Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Brassinolide Signaling Pathway Control of Foxtail Millet Seedling Starch and Sucrose Metabolism under Freezing Stress, with Implications for Growth and Development

Low-temperature stress limits the growth and development of foxtail millet. Freezing stress caused by sudden temperature drops, such as late-spring coldness, often occurs in the seedling stage of foxtail millet. However, the ability and coping strategies of foxtail millet to cope with such stress are not clear. In the present study, we analyzed the self-regulatory mechanisms of freezing stress in foxtail millet. We conducted a physiological study on foxtail millet leaves at -4 °C for seven different durations (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 h). Longer freezing time increased cell-membrane damage, relative conductance, and malondialdehyde content. This led to osmotic stress in the leaves, which triggered an increase in free proline, soluble sugar, and soluble protein contents. The increases in these substances helped to reduce the damage caused by stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) content. The optimal time point for the response to freezing stress was 8 h after exposure. The transcriptome analysis of samples held for 8 h at -4 °C revealed 6862 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), among which the majority are implicated in various pathways, including the starch and sucrose metabolic pathways, antioxidant enzyme pathways, brassinolide (BR) signaling pathway, and transcription factors, according to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment. We investigated possible crosstalk between BR signals and other pathways and found that BR signaling molecules were induced in response to freezing stress. The beta-amylase (BAM) starch hydrolase signal was enhanced by the BR signal, resulting in the accelerated degradation of starch and the formation of sugars, which served as emerging ROS scavengers and osmoregulators to resist freezing stress. In conclusion, crosstalk between BR signal transduction, and both starch and sucrose metabolism under freezing stress provides a new perspective for improving freezing resistance in foxtail millet.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase Superfamily in Foxtail Millet

The cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP450) are the largest enzyme family in plant metabolism and widely involved in the biosynthesis of primary and secondary metabolites. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv) can respond to abiotic stress through a highly complex polygene regulatory network, in which the SiCYP450 family is also involved. Although the CYP450 superfamily has been systematically studied in a few species, the research on the CYP450 superfamily in foxtail millet has not been completed. In this study, three hundred and thirty-one SiCYP450 genes were identified in the foxtail millet genome by bioinformatics methods, which were divided into four groups, including forty-six subgroups. One hundred and sixteen genes were distributed in thirty-three tandem duplicated gene clusters. Chromosome mapping showed that SiCYP450 was distributed on seven chromosomes. In the SiCYP450 family of foxtail millet, 20 conserved motifs were identified. Cis-acting elements in the promoter region of SiCYP450 genes showed that hormone response elements were found in all SiCYP450 genes. Of the three hundred and thirty-one SiCYP450 genes, nine genes were colinear with the Arabidopsis thaliana genes. Two hundred SiCYP450 genes were colinear with the Setaria viridis genes, including two hundred and forty-five gene duplication events. The expression profiles of SiCYP450 genes in different organs and developmental stages showed that SiCYP450 was preferentially expressed in specific tissues, and many tissue-specific genes were identified, such as SiCYP75B6, SiCYP96A7, SiCYP71A55, SiCYP71A61, and SiCYP71A62 in the root, SiCYP78A1 and SiCYP94D9 in leaves, and SiCYP78A6 in the ear. The RT-PCR data showed that SiCYP450 could respond to abiotic stresses, ABA, and herbicides in foxtail millet. Among them, the expression levels of SiCYP709B4, SiCYP71A11, SiCYP71A14, SiCYP78A1, SiCYP94C3, and SiCYP94C4 were significantly increased under the treatment of mesotrione, florasulam, nicosulfuron, fluroxypyr, and sethoxydim, indicating that the same gene might respond to multiple herbicides. The results of this study will help reveal the biological functions of the SiCYP450 family in development regulation and stress response and provide a basis for molecular breeding of foxtail millet.

Living Alone Increases the Risk of Hypertension in Older Chinese Adults: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study

Background and Objectives

Cross-sectional studies have suggested a potential association between living alone and hypertension risk, but longitudinal evidence remains limited. We aimed to investigate the correlation between living alone, alterations in living arrangements, and hypertension risk among older adults utilizing a population-based longitudinal design.

Research Design and Methods

The study included 8 782 older adults (≥65 years) without hypertension from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Participants were surveyed during the 2008 and 2011/2012 waves and were subsequently followed up in the next wave. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg, or a self-reported diagnosis of hypertension by a physician. Cox proportional hazards model was used to explore the association between living alone and hypertension. Additionally, we analyzed how switching living arrangements during the follow-up period affects hypertension.

Results

During a median follow-up of 2.8 (1.7-3.0) years, 2 750 hypertension events occurred. Compared with living with family, the hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of living alone was 1.19 (1.06-1.33) for hypertension. Similarly, persisting in living alone during follow-up increased the risk of hypertension compared to continuing to live with family (HR 1.24; 95% CI: 1.06-1.45). Compared to married participants who continued to live with family, widowed/divorced participants who transitioned from living with family to living alone experienced a higher risk of hypertension (HR 1.21; 95% CI: 1.00-1.47). Stratified analyses showed that living alone was only associated with an increased hypertension risk for participants aged >80, men, and rural residents.

Discussion and Implications

Living alone at baseline or persisting in living alone during follow-up correlated with increased hypertension risk. Divorced or widowed individuals who transitioned from living with family to living alone were still at risk. These results indicate that social support and living arrangements may be important in preventing hypertension in older adults.

Triple-Mode upconversion emission for dynamic multicolor luminescent anti-Counterfeiting

Lanthanide (Ln³⁺) luminescent materials play a crucial role in information security and data storage owing to their excellent and unique optical properties. The advances in dynamic colorful luminescent anti-counterfeiting nanomaterials enable the generation of a high-level information encryption. In this work, a superior thermal, optical wavelength and excitation power triple-mode stimuli-responsive emission color modulation is demonstrated in a lanthanide-doped nanostructured luminescent material. The plentiful emission colors are manipulated by modulating the composition of a fluoride core-shell nanostructure with different Ln³⁺ at different doping concentrations. The nanomaterials display remarkable excitation wavelength/power-dependent color change, along with temperature-dependent color variation in the range from 298 K to 437 K, with a good relative sensitivity S_r of 1.1387% K^-1 at 398 K. The universal optical modulation, combined with the excellent optical and structural stability of the luminescent nanoparticles, renders many advantages for the anti-counterfeiting application. This work explores a universal strategy for the manipulation of triple-mode stimuli-responsive dynamic luminescence and demonstrates its good potential for anti-counterfeiting application.

Physiological and molecular responses of different rose (Rosa hybrida L.) cultivars to elevated ozone levels

The increasing ground-level ozone (O₃) pollution resulting from rapid global urbanization and industrialization has negative effects on many plants. Nonetheless, many gaps remain in our knowledge of how ornamental plants respond to O₃. Rose (Rosa hybrida L.) is a commercially important ornamental plant worldwide. In this study, we exposed four rose cultivars ("Schloss Mannheim," "Iceberg," "Lüye," and "Spectra") to either unfiltered ambient air (NF), unfiltered ambient air plus 40 ppb O₃ (NF40), or unfiltered ambient air plus 80 ppb O₃ (NF80). Only the cultivar "Schloss Mannheim" showed significant O₃-related effects, including foliar injury, reduced chlorophyll content, reduced net photosynthetic rate, reduced stomatal conductance, and reduced stomatal apertures. In "Schloss Mannheim," several transcription factor genes-HSF, WRKY, and MYB genes-were upregulated by O₃ exposure, and their expression was correlated with that of NCED1, PP2Cs, PYR/PYL, and UGTs, which are related to ABA biosynthesis and signaling. These results suggest that HSF, WRKY, and MYB transcription factors and ABA are important components of the plant response to O₃ stress, suggesting a possible strategy for cultivating O₃-tolerant rose varieties.

Development of a Comprehensive Quality Evaluation System for Foxtail Millet from Different Ecological Regions

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) is a critical grain with high nutritional value and the potential for increased production in arid and semiarid regions. The foxtail millet value chain can be upgraded only by ensuring its comprehensive quality. Thus, samples were collected from different production areas in Shanxi province, China, and compared in terms of quality traits. We established a quality evaluation system utilizing multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that the appearance, nutritional content, and culinary value of foxtail millet produced in different ecological regions varied substantially. Different values of amino acids (DVAACs), alkali digestion values (ADVs), and total flavone content (TFC) had the highest coefficients of variation (CVs) of 50.30%, 39.75%, and 35.39%, respectively. Based on this, a comprehensive quality evaluation system for foxtail millet was established, and the quality of foxtail millet produced in the five production areas was ranked in order from highest to lowest: Dingxiang > Zezhou > Qinxian > Xingxian > Yuci. In conclusion, the ecological conditions of Xinding Basin are favorable for ensuring the comprehensive quality of foxtail millet. .

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis alleviates ozone injury in ozone-tolerant poplar clone but not in ozone-sensitive poplar clone

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is a typical air pollutant with harmful effects on plants, whereas arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are ubiquitous plant symbionts that enhance plant resistance to various abiotic stresses. However, whether AM symbiosis decreases plant O₃ sensitivity and what the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, O₃-tolerant poplar clone 107 and O₃-sensitive poplar clone 546 were used as test plants. An open-top chamber experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of AM inoculation on plant growth and physiological parameters under O₃ enrichment. The results showed that O₃ enrichment significantly decreased plant biomass and net photosynthetic rate and increased the leaf shedding rate and malondialdehyde concentration of clone 546. Generally, clone 107 was less responsive to O₃ enrichment than clone 546 was. Differences in antioxidant enzyme activity, rather than in specific leaf weight or stomatal conductance, were responsible for the differences in O₃ sensitivity between the two clones. AM inoculation significantly increased the biomass and decreased the leaf shedding rate and malondialdehyde concentration of clone 107 but had no significant effect on almost all the indexes of clone 546, suggesting a species-specific mycorrhizal effect on plant O₃ sensitivity. Mechanistically, AM symbiosis did not significantly affect nutrient uptake, stomatal conductance, or specific leaf weight of poplar but did significantly increase antioxidant enzyme activity. Linear regression analysis of antioxidant enzyme activities and the effect of O₃ on growth and physiological parameters showed that AM symbiosis mediated antioxidant enzyme activities to mitigate O₃ injury to the two poplars. This study improved the understanding of the protective effects of AM fungi on plants against O₃ pollution.

[Application of veno-arterio-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with critical respiratory failure combined with refractory shock]

Objective: To preliminarily analyze the application experience of veno-arterio-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VAV-ECMO).The VAV-ECMO is a rescue strategy for patients with extremely critical respiratory failure combined with refractory shock. Methods: From February 2016 to February 2022, the characteristics and outcomes of patients who were started on either veno-venous or veno-arterial ECMO due to respiratory or hemodynamic failure, and then converted to VAV-ECMO in respiratory intensive care unit (ICU) of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were analyzed. Results: A total of 15 patients underwent VAV-ECMO, aged 53 (40, 65) years, and 11 of whom were male. Within the group, VV-ECMO was initially used in 12 patients due to respiratory failure, but then VAV-ECMO was used due to cardiogenic shock (7/12) and septic shock (4/12), while VAV-ECMO was established in two patients due to lung transplantation. One patient was diagnosed with pneumonia complicated by septic shock, which was initially determined to be VA-ECMO, but then switched to VAV-ECMO because it was difficult to maintain oxygenation. The time from the establishment of VV or VA-ECMO to the switch to VAV-ECMO was 3 (1, 5) days and the VAV-ECMO support time was 5 (2, 8) days. ECMO-related complications were bleeding, mostly in the digestive tract (n=4) and airway hemorrhage (n=4), without intracranial hemorrhage, and poor arterial perfusion of the lower limbs (n=2). Among these 15 patients, the overall ICU mortality was 53.3%. The mortality of patients who received VAV-ECMO due to septic shock and cardiogenic shock was 100% (4/4) and 42.8% (3/7), respectively. Two patients who received VAV-ECMO due to lung transplantation all survived. Conclusion: VAV-ECMO may be a safe and effective treatment for carefully selected patients with critical respiratory failure associated with cardiogenic shock or end-stage lung disease lung transplantation transition, however, patients with septic shock may benefit the least.

Nitrogen addition changed the relationships of fine root respiration and biomass with key physiological traits in ozone-stressed poplars

Increasing ozone (O₃) and nitrogen (N) addition may have contradictory effects on plant photosynthesis and growth. However, it remains unclear whether these effects on aboveground parts further change the root resource management strategy and the relationships of fine root respiration and biomass with other physiological traits. In this study, an open-top chamber experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of O₃ alone and in combination with nitrogen (N) addition on root production and fine root respiration of poplar clone 107 (Populus × euramericana cv. '74/76'). Saplings were grown with (100 kg ha^-1 year^-1) or without (+0 kg ha^-1 year^-1) N addition under two O₃ regimes (non-filtered ambient air or non-filtered ambient air + 60 ppb of O₃). After about two to three months of treatment, elevated O₃ significantly decreased fine root biomass and starch content but increased fine root respiration, which occurred in tandem with inhibited leaf light-saturated photosynthetic rate (A_sat). Nitrogen addition did not change fine root respiration or biomass, neither did it alter the effect of elevated O₃ on the fine root traits. However, N addition weakened the relationships of fine root respiration and biomass with A_sat, fine root starch and N concentrations. No significant relationships of fine root biomass and respiration with soil mineralized N were observed under elevated O₃ or N addition. These results imply that changed relationships of plant fine root traits under global changes should be considered into earth system process models to project more accurately future carbon cycle.

Nonagricultural emissions enhance dimethylamine and modulate urban atmospheric nucleation

Gas-phase dimethylamine (DMA) has recently been identified as one of the most important vapors to initiate new particle formation (NPF), even in China's polluted atmosphere. Nevertheless, there remains a fundamental need for understanding the atmospheric life cycle of DMA, particularly in urban areas. Here we pioneered large-scale mobile observations of the DMA concentrations within cities and across two pan-region transects of north-to-south (∼700 km) and west-to-east (∼2000 km) in China. Unexpectedly, DMA concentrations (mean ± 1σ) in South China with scattered croplands (0.018 ± 0.010 ppbv) were over three times higher than those in the north with contiguous croplands (0.005 ± 0.001 ppbv), suggesting that nonagricultural activities may be an important source of DMA. Particularly in non-rural regions, incidental pulsed industrial emissions led to some of the highest DMA concentration levels in the world (>2.3 ppbv). Besides, in highly urbanized areas of Shanghai, supported by direct source-emission measurements, the spatial pattern of DMA was generally correlated with population (R² = 0.31) due to associated residential emissions rather than vehicular emissions. Chemical transport simulations further show that in the most populated regions of Shanghai, residential DMA emissions can contribute for up to 78% of particle number concentrations. Shanghai is a case study for populous megacities, and the impacts of nonagricultural emissions on local DMA concentration and nucleation are likely similar for other major urban regions globally.

Sensitivity of isoprene emission rate to ozone in greening trees is concurrently determined by isoprene synthesis capacity and stomatal conductance

The sensitivity of isoprene emission rate (ISO_rate) to ozone (O₃) in plant suggests potentially large changes in future isoprene emissions, which will have important consequences for atmospheric chemistry. However, the interspecific variation of ISO_rate sensitivity to O₃ and its key drivers remain largely unknown. In this study, four urban greening tree species were exposed to two O₃ treatments (charcoal-filtered air, CF; and non-filtered ambient air plus 60 ppb extra O₃, EO₃) in open-top chambers for one growing season. We aimed to compare the interspecific variation in O₃ inhibitory effect on ISO_rate and explore its physiological mechanism. EO₃ decreased the ISO_rate by on average 42.5 % across species. According to absolute effect size ranking, the highest ISO_rate sensitivity to EO₃ was observed in Salix matsudana, followed by Sophora japonica and hybrid poplar clone '546', while Quercus mongolica ISO_rate was the least sensitive. Leaf anatomical structures differed in tree species but did not respond to EO₃. Furthermore, the ISO_rate sensitivity to O₃ was driven by the concurrent effects of O₃ on ISO synthesis ability (i.e., dimethylallyl diphosphate and isoprene synthase contents) and stomatal conductance. Overall, the mechanistic understanding grained from this study may promote the integrity of O₃ effect into process-based ISO emission models.

The impacts of ambient ozone pollution on China's wheat yield and forest production from 2010 to 2021

Near-surface ozone causes damages on both crop and forest but their long-term spatiotemporal changes in China have been insufficiently explored, preventing comprehensive policy making with food security and climate targets. Moreover, limitation exists in the current metrics for long-term regional ozone risk assessment, AOT40 (the accumulated hourly ozone over a threshold of 40 ppbv) and POD_Y (phytotoxic ozone dose over a threshold of Y nmol ozone m^-2 PLA s^-1), with ignorance of meteorological influence for the former and complicated data collection and calculation procedures for the latter. Here, we developed a new metric for ozone-induced risk on winter wheat, O3MET, which can be easily derived based on ozone concentrations and meteorological variables, and is suitable for long-term assessment of ozone-induced wheat loss at the regional scale. Combining with existing metric for forest (O3RH), we comprehensively quantified the ozone damages on winter wheat yield and forest gross primary production (GPP) for mainland China during 2010-2021, the period with fast growth of ozone level across the country. The annual average losses of wheat yield and forest GPP were estimated at 26.5 Mt and 552.6 TgC, accounting for 17% and 4% of the total yield and GPP without ozone impact, respectively. Heavy dual ozone-induced damages on both wheat and forest were presented in East and South China. The ozone-induced wheat yield loss and forest GPP loss were estimated to increase at a rate of 1.8 Mt/yr and 13.9 TgC/yr for the entire country, respectively, driven mainly by the enhanced ambient ozone level within the research period. Besides ecological impact, the ozone pollution in the developed eastern China resulted in serious health burden as well, thus effective actions on ozone pollution alleviation in the region is crucial for reducing its ecological and health risks simultaneously.

A wider spectrum of avoidance and tolerance mechanisms explained ozone sensitivity of two white poplar ploidy levels

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Polyploidization can improve plant mass yield for bioenergy support, yet few studies have investigated ozone (O3) sensitivity linked to internal regulatory mechanisms at different ploidy levels.

METHODS

Diploid and triploid Populus tomentosa plants were exposed to ambient and ambient plus 60 ppb [O3]. We explored their differences in sensitivity (leaf morphological, physiological and biochemical traits, and plant mass) as well as mechanisms of avoidance (stomatal conductance, xanthophyll cycle, thermal dissipation) and tolerance (ROS scavenging system) in response to O3 at two developmental phases.

KEY RESULTS

Triploid plants had the highest plant growth under ambient O3, even under O3 fumigation. However, triploid plants were the most sensitive to O3 and under elevated O3 showed the largest decreases in photosynthetic capacity and performance, as well as increased shoot:root ratio, and the highest lipid peroxidation. Thus, plant mass production could be impacted in triploid plants under long-term O3 contamination. Both diploid and triploid plants reduced stomatal aperture in response to O3, thereby reducing O3 entrance, yet only in diploid plants was reduced stomatal aperture associated with minimal (non-significant) damage to photosynthetic pigments and lower lipid peroxidation.

CONCLUSIONS

Tolerance mechanisms of plants of both ploidy levels mainly focused on the enzymatic reduction of hydrogen peroxide through catalase and peroxidase, yet these homeostatic regulatory mechanisms were higher in diploid plants. Our study recommends triploid white poplar as a bioenergy species only under short-term O3 contamination. Under continuously elevated O3 over the long term, diploid white poplar may perform better.

Effects of cinnamon essential oil-loaded Pickering emulsion on the structure, properties and application of chayote tuber starch-based composite films

The use of non-conventional starch sources to develop biodegradable and bioactive starch-based films have attracted increasing attention recently. In this study, a nonconventional chayote tuber starch (CTS) was functionalized by zein-pectin nanoparticle-stabilized cinnamon essential oil (CEO) Pickering emulsion (ZPCO) to develop a novel bioactive composite films for food packaging application. Results demonstrated that antibacterial ZPCO featuring long-term stability was successfully obtained. FTIR and SEM analyses suggested that ZPCO have favorable dispersibility and compatibility with CTS matrix. With ZPCO increasing, the transmittance, tensile strength, and moisture content of composite films decreased, whereas their elongation at break, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities increased. ZPCO added at an appropriate level (2 %) can improve water-resistance of the films and reduce water vapor permeability. More importantly, ZPCO can achieve a slower sustained-release of CEO from composite films into food simulants. Furthermore, the composite film containing 2 % ZPCO is safe and nontoxic as proved by cell cytotoxicity test, and it can significantly prolong the shelf life of ground beef by showing the lowest total volatile base nitrogen and best acceptable sensory characteristic. Overall, the incorporation of ZPCO into CTS films offers a great potential application as a bioactive material in the food packing.

[Mechanism of VPS26 gene promoting implant osseointegration through Wnt/β-catenin pathway in hyperlipidemia rats]

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of VPS26 effect on osteogenesis and adipogenesis differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC) in high fat environment, and to explore the effect of VPS26 on implants osseointegration of high fat rats and ectopic osteogenesis in nude mice. Methods: BMSC were cultured under normal osteogenic induction (osteogenic group) and high-fat osteogenic induction (high-fat group).High-fat group was transfected with VPS26 enhancer and inhibitor, and the expression levels of osteogenesis related genes and adipogenesis related genes were examined. Osteogenesis and adipogenesis of BMSC were detected by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and oil red O staining after 7 and 14 days of induction.In osteogenic group,the binding of VPS26 to β-catenin was detected by immunofluorescence staining and immunoprecipitation, and dual luciferase reporter assay (TOP Flash) was used to analyze the TOP/FOP ratio. Eighteen male 12-week hyperlipidemic Wista rats (160-200 g) were implanted with implants, and six in each group were injected with VPS26 overexpression lentivirus (LV-VPS26 group), negative control lentivirus (LV-nc group) and saline (blank control group).Micro-CT analysis , HE and oil red O staining were used to evaluate the osseointegration of the implants and lipid droplets formation of the femur samples. Twenty female 6-week nude mice (30-40 g) were divided into five groups and subcutaneously implanted with osteogenic BMSC non-transfected and transfected LV-VPS26, LV-nc, shVPS26, and shscr lentivirus on the back. Samples were used to observe ectopic osteogenesis. Results: The mRNA expression levels of ALP in the high-fat group BMSC after overexpression of VPS26 (1.56±0.09) were significantly higher than those of the negative control (1.01±0.03) (t=10.09, P<0.001), while those of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) (t=6.44, P<0.001) and fatty acid-binding protein4 (FABP4) (t=10.01, P<0.001) were lower than those of the negative control. Western blotting results showed that compared with the negative control, protein expression of ALP and Runt-related transcription gene 2 was enhanced in the high-fat group BMSC after overexpression of VPS26 while PPAR-γ and FABP4 were inhibited. ALP activity of BMSC in the high-fat group was stronger after overexpression of VPS26, and the formation of lipid droplets was weaker than that in negative control. The results of immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays showed co-localization and interaction of VPS26 with β-catenin and a significant 43.10% increase in the TOP/FOP ratio (t=-3.17, P=0.034). VPS26 overexpression enhanced osseointegration and decreased the number of lipid droplets in high-fat rat and enhanced ectopic osteogenesis of nude mice. Conclusions: VPS26 activated osteogenesis differentiation and inhibited adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs through Wnt/β-catenin pathway, promoting osseointegration of high-fat rat implants and ectopic osteogenesis of nude mice.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of Glutathione S-Transferase Gene Family in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.)

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a critical superfamily of multifunctional enzymes in plants. As a ligand or binding protein, GSTs regulate plant growth and development and detoxification. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv) could respond to abiotic stresses through a highly complex multi-gene regulatory network in which the GST family is also involved. However, GST genes have been scarcely studied in foxtail millet. Genome-wide identification and expression characteristics analysis of the foxtail millet GST gene family were conducted by biological information technology. The results showed that 73 GST genes (SiGSTs) were identified in the foxtail millet genome and were divided into seven classes. The chromosome localization results showed uneven distribution of GSTs on the seven chromosomes. There were 30 tandem duplication gene pairs belonging to 11 clusters. Only one pair of SiGSTU1 and SiGSTU23 were identified as fragment duplication genes. A total of ten conserved motifs were identified in the GST family of foxtail millet. The gene structure of SiGSTs is relatively conservative, but the number and length of exons of each gene are still different. The cis-acting elements in the promoter region of 73 SiGST genes showed that 94.5% of SiGST genes possessed defense and stress-responsive elements. The expression profiles of 37 SiGST genes covering 21 tissues suggested that most SiGST genes were expressed in multiple organs and were highly expressed in roots and leaves. By qPCR analysis, we found that 21 SiGST genes were responsive to abiotic stresses and abscisic acid (ABA). Taken together, this study provides a theoretical basis for identifying foxtail millet GST family information and improving their responses to different stresses.

Molecular characterisation and expression profile of the PRLR gene during goose ovarian follicle development

1. Although PRL-PRLR signalling plays important roles in regulating avian reproduction, there is a paucity of information regarding the functional significance of PRLR in goose ovarian follicle development.2. The full-length 2,496 bp coding sequence of PRLR was obtained from Sichuan White goose (Anser cygnoides) for the first time and was seen to encode a polypeptide containing 831 amino acids. Goose PRLR shares similar sequence characteristics and conserved functional domains to other avian species and was phylogenetically clustered into the avian clade.3. The qPCR results suggested that the mRNA levels of PRLR significantly increased in primary follicles during weeks 3 to 4 of age and were higher in secondary- than in primordial follicles at week 5 post-hatching, which suggested that the PRLR-mediated signalling could be involved in regulation of early folliculogenesis.4. The PRLR mRNA was expressed at the highest levels in the prehierarchical 8-10 mm granulosa layers throughout goose ovarian follicle development, indicating a role for PRLR in the process of follicle selection.5. PRLR mRNA was differentially expressed in the three cohorts of in vitro cultured granulosa cells harvested from different sized goose ovarian follicles, which suggested that PRLR was involved in regulating granulosa cell functions depending on the stage of follicle development. These data provide novel insights into the role of PRLR during goose ovarian follicle development, although the underlying mechanisms await further investigations.

Response of microbial community and biological nitrogen removal to the accumulation of nonylphenol in sequencing batch reactor

The widespread existence of nonylphenol in the environmental rendered from wastewater discharge has become a growing concern for its endocrine disrupting effects on microorganisms. In this study, the performance of nitrifying and denitrifying microbial community in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was investigated under different nonylphenol concentrations. The SBR was shown to be less effective in nitrogen removal at higher concentration of nonylphenol. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were characterized by 454 pyrosequencing as the dominant bacteria, nitrogen removal functional bacteria in these three phyla were inhibited by nonylphenol, and Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were more sensitive to nonylphenol. With the accumulation of nonylphenol, the population of the most abundant denitrifying bacteria (Thauera spp.) and nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas spp.) significantly reduced. Microbial diversity increased due to nonylphenol perturbation, which is indicated by the changes in microbial alpha diversity. Principal component analysis showed high similarity between microbial community in low and high concentration of nonylphenol, and the core genera involved in nitrogen removal had a low correlation with other genera shown in co-occurrence network. Moreover, linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis revealed intergroup differences in microorganisms. The mechanism of accumulated NP on the diversity and metabolism of the microbial community was examined. This paper established a theoretical foundation for the treatment of NP-containing wastewater and provided hints for further research about NP impact on biological nitrogen removal.

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13762-023-04825-9.

Association of residential greenness with the risk of metabolic syndrome in Chinese older adults: a longitudinal cohort study

AIMS

We aimed to investigate the association between residential greenness and MetS in older Chinese adults.

METHODS

Longitudinal data on sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle were collected from the Shenzhen Healthy Ageing Research (SHARE) cohort. Greenness exposure was assessed through satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values in the 250-m, 500-m, and 1250-m radius around the residential address for each participant. MetS was defined by standard guidelines for the Chinese population.

RESULTS

A total of 49,893 older Chinese adults with a mean age of 70.96 (SD = 5.26) years were included in the study. In the fully adjusted models, participants who lived in the highest quartile of NDVI_250-m, NDVI_500-m, and NDVI_1250-m had a 15% (odds ratio, OR = 0.85, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.80-0.90), 12% (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.83-0.93), and 11% (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.85-0.95) lower incidence of MetS, respectively, than those living in the lowest quartile (all p-_trend < 0.01). Interactions and subgroup analyses showed that age, sex, smoking status, and drinking status were significant effect modifiers (p-_interaction for all NDVI < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Residential greenness is associated with a lower risk of MetS in Chinese older adults, especially for young older adults, females, non-smokers, and non-drinkers.

The relationship between ecological factors and commercial quality of high-quality foxtail millet "Jingu 21"

The commercial quality of foxtail millet grain (Setaria italica L.) includes appearance quality, functional quality, and cooking and eating quality, which directly determine whether consumers will purchase the product. We studied the relationship between ecological factors and commercial quality attributes of foxtail millet "Jingu 21" from twelve production areas. The results showed that altitude, latitude, and diurnal temperature range were negatively correlated with b*, total flavones content (TFC), setback (SB), consistence (CS) and pasting temperature (PTM), but positively correlated with L/B and breakdown (BD). In contrast, average temperature, average precipitation, average humidity, available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium had positive effects on 1,000-grain weight (KGW), b*, TFC, CS, and PTM and had a negative impact on L/B and BD. Climate factors had a greater effect on the commercial quality of foxtail millet than soil factors, and the influence of climatic factors was particularly obvious in the early and middle growth periods. The multivariate equation between ecological factors and the comprehensive score of foxtail millet commercial quality is Y = 1,159.745-4.496X₁ (altitude) + 19.529X₅ (≥10℃ effective accumulated temperature) - 166.327X₁₀ (organic matters). In conclusion, high temperature and precipitation are conducive to high quality appearance and the accumulation of functional substances, while a high diurnal temperature range and high soil nutrients are conducive to the formation of cooking and eating quality. The impact of ecological factors on foxtail millet quality is complicated and it is essential to select a cultivation site that is matched to the intended use of the foxtail millet being produced.

Therapeutic effect of antithrombotic drug combinations in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To explore suitable treatment strategies for patients with coronary heart disease and atrial fibrillation after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via systematically analyzing and comparing the clinical efficacy of dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT) and triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT).

METHODS

Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched. The literature from the database establishment to August 2022 was reviewed by 2 researchers separately according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the method recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. The data was extracted for quality assessment. The primary endpoints of the study were safety endpoints and efficacy endpoints, the former includes major bleeding events and the latter includes mortality, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis and stroke. RevMan5.4 software was used for meta-analysis.

RESULTS

There were 11 studies were included for the meta-analysis, 5 observational studies and 6 randomized controlled trials. The number of patients included was 2,4032, of which 13818 (57.5%) received DAT and 9483 (39.5%) received TAT. Our analyses indicated that compared with TAT treatment, DAT significantly reduced the incidence of major bleeding (OR=0.71, 95% CI [0.61, 0.83], P<0.0001) and the incidence of minor bleeding (OR=0.61, 95% CI [0.50, 0.75], P<0.00001). Subgroup analysis showed that DAT with novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) reduced major bleeding (OR=0.64, 95% CI [0.54, 0.76], P<0.00001) and the incidence of minor bleeding (OR=0.56, 95% CI [0.45, 0.69], P<0.00001), but DAT with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) was not significantly different from TAT in major bleeding (OR=1.20, 95% CI [0.82, 1.75], P=0.35) and minor bleeding (OR=1.15, 95% CI [0.64, 2.05], P=0.64).

CONCLUSIONS

DAT with NOACs has a higher safety profile against bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation after PCI. DAT with VKAs was similar to TAT in terms of antithrombotic effect and incidence of bleeding.

Effects of elevated ozone on the uptake and allocation of macronutrients in poplar saplings above- and belowground

Ground-level ozone (O₃) is a secondary air pollutant and affects the roots and soil processes of trees. Therefore, O₃ can affect the uptake and allocation of nutrients in trees, which merits further clarification. A fumigation experiment with five O₃ levels was conducted in 15 open top chambers for two poplar clones, and the concentrations of six macronutrients (N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg) in different organs and leaf positions were determined. Under all O₃ levels, the concentration of mobile nutrients (N and P) was higher in upper leaves than in lower leaves, while the non-mobile nutrients (Ca and S) concentration was the opposite. Relative to charcoal filtered ambient air (CF), high O₃ treatment (NF60) significantly increased the concentration of mobile nutrients K and Mg in upper leaves by 38 % and 33 %, in lower leaves by 142 % and 65 %, respectively, which suggested the effect of O₃ on their concentrations was greater at the lower leaf position than at the upper leaf position. Elevated O₃ significantly increased the macronutrient concentrations in most organs. The effects of O₃ on nutrient concentrations were attributed using graphical vector analysis, suggested that the increase of nutrient concentration in the shoots was attributed to excessive nutrient stocks, while their increase in root was attributed to the "concentration" effect. Compared to CF, NF60 also reduced the root-to-shoot ratio of N, P, S, K, Ca and Mg stocks by 34 %, 39 %, 37 %, 64 %, 46 % and 42 %, respectively, indicating the allocation of increased nutrients to shoots in response to O₃ stress. Changes in the allocation pattern of nutrients in different leaf positions and organs of poplar were primarily in response to O₃ stress since these nutrients play important roles in some physiological processes. These results will help improve the plantation nutrient utilization by optimizing fertilizer management regimes under O₃ pollution.

Associations between residential greenness and blood lipids in Chinese elderly population

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies on residential green space were inconsistent with blood lipid levels and hyperlipidemia. Thus, our study aims to explore the relationship between urban residential greenness and the blood lipid level and hyperlipidemia of the Chinese elderly population.

METHODS

A total of 59,865 older adults were collected from the Shenzhen healthy aging Research (SHARE). Blood lipid levels [total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] were measured. Participants' exposure to residential greenness was measured by the satellite-based normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and logistic regression were performed to assess the associations of residential greenness with lipid levels and dyslipidemia (high TG, high TC, low HDL-C, and high LDL-C).

RESULTS

Each per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in NDVI_250-m was associated with a higher HDL-C level (β = 0.003, 95% (confidence interval, CI):0.001-0.005) and lower TG level (β = - 0.005, 95% CI - 0.141-0.121), after fully adjusting for covariates. Each increment in per interquartile range (IQR)-unit increase in NDVI_250-m was associated with lower odds of high TG (odds ratio, OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.91-0.97) and low HDL-C (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.99). The NDVI_250-m has the highest protective effect on the incidence of high TG and low HDL-C, followed by NDVI_500-m and NDVI_1250-m. Stratified analyses showed that association between residential greenness and hyperlipidemia was modified by sex, age, BMI, household registration, and physical activity.

CONCLUSION

Higher greenness exposure was beneficially associated with lipid levels and dyslipidemia among Chinese city-dwelling older adults.

Optimized potassium application rate increases foxtail millet grain yield by improving photosynthetic carbohydrate metabolism

Photosynthetic carbohydrate metabolism is an important biochemical process related to crop production and quality traits. Potassium (K) critically contributes to the process of photosynthetic carbon assimilation and carbohydrate metabolism. We explored the effects of potassium fertilization on physiological mechanisms including carbohydrate metabolism in foxtail millet and its yield. Field experiments were performed using two foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) cultivars: 1) Jingu 21 (low-K sensitive); and 2) Zhangza 10 (low-K tolerant). Effect of five different potassium fertilizer (K₂O) rates (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg·hm^-2) were tested in two consecutive years, 2020 and 2021. We found that potassium application significantly increases the K content, dry matter accumulation and yield. Jingu 21 and Zhangza 10 had maximum yields at 180 kg·hm^-2 K application, which were 29.91% and 31.51% larger than without K application, respectively. Excessive K application (K₂₄₀) did not further improve their yields. The suitable K fertilizer application of Jingu 21 and Zhangza 10 are 195.25-204.27 and 173.95-175.87 kg·K2O·hm^-2, respectively. The net photosynthetic rate (P_n), ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase) were positively correlated with the potassium content. Potassium application improved the availability of carbon sources for carbohydrate synthesis. Compared with the K₀ treatment, variations in the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SuSy) in potassium-treated Jingu 21 (K₆₀, K₁₂₀, K₁₈₀, and K₂₄₀) were 17.94%-89.93% and 22.48%-182.10%, respectively, which were greater than those of Zhangza 10 (11.34%-71.12% and 16.18%-109.13%, respectively) and indicate that Jingu 21 is more sensitive to potassium application. The sucrose contents in the Jingu 21 and Zhangza 10 grains were 0.97%-1.15% and 1.04%-1.23%, respectively. The starch contents were 28.99%-37.75% and 24.81%-34.62%, respectively. The sucrose: ratio of Jingu 21 was smaller than that of Zhangza 10, indicating that Jingu 21 utilized nutrients better than Zhangza 10. Stepwise regression and path analysis showed that leaf and grain SuSy activity, by coordinating the source-sink relationship, have the greatest direct effect on Jingu 21 yield, whereas leaf SuSy activity, by promoting the generation of photosynthates at the source leaf, plays a leading role in Zhangza 10 yield increase. In conclusion, optimized K application can increase foxtail millet grain yield by improving photosynthesis and promoting carbohydrate accumulation and distribution.