BM41 as a positive regulator of lipid biosynthesis and steroid metabolism. BM41 may regulate CW biosynthesis by regulating the expression of the gene encoding 3-ketoacyl-CoA synthase 6. Identification of BM41 as a new regulator of CW biosynthesis provides fundamental knowledge for improving grass crops' heat and drought tolerance by increasing CW.

Nursing intervention and quality feedback guided by stress system theory in neurological function recovery and post-traumatic growth of patients with acute primary cerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of nursing intervention and quality feedback guided by stress system theory on neurological function recovery and post-traumatic growth in patients with cerebral hemorrhage. METHODS: 120 patients with cerebral hemorrhage admitted to our hospital from October 2022 to November 2023 were selected, 47 patients in the control group received routine medical care, and 73 patients in the observation group were added nursing intervention measures under the guidance of stress system theory on this basis. The effects of the intervention were evaluated by Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), Barthel index (BI) and Chinese scale of clinical neurological impairment in stroke patients (CSS). RESULTS: After intervention, the PTGI score in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The SAS and SDS scores were significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.001), indicating that the nursing intervention effectively alleviated the anxiety and depression of patients. At the same time, the BI index of the observation group was significantly increased, and the CSS score was significantly decreased (p < 0.001), indicating that the patients' self-care ability of daily life and the recovery level of neurological function were significantly improved. CONCLUSION: Nursing intervention and quality feedback strategy under the guidance of stress system theory can effectively improve the neurological recovery ability and post-traumatic growth level of patients with cerebral hemorrhage, and has a significant effect on improving the psychological state and quality of life of patients.

Comparison Of Analgesic Efficacy of Continuous Perineural Catheter, Liposomal Bupivacaine, And Dexamethasone as An Adjuvant For Interscalene Block In Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Triple Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Interscalene catheters (ISC) are considered as the gold standard for perioperative pain control after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) for interscalene blocks (ISB) or the addition of dexamethasone to ISBs have both presented as additional options for extended analgesia. We aimed to compare the efficacy of LB to a single shot ISB (SISB) with added dexamethasone to an ISC. We hypothesized that a single injection of LB or an ISB with a dexamethasone will provide non-inferior duration and quality of analgesia compared to ISC. METHODS: A single centered triple blinded randomized controlled trial evaluated patients undergoing elective primary TSA. Patients were randomized to 3 groups, Group A (control): 0.5% bupivacaine 15 ml with a rescue catheter left in situ (0.125% bupivacaine infusion), Group B: 0.5% bupivacaine 14 ml with 4mg (1 ml) dexamethasone with a catheter left in situ (saline infusion), Group C: 10 ml of liposomal bupivacaine (133 mg) with 0.5% bupivacaine 5 ml, with a catheter left in situ (saline infusion). The primary outcome was the worst NRS (numeric rating scale) measured on arrival to PACU, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 36 hours postoperatively. Secondary outcomes recorded were time to first analgesic request, intraoperative opioid consumption, total inpatient opioid consumption, arm weakness, arm numbness, time of analgesia duration, time of motor recovery, sensory testing using pinprick on POD1, Q36, Q48, hand strength assessment using dynamometer POD1, Q36, Q48, PACU and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: We analyzed 72 patients in 3 groups (Group A 24, group B 24, Group C 24). The pre-surgery physical function scores were similar between groups. The change in postoperative pain was not different among the three groups. All 3 groups demonstrated an increase in the postoperative values, a change that was not statistically significant between groups. Likewise, no difference in the mental function score was seen within or between groups. No differences in sleep quality or satisfaction were seen among groups (P values 0.405 and 1.00, respectively). No adverse events were reported in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was demonstrated between a single injection ISB with dexamethasone, a LB injection and an ISC. Given the equivalence in analgesia provided with these three modalities, providers should carefully consider the option that best fits each patient. Thus, a single injection of LB or single injection of bupivacaine with dexamethasone provides similar analgesic efficacy compared to ISC.

Efficacy of intramedullary bridge fixation for midshaft clavicle fractures: a retrospective analysis of a novel technique.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy of a novel intramedullary fixation technique using the ortho-bridge system (OBS) for midshaft clavicle fractures. METHODS: A total of 63 patients were included in this study: 35 underwent plate internal fixation (LP group) and 28 underwent OBS intramedullary fixation (OBS group). Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, incision length, fracture healing time, removal of the internal fixation agent, visual analog scale (VAS) score for shoulder pain, Constant-Murley shoulder score and complication occurrence were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Preoperative general data, such as sex, age and fracture type, were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05). However, the OBS group exhibited better outcomes than the LP group exhibited in terms of surgical time, intraoperative blood loss and total incision length (P < 0.05). Additionally, the OBS group exhibited a significantly shorter fracture healing time and internal-fixation removal time than the LP group exhibited (P < 0.05). The VAS scores on postoperative day 1, week 1, month 1 and month 3 were lower in the OBS group than in the LP group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the Constant-Murley shoulder scores at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively were higher in the OBS group than in the LP group (P < 0.05), with no significant difference at 1 year after surgery (P > 0.05). None of the patients in the OBS group experienced scarring of the surgical incision, and 6 patients in the LP group experienced scarring of the surgical incision. Finally, the complication incidence in the OBS group was lower than that in the LP group. CONCLUSION: For midshaft clavicle fractures, OBS intramedullary fixation is better than locking-plate internal fixation because it led to less trauma, a faster recovery, better efficacy, and better esthetic outcomes and comfort. Therefore, this technique may have potential as a novel treatment for midshaft clavicle fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, retrospective observational study.

Dietary sinensetin and polymethoxyflavonoids: Bioavailability and potential metabolic syndrome-related bioactivity.

Sinensetin is among the most ubiquitous polyphenols in citrus fruit and recently has been extensively studied for its ability to prevent or treat diseases. The current literature on the bioavailability of sinensetin and its derivatives was reviewed and the potential ameliorative effects of metabolic syndrome in humans were evaluated. Sinensetin and its derivatives mainly aggregated in the large intestine and extensively metabolized through gut microbiota (GM) and the liver. So intestinal microorganisms had a significant influence on the absorption and metabolism of sinensetin. Interestingly, not only GM acted on sinensetin to metabolize them, but sinensetin also regulated the composition of GM. Thus, sinensetin was metabolized as methyl, glucuronide and sulfate metabolites in the blood and urine. Furthermore, sinensetin was reported to have the beneficial effect of ameliorating metabolic syndromes, including disorders of lipid metabolism (obesity, NAFLD, atherosclerosis), glucose metabolism disorder (insulin resistant) and inflammation, in terms of improving the composition of intestinal flora and modulating metabolic pathway factors in relevant tissues. The present work strongly elucidated the potential mechanism of sinensetin in improving metabolic disorders and supported the contribution of sinensetin to health benefits, thus offering a better perspective in understanding the role played by sinensetin in human health.

Multiple Component Pharmacokinetics after Oral Administration of Gnaphalium affine Extract in Rats.

Gnaphalium affine is traditionally used to treat hyperuricemia and gout in China. Recently, the hypouricemic and renal protective effects of G. affine extract (GAD) have been deeply evaluated. However, little is known about the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of bioactive constituents in GAD. This study is aimed at investigating the individual and holistic pharmacokinetics of 10 bioactive components (including caffeic acid, caffeoylquinic acids, and flavonoids) in rats after single and multiple administrations of GAD. GAD is orally dosed to normal male rats at doses of 225, 450, or 900 mg/kg/day for 10 consecutive days and also orally administrated to uric acid nephropathy (UAN) rats at a dose of 900 mg/kg/day for 28 consecutive days. Integrated PKs of multiple components are calculated by area under the curve (AUC)-based weighting approach. All the components show a double-peak phenomenon in terms of their plasma concentration-time curves, suggesting that the components undergo enterohepatic circulation. The integrated AUC increases in a good dose-proportional manner with GAD dose. Compared with that in normal rats, the plasma exposure of caffeic acid and caffeoylquinic acids increases by 2.3- to 4.3-fold after 10-day chronic treatment of 900 mg/kg GAD in UAN rats. Modest drug accumulation is observed after 28-day chronic treatment.

Association and prediction of subjective sleep quality and postoperative delirium during major non-cardiac surgery: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute form of brain dysfunction that can result in serious adverse consequences. There has been a link between cognitive dysfunction and poor sleep. The present study aimed to determine the association and prediction of subjective sleep quality and postoperative delirium during major non-cardiac surgery. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-four patients, aged 60 years or older, were scheduled for elective laparotomy or orthopaedic procedures. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep log were used to assess perioperative subjective sleep quality in participants. Nursing Delirium Screening Checklist (NU-DESC) was used for screening, and the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) was used to diagnose POD during the first seven days following surgery. The association between subjective sleep quality and POD was assessed using a multivariate logistic regression model. Thereafter, the prediction performance of subjective sleep quality was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: All assessments were completed on 119 patients who had an average PSQI score of 7.0 ± 2.4 before surgery. 23 patients (19.3%) suffered from POD. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the occurrence of POD was closely related to age, BMI, PSQI and operation time. After adjusting for related factors, there was a statistically significant association between PSQI and POD occurrence (OR = 1.422, 95%CI 1.079-1.873, per 1-point increase in PSQI). The ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal PSQI cutoff value was 8.0 for predicting POD, and the area under the ROC (AUROC) value of PSQI was 0.741 (95%CI 0.635 to 0.817). The AUROC of the model developed by the multivariate logistic regression analysis was 0.870 (95%CI 0.797 to 0.925). CONCLUSIONS: The study found that preoperative subjective sleep quality was strongly associated with POD during major non-cardiac surgery. Additionally, PSQI combined with age, BMI, and operation time improved POD prediction.

Morphological analysis and stage determination of anther development in Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench].

MAIN CONCLUSION: The characteristics of sorghum anthers at 18 classified developmental stages provide an important reference for future studies on sorghum reproductive biology and abiotic stress tolerance of sorghum pollen. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is the fifth-most important cereal crop in the world. It has relatively high resilience to drought and high temperature stresses during vegetative growing stages comparing to other major cereal crops. However, like other cereal crops, the sensitivity of male organ to heat and drought can severely depress sorghum yield due to reduced fertility and pollination efficiency if the stress occurs at the reproductive stage. Identification of the most vulnerable stages and the genes and genetic networks that differentially regulate the abiotic stress responses during anther development are two critical prerequisites for targeted molecular trait selection and for enhanced environmentally resilient sorghum in breeding using a variety of genetic modification strategies. However, in sorghum, anther developmental stages have not been determined. The distinctive cellular characteristics associated with anther development have not been well examined. Lack of such critical information is a major obstacle in the studies of anther and pollen development in sorghum. In this study, we examined the morphological changes of sorghum anthers at cellular level during entire male organ development processes using a modified high-throughput imaging variable pressure scanning electron microscopy and traditional light microscopy methods. We divided sorghum anther development into 18 distinctive stages and provided detailed description of the morphological changes in sorghum anthers for each stage. The findings of this study will serve as an important reference for future studies focusing on sorghum physiology, reproductive biology, genetics, and genomics.

SorghumBase: a web-based portal for sorghum genetic information and community advancement.

MAIN CONCLUSION: SorghumBase provides a community portal that integrates genetic, genomic, and breeding resources for sorghum germplasm improvement. Public research and development in agriculture rely on proper data and resource sharing within stakeholder communities. For plant breeders, agronomists, molecular biologists, geneticists, and bioinformaticians, centralizing desirable data into a user-friendly hub for crop systems is essential for successful collaborations and breakthroughs in germplasm development. Here, we present the SorghumBase web portal ( https://www.sorghumbase.org ), a resource for the sorghum research community. SorghumBase hosts a wide range of sorghum genomic information in a modular framework, built with open-source software, to provide a sustainable platform. This initial release of SorghumBase includes: (1) five sorghum reference genome assemblies in a pan-genome browser; (2) genetic variant information for natural diversity panels and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced mutant populations; (3) search interface and integrated views of various data types; (4) links supporting interconnectivity with other repositories including genebank, QTL, and gene expression databases; and (5) a content management system to support access to community news and training materials. SorghumBase offers sorghum investigators improved data collation and access that will facilitate the growth of a robust research community to support genomics-assisted breeding.

BSAseq: an interactive and integrated web-based workflow for identification of causal mutations in bulked F2 populations.

SUMMARY: With the advance of next-generation sequencing technologies and reductions in the costs of these techniques, bulked segregant analysis (BSA) has become not only a powerful tool for mapping quantitative trait loci but also a useful way to identify causal gene mutations underlying phenotypes of interest. However, due to the presence of background mutations and errors in sequencing, genotyping, and reference assembly, it is often difficult to distinguish true causal mutations from background mutations. In this study, we developed the BSAseq workflow, which includes an automated bioinformatics analysis pipeline with a probabilistic model for estimating the linked region (the region linked to the causal mutation) and an interactive Shiny web application for visualizing the results. We deeply sequenced a sorghum male-sterile parental line (ms8) to capture the majority of background mutations in our bulked F2 data. We applied the workflow to 11 bulked sorghum F2 populations and 1 rice F2 population and identified the true causal mutation in each population. The workflow is intuitive and straightforward, facilitating its adoption by users without bioinformatics analysis skills. We anticipate that the BSAseq workflow will be broadly applicable to the identification of causal mutations for many phenotypes of interest. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: BSAseq is freely available on https://www.sciapps.org/page/bsa. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Role of P2X4/NLRP3 Pathway-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders.

Several studies have demonstrated that neuroinflammation is the key to perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND); however, the specific mechanism postsurgery and anesthesia has not yet been fully clarified. The present study is aimed at exploring the effects of P2X4/NLRP3 signaling pathway in neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment after surgery. 12-14-month-old male C57BL/6 mice undergoing open tibial fracture surgery by sevoflurane anesthesia were administered P2X4R inhibitor 5-BDBD or saline was intraperitoneally for 3 consecutive days after surgery. Then, the animals were subjected to Morris water maze test or sacrificed to collect the hippocampus. The level of P2X4R and NLRP3 was estimated by Western blot, the activation of microglia was detected via immunohistochemistry, and the expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These results indicated that tibial surgery caused cognitive impairment, increased the expression of P2X4R and NLRP3, and aggravated the neuroinflammation and microglia activation. However, intraperitoneal injection of 5-BDBD attenuated these effects. In conclusion, these findings indicated that the P2X4/NLRP3 pathway might be involved in the pathophysiology of PND.

Effect of Regional vs General Anesthesia on Incidence of Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery: The RAGA Randomized Trial.

Importance: In adults undergoing hip fracture surgery, regional anesthesia may reduce postoperative delirium, but there is uncertainty about its effectiveness. Objective: To investigate, in older adults undergoing surgical repair for hip fracture, the effects of regional anesthesia on the incidence of postoperative delirium compared with general anesthesia. Design, Setting, and Participants: A randomized, allocation-concealed, open-label, multicenter clinical trial of 950 patients, aged 65 years and older, with or without preexisting dementia, and a fragility hip fracture requiring surgical repair from 9 university teaching hospitals in Southeastern China. Participants were enrolled between October 2014 and September 2018; 30-day follow-up ended November 2018. Interventions: Patients were randomized to receive either regional anesthesia (spinal, epidural, or both techniques combined with no sedation; n = 476) or general anesthesia (intravenous, inhalational, or combined anesthetic agents; n = 474). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was incidence of delirium during the first 7 postoperative days. Secondary outcomes analyzed in this article include delirium severity, duration, and subtype; postoperative pain score; length of hospitalization; 30-day all-cause mortality; and complications. Results: Among 950 randomized patients (mean age, 76.5 years; 247 [26.8%] male), 941 were evaluable for the primary outcome (6 canceled surgery and 3 withdrew consent). Postoperative delirium occurred in 29 (6.2%) in the regional anesthesia group vs 24 (5.1%) in the general anesthesia group (unadjusted risk difference [RD], 1.1%; 95% CI, -1.7% to 3.8%; P = .48; unadjusted relative risk [RR], 1.2 [95% CI, 0.7 to 2.0]; P = .57]). Mean severity score of delirium was 23.0 vs 24.1, respectively (unadjusted difference, -1.1; 95% CI, -4.6 to 3.1). A single delirium episode occurred in 16 (3.4%) vs 10 (2.1%) (unadjusted RD, 1.1%; 95% CI, -1.7% to 3.9%; RR, 1.6 [95% CI, 0.7 to 3.5]). Hypoactive subtype in 11 (37.9%) vs 5 (20.8%) (RD, 11.5; 95% CI, -11.0% to 35.7%; RR, 2.2 [95% CI, 0.8 to 6.3]). Median worst pain score was 0 (IQR, 0 to 20) vs 0 (IQR, 0 to 10) (difference 0; 95% CI, 0 to 0). Median length of hospitalization was 7 days (IQR, 5 to 10) vs 7 days (IQR, 6 to 10) (difference 0; 95% CI, 0 to 0). Death occurred in 8 (1.7%) vs 4 (0.9%) (unadjusted RD, -0.8%; 95% CI, -2.2% to 0.7%; RR, 2.0 [95% CI, 0.6 to 6.5]). Adverse events were reported in 106 episodes in the regional anesthesia group and 102 in the general anesthesia group; the most frequently reported adverse events were nausea and vomiting (47 [44.3%] vs 34 [33.3%]) and postoperative hypotension (13 [12.3%] vs 10 [9.8%]). Conclusions and Relevance: In patients aged 65 years and older undergoing hip fracture surgery, regional anesthesia without sedation did not significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium compared with general anesthesia. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02213380.

Construction of Three High-Density Genetic Linkage Maps and Dynamic QTL Mapping of Growth Traits in Yellow River Carp (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus).

To provide the theoretical basis for researching growth, development, and molecular marker-assisted breeding of the economically important Yellow River carp (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus) using dynamic quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, we constructed three genetic linkage maps from 207 progeny using a new modified genotyping-by-sequencing method. The three maps contained 16,886, 16,548, and 7482 single nucleotide polymorphism markers, respectively, with an average interval of 0.36 cM, 0.45 cM, and 1.00 cM. We identified 148 QTLs related to four growth traits that were located on 25 chromosomes from three growth stages of Yellow River carp. A total of 32, 36, 43, and 37 QTLs were associated with body length, height, width, and weight, respectively. Among them, 47 QTLs were detected for only one growth trait in one stage, but all of the other QTLs were co-localized. Of the 14 main QTLs, 13 were located on chromosome 12, which suggests the presence of growth-related genes on this chromosome. We then detected 17 candidate genes within 50 K upstream and downstream of the 14 main QTLs. This is the first report of the dynamic QTL mapping of growth traits of Yellow River carp, and the results can be used in future studies of growth, development, and molecular-assisted breeding of this species.

Sorghum genetic, genomic, and breeding resources.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Sorghum research has entered an exciting and fruitful era due to the genetic, genomic, and breeding resources that are now available to researchers and plant breeders. As the world faces the challenges of a rising population and a changing global climate, new agricultural solutions will need to be developed to address the food and fiber needs of the future. To that end, sorghum will be an invaluable crop species as it is a stress-resistant C4 plant that is well adapted for semi-arid and arid regions. Sorghum has already remained as a staple food crop in many parts of Africa and Asia and is critically important for animal feed and niche culinary applications in other regions, such as the United States. In addition, sorghum has begun to be developed into a promising feedstock for forage and bioenergy production. Due to this increasing demand for sorghum and its potential to address these needs, the continuous development of powerful community resources is required. These resources include vast collections of sorghum germplasm, high-quality reference genome sequences, sorghum association panels for genome-wide association studies of traits involved in food and bioenergy production, mutant populations for rapid discovery of causative genes for phenotypes relevant to sorghum improvement, gene expression atlas, and online databases that integrate all resources and provide the sorghum community with tools that can be used in breeding and genomic studies. Used in tandem, these valuable resources will ensure that the rate, quality, and collaborative potential of ongoing sorghum improvement efforts is able to rival that of other major crops.

Comparative physiological and transcriptomic analysis reveals salinity tolerance mechanisms in Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Mota Maradi is a sorghum line that exhibits holistic salinity tolerance mechanisms, making it a viable potential donor in breeding efforts for improved sorghum lines. High soil salinity is one of the global challenges for crop growth and productivity. Understanding the salinity tolerance mechanisms in crops is necessary for genetic breeding of salinity-tolerant crops. In this study, physiological and molecular mechanisms in sorghum were identified through a comparative analysis between a Nigerien salinity-tolerant sorghum landrace, Mota Maradi, and the reference sorghum line, BTx623. Significant differences on physiological performances were observed, particularly on growth and biomass gain, photosynthetic rate, and the accumulation of Na+, K+, proline, and sucrose. Transcriptome profiling of the leaves, leaf sheaths, stems, and roots revealed contrasting differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in Mota Maradi and BTx623 which supports the physiological observations from both lines. Among the DEGs, ion transporters such as HKT, NHX, AKT, HAK5, and KUP3 were likely responsible for the differences in Na+ and K+ accumulation. Meanwhile, DEGs involved in photosynthesis, cellular growth, signaling, and ROS scavenging were also identified between these two genotypes. Functional and pathway analysis of the DEGs has revealed that these processes work in concert and are crucial in elevated salinity tolerance in Mota Maradi. Our findings indicate how different complex processes work synergistically for salinity stress tolerance in sorghum. This study also highlights the unique adaptation of landraces toward their respective ecosystems, and their strong potential as genetic resources for future plant breeding endeavors.

A New Ground-Based Pseudolite System Deployment Algorithm Based on MOPSO.

Pseudolite deployment is the premise of ground-based pseudolite system networking, which affects the coverage and positioning accuracy of ground-based pseudolite systems. Optimal deployment algorithms can help to achieve a higher signal coverage and lower mean horizontal precision factor (HDOP) with a limited number of pseudolites. In this paper, we proposed a multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) algorithm for the deployment of a ground-based pseudolite system. The new algorithm combines Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data and uses the mean HDOP of the DEM grid to measure the geometry of the pseudolite system. The signal coverage of the pseudolite system was calculated based on the visual area analysis with respect to reference planes, which effectively avoids the repeated calculation of the intersection and improves the calculation efficiency. A selected area covering 10 km×10 km in the Jiuzhaigou area of China was used to verify the new algorithm. The results showed that both the coverage and HDOP achieved were optimal using the new algorithm, where the coverage area can be up to approximately 50% and 30% more than using the existing particle swarm optimization (PSO) and convex polyhedron volume optimization (CPVO) algorithms, respectively.

The DEAD-box RNA helicase SHI2 functions in repression of salt-inducible genes and regulation of cold-inducible gene splicing.

Gene regulation is central for growth, development, and adaptation to environmental changes in all living organisms. Many genes are induced by environmental cues, and the expression of these inducible genes is often repressed under normal conditions. Here, we show that the SHINY2 (SHI2) gene is important for repressing salt-inducible genes and also plays a role in cold response. The shi2 mutant displayed hypersensitivity to cold, abscisic acid (ABA), and LiCl. Map-based cloning demonstrates that SHI2 encodes a DEAD- (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box RNA helicase with similarity to a yeast splicing factor. Transcriptomic analysis of the shi2 mutant in response to cold revealed that the shi2 mutation decreased the number of cold-responsive genes and the magnitude of their response, and resulted in the mis-splicing of some cold-responsive genes. Under salt stress, however, the shi2 mutation increased the number of salt-responsive genes but had a negligible effect on mRNA splicing. Our results suggest that SHI2 is a component in a ready-for-transcription repressor complex important for gene repression under normal conditions, and for gene activation and transcription under stress conditions. In addition, SHI2 also serves as a splicing factor required for proper splicing of cold-responsive genes and affects 5' capping and polyadenylation site selection.

Sorghum qTGW1a encodes a G-protein subunit and acts as a negative regulator of grain size.

Grain size is a major determinant of grain yield in sorghum and other cereals. Over 100 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of grain size have been identified in sorghum. However, no gene underlying any grain size QTL has been cloned. Here, we describe the fine mapping and cloning of one grain size QTL. From an F8 recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between inbred lines 654 and LTR108, we identified 44 grain size QTLs. One QTL, qTGW1a, was detected consistently on the long arm of chromosome 1 in the span of 4 years. Using the extreme recombinants from an F2:3 fine-mapping population, qTGW1a was delimited within a ~33 kb region containing three predicted genes. One of them, SORBI_3001G341700, predicted to encode a G-protein γ subunit and homologous to GS3 in rice, is likely to be the causative gene for qTGW1a. qTGW1a appears to act as a negative regulator of grain size in sorghum. The functional allele of the putatively causative gene of qTGW1a from inbred line 654 decreased grain size, plant height, and grain yield in transgenic rice. Identification of the gene underlying qTGW1a advances our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of grain size in sorghum and provides a target to manipulate grain size through genome editing.

High-Pressure Pneumoperitoneum Aggravates Surgery-Induced Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged Mice.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication after surgery, especially in aged patients. Neuroinflammation has been closely associated with the development of POCD. While the contribution of pneumoperitoneum to the systemic inflammation has been well documented, the effect of pneumoperitoneal pressure on neuroinflammation and postoperative cognitive function remains unclear. In this study, we showed that high-pressure pneumoperitoneum promoted the postoperative neuroinflammation and microglial activation in the hippocampus and aggravated the postoperative cognitive impairment in aged mice. These results support the requirement to implement interventions with lower intra-abdominal pressure, which allows for adequate exposure of the operative field rather than a routine pressure.