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This study investigated the effect of household air pollution on pregnant women with GDM, and assessed the modifying effect of a healthy lifestyle on this relationship. Household solid fuel exposure was defined as using solid fuels (coal, crop residue, and wood) for cooking and heating. Four individually modifiable lifestyle factors were assessed in early pregnancy: body mass index, diet, sleep, and vitamin D supplementation. Multifactorial logistic regression modeling was used to assess the relationship between household air pollution and GDM. A stratified analysis and additive interaction tested the effects of healthy lifestyle scores. After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that using solid fuels for heating was significantly associated with an increased risk of GDM (adjusted OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.18–2.18). GDM risk showed a decreasing trend in the medium versus the high score group when compared to the low score group, with a consistent trend regardless of household fuel type used (adjusted OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.27–0.57) (adjusted OR = 0.12, 95% CI 0.05–0.28), respectively. Importantly, when the healthy lifestyle score increased, exposure to household air pollution was no longer associated with a higher GDM risk. There was a negative additive interaction between exposure to household solid fuels exposure and a healthy lifestyle (FERI: −5.10 [−16.48, −2.04]; AP: −1.29 [−2.80, −0.39]; SI: −0.37 [−0.20, −0.67]). We determined that exposure to household air pollution may be an important GDM risk factor. In addition, A healthy lifestyle may have a protective effect on women with GDM exposed to indoor fuel air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence about associations of phthalates metabolites with increased serum uric acid (SUA) levels in pregnant women remains unknown. To address this, we conducted a cross-sectional population-based study including 851 pregnant women from Zunyi birth cohort in southwest China. Multiple linear regression models were used to explore single relationships between ten urinary phthalate metabolites with SUA and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). And then, the overall relationship of phthalate mixture with SUA and eGFR were determined by principal component analysis (PCA) and quantile g-computation (Q-g) analysis. The multivariable linear regression showed that mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-octyl phthalate (MOP) and mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) were positively associated with SUA, while mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) and mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) were associated with increased eGFR level. Moreover, PCA analysis suggested that phthalate mixture was positively associated with SUA, and MOP, MBzP and MEHP appeared to be the major contributors. Furthermore, Q-g regression showed that each quantile increase in phthalate mixture was associated with 3.27% higher SUA (95% CI 0.21%, 6.41%). Our results imply that phthalate metabolites were associated with higher SUA in late pregnant women, and MBP, MBzP and MOP might be the major drivers. So, a health perinatal duration should be seriously taken to counteract the environment-related dysregulated kidney function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, ambrosia beetles, Euwallacea interjectus, have emerged as important pests of exotic Populus in poplar cultivations from Jiangsu, China. However, Fusarium mutualists of E. interjectus within the Ambrosia Fusarium Clade (AFC) remain unclear. In the investigation of Fusarium mutualists, 36 isolates were obtained from five geographically separated sites in Jiangsu Province and Jiangxi Province. Three novel species of AFC were identified based on morphological and multi-gene phylogenetic analysis; three novel species of AFC were identified. These new species are described here as Fusarium gannanense (AF-25), Fusarium populicola (AF-26), and Fusarium tumidispermus (AF-27). Fusarium populicola may be a pathogen of poplar and exhibited common to poplar cultivations in Jiangsu Province. The other two species were recovered from three locations in Jiangxi Province. The distribution of mutualists of E. interjectus within AFC is associated with the geographical distance among the samples with samples from the same region sharing the same mutualist. The present study augments our knowledge on the mutualists of Euwallacea within AFC in the native geographic range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ascomycete Leptographium qinlingensis is one of the major externally living fungal associates of Dendroctonus armandi, which can kill host trees when it invades Chinese white pine (Pinus armandii). We identified and phylogenetically analysed the cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes in the transcriptome of L. qinlingensis. Furthermore, the expression profiles of six CYPs in the mycelium of L. qinlingensis grown on different media or treated with terpenoids were detected, as well as their growth rates on different nutritional media and inhibition by terpenoids. The CYP evolution predicted that most of the CYPs occurred in a putative common ancestor shared between L. qinlingensis and Grosmannia clavigera. The growth rates and inhibition test result shows that L. qinlingensis has more similarity with G. clavigera, which can retrieve nutrition from pine wood and utilize monoterpenes as the sole carbon source. CYP582C and CYP52Z4 of L. qinlingensis might be involved in the metabolism of fatty acids and detoxification of terpenes and phenolics after the analysis of their transcription levels with different treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial consortia cohabitate within bark beetles, constituting an entity known as the "bark beetle holobiont", which has been reported to play an important role in the nutrition of beetle host trees, in addition to the detoxification of tree chemical defences. The ascomycete Leptographium qinlingensis is one of the major externally living fungal associates of the Chinese white pine beetle (Dendroctonus armandi), which can kill host trees when it invades Chinese white pine (Pinus armandii) despite the accumulation of defence chemicals. Here, we observed the effect of monoterpenes and diterpenes on L. qinlingensis growth and reproduction and examined pine sawdust utilization by the fungus, including its enzyme activity related to cellulose and lignin degradation. The transcriptome of L. qinlingensis during growth on host pine sawdust and malt extract agar under monoterpene/diterpene treatment was analysed to reveal the main genes and enzymes involved in terpene tolerance and nutrition utilization. This symbiotic fungus showed tolerance to monoterpenes and diterpenes and was able to retrieve carbon sources in host pine sawdust. Many unigenes that encode diverse enzymes, including ABC transporters, monooxygenases, dioxygenases and dehydrogenases, were identified in the transcriptome analysis, as were enzymes involved in amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. These candidate genes will be important for further studies examining the role of terpenoid tolerance in the pathogenicity of L. qinlingensis and for characterizing the molecular interactions between beetle-symbiotic fungi and their host trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is a major staple food and its sensitivity to the gas pollutant ozone (O3) depends on the cultivar. However, few chamber-less studies assessed current ambient O3 effects on a large number of wheat cultivars. In this study, we used ethylenediurea (EDU), an O3 protectant whose protection mechanisms are still unclear, to test photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange, antioxidants, and yield of 15 cultivars exposed to 17.4 ppm h AOT40 (accumulated O3 over an hourly concentration threshold of 40 ppb) over the growing season at Beijing suburb, China. EDU significantly increased light-saturated photosynthesis rate (Asat), photosynthetic pigments (i.e., chlorophyll and carotenoid), and total antioxidant capacity, while reduced malondialdehyde and reduced ascorbate contents. In comparison with EDU-treated plants (control), plants treated with water (no protection from ambient O3) significantly decreased yield, weight of 1000 grains, and harvest index by 20.3%, 15.1%, and 14.2%, respectively, across all cultivars. There was a significant interaction between EDU and cultivars in all tested variables with exception of Asat, chlorophyll, and carotenoid. The cultivar-specific sensitivity to O3 was ranked from highly sensitive (> 25% change) to less sensitive (< 10% change) by comparing the difference of the average grain yield of plants applied with and without EDU. Neither stomatal conductance nor antioxidant capacity contributed to the different response of the cultivars to EDU, suggesting that another mechanism contributes to the large variation in response to O3 among cultivars. Generally, the results indicate that present O3 concentration is threatening wheat production in Northern China, highlighting the urgent need for policy-making actions to protect this critical staple food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese white pine beetle, Dendroctonus armandi Tsai and Li, is considered a serious native pest in the Qinling and Bashan Mountains of China. Relatively few information is available regarding its pheromone characterization, and the functions of its pheromones have not yet been identified. Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses of volatiles collected from live D. armandi revealed that (1) virgin female and mated male but not mated female D. armandi produce frontalin and (2) female but not male beetles produce exo-brevicomin. Electroantennography (EAG) and Y-tube laboratory assays indicated that male D. armandi are more sensitive to frontalin and frontalin + α-pinene, whereas female D. armandi are more sensitive to frontalin + α-pinene and exo-brevicomin. These results support frontalin as a virgin female-produced sex pheromone, and frontalin + α-pinene as a virgin female and mated male-produced aggregation pheromone. Furthermore, different concentrations of exo-brevicomin have aggregation and anti-aggregation roles in female D. armandi. This study provides evidence for classifying the two compounds as certain types of pheromones and indicates that these pheromones have clear potential value for monitoring and controlling the outbreak of this serious pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important signaling molecule for plants under drought tolerance. However, ABA itself has many limitations to be used in agriculture practically. Recently, AM1 (ABA-mimicking ligand) has been found to replace ABA. In this study, we have investigated AM1's potential role for drought tolerance by growing two contrasting rapeseed ( Brassica napus L.) genotypes: Qinyou 8 (drought sensitive) and Q2 (drought resistant) with exogenous ABA or AM1 application under well-watered and drought-stressed conditions. Results demonstrate that drought stress has hampered plant growth (relative height growth rate, plant biomass, leaf area), plant water status (leaf relative water content, root moisture content, leaf water potential), photosynthetic gas exchange attributes like net photosynthesis rate ( Pn), stomatal conductance ( Gs), intercellular CO concentration ( Ci), transpiration rate ( E); chlorophyll fluorescence parameters like photosynthetic efficiency ( Fv/Fm), effective quantum yield of PSII ( Φ ), photochemical quenching coefficient ( qL), electron transport rate ( ETR) and chlorophyll content, especially for Qinyou 8 significantly compared to well-watered plants. Whereas increased root/shoot ratio (R/S), water use efficiency ( WUE) and non-photochemical quenching ( NPQ) was recorded in both genotypes under drought stress. On the other hand, exogenous ABA or AM1 treatment has regulated all the above parameters in a rational way to avoid drought stress. Chloroplast transmission electron microscope images, especially for Qinyou8, have revealed that oxidative stress induced by drought has blurred the grana thylakoids, increased the size or number of plastoglobules due to lipid peroxidation, and the presence of starch granules depict weak capacity to convert them into simple sugars for osmotic adjustment. However, intact grana thylakoid, few plastoglobules with no or very few starch granules were observed in the chloroplast from ABA- or AM1-treated plants under drought. More importantly, AM1-treated plants under drought stress have responded in an extremely similar way like ABA-treated ones. Finally, it is suggested that AM1 is a potential ABA substitute for plant drought tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]