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Tup1, a conserved transcriptional repressor, plays a critical role in the growth and development of fungi. Here, we identified a BsTup1 gene from the plant pathogenic fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana. The expression of BsTup1 showed a more than three-fold increase during the conidial stage compared with mycelium stage. Deletion of BsTup1 led to decrease hyphal growth and defect in conidia formation. A significant difference was detected in osmotic, oxidative, or cell wall stress responses between the WT and ΔBsTup1 strains. Pathogenicity assays showed that virulence of the ΔBsTup1 mutant was dramatically decreased on wheat and barely leaves. Moreover, it was observed that hyphal tips of the mutants could not form appressorium-like structures on the inner epidermis of onion and barley coleoptile. Yeast two-hybrid assays indicated that BsTup1 could interact with the BsSsn6. RNAseq revealed significant transcriptional changes in the ΔBsTup1 mutant with 2369 genes down-regulated and 2962 genes up-regulated. In these genes, we found that a subset of genes involved in fungal growth, sporulation, cell wall integrity, osmotic stress, oxidation stress, and pathogenicity, which were misregulated in the ΔBsTup1 mutant. These data revealed that BsTup1 has multiple functions in fungal growth, development, stress response and pathogenesis in B. sorokiniana.

The low pH of gastric acid kills unwanted microorganisms, in turn affecting their inhabitation in the intestine. Hence, studies on the factors that influence antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) propagation in the gastrointestinal tract and on the underlying mechanisms are limited.

Summary Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is an international quarantine forest disease that damages pine forests over extensive areas and causes massive economic losses. To provide valuable guidelines on screening pesticides against B. xylophilus and the selection of common solvents, we investigated the effects of different concentrations of emamectin benzoate, matrine and four solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone and dimethyl sulfoxide) on the mortality and locomotor behaviour of B. xylophilus. Emamectin abamectin has nematicidal activity and mitigates locomotor activity of B. xylophilus at a low concentration. The LC50 of emamectin benzoate was 0.0354 mg l−1 at 72 h. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus mortality following exposure to matrine was low; however, nematode locomotor activity decreased by 62.5% following exposure to 500 mg l−1 matrine for 8 h. Additionally, B. xylophilus locomotor activity decreased significantly following exposure to 5 and 10% methanol, ethanol, acetone and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) when compared with that of the water control. Emamectin benzoate and matrine, and high concentrations of four solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, and DMSO) inhibit B. xylophilus movement, which, in turn, could affect nematode infectivity. Moreover, low concentrations of non-lethal doses of emamectin benzoate should be considered for application in the control of nematodes, with matrine being an environmentally friendly and potentially nematicidal agent.

Dynamic of plant-parasitic nematodes population in soil is closely related to soil microorganisms. Fungi from Heterodera zeae cysts were isolated to explore the natural decline phenomenon of H. zeae population. A polyphasic method was used to identify the nematode-destroying fungal, including phylogenetic analysis of partial ITS, BenA, CaM, and RPB2 gene sequences, as well as macro- and micro-morphological analyses. The nematicidal activity of strain GX1 against H. zeae was assessed in vitro and greenhouse. Our findings revealed that strain GX1 is a novel species of Talaromyces, which named Talaromyces cystophila. It had strong parasitic and lethal effect on the H. zeae cysts with 91.11% parasitism on cysts at 3 d after treatment, and second-stage juveniles (J2s) and eggs inside the cysts appeared dense vacuoles and loss of vitality. The spore suspension and fermentation filtrate of T. cystophila inhibited significantly the hatching of H. zeae eggs and showed potential nematicidal activities on J2s. The hatching inhibition rates of eggs exposed to 1 × 108 cfu/ml spore suspensions or 20% 1-week fermentation filtrate (1-WF) for 15 days were 98.56% and 100%, respectively. The mortality of J2s exposed to 1 × 108 cfu/ml spore suspension reached 100% at 24 h, exposure to 50% 2-WF was 98.65% and 100% at 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Greenhouse experiments revealed that the spore suspension and fermentation broth considerably decreased H. zeae reproduction by 56.17%-78.76%. T. Cystophila is a potential biocontrol strain with parasitic and nematicidal activity, which deserves attention and application.

Harmful red tides in China have caused paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) pollution and led to severe socioeconomic effects in shellfish aquaculture. Although shellfish can survive harmful algal blooms, the effects on their Condition Index (CI) have been underestimated. This study sought to evaluate the effects of the profiles and levels of paralytic shellfish toxins on variations in the CI in bivalves under natural blooming conditions. We observed clear soft tissue lesions to varying degrees except in Mytilus galloprovincialis after toxin exposure. Among the five species of shellfish exposed in situ, only M. galloprovincialis accumulated PSTs content above the maximum permitted level (800 μg STX di-HCl eq./kg). The highest toxin content in all sample tissues was observed in Patinopecten yessoensis. Significant interspecies differences in PSTs accumulation among the five bivalve species were observed in the hepatopancreas. A total of nine PSTs components and four new C-11 hydroxyl metabolites (so-called M-toxins) toxins were detected, and detoxification diversity was observed among bivalves. We observed a higher proportion of M-toxin in early stages, and the proportions changed only slightly over time in M. galloprovincialis and Magallana gigas, thus accounting for the significantly higher metabolism rate. Notably, the CI in M. gigas and Argopecten irradians was positively correlated with lowest toxin accumulation of PSTs content, but significantly inhibited. In conclusion, our results revealed a significant inhibitory effect on the CI in shellfish, in a species specific manner, with distinct levels of inhibition correlated with different toxin metabolites. Our study revealed the toxin content of different bivalves exposed to a natural red tide environment and the consequent effects on growth, thus building a foundation for research on the mechanisms underlying the effects of PSTs on growth. These data establish the ecological and economic significance of the effects of harmful algal blooms on bivalves.

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB)

El nematodo agallador de la raíz (NAR; Meloidogyne spp. o RKN, por sus siglas en inglés), es un fitopatógeno importante del tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) que causa pérdidas en el rendimiento de sus cultivares. Las condiciones climáticas afectan la incidencia del NAR; sin embargo, se conoce poco del efecto del clima subtropical en los nematodos epidémicos que afectan al tomate invernal en China. Para estudiar la dinámica de poblaciones de los NAR en la rizósfera del cultivo de tomate invernal, y para analizar la relación entre tomates injertados y no injertados y sus rendimientos, se realizaron experimentos de campo en las localidades de Shuangqiao y Taiping en la provincia china de Guangxi entre 2014 y 2016. Los campos experimentales de tomates de siembra temprana y tardía se ubicaron en Shuangqiao y Taiping, respectivamente. El ANDEVA y la prueba de comparación de medias (Tukey; p≤0.05) se efectuaron con el paquete estadístico SPSS, v. 19.0. Los resultados mostraron que los NAR (Meloidogyne incognita) formaron tres generaciones en tomate de siembra temprana y tardía. En tomate temprano, a los 0-31, 32-113, y 114-155 días después del trasplante (DDT), las cuales requirieron 31, 81 y 28-42 d, respectivamente. Durante la temporada de cultivo de tomate de siembra tardía, hubo tres generaciones a los 0-60, 47-101 y 88-157 DDT; los nematodos requirieron 46-60, 40 y 55 d para completar cada generación. Algunos nematicidas se aplicaron para suprimir a las poblaciones juveniles de segunda generación (J2) en los campos en los cuales las poblaciones J2 alcanzaron niveles máximos. El rendimiento del tomate injertado fue mayor (p≤0.05) que el del tomate no injertado. Este resultado indica que la tolerancia al NAR en portainjertos de tomates injertados fue mayor que en el tomate no injertado.

Hypertension is one of the major sources of global incidence of cardiovascular diseases and one of the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. It is necessary to search for natural products which have not adverse effects like many synthetic drugs as potential development agents for treating hypertension. Dracocephalum tanguticum Maxim, a perennial herb for Tibetan medicine in China, is widely used for the treatment of many diseases. In the present study, two new glucosides, Dratanguticumide G (1) and Dratanguticumide H (2), and seven known compounds (3-9) were isolated from D. tanguticum. The new structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data and the known ones were identified by comparison with spectroscopic data, physical and chemical data of reported references. The vasodilatory effects and the underlying mechanisms of the components of D. tanguticum on rat aortic rings were investigated. The result showed that the new compounds exhibited significant endothelium-dependent vasodilatory effects on the aortic rings, and the NO-dependent pathway and PI3K/AKT pathway might play a pivotal role in the vasodilatory effect, as did five of known compounds. Our findings firstly showed that some natural compounds of 95% ethanol extract of D. tanguticum had significant vasodilatory effects and could be the potential development agents for treating hypertension.

In the last 5 years, paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) have been recurrently detected in mollusks farmed in the mussel culture area of Qinhuangdao city, along with the occurrence of toxic outbreaks linked to dinoflagellate species of the Alexandrium genus. To understand the formation mechanism and variation of these events, continuous and comprehensive PSTs monitoring was carried out between 2017 and 2020. Through the analysis of both phytoplankton and cysts via light microscopy and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, it was shown that Alexandrium catenella was responsible for the production of PSTs, which consisted mainly of gonyautoxins 1,4 (GTX1/4, 87%) and GTX2/3 (13%). During bloom events in 2019, mussels accumulated the highest PSTs value (929 μg STX di-HCl eq·kg

The types and intensity of anthropogenic pressure in the same sea area may differ spatially and may change as time passes, but response of benthic biotic indices to different pressure is different, which makes it unreasonable to use the same benthic biotic indices in a large sea area. We provided a new way of thinking as to selecting benthic biotic indices according to pressure type. The study took six bays under eutrophication and sediment heavy metal pollution to different levels in Fujian coastal water, East China sea, as examples, analysed the response of five benthic biotic indices, namely AZTI marine biotic index (AMBI), multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI), Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H'), benthic opportunistic polychaetes amphipods (BOPA) and benthic polychaetes amphipods (BPA), to eutrophication factors and sediment heavy metal pollution factors firstly. The result indicated that AMBI well responded to dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP); M-AMBI responded soundly in the range of DIN0.131 mg L

Summary Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical usefulness of metagenomic Next-generation sequencing (mNGS) on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples to discriminate pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) from Non-TB community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in PTB suspects. Methods: We investigate the performance of mNGS on BALF samples from 110 PTB suspects, in comparison with conventional microbiological testing (solid media culture, acid-fast bacilli staining (AFS), Xpert) of BALF or sputum samples and final clinical diagnosis. Results: We finally clinically diagnosed 48 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 62 cases of non-tuberculosis patients. Comparing to the final clinical diagnosis, mNGS produced a sensitivity of 47.92%, which was similar to that of Xpert (45.83%) and culture (46.81%), but much higher than that of AFS (29.17%) for TB diagnosis in BALF samples. Apart from detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, mNGS also identified mixed infections in PTB patients, including 3 fungal cases and 1 bacteria case. Meanwhile, mNGS efficiently identified 14 of 22 (63.63%) cases of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), 7 cases of fungi, 1 case of viral infection, and other common bacterial pathogens in Non-PTB group. Finally, mNGS identified 67.23% infection cases within 3 days, while the conventional methods identified 49.58% infection cases for over 90 days. Conclusion: Our data show that mNGS of BALF represents a potentially effective tool for the rapid diagnosis of PTB suspects.

A new chromone glycoside, 8-O-β-D-Glucopyranosyl-2-methylchromone (1), together with eight known compounds (2-9) were isolated from the Tibetan medicine plant of Swertia punicea. All compounds of this plant were reported for the first time. The structures of these metabolites were elucidated by analysis of their HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data and comparison with data reported in the literature. In vitro test, all compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity through the determination of nitric oxide production. Compounds 1-2 were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines (HeLa, MDA-MB-231 and A375) by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method. Furthermore, the chemotaxonomic significance of these compounds has also been described.

The adsorption characteristics and mechanisms of modified sepiolite as an adsorbent to recover Pd(II) from acidic solutions were studied. The Pd(II) adsorption properties were analyzed through isotherm, kinetic and thermodynamic models. In addition, SEM−EDS, TEM and XPS were applied to investigating the Pd(II) adsorption mechanisms onto modified sepiolite. The equilibrium data were well fitted to Langmuir isotherm model with maximum Pd(II) adsorption capacity of 322.58 mg/g at 30 °C. The kinetic data could be satisfactorily simulated by the pseudo- second order model, indicating that the rate-controlling step was chemical adsorption. 99% of Pd(II) could be recovered using 1 g/L modified sepiolite when initial concentration of Pd(II) was 100 mg/L. The results of reusability studies indicated the modified sepiolite had an acceptable stability and reusability. This study indicated that the modified sepiolite might be an efficient and cost-effective material for Pd(II) recovery.

Activation of inflammatory cells and upregulations of a number of cytokines in the central nervous system (CNS) of patients with prion diseases are frequently observed. To evaluate the potential changes of some brain cytokines that were rarely addressed during prion infection, the levels of 17 different cytokines in the brain homogenates of mice infected with different scrapie mouse-adapted agents were firstly screened with Luminex assay. Significant upregulations of interferon gamma-induced protein 10 (IP10), keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) and macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) were frequently detected in the brain lysates of many strains of scrapie infected mice. The upregulations of those three cytokines in the brains of scrapie infected mice were further validated by the individual specific ELISA and immunohistochemical assay. Increased specific mRNAs of IP10, M-CSF and KC in the brains of scrapie infected mice were also detected by the individual specific qRT-PCRs and IP10-specific digital PCR. Dynamic analyses of the brain samples collected at different time points post infection revealed the time-dependent increases of those three cytokines, particularly IP10 during the incubation period of scrapie infection. In addition, we also found that the levels of IP10 in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of 45 sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (sCJD) patients were slightly but significantly higher than those of the cases who were excluded the diagnosis of prion diseases. These data give us a better understanding of inflammatory reaction during prion infection and progression of prion disease. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s12250-020-00216-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Although perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are promising for next-generation displays and lighting, their efficiency is still considerably below that of conventional inorganic and organic counterparts. Significant efforts in various aspects of the electroluminescence process are required to achieve high-performance PeLEDs. Here, we present an improved flexible PeLED structure based on the rational interface engineering for energy-efficient photon generation and enhanced light outcoupling. The interface-stimulated crystallization and defect passivation of the perovskite emitter are synergistically realized by tuning the underlying interlayer, leading to the suppression of trap-mediated nonradiative recombination losses. Besides approaching highly emissive perovskite layers, the outcoupling of trapped light is also enhanced by combining the silver nanowires-based electrode with quasi-random nanopatterns on flexible plastic substrate. Upon the collective optimization of the device structure, a record external quantum efficiency of 24.5% is achieved for flexible PeLEDs based on green-emitting CsPbBr3 perovskite.

Background Insulinoma is a subtype of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Many patients with insulinoma are obese due to frequent food intake. Ghrelin is associated with obesity and blood levels of insulin. It is not clear if plasma levels of ghrelin in insulinoma patients correlate with hyperinsulinemia and obesity. Expression of ghrelin and its receptor has not been well demonstrated in insulinoma. Objective To study if plasma levels of ghrelin is associated with obesity and hyperinsulinemia or hyperproinsulinemia in patients with insulinoma, and to detect the expression of ghrelin and its receptor in insulinoma. Methods Plasma levels of acylated ghrelin, insulin, and proinsulin were measured in 37 patients with insulinoma and 25 controls by ELISA. Expression of ghrelin and its receptor GHS-R1A was examined in 20 insulinoma and paired pancreatic specimens by immunostaining. P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results The plasma levels of acylated ghrelin in patients with insulinoma were significantly lower than that in the controls (median 15 pg/ml vs. 19 pg/ml, respectively, P = 0.016). The reduced plasma levels of acylated ghrelin in patients were significantly correlated with obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperproinsulinemia (P = 0.029 and P = 0.028, respectively). Expression of ghrelin and its receptor GHS-R1A was shown in the majority of insulinoma specimens. The expression of GHS-R1A was positively correlated with ghrelin expression in insulinoma (P = 0.014). Conclusions Plasma levels of acylated ghrelin decreased in patients with insulinoma, probably due to the hyperinsulinemia and obesity in the patients. Expression of both ghrelin and its receptor is common in insulinoma.

Gravitational wave high-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) is a pair of microsatellites (i.e. GECAM-A and GECAM-B) dedicated to monitoring gamma-ray transients including gravitational waves high-energy electromagnetic counterparts, Gamma-ray Bursts, Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters, Solar Flares and Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes. Since launch in December 2020, GECAM-B has detected hundreds of astronomical and terrestrial events. For these bursts, localization is the key for burst identification and classification as well as follow-up observations in multi-wavelength. Here, we propose a Bayesian localization method with Poisson data with Gaussian background profile likelihood to localize GECAM bursts based on the burst counts distribution in detectors with different orientations. We demonstrate that this method can work well for all kinds of bursts, especially for extremely short ones. In addition, we propose a new method to estimate the systematic error of localization based on a confidence level test, which can overcome some problems of the existing method in literature. We validate this method by Monte Carlo simulations, and then apply it to a burst sample with accurate location and find that the mean value of the systematic error of GECAM-B localization is $\sim 2.5^{\circ}$. By considering this systematic error, we can obtain a reliable localization probability map for GECAM bursts. Our methods can be applied to other gamma-ray monitors., The paper has been accepted by Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing rapidly. In addition to the metabolic disease risks, GDM might increase the risks of cryptorchidism in children. However, its mechanism involved in abnormalities of the male reproductive system is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to study the effects of GDM on the development of mouse fetal Leydig cells (FLCs) and Sertoli cells (SCs). Pregnant mice were treated on gestational days 6.5 and 12.5 with streptozotocin (100 mg/kg) or vehicle (sodium citrate buffer). Leydig cell and SC development and functions were evaluated by investigating serum testosterone levels, cell number and distribution, genes, and protein expression. GDM decreased serum testosterone levels, the anogenital distance, and the level of desert hedgehog in SCs of testes of male offspring. FLC number was also decreased in testes of GDM offspring by delaying the commitment of stem Leydig cells into the Leydig cell lineage. RNA-seq showed that FOXL2, RSPO1/β-catenin signaling was activated and Gsk3β signaling was inhibited in GDM offspring testis. In conclusion, GDM disrupted reproductive tract and testis development in mouse male offspring via altering genes related to development.

Based on the water quality survey data of Luoyuan Bay from 2004 to 2019, this paper analyzed the multi-year change characteristics of water quality, spatial distribution characteristics and pollution causes. The research results can serve as a reference for water quality improvement and ecosystem restoration in Luoyuan Bay. Our study revealed that there was serious eutrophication during the spring over the past years in Luoyuan Bay. Despite the apparent improvement after 2015, water quality failed to meet the second class of sea water quality standard (GB3097-1997). Specifically, there was a serious imbalance in the nitrogen and phosphorus ratio, with an excess of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and that is more polluting than dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP). The differences in the multi-year spatial distribution of DIN and DIP were small, and the pollution levels displayed a generalized feature. After 2015, the spatial distribution of DIN and DIP tended to be more serious at the top of the bay. The abolition of aquaculture was an important reason for the improvement of water quality after 2015. Land-sourced pollution was the primary source of water pollution in Luoyuan Bay after 2015. The synergistic effect of the reduction of tidal intake caused by reclamation was identified as the primary reason for more serious pollution at the top of the bay.

This paper proposes the design of an ecological classification management method based on ecological sensitivity and disturbance of road network construction that reflects the characteristics of an island ecosystem using geographical information system and remote sensing technologies. This method evaluates the ecological impacts during the high-intensity development of the island, classifies different ecological management types, and shows the key areas and management strategies for improving the ecological and environmental quality of the island and implementing ecological restoration. The proposed method is applied to Haitan Island, which has been in a period of high-intensity development since 2012. The results show that (1) the ecological sensitivity evaluation method of the island established in this study fully considers the key ecological issues of an island ecosystem. The evaluation results of highly and moderately sensitive areas cover surface water and its conservation area, woodland, and beach, objectively reflecting the relative spatial heterogeneity of ecological sensitivity within Haitan Island. (2) The distribution of high disturbance areas of road network construction is in line with the overall planning pattern of Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone, which matched with the objectivity reality. The high and moderate disturbance areas of the Haitan Island increased by 6.80 and 27.60 km2, respectively, in the last 10 years, and the no disturbance area decreased by 73.70 km2. The impact on highly ecologically sensitive areas is little, and the key ecological areas are strictly protected in the high-intensity development activities. (3) The areas of ecological protection priority area, ecological restoration priority area, general control zone, and ecological reconstruction area on Haitan Island are 92.74, 9.27, 113.57, and 34.42 km2, respectively. The ecological classification management should be implemented for different areas, and targeted ecological protection and restoration strategies should be adopted, which is conducive to improving the overall ecological environment quality of Haitan Island.

The Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), is the most notorious insect pest of potato globally. Injudicious use of insecticides for management of this pest has resulted in resistance to all major groups of insecticides along with many human, animal health, and environmental concerns. Additionally, the input cost of insecticide development/discovery is markedly increasing because each year thousands of chemicals are produced and tested for their insecticidal properties, requiring billions of dollars. For the management of resistance in insect pests, synergists can play a pivotal role by reducing the application dose of most insecticides. These eco-friendly synergists can be classified into two types: plant-based synergists and RNAi-based synergists. The use of plant-based and RNAi-based synergists in resistance management of insect pests can give promising results with lesser environmental side effects. This review summarizes the resistance status of CPB and discusses the potential advantage of plant-based and RNAi-based synergists for CPB resistance management. It will motivate researchers to further investigate the techniques of using plant- and RNAi-based synergists in combination with insecticides.

Two new lignans (1–2), together with two known lignans (3–4), were isolated from the whole herb of Anemone vitifolia. The structures were identified based on extensive spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with reported data. All compounds of this plant were reported for the first time. In vitro test, all compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity via calculating the production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse macrophage cells-RAW 264.7.

Three Legionella -like strains, designed km488T, km489 and km521, were isolated from freshwater samples in China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped and non-spore-forming. Growth was observed on BCYEα agar, but not on BCYEα agar without l-cysteine, chocolate agar with PolyViteX or Columbia blood agar. The major fatty acids (>5 %) of strains km488T, km489 and km521 were C16 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The mip gene sequences (574 nt) showed the isolates were almost identical with more than 99.7 % sequence similarities, and closely matched to L. gormanii ATCC 33297T with 95.4–95.6 % sequence similarities. Phylogenetic analyses based on concatenated gene (16S rRNA, mip, rpoB and rnpB) sequences indicated that the isolates formed a distinct cluster along with L. gormanii within the genus Legionella . Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight analyses also demonstrated a clear separation between the isolates and other closely and distantly related Legionella species. DNA–DNA hybridization studies demonstrated that the isolates were closely related (92.0 –95.0 % DNA-DNA relatedness) but differentiated from their phylogenetic neighbours (

Flotation indexes gradually decrease with the increase of cycle time of the backwater in bauxite floatation, and discharge of backwater brings environmental risk. In this study, methods such as Fenton-oxidation, adsorption and coagulation were used in the treatment of backwater, the flotation indexes were checked after backwater treatments, and Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used in the optimization of the main operating parameters. The results reveal that flotation indexes are effectively improved after coagulation treatment by polyaluminum ferric chloride (PAFC). The optimum parameters predicted by BBD are pH 7.55, 1.09 g/L PAFC dosage and temperature of 25 °C. Under these optimum conditions, a maximum recovery of Al2O3 of 82.83% and a minimum A/S of 1.30 of tailings are gained, while the deviations are less than 3% from the predicted values. These findings encourage the application of BBD for the optimization of critical parameters in backwater treatment.

Three new phenylacetamide glycosides (1–3) together with one known phenylacetamide glycoside (4) and two known flavonoid glycosides (5–6) were isolated from whole plants of Dracocephalum tanguticum. The structure of all compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with data reported in related literature. Compounds (1–3) were evaluated for their anti-hyperglycemic and anti-fungal (Candida albicans) activities, the results revealed that all of them showed moderate activity with 3T3-L1 adipocytes glucose consumption rate of 20.80 ± 1.47%, 21.48 ± 2.44%, and 21.57 ± 1.35%, respectively at the final concentration of 25 μM. However, none of them showed obvious Candida albicans inhibitory activity.

Small-sized lanthanide-doped nanoparticles (NPs) exhibiting superior near-infrared (NIR) luminescence properties are highly desired for bioimaging applications. Herein, Fe3+ ions are codoped in NaGdF4:Nd3+ nanocrystals via a simple coprecipitation method, which can simultaneously reduce the particle size and enhance the downconverting NIR luminescence of the NPs. The NIR luminescence intensity reaches the maximum for the obtained sub-5 nm NPs when the doping concentration of Fe3+ is tuned to 20 mol%, which is ∼1.7 times higher than that of the pristine 8.7 nm NPs without Fe3+ doping. After being modified with targeting molecules, the ultra-small NaGdF4:Nd3+,Fe3+ NPs were successfully applied as luminescent probes for targeted NIR imaging of tumors in biological tissues. Moreover, they also show great potential as a high contrast agent for T2-weighted MRI imaging.

While the influence of maternal environmental exposures on offspring long-term health is well recognized, paternal contributions are often overlooked. Recently, a growing body of evidence has revealed the relationship between paternal obesity and the phenotype of offspring. This review is focused on findings of the effects of paternal obesity upon sperm function and offspring health, and whether these effects can be reversed in human and animal studies. Furthermore, we also provide evidence that epigenetic modifications in sperm, including DNA methylation, chromatin histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, are potential mechanistic candidates for intergenerational inheritance from father to offspring. Key words: epigenetic modifications; intergenerational inheritance; paternal obesity

Arsenic is a significant food safety and environmental concern due to its mutagenic and carcinogenic effect on living organism. Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) is a global staple crop grown intensively in arsenic-contaminated regions of the world (e.g., Southern Province of China). Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate whether Se-NPs and/or ZnO-NPs could be used as an eco-friendly and efficient amendment to reduce arsenic uptake and toxicity in soybean. Ten-days-old seedling, grown in vermiculite, were transferred to hydroponic media and further grown till V2 growth stage appeared. AsV (25 μM Na2HAsO4) stressed plants were treated with ZnONP (25 μM ZnO) and SeNP (25 μM Se) separately and in combination, which were grown for another 10 d. The result demonstrated that arsenic-treated soybean plants displayed a reduction in photosynthetic efficiency, increased proline and glycine betaine accumulation in tissues, and altered antioxidant activity compared to an untreated control. The application of zinc oxide and selenium nanoparticles, both independently and in tandem, reduced arsenic stress in root and shoot tissues and rescued plant health. This was reflected through increased levels of reduced glutathione content, ascorbic acid, and various photosynthesis- and antioxidant-relevant enzymes. In addition, nanoparticle-treated soybean plants displayed higher expression of defense- and detoxification-related genes compared to controls. Cellular toxicants (i.e., oxidized glutathione, reactive oxygen species, and malondialdehyde) were reduced upon nanoparticle treatment. These data collectively suggest that selenium and zinc oxide nanoparticles may be a solution to ameliorate arsenic toxicity in agricultural soils and crop plants.

Upon injury, the liver is capable of substantial regeneration from the original tissue until an appropriate functional size. The underlying mechanisms controlling the liver regeneration processes are not well elucidated. Previous studies have proposed that the transcription factor FoxO3 is involved in various liver diseases, but its exact role in the regulation of liver regeneration remains largely unclear. To directly test the detailed role of FoxO3 in liver regeneration, both a constitutive Albumin-Cre driver line and adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8)-Tbg-Cre (AAV-Cre)-injected adult FoxO3fl/fl mice were subjected to 70% partial hepatectomy (PH). Our data demonstrate that FoxO3 deletion accelerates liver regeneration primarily by limiting polyploidization and promoting the proliferation of hepatocytes during liver regeneration. RNA-seq analysis indicates that FoxO3 deficiency greatly alters the expression of gene sets associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis during liver regeneration. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR (ChIP-PCR) and luciferase reporter assays reveal that FoxO3 promotes the expression of Nox4 but suppresses the expression of Nr4a1 in hepatocytes. AAV8 virus-mediated overexpression of Nox4 and knockdown of Nr4a1 significantly suppressed hepatocyte proliferation and liver regeneration in FoxO3-deficient mice. We demonstrate that FoxO3 negatively controls hepatocyte proliferation through Nox4 upregulation and Nr4a1 downregulation, thereby ensuring appropriate functional regeneration of the liver. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insight into the therapeutic mechanisms of FoxO3 in liver damage and repair.

Gestational and postpartum high‐fat diets (HFDs) have been implicated as causes of obesity in offspring in later life. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of gestational and/or postpartum HFD on obesity in offspring. We established a mouse model of HFD exposure that included gestation, lactation and post‐weaning periods. We found that gestation was the most sensitive period, as the administration of a HFD impaired lipid metabolism, especially fatty acid oxidation in both foetal and adult mice, and caused obesity in offspring. Mechanistically, the DNA hypermethylation level of the nuclear receptor, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α (Pparα), and the decreased mRNA levels of ten‐eleven translocation 1 (Tet1) and/or ten‐eleven translocation 2 (Tet2) were detected in the livers of foetal and adult offspring from mothers given a HFD during gestation, which was also associated with low Pparα expression in hepatic cells. We speculated that the hypermethylation of Pparα resulted from the decreased Tet1/2 expression in mothers given a HFD during gestation, thereby causing lipid metabolism disorders and obesity. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that a HFD during gestation exerts long‐term effects on the health of offspring via the DNA demethylation of Pparα, thereby highlighting the importance of the gestational period in regulating epigenetic mechanisms involved in metabolism.

Four strains (km711T, km714, km542 and km524), representing a novel Legionella species, were isolated from aquatic environments in northern PR China. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, microaerobic, motile and growth depended on l-cysteine. They grew at 25‒42 °C (optimum, 35‒37 °C) and could tolerate up to 1.5 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0.5 %). The major fatty acids (>5 %) of the type strain km711T were C17 : 0 anteiso, C15 : 0 anteiso, iso-C16 : 0 and C16 : 1 ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2OH. The pairwise comparison values were mip gene sequences, Legionella . The phylogenetic tree based on the four concatenated genes (16S rRNA, mip, rpoB and rnpB) and protein-concatamer tree based on concatenation of 21 protein markers both revealed that these four strains formed a separate phylogenetic branch cluster within the genus Legionella . The results of phenotypic and genotypic features suggest that these four strains represent a novel species of the genus Legionella , for which the name Legionella septentrionalis sp. nov. is proposed (type strain km711T=KCTC 15655T=NBRC 113219T).

In order to deal with the frequent seasonal drought and improve water use efficiency and crop photosynthetic efficiency in drylands of southwest China, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different mulching materials (common white film, common black film, biodegradable film and no film) and ridge-to-furrow ratios (40 cm:40 cm and 40 cm:80 cm) on soil water storage, as well as photosynthetic characteristics, fluorescence parameters and chlorophyll relative content (SPAD) of rapeseed, with the flat planting as the control. The results showed that the average soil water storage under different mulching materials followed the order: ridge with common black film (BR) ≈ ridge with common white film (WR) ≈ ridge with biodegradable film (BDR) ＞ ridge with no film (NR) ＞ flat planting (FP). Meanwhile, ridge-to-furrow ratios did not affect soil water storage. The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and fluorescence para-meters (为了应对西南地区频发的季节性干旱,提高旱作农田水分利用效率和作物光能利用效率,设置大田试验,研究不同覆盖材料(普通白膜、普通黑膜、生物降解膜和不覆膜)和不同垄沟比(40 cm∶40 cm和40 cm∶80 cm)对土壤贮水量和油菜光合特性、荧光参数、叶绿素相对含量(SPAD)的影响。结果表明: 油菜生育期不同覆盖材料下的土壤贮水量为:普通黑膜垄作(BR)≈普通白膜垄作(WR)≈生物降解膜垄作(BDR)＞不覆膜垄作(NR)＞平作(FP);在同一覆盖材料下,垄沟比对土壤贮水量无显著影响。与平作相比,垄沟集雨处理的净光合速率、气孔导度、最大荧光、可变荧光、PSⅡ最大光化学量子产量、PSⅡ潜在活性、光化学猝灭系数和非光化学猝灭系数均有所提高;与平作相比,WR、BR、BDR和NR处理的SPAD值分别提高6.1%、8.6%、8.5%和3.6%,瞬时水分利用效率分别提高18.3%、11.4%、16.3%和10.4%。相比于平作,BR、WR和BDR处理可显著增加油菜产量,NR处理增产不显著,普通黑膜垄作+垄沟比40 cm∶40 cm处理的经济效益最高。可见,垄沟集雨种植可以改善西南旱地油菜田土壤水分,增强油菜叶片光合能力,提高油菜产量,增加农民收入。.

Two new norlignans together with two known phenylpropanoids were isolated from the whole herb of Anemone vitifolia. All compounds were reported from this plant for the first time. The structures of these compounds were identified by comprehensive HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with literature data. Additionally, bioactivity study results showed that two new compounds have potential anti-inflammatory activity. The plausible biosynthetic pathway for these compounds were also speculated in this article.

Antibiotic residues in the environment pose a great risk to global public health. They increase antibiotic resistance by enhancing plasmid conjugation among bacteria or mutations within bacterial genomes. However, little is known about whether the putative environmental levels of antibiotics are sufficient to influence plasmid-mediated transformability. In this study, we explored the effect of eight kinds of representative antibiotics and several other compounds on the plasmid transformability of competent Escherichia coli. Only levofloxacin (LEV) at the putative environmental levels was found to facilitate the frequency of PBR322-or RP4-plasmid-mediated transformation by up to 5.3-fold. Additionally, PBR322 transformation frequency could be further enhanced by copper ion or ammonia nitrogen but inhibited by humic acid. However, when competent E. coli was exposed to the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of the antibiotics, an enhanced plasmid-assimilation ability was observed and plasmid transformation frequency was increased by up to 98.6-fold for all the tested antibiotics. Furthermore, E. coli exhibited a preference for the uptake of plasmids harbouring the resistance genes to the antibiotics it had been exposed to. Among these antibiotics, cephalexin, tetracycline, and kanamycin induced the highest uptake of RP4. The putative environmental levels of LEV enhanced plasmid transformability regardless of the presence of corresponding antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) on the genetic elements, suggesting environmental LEV residues may facilitate dissemination of antibiotic resistance by any plasmid-mediated transformability, thereby posing a great risk to health.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have added a vital contribution to food quality and safety with the effective extraction of pesticide residues due to their unique properties. Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) are a superior approach to overcome stereotypical limitations due to their unique core-shell and novel composite structure, including high chemothermal stability, rapid extraction, and high selectivity. Over the past two decades, different MMIPs have been developed for pesticide extraction in actual food samples with a complex matrix. Nevertheless, such developments are desirable, yet the synthesis and mode of application of MMIP have great potential as a green chemistry approach that can significantly reduce environmental pollution and minimize resource utilization. In this review, the MMIP application for single or multipesticide detection has been summarized by critiquing each method's uniqueness and efficiency in real sample analysis and providing a possible green chemistry exploration procedure for MMIP synthesis and application for escalated food and environmental safety.

Two new xanthone glycosides (1–2), together with seven known analogues (3–9), were isolated from whole herb of Swertia punicea. The structures of these metabolites were established on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and comparison with data reported in the literature. In an in vitro test, all isolates were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity. The results revealed that all of them showed significant anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 values ranging from 1.237 to 3.319 mM. Compounds 3, 4, and 5 (IC50 values in the range 1.237–1.987 mM) displayed more potent anti-inflammatory activity than the positive control, indomethacin (IC50 value of 2.004 mM).

Objective This study aimed to determine the effects of diet-induced paternal obesity on cognitive function in mice offspring. Methods Male mice (F0) were randomized to receive either a control diet (10 kcal% fat) or a high-fat diet (HFD; 60 kcal% fat) for 10 weeks before being mated with normal females to generate F1 offspring. Male F1 offspring were mated with normal females to generate F2 offspring. Behavioral tests were used to assess cognitive functions in F1 and F2 offspring. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing was used to the explore mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance. Results HFD-induced paternal obesity resulted in cognitive impairments in F1 offspring, potentially due, at least in part, to increased methylation of the BDNF gene promoter, which was inherited from F0 spermatozoa. BDNF/tyrosine receptor kinase B signaling was associated with cognitive impairments in HFD-fed F1 offspring. However, there were no significant changes in F2 offspring. Conclusions The findings provide evidence of intergenerational effects of paternal obesity on cognitive function in offspring occurring via epigenetic spermatozoan modifications.

With data for distributions and diversities of macroinvertebrates from 12 main subtidal zones in the bays of Fujian on August 2010, we investigated species composition, biodiversity and community structure, as well as their relationships with environmental factors. The results showed that 382 macroinvertebrates were recorded, which included 170 annelids, 75 crustaceans, 78 mollusks, 19 echinodermata, and 40 other species. The species richness, individual abundance, biomass and biodiversity indices showed significantly spatial variability. The average of species richness was (55±21), with the highest (92) in Luoyuan Bay and the lowest species (25) in Jiuzhen Bay. Polychaetes was dominant species in each bay, with an average percentage of (51.8±5.5)%. Zhaoan Bay had the highest average individual abundance with (1330±1094) ind·m根据2010年8月对福建省12个主要海湾潮下带大型底栖无脊椎动物的调查资料,分析了大型底栖无脊椎动物的种类组成、生物多样性和群落结构分布特征及其与环境因子的关系.结果表明: 12个海湾共采集到大型底栖动物382种,包括环节动物170种、甲壳动物75种、软体动物78种、棘皮动物19种,以及其他类群40种.物种数、丰度、生物量和生物多样性指数空间差异较大: 罗源湾物种数最高,为92种,旧镇湾最低,为25种,所有海湾平均(55±21)种;所有海湾在物种组成上均为多毛类占优势,其平均物种数百分比为(51.8±5.5)%;诏安湾平均丰度最高,为(1330±1094) ind·m

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) 9 system has emerged as a powerful tool for knock-in of DNA fragments via donor plasmid and homology-independent DNA repair mechanism; however, conventional integration includes unnecessary plasmid backbone and may result in the unfaithful expression of the modified endogenous genes. Here, we report an efficient and precise CRISPR/Cas9-mediated integration strategy using a donor plasmid that harbors 2 of the same cleavage sites that flank the cassette at both sides. After the delivery of donor plasmid, together with Cas9 mRNA and guide RNA, into cells or fertilized eggs, concurrent cleavages at both sides of the exogenous cassette and the desired chromosomal site result in precise targeted integration without plasmid backbone. We successfully used this approach to precisely integrate the EGFP reporter gene into the myh6 locus or the GAPDH locus in Xenopus tropicalis or human cells, respectively. Furthermore, we demonstrate that replacing conventional terminators with the endogenous 3UTR of target genes in the cassette greatly improves the expression of reporter gene after integration. Our efficient and precise method will be useful for a variety of targeted genome modifications, not only in X. tropicalis, but also in mammalian cells, and can be readily adapted to many other organisms.-Mao, C.-Z., Zheng, L., Zhou, Y.-M., Wu, H.-Y., Xia, J.-B., Liang, C.-Q., Guo, X.-F., Peng, W.-T., Zhao, H., Cai, W.-B., Kim, S.-K., Park, K.-S., Cai, D.-Q., Qi, X.-F. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated efficient and precise targeted integration of donor DNA harboring double cleavage sites in Xenopus tropicalis.