The GA-DELLA-OsMS188 module controls male reproductive development in rice

Pollen protects male sperm and allows flowering plants to adapt to diverse terrestrial environments, thereby leading to the rapid expansion of plants into new regions. The process of anther/pollen development is coordinately regulated by internal and external factors including hormones. Currently, the molecular mechanisms underlying gibberellin (GA)-mediated male reproductive development in plants remain unknown. We show here that rice DELLA/SLR1, which encodes the central negative regulator of GA signaling, is essential for rice anther development. The slr1-5 mutant exhibits premature programmed cell death of the tapetum, lacks Ubisch bodies, and has no exine and no mature pollen. SLR1 is mainly expressed in tapetal cells and tetrads, and is required for the appropriate expression of genes encoding key factors of pollen development, which are suggested to be OsMS188-targeted genes. OsMS188 is the main component in the essential genetic program of tapetum and pollen development. Further, we demonstrate that SLR1 interacts with OsMS188 to cooperatively activate the expression of the sporopollenin biosynthesis and transport-related genes CYP703A3, DPW, ABCG15 and PKS1 for rapid formation of pollen walls. Overall, the results of this study suggest that the GA hormonal signal is integrated into the anther genetic program and regulates rice anther development through the GA-DELLA-OsMS188 module.

Effective Identification of Maternal Malignancies in Pregnancies Undergoing Noninvasive Prenatal Testing

Background: The existence of maternal malignancy may cause false-positive results or failed tests of NIPT. Though recent studies have shown multiple chromosomal aneuploidies (MCA) are associated with malignancy, there is still no effective solution to identify maternal cancer patients from pregnant women with MCA results using NIPT. We aimed to develop a new method to effectively detect maternal cancer in pregnant women with MCA results using NIPT and a random forest classifier to identify the tissue origin of common maternal cancer types.

Methods: For examination, 496 participants with MCA results via NIPT were enrolled from January 2016 to June 2019 at BGI. Cancer and non-cancer participants were confirmed through the clinical follow-up. The cohort comprising 42 maternal cancer cases and 294 non-cancer cases enrolled from January 2016 to December 2017 was utilized to develop a method named mean of the top five chromosome z scores (MTOP5Zscores). The remaining 160 participants enrolled from January 2018 to June 2019 were used to validate the performance of MTOP5Zscores. We established a random forest model to classify three common cancer types using normalized Pearson correlation coefficient (NPCC) values, z scores of 22 chromosomes, and seven plasma tumor markers (PTMs) as predictor variables.

Results: 62 maternal cancer cases were confirmed with breast cancer, liver cancer, and lymphoma, the most common cancer types. MTOP5Zscores showed a sensitivity of 85% (95% confidence interval (CI), 62.11–96.79%) and specificity of 80% (95% CI, 72.41–88.28%) in the detection of maternal cancer among pregnant women with MCA results. The sensitivity of the classifier was 93.33, 66.67, and 50%, while specificity was 66.67, 90, and 97.06%, and positive predictive value (PPV) was 60.87, 72.73, and 80% for the prediction of breast cancer, liver cancer, and lymphoma, respectively.

Conclusion: This study presents a solution to identify maternal cancer patients from pregnant women with MCA results using NIPT, indicating it as a value-added application of NIPT in the detection of maternal malignancies in addition to screening for fetal aneuploidies with no extra cost.

Lesion Volume in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis is Associated with Perivascular Space Enlargement at the Level of the Basal Ganglia

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Perivascular spaces surround the blood vessels of the brain and are involved in neuroimmune functions and clearance of metabolites via the glymphatic system of the brain. Enlarged perivascular spaces could be a marker of dysfunction in these processes and, therefore, are highly relevant to monitoring disease activity in MS. This study aimed to compare the number of enlarged perivascular spaces in people with relapsing MS with MR imaging markers of inflammation and brain atrophy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fifty-nine patients (18 with clinically isolated syndrome, 22 with early and 19 with late relapsing-remitting MS) were scanned longitudinally (mean follow-up duration = 19.6 [SD, 0.5] months) using T2-weighted, T1-weighted, and FLAIR MR imaging. Two expert raters identified and counted enlarged perivascular spaces on T2-weighted MR images from 3 ROIs (the centrum semiovale, basal ganglia, and midbrain). Baseline and change with time in the number of enlarged perivascular spaces were correlated with demographics and lesion and brain volumes.

RESULTS

Late relapsing-remitting MS had a greater average number of enlarged perivascular spaces at baseline at the level of the basal ganglia (72.3) compared with early relapsing-remitting MS (60.5) and clinically isolated syndrome (54.7) (F = 3.4, P = .042), and this finding correlated with lesion volume (R = 0.44, P = .0004) but not brain atrophy (R = -0.16). Enlarged perivascular spaces increased in number with time in all regions, and the rate of increase did not differ among clinical groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Enlarged perivascular spaces at the level of the basal ganglia are associated with greater neuroinflammatory burden, and the rate of enlargement appears constant in patients with relapsing-remitting disease phenotypes.

Mechanisms underlying legume-rhizobium symbioses

Legumes, unlike most land plants, can form symbiotic root nodules with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to secure nitrogen for growth. The formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules on legume roots requires the coordination of rhizobial infection at the root epidermis with cell division in the cortex. The nodules house the nitrogen-fixing rhizobia in organelle-like structures known as symbiosomes, which enable nitrogen fixation and facilitate the exchange of metabolites between the host and symbionts. In addition to this beneficial interaction, legumes are continuously exposed to would-be pathogenic microbes; therefore the ability to discriminate pathogens from symbionts is a major determinant of plant survival under natural conditions. Here, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of root nodule symbiosis signaling, transcriptional regulation, and regulation of plant immunity during legume-rhizobium symbiosis. In addition, we propose several important questions to be addressed and provide insights into the potential for engineering the capacity to fix nitrogen in legume and non-legume plants.

Circular RNA circ-LARP1B contributes to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma progression by targeting microRNA-515-5p/TPX2 microtubule nucleation factor axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have shown pivotal regulatory roles in tumorigenesis and progression. Our purpose was to analyze the role of circRNA La ribonucleoprotein 1B (circ-LARP1B; hsa_circ_0070934) in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) progression and its associated mechanism. Cell viability, colony formation ability, migration, and invasion were analyzed by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay, and transwell invasion assay. Flow cytometry was performed to analyze cell apoptosis and cell cycle progression. Cell glycolytic metabolism was analyzed using Glucose Uptake Colorimetric Assay kit, Lactate Assay Kit II, and ATP colorimetric Assay kit. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were performed to verify the interaction between microRNA-515-5p (miR-515-5p) and circ-LARP1B or TPX2 microtubule nucleation factor (TPX2). Circ-LARP1B expression was up-regulated in CSCC tissues and cell lines. Circ-LARP1B knockdown suppressed cell viability, colony formation ability, migration, invasion, cell cycle progression, and glycolysis and triggered cell apoptosis in CSCC cells. miR-515-5p was a direct target of circ-LARP1B in CSCC cells, and circ-LARP1B silencing-mediated anti-tumor effects were largely counteracted by miR-515-5p knockdown. miR-515-5p directly interacted with the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of TPX2. TPX2 overexpression largely overturned miR-515-5p-mediated anti-tumor effects in CSCC cells. Circ-LARP1B could up-regulate TPX2 expression by sponging miR-515-5p in CSCC cells. Circ-LARP1B knockdown suppressed tumor growth in vivo. In conclusion, circ-LARP1B contributed to CSCC progression by targeting miR-515-5p/TPX2 axis. The circ-LARP1B/miR-515-5p/TPX2 axis might provide novel therapeutic targets for CSCC patients.

Online prediction model for primary aldosteronism in patients with hypertension in Chinese population: A two-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) varies from 5% to 20% in patients with hypertension but is largely underdiagnosed. Expanding screening for PA to all patients with hypertension to improve diagnostic efficiency is needed. A novel and portable prediction tool that can expand screening for PA is highly desirable.

METHODS

Clinical characteristics and laboratory data of 1,314 patients with hypertension were collected for modeling and randomly divided into a training cohort (919 of 1,314, 70%) and an internal validation cohort (395 of 1,314, 30%). Additionally, an external dataset (n = 285) was used for model validation. Machine learning algorithms were applied to develop a discriminant model. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were used to evaluate the performance of the model.

RESULTS

Seven independent risk factors for predicting PA were identified, including age, sex, hypokalemia, serum sodium, serum sodium-to-potassium ratio, anion gap, and alkaline urine. The prediction model showed sufficient predictive accuracy, with area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.839 (95% CI: 0.81-0.87), 0.814 (95% CI: 0.77-0.86), and 0.839 (95% CI: 0.79-0.89) in the training set, internal validation, and external validation set, respectively. The calibration curves exhibited good agreement between the predictive risk of the model and the actual risk. An online prediction model was developed to make the model more portable to use.

CONCLUSION

The online prediction model we constructed using conventional clinical characteristics and laboratory tests is portable and reliable. This allowed it to be widely used not only in the hospital but also in community health service centers and may help to improve the diagnostic efficiency of PA.

Edge roll-off suppression method in double-sided lapping with fixed abrasives

Edge roll-off affects the performance of key parts in precision optics processing. Currently, the evolution mechanism of edge roll-off is not understood clearly, and the existing suppression methods for edge roll-off are not qualified in real applications. To address the problem, this paper presents a new edge roll-off suppression method in double-sided lapping with fixed abrasives. The evolution mechanism of edge roll-off in double-sided lapping is analyzed by utilizing the finite element method (FEM). Three key influential factors affecting edge roll-off, including filling materials and the width of the sacrificial and filling loops, are optimized by FEM analysis and verified by experiments. By applying the optimized parameters, the depth and width of the edge roll-off on thin copper substrates are reduced by about 80% and 55%, respectively.

Green road–rail intermodal routing problem with improved pickup and delivery services integrating truck departure time planning under uncertainty: an interactive fuzzy programming approach

This paper addresses the multi-objective optimization for the road–rail intermodal routing problem that aims to minimize the total costs and carbon dioxide emissions of the routes. To achieve high timeliness of the entire transportation process, pickup and delivery services are simultaneously improved based on the employment of fuzzy soft time windows to measure their service levels. The modeling of road–rail intermodal routing considers fixed schedules of rail and time flexibility of road to match the real-world transportation scenario, in which travel times and carbon dioxide emission factors of road services are considered to be time-varying. To improve the feasibility of the routing, uncertainty of travel times and carbon dioxide emission factors of road services and capacities of rail services are incorporated into the problem. By applying trapezoidal fuzzy numbers to formulate the uncertainty, we propose a fuzzy multi-objective nonlinear optimization model for the routing problem that integrates the truck departure time planning for road services. After processing the model with fuzzy chance-constrained programming and linearization, we obtain an auxiliary equivalent crisp linear model and solve it by designing an interactive fuzzy programming approach with the Bounded Objective Function method. Based on an empirical case study, we demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach and discuss the effects of improving the confidence levels and service levels on the optimization results. The case analysis reveals several managerial insights that help to realize an efficient transportation organization by making effective trade-offs among lowering costs, reducing emissions, improving service levels, and enhancing feasibility.

Free-breathing radial 3D fat-suppressed T1-weighted gradient echo (r-VIBE) sequence for assessment of pulmonary lesions: a prospective comparison of CT and MRI

Purpose

To determine whether the pulmonary MR imaging with free-breathing radial 3D fat-suppressed T1-weighted gradient echo (r-VIBE) sequence can detect lung lesions and display lesion profiles with an accuracy comparable to that of computed tomography (CT), which is the reference standard in this study.

Population

Sixty-three consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled between October, 2016 and March, 2017. All the patients received both 3T MRI scanning with a free-breathing r-VIBE sequence and chest standard CT. Morphologic features of lesions were evaluated by two radiologists with a 5-point system. Chest standard CT were used as reference standard. Weighted kappa analysis and chi-squared test were used to determine both inter-observer agreement and inter-method agreement.

Results

A total of 210 solid pulmonary nodules or masses and 1 ground-glass nodule were detected by CT. Compared to CT, r-VIBE correctly detected 95.7% of pulmonary nodules, including 100% of detection rate with diameter greater than 6 mm, 92.3% of pulmonary nodules with diameter between 4 and 6 mm, and 83.3% of pulmonary nodules with diameter less than 4 mm The inter-method agreements between r-VIBE and standard-dose CT were either “substantial” or “excellent” in the evaluation of following features of pulmonary nodules with diameter more than 10mm: including lobulation, spiculation, convergence of vessels, bubble-like attenuation, cavitation and mediastinal lymph node enlargement (0.605≤K≤1.000; P<0.0001). However, K values for inter-method agreements were significant but “moderate” or “poor” for evaluating pleural tag, halo, and calcification (0.355≤ K≤0.451; P<0.0001).

Conclusion

The use of pulmonary MR imaging with r-VIBE showed high detection rate of pulmonary nodules and inter-method agreement with CT. It is also useful for nodule morphologic assessment.

Intrauterine administration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) improves embryo implantation in mice by regulating local Treg/Th17 cell balance

Immune imbalance of Treg/Th17 cells may contribute to recurrent implantation failure (RIF) during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). In this study, we sought to determine the effect of intrauterine administration of mouse PBMCs prior to embryo implantation on endometrial receptivity and embryo implantation, and examine the underlying mechanism of Treg/Th17 cell balance following intrauterine administration of PBMCs. Pregnant mice were randomly divided into three groups: control group, embryo implantation dysfunction (EID) group, and EID with PBMCs group, and the number of embryo implantation sites was recorded during early pregnancy (Pd7.5). The balance of Treg/Th17 cells in the peripheral blood, spleen, and local implantation sites was detected during the peri-implantation period (Pd4.0) and early pregnancy (Pd7.5). The EID group demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of embryo implantation sites, while the EID with PBMCs group demonstrated higher number of embryo implantation sites compared to the EID group. The balance of Treg/Th17 cells in the peripheral blood and spleen tissues was not significantly different between the aforementioned groups. However, the local uterine ratio of the Treg/Th17 cells increased in the EID with PBMCs group compared to that in the EID group. Collectively, we found that intrauterine administration of PBMCs prior to embryo implantation effectively promotes embryo implantation rates. This may be attributed to the improvement in the local immune balance of Treg and Th17 cells compared with the overall immune balance.

Detection and characterization of human astrovirus and sapovirus in outpatients with acute gastroenteritis in Guangzhou, China

Background

Human astrovirus (HAstV) and sapovirus (SaV) are common pathogens that can cause acute gastroenteritis (AGE). However, very few studies have reported the molecular epidemiology and clinical information on HAstV and SaV in China. This study aims to determine the molecular epidemiology and clinical features of HAstV and SaV in patients with AGE in Guangzhou, China.

Methods

For this study, 656 patients with AGE were enrolled. Their stool samples were screened for 15 enteropathogens using Luminex xTAG^® Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel. HAstV and SaV were detected through an in-house multiplex reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction followed by phylogenetic analysis. We described and compared clinical features of AGE in patients with HAstV and SaV.

Results

Of the 656 stool samples, 63.72% (418/656) were found to be positive, with 550 enteropathogens (296 bacteria and 254 viruses). HAstV and SaV were detected in 20 (3.0%) and 12 (1.8%) samples, respectively. Four genotypes (genotypes 1, 2, 3, and 8) of HAstV and three genotypes (GI.1, GI.2 and GIV) of SaV were identified. Coinfection was observed in ten HAstV-positive and two SaV-positive samples. HAstV was more likely to occur in winter, while SaV in early spring. The median age of the patients with single HAstV infection was higher than that of the patients with other viruses (rotavirus, norovirus, and enteric adenovirus; P = 0.0476) and unknown etiology (P = 0.006). Coinfection with HAstV or SaV were not associated with disease severity (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

HAstV and SaV are the common causes of AGE in Guangzhou, China.

Sex-related Differences in Airway Dimensions: A Study Based on Quantitative Computed Tomography among Chinese Population

Sex-dependent radiation injury may be related to the differences in physiological characteristics between the sexes. This study aimed to better understand variations in airway dimensions among male and female Chinese non-smokers. This study included 970 adults and 45 children who underwent chest CT. All participants were non-smokers, without current or former chronic pulmonary disease, and all underwent CT examination. The CT images were quantitatively assessed, providing airway dimensions. The differences in inner diameter, wall thickness, wall area (WA), and WA% for each airway were compared between male and female patients. Sex is an important influencing factor in airway morphological parameters. These parameters are different between men and women: men have a larger airway diameter (P < 0.05) and smaller wall area (WA%, P < 0.05) compared with women. Younger women (<35 years) have a greater diameter and smaller WA% compared with older women (P < 0.05). Sex-related differences in airway morphology were not observed in pediatric participants. Significant differences were found in quantitative CT measures of WA% and an internal diameter among non-smokers of varying sex. The differences found in this study might explain, in part, sex-dependency of radiation injury and a possible radiological protection scheme.

The Single-Cell Sequencing: A Dazzling Light Shining on the Dark Corner of Cancer

Tumorigenesis refers to the process of clonal dysplasia that occurs due to the collapse of normal growth regulation in cells caused by the action of various carcinogenic factors. These “successful” tumor cells pass on the genetic templates to their generations in evolutionary terms, but they also constantly adapt to ever-changing host environments. A unique peculiarity known as intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) is extensively involved in tumor development, metastasis, chemoresistance, and immune escape. An understanding of ITH is urgently required to identify the diversity and complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME), but achieving this understanding has been a challenge. Single-cell sequencing (SCS) is a powerful tool that can gauge the distribution of genomic sequences in a single cell and the genetic variability among tumor cells, which can improve the understanding of ITH. SCS provides fundamental ideas about existing diversity in specific TMEs, thus improving cancer diagnosis and prognosis prediction, as well as improving the monitoring of therapeutic response. Herein, we will discuss advances in SCS and review SCS application in tumors based on current evidence.

Aetiology of tinea capitis in China: A multicentre prospective study

BACKGROUND

Tinea capitis is still common in developing countries, such as China. Its pathogen spectrum varies across regions and changes over time.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to clarify the current epidemiological characteristics and pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis in China.

METHODS

A multicentre, prospective descriptive study involving 29 tertiary hospitals in China was conducted. From August 2019 to July 2020, 611 patients with tinea capitis were enrolled. Data concerning demography, risk factors and fungal tests were collected. The pathogens were further identified by morphology or molecular sequencing when necessary in the central laboratory.

RESULTS

Among all enrolled patients, 74.1% of the cases were 2- to 8-year-olds. The children with tinea capitis were mainly boys (56.2%) and more likely to have an animal contact history (57.4% vs. 35.3%, P = 0.012) and zoophilic dermatophyte infection (73.5%). The adults were mainly females (83.3%) and more likely to have anthropophilic agent infection (53.5%). The most common pathogen was zoophilic Microsporum canis (354, 65.2%), followed by anthropophilic Trichophyton violaceum (74, 13.6%). In contrast to the eastern, western and northeastern regions where zoophilic M. canis predominated, anthropophilic T. violaceum predominated in central China (69.2%, P < 0.0001), where the patients had the most tinea at other sites (20.3%) and dermatophytosis contact (25.9%) with the least animal contact (38.8%). Microsporum ferrugineum was the most common anthropophilic agent in the western area, especially in Xinjiang Province.

CONCLUSIONS

Boys aged approximately 5 years were mainly affected. Dermatologists are advised to pay more attention to the different transmission routes and pathogen spectra in different age groups from different regions.

Potential Value of Expiratory CT in Quantitative Assessment of Pulmonary Vessels in COPD

Objective: To investigate the associations between intrapulmonary vascular volume (IPVV) depicted on inspiratory and expiratory CT scans and disease severity in COPD patients, and to determine which CT parameters can be used to predict IPVV.

Methods: We retrospectively collected 89 CT examinations acquired on COPD patients from an available database. All subjects underwent both inspiratory and expiratory CT scans. We quantified the IPVV, airway wall thickness (WT), the percentage of the airway wall area (WA%), and the extent of emphysema (LAA%₋₉₅₀) using an available pulmonary image analysis tool. The underlying relationship between IPVV and COPD severity, which was defined as mild COPD (GOLD stage I and II) and severe COPD (GOLD stage III and IV), was analyzed using the Student's t-test (or Mann-Whitney U-test). The correlations of IPVV with pulmonary function tests (PFTs), LAA%₋₉₅₀, and airway parameters for the third to sixth generation bronchus were analyzed using the Pearson or Spearman's rank correlation coefficients and multiple stepwise regression.

Results: In the subgroup with only inspiratory examinations, the correlation coefficients between IPVV and PFT measures were −0.215 ~ −0.292 (p < 0.05), the correlation coefficients between IPVV and WT₃₋₆ were 0.233 ~ 0.557 (p < 0.05), and the correlation coefficient between IPVV and LAA%₋₉₅₀ were 0.238 ~ 0.409 (p < 0.05). In the subgroup with only expiratory scan, the correlation coefficients between IPVV and PFT measures were −0.238 ~ −0.360 (p < 0.05), the correlation coefficients between IPVV and WT₃₋₆ were 0.260 ~ 0.566 (p < 0.05), and the correlation coefficient between IPVV and LAA%₋₉₅₀ were 0.241 ~ 0.362 (p < 0.05). The multiple stepwise regression analyses demonstrated that WT were independently associated with IPVV (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The expiratory CT scans can provide a more accurate assessment of COPD than the inspiratory CT scans, and the airway wall thickness maybe an independent predictor of pulmonary vascular alteration in patients with COPD.

VDR/Atg3 Axis Regulates Slit Diaphragm to Tight Junction Transition via p62-Mediated Autophagy Pathway in Diabetic Nephropathy

Foot process effacement is an important feature of early diabetic nephropathy (DN), which is closely related to the development of albuminuria. Under certain nephrotic conditions, the integrity and function of the glomerular slit diaphragm (SD) structure were impaired and replaced by the tight junction (TJ) structure, resulting in so-called SD-TJ transition, which could partially explain the effacement of foot processes at the molecular level. However, the mechanism underlying the SD-TJ transition has not been described in DN. Here, we demonstrated that impaired autophagic flux blocked p62-mediated degradation of ZO-1 (TJ protein) and promoted podocytes injury via activation of caspase3 and caspase8. Interestingly, the expression of VDR in podocytes was decreased under diabetes conditions, which impaired autophagic flux through downregulating Atg3. Of note, we also found that VDR abundance was negatively associated with impaired autophagic flux and SD-TJ transition in the glomeruli from human renal biopsy samples with DN. Furthermore, VDR activation improved autophagic flux and attenuated SD-TJ transition in the glomeruli of diabetic animal models. In conclusion, our data provided the novel insight that VDR/Atg3 axis deficiency resulted in SD-TJ transition and foot processes effacement via blocking the p62-mediated autophagy pathway in DN.

Metabolic syndrome predicts incident disability and functional decline among Chinese older adults: results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

AIMS

To investigate the longitudinal association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components with disability outcomes.

METHODS

A total of 5875 participants aged 60 and above completed the 2011 and 2015 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). MetS at baseline was measured by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Logistic regressions were conducted to analyze the associations between baseline MetS and incident disability, measured as the onset of limitations regarding instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and activities of daily living (ADL) 4 years later. Linear regression was adopted to analyze the longitudinal impact of baseline MetS on the number of IADL and ADL limitations in 2015. A comprehensive list of baseline covariates was adjusted in all regression analyses.

RESULTS

Baseline MetS was related to increased odds of incident IADL disability (OR = 1.28, 95% CI 1.05-1.55) and incident ADL disability (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.05-1.53) among disability-free participants at baseline. Baseline MetS was also associated with an increase in the number of IADL (beta = 0.15, 95% CI 0.07-0.23) and ADL limitations (beta = 0.10, 95% CI 0.01-0.18), while adjusting for baseline functional performance. Significant MetS component predictors of disability outcomes include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and a low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest an increased risk of incident disability and deteriorated functional performance over 4 years, associated with the presence of MetS and its components.

A phosphate starvation response-centered network regulates mycorrhizal symbiosis

To secure phosphorus (P) from soil, most land plants use a direct phosphate uptake pathway via root hairs and epidermis and an indirect phosphate uptake pathway via mycorrhizal symbiosis. The interaction between these two pathways is unclear. Here, we mapped a network between transcription factors and mycorrhizal symbiosis-related genes using Y1H. Intriguingly, this gene regulatory network is governed by the conserved P-sensing pathway, centered on phosphate starvation response (PHR) transcription factors. PHRs are required for mycorrhizal symbiosis and regulate symbiosis-related genes via the P1BS motif. SPX-domain proteins suppress OsPHR2-mediated induction of symbiosis-related genes and inhibit mycorrhizal infection. In contrast, plants overexpressing OsPHR2 show improved mycorrhizal infection and are partially resistant to P-mediated inhibition of symbiosis. Functional analyses of network nodes revealed co-regulation of hormonal signaling and mycorrhizal symbiosis. This network deciphers extensive regulation of mycorrhizal symbiosis by endogenous and exogenous signals and highlights co-option of the P-sensing pathway for mycorrhizal symbiosis.

Constructing an interspace in MnO@NC microspheres for superior lithium ion battery anodes

In this work, silica nanospheres were introduced into nitrogen-carbon (NC) coated MnO microspheres and filled the gap between NC and MnO. After etching, an interspace was formed between the coating layer and the MnO microspheres. The structure not only provides a conductive NC layer, but also constructs a space to mitigate the volume effect of MnO. As expected, the specific capacity remained at 1143.93 mA h g^-1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g^-1, and 726.96 mA h g^-1 after 450 cycles at a high current density of 1 A g^-1. The superior performance can be attributed to the unique structure with an internal void space and the excellent protection of MnO microspheres by the surface NC layer.

Association between the metabolic syndrome and muscle weakness among Chinese older adults: results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) may adversely influence muscle strength. However, the relationship remains poorly understood in China, despite its large older population and the high prevalence of MetS.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to investigate the association between MetS and muscle weakness among older Chinese.

METHODS

We included 2,418 older adults who completed the 2011 and 2015 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and had normal handgrip strength at baseline. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regressions.

RESULTS

Baseline MetS was associated with increased risks for incident muscle weakness (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.08-1.67). Among all the MetS components, baseline central obesity component was predictive of muscle weakness. The association between MetS and declined muscle strength existed in men but not women.

CONCLUSION

There was an increased risk of muscle strength decline associated with MetS, which was more prominent in men.

Phosphorylation of MtRopGEF2 by LYK3 mediates MtROP activity to regulate rhizobial infection in Medicago truncatula

The formation of nitrogen-fixing no dules on legume roots requires the coordination of infection by rhizobia at the root epidermis with the initiation of cell divisions in the root cortex. During infection, rhizobia attach to the tip of elongating root hairs which then curl to entrap the rhizobia. However, the mechanism of root hair deformation and curling in response to symbiotic signals is still elusive. Here, we found that small GTPases (MtRac1/MtROP9 and its homologs) are required for root hair development and rhizobial infection in Medicago truncatula. Our results show that the Nod factor receptor LYK3 phosphorylates the guanine nucleotide exchange factor MtRopGEF2 at S73 which is critical for the polar growth of root hairs. In turn, phosphorylated MtRopGEF2 can activate MtRac1. Activated MtRac1 was found to localize at the tips of root hairs and to strongly interact with LYK3 and NFP. Taken together, our results support the hypothesis that MtRac1, LYK3, and NFP form a polarly localized receptor complex that regulates root hair deformation during rhizobial infection.

Computer-aided quantitative MSCT measurements may be useful for congenital lung malformations surgical approach selection

PURPOSE

To examine the association between the MSCT quantitative measurements of congenital lung malformations (CLM) and the selection of surgical approaches (lobectomy vs. lung-sparing surgery).

METHODS

This retrospective study evaluated CLM surgical cases at our institution from 2016 to 2018. MSCT quantitative measurements were generated by a semi-automated approach: the volume of the lesion (V_lesion), the volume of the lesion-involved lobe (V_lobe), the volume of the lesion-involved lung (V_lung) and the volume of the total lung (V_{total lung}). The proportions of V_lesion to V_lobe (P_lesion/lobe), V_lesion to V_lung (P_lesion/lung), and V_lesion to V _{total lung} (P_{lesion/total lung}) were calculated. We used Logistics regression to examine whether quantitative measurements were associated with the selection of surgical approaches.

RESULTS

151 patients were included (median age at surgery 6 months). 82 patients underwent lung-sparing surgery, and 69 patients underwent lobectomy. V_lesion (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.09-2.07), P_lesion/lobe (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.16-2.72), P_lesion/lung (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.13-2.35), and P_{lesion/total lung} (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.12-2.22) were positively associated with the selection of lobectomy.

CONCLUSION

The application of quantified MSCT analysis may provide insight into the quantitative characteristics of CLM, which could be potentially useful for surgical approach selection.