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Cadmium (Cd) contamination in paddy soil threatens rice growth and food safety, enriching manganese (Mn) in rice seedlings is expected to reduce Cd uptake by rice. The effects of 250 μM Mn-treated seedlings on reducing Cd uptake of four rice genotypes (WYJ21, ZJY1578, HHZ, and HLYSM) planted in 0.61 mg kg−1 Cd-contaminated soil, were studied through the hydroponic and pot experiments. The results showed that the ZJY1578 seedling had the highest Mn level (459 μg plant–1), followed by WYJ21 (309 μg plant–1), and less Mn accumulated in the other genotypes. The relative expression of OsNramp5 (natural resistance-associated macrophage protein) was reduced by 42.7 % in ZJY1578 but increased by 23.3 % in HLYSM. The expressions of OsIRT1 (iron-regulated transporter-like protein) were reduced by 24.0–56.0 % in the four genotypes, with the highest reduction in ZJY1578. Consequently, a greater reduction of Cd occurred in ZJY1578 than that in the other genotypes, i.e., the root and shoot Cd at the tillering were reduced by 27.8 % and 48.5 %, respectively. At the mature stage, total Cd amount and distribution in the shoot and brown rice were also greatly reduced in ZJY1578, but the inhibitory effects were weakened compared to the tillering stage. This study found various responses of Cd uptake and transporters to Mn-treated seedlings among rice genotypes, thus resulting in various Cd reductions. In the future, the microscopic transport processes of Cd within rice should be explored to deeply explain the genotypic variation.

Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) is a kind of ubiquitous pathgenic fungi, of which an early and accurate detection and inhibition mehtod is essential to reduce its resulted damage of Afatoxions. Here real-time monitoring superoxide anions (O2•−) released from cinnamaldehyde-treated A. flavus was performed for the first time by an electrochemical enzyme-free biomimetic O2•− sensor to offer not only a facile and reliable approach to monitor the effect of inhibiting methods against A. flavus growth, but also a highly sensitive analytical tool to detect A. flavus, thus holding great promise for the sensor to continuously real-time monitor A. flavus released from infection or/and contamination of food in A. flavus-related biological researches and clinic diagnosis of some fatal diseases.

Different studies have confirmed P2X7 receptor-mediated inflammatory mediators play a key role in the development of pain. P2X7 receptor activation can induce the development of pain by mediating the release of inflammatory mediators. In view of the fact that P2X7 receptor is expressed in the nervous system and immune system, it is closely related to the stability and maintenance of the nervous system function. ATP activates P2X7 receptor, opens non-selective cation channels, activates multiple intracellular signaling, releases multiple inflammatory cytokines, and induces pain. At present, the role of P2X7 receptor in inflammatory response and pain has been widely recognized and affirmed. Therefore, in this paper, we discussed the pathological mechanism of P2X7 receptor-mediated inflammation and pain, focused on the internal relationship between P2X7 receptor and pain. Moreover, we also described the effects of some antagonists on pain relief by inhibiting the activities of P2X7 receptor. Thus, targeting to inhibit activation of P2X7 receptor is expected to become another potential target for the relief of pain.

CRISPR/Cpf1 has emerged recently as an effective tool for genome editing in many organisms, but its use in pigs to generate precise genetic modifications has seldom been described. Myostatin (MSTN) is a well-characterized negative regulator of muscle development, and natural mutations in this gene cause a double-muscled phenotype in many species. However, to the best of our knowledge, no naturally occurring mutation in MSTN has been found in pigs. In addition, no living pig models with sophisticated modifications orthologous to natural mutations in MSTN have yet been reported. In this study, we exploited the CRISPR/Cpf1 system to introduce a predefined modification orthologous to the natural MSTN mutation found in Belgian Blue cattle (thus known as the Belgian Blue mutation). Our research demonstrated that the cutting efficiency of CRISPR/Cpf1 was 12.3% in mixed porcine fetal fibroblasts in drug free medium, and 41.7% in clonal colonies obtained using G418 selection. Then, the Cpf1-sgRNA vector, ssODN template, and a self-excision cassette were co-transfected into porcine fetal fibroblasts. After G418 selection, 8 clonal colonies were examined and 5 with genetic modification were found. Of these 5, 2 harbored the precise 11-bp deletion. Using 1 heterozygous clonal colony, 2 cloned Duroc piglets were successfully generated, which was heterozygous for the Belgian Blue mutation. In summary, our results demonstrate that CRISPR/Cpf1 system can be used efficiently to generate double-stranded breaks, and also to mediate homologous recombination to introduce precise genomic modifications in pigs.