Search Results (3182)

Soil salinization is a global problem that limits crop yields and threatens agricultural development. Auxin-induced expansins contribute to plant salt tolerance through cell wall loosening. However, how auxins and expansins contribute to the adaptation of the halophyte quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) to salt stress has not yet been reported. Here, auxin was found to contribute to the salt tolerance of quinoa by promoting the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments under salt stress, maintaining enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant systems and scavenging excess reactive oxygen species (ROS). The Chenopodium quinoa expansin (Cqexpansin) family and the auxin pathway gene family (Chenopodium quinoa auxin response factor (CqARF), Chenopodium quinoa auxin/indoleacetic acid (CqAux/IAA), Chenopodium quinoa Gretchen Hagen 3 (CqGH3) and Chenopodium quinoa small auxin upregulated RNA (CqSAUR)) were identified from the quinoa genome. Combined expression profiling identified Chenopodium quinoa α-expansin 50 (CqEXPA50) as being involved in auxin-mediated salt tolerance. CqEXPA50 enhanced salt tolerance in quinoa seedlings was revealed by transient overexpression and physiological and biochemical analyses. Furthermore, the auxin pathway and salt stress-related genes regulated by CqEXPA50 were identified. The interaction of CqEXPA50 with these proteins was demonstrated by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BIFC). The proteins that interact with CqEXPA50 were also found to improve salt tolerance. In conclusion, this study identified some genes potentially involved in the salt tolerance regulatory network of quinoa, providing new insights into salt tolerance. Full article

Molecular diagnostic assays for cholera detection have superior sensitivity to conventional assays and are now being accepted as the new standard method, especially the real-time PCR/RT-PCR. However, limited throughput capacity and long detection duration prevent them from detecting more specimens and more targets in one turnaround time simultaneously. In this study, we utilized nucleic acid extraction-free, direct RT-PCR and high-speed amplification to develop a novel multiplex assay, a quadplex direct one-tube real-time RT-PCR assay, for rapid detection of the serogroup and cholera toxin toxigenicity of Vibrio cholerae targeting the epsM, ctxA, rfb-O1, and rfb-O139 genes. Performance of the multiplex assay was evaluated by comparison with the monoplex real-time PCR assay according to the China Cholera Prevention Manual. Detection data from clinical specimens showed that the new assay had good diagnostic sensitivities for epsM (100%, n = 301), ctxA (100%, n = 125), rfb-O1 (100%, n = 85), and rfb-O139 (97.87%, n = 49). Analysis of the analytical sensitivities with serial dilutions of positive standards showed that the detection limits of the new assay for Vibrio cholerae epsM, ctxA, rfb-O1, and rfb-O139 were up to 200, 590, 115, and 1052 copies per mL lower than the monoplex real-time PCR (910, 345, and 1616 copies/mL respectively, for ctxA, rfb-O1, and rfb-O139). The results indicate that the multiplex assay is a rapid, sensitive, specific, and easy-to-use detection tool for Vibrio cholerae, especially suitable for rapid identification and screening detection of mass specimens. Full article

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is one of the most harmful mycotoxins, raising serious global health and economic problems. Searching for biological approaches for effective and safe AFB₁ degradation is imminent. In our study, Microbacterium proteolyticum B204 isolated from bovine faeces degraded 77% of AFB₁ after 24 hour, becoming the first reported bacteria from the Microbacterium family to possess AFB₁ degradation characteristics. Temperature variation showed little effect on its degradation ratio, demonstrating high thermostability of 75% and 79% after boiling and sterilization, respectively. We suppose that the components playing a key role during this process were proteins, considering the decreased degradation rate caused by Proteinase K. Cell viability detection on HepG2 cells indicated that the degradation products were much less toxic than pure AFB₁. Furthermore, B204 cell-free culture supernatant also degraded AFB₁-contaminated food, such as peanuts, corn and cheese. These results suggested that this strain with AFB₁ degradation properties could be a prospective candidate for application in the food and feed industries. Full article

Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs) are widely used in agriculture and industries and have become one of the most common groundwater contaminations. With the excellent performance of the deep learning method in predicting, LSTM and XGBoost were used to forecast dichloroethene (DCE) concentrations in a pesticide-contaminated site undergoing natural attenuation. The input variables included BTEX, vinyl chloride (VC), and five water quality indicators. In this study, the predictive performances of long short-term memory (LSTM) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were compared, and the influences of variables on models’ performances were evaluated. The results indicated XGBoost was more likely to capture DCE variation and was robust in high values, while the LSTM model presented better accuracy for all wells. The well with higher DCE concentrations would lower the model’s accuracy, and its influence was more evident in XGBoost than LSTM. The explanation of the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) value of each variable indicated high consistency with the rules of biodegradation in the real environment. LSTM and XGBoost could predict DCE concentrations through only using water quality variables, and LSTM performed better than XGBoost. Full article

Background: low vitamin D status has been associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events. However, whether vitamin D supplementation would reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events remains unclear. Purpose: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the mortality and incidence of cardiovascular events. Data Sources: We searched Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from their inception until 3 May 2022. Study Selection: Two authors searched for randomized clinical trials that reported vitamin D supplementation’s effect on cardiovascular events outcomes. Data Extraction: Two authors conducted independent data extraction. Data Synthesis: We identified 41,809 reports; after exclusions, 18 trials with a total of 70,278 participants were eligible for analysis. Vitamin D supplementation was not associated with the mortality of cardiovascular events (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.88–1.06, I² = 0%), the incidence of stroke (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.92–1.20, I² = 0%), myocardial infarction (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.87–1.09, I² = 0%), total cardiovascular events (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.91–1.04, I² = 27%), or cerebrovascular events (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.87–1.18, I² = 0%). Limitation: Cardiovascular events were the secondary outcome in most trials and thus, might be selectively reported. Conclusion: In this meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials, vitamin D supplementation was not associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events than no supplementation. These findings do not support the routine use of vitamin D supplementation in general. Full article

LC3-associated phagocytosis (LAP) is a noncanonical autophagy process reported in recent years and is one of the effective mechanisms of host defense against bacterial infection. During LAP, bacteria are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), enter the body, and then recruit LC3 onto a single-membrane phagosome to form a LAPosome. LC3 conjugation can promote the fusion of the LAPosomes with lysosomes, resulting in their maturation into phagolysosomes, which can effectively kill the identified pathogens. However, to survive in host cells, bacteria have also evolved strategies to evade killing by LAP. In this review, we summarized the mechanism of LAP in resistance to bacterial infection and the ways in which bacteria escape LAP. We aim to provide new clues for developing novel therapeutic strategies for bacterial infectious diseases. Full article

The excellent adhesion strength between the substrate and coating in the field of cemented carbide-coated tools is the crux of ensuring the durability of coated tools. The TiN coating is often used as a bonding layer to improve the bonding strength between the substrate and outer coating. Insights into detailed information on the interfacial properties between substrate and coating are essential for developing coating structures with optimal adhesion properties. Therefore, first-principles calculations were used to investigate the anisotropy of the elastic characteristics of WC and TiN as well as the bonding mechanism at the interface. The findings demonstrate that WC and TiN bulks have different symmetries in their anisotropy of elastic characteristics. WC(0001) and TiN(111) slabs can be well-lattice matched thanks to the low lattice mismatch ratio (2.7%). The HCP stacking mode has larger bonding energy than the OT and hole stacking modes in the interface structure with identical terminating atoms. The C-HCP-Ti interface forms covalent and ionic bonds, which is thermodynamically stable (γ = −1.127 J/m²) and has the highest bonding strength (W_ad = 8.899 J/m²) among all interface structures. The results of this study provide a practical perspective for improving the mechanical properties of cemented carbide-coated tools. Full article

A Paleoproterozoic ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age, interpreted as the gold metallogenic epoch of the Lijiapuzi deposit in NE China, is reported in this paper. The ore body of this deposit is hosted in the marbles and schists of the Paleoproterozoic Dashiqiao Formation and exhibits parallel development to the foliation of the country rocks. Coexisting auriferous pyrite and tremolite can be observed both in the field and under a microscope, revealing the presence of hydrothermal activity in the deposit. The δ³⁴S composition of the auriferous pyrite varies from +8‰ to +12.3‰, indicating a sedimentary origin. The auriferous pyrite and host marble have similar Pb isotopic ratios, indicating the contribution of Paleoproterozoic sediments to gold mineralization. Furthermore, in situ S and trace element analyses of the auriferous pyrite reveal that the main gold mineralization stage was Py2, which coexists with radial tremolite. ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of these tremolite samples yields a plateau age of ~1851.23 Ma, with similar isochronal and inverse isochronal ages. The Paleoproterozoic gold metallogenesis, together with the contemporary Pb-Zn, boron, graphite, and magnetite mineralization, constitute an important mineralogenetic series during the evolution of the Jiao-Liao-Ji orogeny in the Liaodong Peninsula. Full article

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a typical persistent organic pollutant and environmental endocrine disruptor that has been shown to be associated with the development of many diseases; it poses a considerable threat to the ecological environment and to human health. PFOS is known to cause damage to renal cells; however, studies of PFOS-induced ferroptosis in cells have not been reported. We used the CCK-8 method to detect cell viability, flow cytometry and immunofluorescence methods to detect ROS levels and Western blot to detect ferroptosis, endoplasmic reticulum stress, antioxidant and apoptosis-related proteins. In our study, we found that PFOS could induce the onset of ferroptosis in HK-2 cells with decreased GPx4 expression and elevated ACSL4 and FTH1 expression, which are hallmarks for the development of ferroptosis. In addition, PFOS-induced ferroptosis in HK-2 cells could be reversed by Fer-1. We also found that endoplasmic reticulum stress and its mediated apoptotic mechanism and P53-mediated antioxidant mechanism are involved in the toxic damage of cells by PFOS. In this paper, we demonstrated for the first time that PFOS can induce ferroptosis in HK-2 cells. In addition, we preliminarily explored other mechanisms of cytotoxic damage by PFOS, which provides a new idea to study the toxicity of PFOS as well as the damage to the kidney and its mechanism. Full article

Satellite-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series data are useful for monitoring the changes in vegetation ecosystems in the context of global climate change. However, most of the current NDVI products cannot effectively reconcile high spatial resolution and continuous observations in time. Here, to produce a global-scale, long-term, and high-resolution NDVI database, we developed a simple and new data downscaling approach. The downscaling algorithm considers the pixel-wise ratios of the coefficient of variation (CV) between the coarse- and fine-resolution NDVI data and relative changes in the NDVI against a baseline period. The algorithm successfully created a worldwide monthly NDVI database with 250 m resolution from 1982 to 2018 by translating the fine spatial information from MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) data and the long-term temporal information from AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) data. We employed the evaluation indices of root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (Pearson’s R) to assess the accuracy of the downscaled data against the MODIS NDVI. Both the RMSE and MAE values at the regional and global scales are typically between 0 and 0.2, whereas the Pearson’s R values are mostly above 0.7, which implies that the downscaled NDVI product is similar to the MODIS NDVI product. We then used the downscaled data to monitor the NDVI changes in different plant types and places with significant vegetation heterogeneity, as well as to investigate global vegetation trends over the last four decades. The Google Earth Engine platform was used for all the data downscaling processes, and here we provide a code for users to easily acquire data corresponding to any part of the world. The downscaled global-scale NDVI time series has high potential for the monitoring of the long-term temporal and spatial dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems under changing environments. Full article

Chronic inflammation caused by liver damage or infection plays an important role in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The activation of Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4) is involved in HCC tumorigenesis. Moreover, high TLR4 expression in HCC has been linked to poor prognosis. Although the expression of TLR4 in HCC is relatively low compared to hematopoietic cells, it is important to explore the molecular mechanism leading to the elevation of TLR4 in HCC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the positive regulating loop for TLR4 expression in HCC in response to chronic inflammation. Our results confirm that the mRNA expression of TLR4 and proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 6 (IL6) and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), positively correlate in human HCC samples. High TLR4 expression in HCC is more susceptible to lipopolysaccharide (LPS); TLR4 activation in HCC provides growth and survival advantages and thus promotes tumorigenesis. It has been shown that the LIN28/let-7 microRNA (miRNA) axis is a downstream effector of the TLR4 signal pathway, and let-7 miRNA is a potential post-transcriptional regulator for TLR4. Thus, we investigated the correlation between TLR4 and LIN28A mRNA and let-7g miRNA in HCC clinical samples and found that the expression of TLR4 was positively correlated with LIN28A and negatively correlated with let-7g miRNA. Moreover, by culturing PLC/PRF5 (PLC5) HCC cells in low-dose LPS-containing medium to mimic chronic inflammation for persistent TLR4 activation, the mRNA and protein levels of TLR4 and LIN28A were elevated, and let-7g miRNA was decreased. Furthermore, the 3' untranslated region (3’UTR) of TLR4 mRNA was shown to be the target of let-7g miRNA, suggesting that inhibition of let-7g miRNA is able to increase TLR4 mRNA. While parental PLC5 cells have a low susceptibility to LPS-induced cell growth, long-term LPS exposure for PLC5 cells leads to increased proliferation, cytokine expression and stemness properties. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate positive feedback regulation for chronic TLR4 activation in the modulation of TLR4 expression level through the LIN28A/let-7g pathway in HCC and suggest a connection between chronic inflammation and TLR4 expression level in HCC for promoting tumorigenesis. Full article

Wheat gene Yr39 confers durable high-temperature adult-plant (HTAP) resistance to stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, one of the most destructive diseases of wheat worldwide. The objective of this study was to transfer Yr39 into four Chinese elite wheat cultivars. Backcross inbred line populations were developed from four Chinese wheat cultivars Chuanmai 42 (CM42), Bainong Aikang 58 (AK58), Han 6172 (H6172) and Zhengmai 9023 (ZM9023) crossed with a Yr39 single-gene line. The F₁, BC₁F₁ and BC₁F₆ lines were genotyped using resistance gene analogs polymorphism (RGAP) markers Xwgp36, Xwgp44 and Xwgp43, which are closely linked to Yr39. Progeny lines selected with the markers for Yr39 were evaluated in the field for stripe rust resistance and agronomic traits including plant height, tiller numbers, spike grain numbers and thousand-grain weight. Eleven lines were selected with stripe rust resistance and desirable agronomic traits. These lines with production potential can be used for further testing in various wheat production regions and as germplasm resources for breeding new wheat cultivars with durable stripe rust resistance, high yield, and adaptation to different production environments. Full article

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of physical activity on mobile phone addiction among college students. A total of 9406 students, ranging from freshmen to seniors, from 35 colleges in four regions of Jiangsu Province were selected using the whole group sampling method. Questionnaires, particularly the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Long Form (IPAQ), the positive psychological capital scale (PPQ), the social adjustment diagnostic questionnaire (SAFS), and the mobile phone addiction index scale (MPAI), were administered. We found that physical activity negatively predicted mobile phone addiction among university students. Social adaptation partially mediates between physical activity and mobile phone addiction among university students, with separate mediation of psychological capital playing no indirect role. Psychological capital and social adjustment mediate the chain between physical activity and mobile phone dependence among college students. Our findings suggest that physical activity is an important external factor influencing college students’ mobile phone dependence, and it indirectly affects university students’ mobile phone addiction through psychological capital and social adaptation. Improving the physical activity level of college students, enhancing their psychological capital, and promoting improved social adaptation are important ways to prevent mobile phone addiction among college students. Full article

Surface reflectance anisotropy and insufficient multi-angular observations are the main challenges in albedo estimation from satellite observations. Numerous studies have been developed for albedo retrieval from a single directional reflectance by associating the anisotropy information extracted from coarse-resolution bidirectional-reflectance distribution function (BRDF) data. The contribution of land-cover type (LCT) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in distinguishing reflectance anisotropy in these methods remains controversial. This study first proposed an approach to extracting a priori BRDF (F) from the MODIS BRDF/albedo product by considering the distribution characteristics of the model parameters. LCT- and NDVI-based F were also extracted from the corresponding subset. Then, the F-based albedo was derived from simulated or satellite directional reflectance and the anisotropic information of F. Finally, the directional reflectance and F-based albedo were compared with the MODIS albedo or ground measurement, in order to show the ability of F to compensate for the effect of reflectance anisotropy in the albedo retrieval process. The method was fully validated by the global and time-series MODIS BRDF data. The results showed that reflectance anisotropy has an aggregated distribution pattern, and F can represent the reflectance anisotropy of most pixels within a tile. The improvement of LCT and NDVI only occurs when the tile contains a large area of vegetated and barren ground. With the exception of the hotspot and large viewing-zenith-angle area in the forward hemisphere, the F-based shortwave albedo has high consistency with the MODIS albedo product. A comparison with the ground measurements and MODIS albedo showed that the F-based albedo from a single directional reflectance generally achieves an absolute accuracy requirement, with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.027 and 0.036. Full article

Introduction: Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a lethal type of malignant rhabdoid tumor in the brain, seen mostly in children under two years old. ATRT is mainly linked to the biallelic inactivation of the SMARCB1 gene. To understand the deadly characteristics of ATRT and develop novel diagnostic and immunotherapy strategies for the treatment of ATRT, this study investigated tumor antigens, such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), mucin-16 (MUC16/CA125), and osteopontin (OPN), and extracellular matrix modulators, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in different human malignant rhabdoid tumor cell lines. In addition, the roles of MMPs were also examined. Materials and methods: Five human cell lines were chosen for this study, including two ATRT cell lines, CHLA-02-ATRT and CHLA-05-ATRT; a kidney malignant rhabdoid tumor cell line, G401; and two control cell lines, human embryonic kidney HEK293 and HEK293T. Both ATRT cell lines were treated with a broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor, GM6001, to investigate the effect of MMPs on cell proliferation, viability, and expression of tumor antigens and biomarkers. Gene expression was examined using a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and protein expression was characterized by immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. Results: All the rhabdoid tumor cell lines tested had high gene expression levels of MUC16, OPN, AFP, and MSLN. Low expression levels of neuron-specific enolase (ENO2) by the two ATRT cell lines demonstrated their lack of neuronal genotype. Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP/MMP-14) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) were highly expressed in these malignant rhabdoid tumor cells, indicating their invasive phenotypes. GM6001 significantly decreased ATRT cell proliferation and the gene expression of MSLN, OPN, and several mesenchymal markers, suggesting that inhibition of MMPs may reduce the aggressiveness of rhabdoid cancer cells. Conclusion: The results obtained from this study may advance our knowledge of the molecular landscapes of human malignant rhabdoid tumors and their biomarkers for effective diagnosis and treatment. This work analyzed the expression of human malignant rhabdoid tumor antigens that may serve as biomarkers for the development of novel therapeutic strategies, such as cancer vaccines and targeted and immunotherapies targeting osteopontin and mesothelin, for the treatment of patients with ATRT and other malignant rhabdoid tumors. Full article