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Virtual assembly technology has developed rapidly in recent years. As one of its key technologies, object registration has been widely studied, whose main task is to register the target object. However, the existing methods cannot effectively register reflective texture-less objects such as metal parts. In this paper, an object registration method based on multiple edge features is proposed, which includes a sparse uniform template sampling method and a multiple edge feature matching method. At the same time, we also used two oil pumps to carry out virtual assembly experiments and verify the accuracy of object registration. The experimental results show that this method can achieve high accuracy which is in line with the requirements of the virtual assembly algorithm in the industry.

Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is one of the most common chronic peripheral neuropathies in diabetes mellitus (DM). Objective. To observe the underlying mechanism of the effects of Yiqi Huoxue Tongluo Decoction (YQHX) on DNP rats. Methods. SD rats were intraperitoneally injected with 35 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ) to prepare DNP models and were treated with YQHX for 8 weeks. Results. Studies have shown that the drug restores some levels of MWT, TWL, and MNCV, downregulates the levels of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, downregulates the levels of ASK1-MKK3-p38, and weakens the level of OX42 activation. Conclusion. Yiqi Huoxue Tongluo Decoction can relieve DNP by affecting the activity of spinal cord microglia and the ASK1-MKK3-p38 signaling pathway, thereby reducing the central sensitization caused by the inflammatory response of DNP rats.

Phycobilisomes (PBS) are the major light-harvesting machineries for photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and red algae and they have a hierarchical structure of a core and peripheral rods, with both consisting of phycobiliproteins and linker proteins. Here we report the cryo-EM structures of PBS from two cyanobacterial species, Anabaena 7120 and Synechococcus 7002. Both PBS are hemidiscoidal in shape and share a common triangular core structure. While the Anabaena PBS has two additional hexamers in the core linked by the 4th linker domain of ApcE (LCM). The PBS structures predict that, compared with the PBS from red algae, the cyanobacterial PBS could have more direct routes for energy transfer to ApcD. Structure-based systematic mutagenesis analysis of the chromophore environment of ApcD and ApcF subunits reveals that aromatic residues are critical to excitation energy transfer (EET). The structures also suggest that the linker protein could actively participate in the process of EET in both rods and the cores. These results provide insights into the organization of chromophores and the mechanisms of EET within cyanobacterial PBS., The major light-harvesting systems for photosynthesis in cyanobacteria and red algae are phycobilisomes (PBS). Here, the authors present the cryo-EM structures of two cyanobacterial PBS from Anabaena 7120 and Synechococcus 7002 and discuss their energy transfer pathways.

BACKGROUND A recent investigation showed that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is 12.8% among individuals of Han ethnicity. Gut microbiota has been reported to play a central role in T2DM. Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats show differences in gut microbiota compared to non-diabetic rats. Previous studies have indicated that berberine could be successfully used to manage T2DM. We sought to understand its hypoglycaemic effect and role in the regulation of the gut microbiota. AIM To determine whether berberine can regulate glucose metabolism in GK rats via the gut microbiota. METHODS GK rats were acclimatized for 1 wk. The GK rats were randomly divided into three groups and administered saline (Mo), metformin (Me), or berberine (Be). The observation time was 8 wk, and weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were measured. Pancreatic tissue was observed for pathological changes. Additionally, we sequenced the 16S rRNA V3-V4 region of the gut microbiota and analysed the structure. RESULTS Compared with the Mo group, the Me and Be groups displayed significant differences in FBG (P < 0.01) and GLP-1 (P < 0.05). A significant decrease in weight and homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance was noted in the Be group compared with those in the Me group (P < 0.01). The pancreatic islets of the Me- and Be-treated rats showed improvement in number, shape, and necrosis compared with those of Mo-treated rats. A total of 580 operational taxonomic units were obtained in the three groups. Compared to the Mo group, the Me and Be groups showed a shift in the structure of the gut microbiota. Correlation analysis indicated that FBG was strongly positively correlated with Clostridia_UCG-014 (P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with Allobaculum (P < 0.01). Body weight showed a positive correlation with Desulfovibrionaceae (P < 0.01) and a negative correlation with Akkermansia (P < 0.01). Importantly, our results demonstrated that Me and Be could significantly decrease Bacteroidetes (P < 0.01) and the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio (P < 0.01). Furthermore, Muribaculaceae (P < 0.01; P < 0.05) was significantly decreased in the Me and Be groups, and Allobaculum (P < 0.01) was significantly increased. CONCLUSION Berberine has a substantial effect in improving metabolic parameters and modulating the gut microbiota composition in T2DM rats.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has revolutionized biomonitoring in recent years; however, eDNA collection from aquatic environments generally relies on the time-consuming and equipment-dependent process of water filtration. Passive eDNA sampling deploys sorbent materials to capture eDNA from water, circumventing many problems associated with active filtration; yet, very few candidate materials have been systematically evaluated for this purpose. Here, we evaluated the ability of 12 different types of common loose sorbents and filter membranes to capture eDNA in laboratory and field experiments compared with conventional water filtration. Glass fiber filters (GF) outperformed all other materials in laboratory experiments with respect to their quantitative capacity to recover amphibian eDNA, with the eDNA yield increasing linearly with submersion time up to 72 h. Furthermore, GF rapidly (within 0.5 h) captured the eDNA of up to 71% of the total fish species in a lake, in addition to detecting the entire fish community by 8 h, as assessed by metabarcoding analysis. Our results demonstrate that GF could passively capture aqueous eDNA with a similar or greater efficiency than conventional methods, thus paving the way for convenient, effective, and eco-friendly eDNA sampling in aquatic environments.

Vast global declines of freshwater and marine fish diversity and population abundance pose serious threats to both ecosystem sustainability and human livelihoods. Environmental DNA (eDNA)-based biomonitoring provides robust, efficient, and cost-effective assessment of species occurrences and population trends in diverse aquatic environments. Thus, it holds great potential for improving conventional surveillance frameworks to facilitate fish conservation and fisheries management. However, the many technical considerations and rapid developments underway in the eDNA arena can overwhelm researchers and practitioners new to the field. Here, we systematically analysed 416 fish eDNA studies to summarize research trends in terms of investigated targets, research aims, and study systems, and reviewed the applications, rationales, methodological considerations, and limitations of eDNA methods with an emphasis on fish and fisheries research. We highlighted how eDNA technology may advance our knowledge of fish behaviour, species distributions, population genetics, community structures, and ecological interactions. We also synthesized the current knowledge of several important methodological concerns, including the qualitative and quantitative power eDNA has to recover fish biodiversity and abundance, and the spatial and temporal representations of eDNA with respect to its sources. To facilitate ecological applications implementing fish eDNA techniques, recent literature was summarized to generate guidelines for effective sampling in lentic, lotic, and marine habitats. Finally, we identified current gaps and limitations, and pointed out newly emerging research avenues for fish eDNA. As methodological optimization and standardization improve, eDNA technology should revolutionize fish monitoring and promote biodiversity conservation and fisheries management that transcends geographic and temporal boundaries.

Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus, which reduces the quality of life. However, the association between PDN and environmental factors, especially ambient humidity, remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of extreme humidity events on PDN. Data on PDN-related hospital admissions to two tertiary hospitals in Hefei, China (2014-2019) were obtained. A distributed lag non-linear model with a case-crossover design was used to quantitatively estimate the effects of ambient humidity on PDN, and the results were stratified by sex and age. The 1st, 10th, 90th, and 99th percentiles of relative humidity (RHU) were defined as extreme humidity, and the average relative humidity (74.94%) was set as the reference value. Non-linear exposure-response curves between the RHU and PDN cases were obtained. Extreme humidity (92%) had a significant effect on PDN with a relative risk (RR) of 1.13 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.26) on a particular day, which increased with the RHU (RR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.02-1.45 at 98% extreme humidity). Stratification analysis showed that women (RR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.07-1.77) and patients aged 65 years (RR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.01-1.57) were highly susceptible to this effect on the same day. The results suggest that extreme humidity is a crucial trigger for PDN onset in diabetes patients. Furthermore, the effects vary with sex and age. This study provides detailed evidence of the adverse effects of extreme weather on diabetes patients.

Large scale real-time water quality monitoring system usually produces vast amounts of high frequency data, and it is difficult for traditional water quality monitoring system to process such large and high frequency data generated by wireless sensor network. A real-time processing and early warning system framework is proposed to solve this problem, Apache Storm is used as the big data processing platform, and Kafka message queue is applied to classify the sample data into several data streams so as to reserve the time series data property of a sensor. In storm platform, Daubechies Wavelet is used to decompose the data series to obtain the trend of the series, then Long Short Term Memory Network (LSTM) model is used to model and predict the trend of the data. This paper provides a detailed description concerning the distribution mechanism of aggregated data in Storm, data storage format in HBase, the process of wavelet decomposition, model training and the application of mode for prediction. The application results in Xin’an River in Yantai City reveal that the prosed system framework has a very good ability to model big data with high prediction accuracy and robust processing capability.

Lys deacylases are essential regulators of cell biology in many contexts. Here, we have identified CddA (cyanobacterial deacetylase/depropionylase), a Lys deacylase enzyme expressed in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 that has both deacetylase and depropionylase activity. Loss of the gene cddA led to slower growth and impaired linear and cyclic photosynthetic electron transfer. We determined the crystal structure of this depropionylase/deacetylase at 2.1 A resolution and established that it has a unique and characteristically folded α/β structure. We detected an acyl binding site within CddA via site-directed mutagenesis and demonstrated that this site is essential for the deproprionylase activity of this enzyme. Through a proteomic approach, we identified a total of 598 Lys residues across 382 proteins that were capable of undergoing propionylation. These propionylated proteins were highly enriched for photosynthetic and metabolic functionality. We additionally demonstrated that CddA was capable of catalyzing in vivo and in vitro Lys depropionylation and deacetylation of Fru-1,6-bisphosphatase, thereby regulating its enzymatic activity. Our identification of a Lys deacylase provides insight into the mechanisms globally regulating photosynthesis and carbon metabolism in cyanobacteria and potentially in other photosynthetic organisms as well.

Intestinal tumors mainly originate from transformed crypt stem cells supported by Wnt signaling, which functions through downstream critical factors enriched in the intestinal stem/progenitor compartment. Here, we show Uhrf2 is predominantly expressed in intestinal crypts and adenomas in mice and is transcriptionally regulated by Wnt signaling. Upregulated UHRF2 correlates with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer patients. Although loss of Uhrf2 did not affect intestinal homeostasis and regeneration, tumor initiation and progression were inhibited, leading to a markedly prolonged life span in Uhrf2 null mice on an ApcMin background. Uhrf2 deficiency also strongly reduced primary tumor organoid formation suggesting impairment of tumor stem cells. Moreover, ablation of Uhrf2 suppressed tumor cell proliferation through downregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Mechanistically, Uhrf2 directly interacts with and sumoylates Tcf4, a critical intranuclear effector of the Wnt pathway. Uhrf2 mediated SUMOylation stabilized Tcf4 and further sustained hyperactive Wnt signaling. Together, we demonstrate that Wnt-induced Uhrf2 expression promotes tumorigenesis through modulation of the stability of Tcf4 for maintaining oncogenic Wnt/β-catenin signaling. This is a new reciprocal feedforward regulation between Uhrf2 and Wnt signaling in tumor initiation and progression.

Extensive water diversion projects that have been increasingly installed worldwide transport essential water resources as well as a large number of biota. However, studies of the dynamic processes of such transport have been limited. The South-to-North Water Diversion Project of China is the largest manmade water diversion system ever constructed. Here, in a year-long project, we used environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to assess fish biodiversity and assemblage composition along the Project's 1277-km main canal, while also investigating the temporal, spatial, and functional trait drivers of changes in the fish assemblages. Together, 45 fish taxa were detected, with substantial compositional variations between seasons. The number of detected species typically dropped upon entering the canal but remained relatively constant along the canal's length. Spatial variations in fish assemblages were generally dominated by the turnover component over nestedness, and a positive spatial autocorrelation of qualitative assemblage composition was detected within 80 km in all seasons. Furthermore, several functional traits, such as smaller body size, invertivorous diet, rheophilic living, and lithophilic and demersal spawning, were positive predictors of fish presence along the length of the canal and they may boost species chances of introduction to the recipient areas. Our results provide crucial information for ecological management of diversion projects and have key implications for modelling and predicting foreign species invasion through water transfers.

Extensive global glacial retreats are threatening cryosphere ecosystem functioning and the associated biota in glacier-fed water systems. Understanding multi-group biodiversity distributions and compositional variation across diverse but hydrologically linked habitats under varying glacial influences will help explain the mechanisms underlying glacial community organization and ecosystem processes. However, such data are generally lacking due to the difficulty of obtaining biodiversity information across wide taxonomic ranges. Here, we used a multi-marker environmental DNA metabarcoding approach to simultaneously investigate the spatial patterns of community compositions and assembly mechanisms of four taxonomic groups (cyanobacteria, diatoms, invertebrates, and vertebrates) along the flowpaths of a tributary of Lake Nam Co on the Tibetan Plateau-from its glacier headwaters, through its downstream river and wetlands, to its estuary. We detected 869 operational taxonomic units: 119 cyanobacterial, 395 diatom, 269 invertebrate, and 86 vertebrate. Taxonomic richnesses consistently increased from upstream to downstream, and although all groups showed community similarity distance decay patterns, the trend for vertebrates was the weakest. Cyanobacteria, diatom, and invertebrate community compositions were significantly correlated with several environmental factors, while the vertebrate community was only correlated with waterway width. Variation partitioning analysis indicated that varying extents of environmental conditions and spatial factors affected community organizations for different groups. Furthermore, stochastic processes contributed prominently to the microorganisms' community assembly (Sloan's neutral model R

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a modified Xiaohua Funing decoction (Xfd) on acute liver failure (ALF) and determine whether the protective mechanisms are related to alterations in the gut microbiota. Methods. An animal model of ALF was induced by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (D-Gal, 0.5 g/kg) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 μg/kg). Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the following 4 groups: the control group (saline, Con), model group (D-Gal/LPS, Mod), silymarin pretreatment group (200 mg/kg, Sil), and modified Xfd pretreatment group (650 mg/kg, Xfd). The Sil and Xfd groups received the respective intervention orally for 14 days and 2 h before D-Gal/LPS treatment. The liver injury markers included alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and liver histology. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to assess the effects on the caecum content. Results. D-Gal/LPS treatment caused severe ALF, illustrating that the ALF model was successfully established. The administration of Sil and Xfd greatly reduced the serum ALT and AST levels and improved the pathological signs of liver injury. However, no significant difference was found between the two groups. In contrast to the Mod group, the Sil and Xfd groups showed a shift toward the Con group in terms of the gut microbiota structure. The abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in the Mod group significantly differed from those in the Con group. The Sil and Xfd groups showed restoration of the disordered microbiota. Significantly increased relative abundances of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Candidatus_Saccharimonas and a markedly decreased Muribaculaceae abundance were found in the Sil and Xfd mice compared with those in the Mod mice ( P < 0.01 , P < 0.05 ). Interestingly, a negative correlation was observed between the abundances of the gut microbiota constituents, specifically Clostridia_UCG-014, and ALT and AST levels. Conclusion. In summary, our results indicate that Xfd may protect the liver and modify the gut microbiota in ALF mice.

Nowadays, smart medical cloud platforms have become a new direction in the industry. However, because the medical system involves personal physiological data, user privacy in data transmission and processing is also easy to leak in the smart medical cloud platform. This paper proposed a medical data privacy protection framework named PMHE based on blockchain and fully homomorphic encryption technology. The framework receives personal physiological data from wearable devices on the client side, and uses blockchain as data storage to ensure that the data cannot be tampered with or forged; Besides, it use fully homomorphic encryption method to design a disease prediction model, which was implemented using smart contracts. In PMHE, data is encoded and encrypted on the client side, and encrypted data is uploaded to the cloud platform via the public Internet, preventing privacy leakage caused by channel eavesdropping; Smart contracts run on the blockchain platform for disease prediction, and the operators participating in computing are encrypted user data too, so it avoids privacy and security issues caused by platform data leakage. The client-to-cloud interaction protocol is also designed to overcome the defect that fully homomorphic encryption only supports addition and multiplication by submitting tuples on the client side, to ensure that the prediction model can perform complex computing. In addition, the design of the smart contract is introduced in detail, and the performance of the system is analyzed. Finally, experiments are conducted to verify the operating effect of the system, ensuring that user privacy is not leaked without affecting the accuracy of the model, and realizing a smart medical cloud platform in which data can be used but cannot be borrowed.

Two large protein-cofactor complexes, photosystem I and photosystem II, are the central components of photosynthesis in the thylakoid membranes. Here, we report the 2.37-A structure of a tetrameric photosystem I complex from a heterocyst-forming cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Four photosystem I monomers, organized in a dimer of dimer, form two distinct interfaces that are largely mediated by specifically orientated polar lipids, such as sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol. The structure depicts a more closely connected network of chlorophylls across monomer interfaces than those seen in trimeric PSI from thermophilic cyanobacteria, possibly allowing a more efficient energy transfer between monomers. Our physiological data also revealed a functional link of photosystem I oligomerization to cyclic electron flow and thylakoid membrane organization.

Pentagalloylglucose (PGG), a gallotannin polyphenolic compound, has been found to possess a host of beneficial pharmacologic activities, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities. We previously demonstrated that PGG is capable of binding to the cell membrane of renal mesangial cells, but the pharmacological effect of PGG on diabetic renal injury and the underlying mechanisms are still not yet clear. In this study, the effects of PGG on Nrf2/HO-1 and JAK2/STAT3 signaling were explored in AGE-stimulated mesangial cells. Furthermore, the Nrf2 transcriptional inhibitor ML385 was used to verify the involvement of Nrf2 in the PGG-mediated inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 cascade. Our results showed that PGG significantly inhibited AGE-induced ROS generation and activated AGE-inhibited Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. Moreover, AGE-induced inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) and their signaling through JAK2/STAT3 were blocked by PGG. Furthermore, ML385 suppressed Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, elevated ROS and cytokine production, and activated JAK2/STAT3 cascade were reversed by PGG. These findings indicate that PGG inhibits the JAK2/STAT3 cascade by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling.

Permanent magnet traction motor has the advantages of high efficiency, high power density, high torque density and quick dynamic response, which has been widely used in the traction field of electric vehicle. The high-performance control of permanent magnet traction motor depends on accurate rotor position information, which is usually obtained by using mechanical position sensors such as hall sensor, encoder and rotary transformer. However, the traditional mechanical sensor has the disadvantages of high cost, large volume and poor anti-interference ability, which limits the application of permanent magnet motor. The sensorless control technology is an effective way to solve the above-mentioned problem. Firstly, the sensorless control techniques of permanent magnet motor are classified. The sensorless control techniques of permanent magnet motor for rotor initial position, zero-low speed range, medium-high speed range and full speed range are deeply described and compared. Finally, the development trend of sensorless control technology of permanent magnet traction motor is prospected.

Hybridization has fascinated biologists in recent centuries for its evolutionary importance, especially in plants. Hybridization outcomes are greatly affected by the environment, and hybridization is most likely in bounded or novel habitats for the parent populations. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and its adjacent regions possess extraordinarily high plant diversity, and hybridization has been shown to be an important cause. The plateau also contains numerous wetlands, accommodating diverse aquatic taxa, and we have limited information on the regional hybridization rate and pattern in aquatic macrophytes. In this study, We assessed the distribution of three related species pairs (Myriophyllum, Stuckenia and Ranunculus) and their hybrids (using chloroplast and microsatellite markers). We also evaluated the potential occurrence and niche similarity for relative parental species. The results revealed common hybridization in three pairs of ecologically divergent aquatic plants on the QTP. The drainage basins, valleys and edges of the plateau enabled sympatry of divergent taxa and contained discrete hybrid zones. Obvious niche overlap and extensive cooccurrence regions were important for the frequent hybridization. The novel and marginal niche on the QTP for aquatic plants also contributed. The hybridization patterns are different among species pairs, possibly because of differences in genetic incompatibility, niche overlap extent and phylogeographic history. Our results suggested that the QTP is a hotspot for ecologically divergent aquatic species to contact and mate and implied that hybridization may be important for the freshwater biodiversity of highlands.

Objective. To analyse the clinical features of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and employ data mining technology to explore the rules of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) therapy. Methods. The clinical data of 216 patients with DPN and qi-yin deficiency syndrome were obtained, and the clinical features of the patients were assessed by cluster analysis. Relevant information was entered into the clinical diagnosis and treatment collection system, and data mining techniques were used to analyse the drug frequency, core CHM, CHM pair, and so on. Results. In this study, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and homocysteine (HCY) were closely related to the pathogenesis of DPN. Overall, 162 patients had typical DPN syndrome characteristics, and we analysed 216 prescriptions, including 182 CHM. The frequencies of prescription of Astragalus membranaceus, Ligusticum wallichii, Poria cocos, and Radix Rehmanniae were greater than 45%. A Bayesian network analysis diagram showed that the 9 most common core CHM included Astragalus membranaceus, Ligusticum wallichii, Poria cocos, atractylodes rhizome, and Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. According to the association rules of CHM, Radix Ophiopogon is used for Codonopsis pilosula; Astragalus membranaceus and atractylodes rhizome for Rehmannia are also frequently used. Astragalus membranaceus and Cinnamomi Ramulus or Ligusticum wallichii and Moutan bark were highly related to a decreased Michigan Diabetic Neuropathy Score. Conclusion. HbA1c and HCY are related risk factors for DPN. Numbness is a typical syndrome characteristic. Astragalus membranaceus is a monarch CHM and is used most frequently.

Lys deacylases are essential regulators of cell biology in many contexts. Here, we have identified CddA (cyanobacterial deacetylase/depropionylase), a Lys deacylase enzyme expressed in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 that has both deacetylase and depropionylase activity. Loss of the gene cddA led to slower growth and impaired linear and cyclic photosynthetic electron transfer. We determined the crystal structure of this depropionylase/deacetylase at 2.1 Å resolution and established that it has a unique and characteristically folded α/β structure. We detected an acyl binding site within CddA via site-directed mutagenesis and demonstrated that this site is essential for the deproprionylase activity of this enzyme. Through a proteomic approach, we identified a total of 598 Lys residues across 382 proteins that were capable of undergoing propionylation. These propionylated proteins were highly enriched for photosynthetic and metabolic functionality. We additionally demonstrated that CddA was capable of catalyzing in vivo and in vitro Lys depropionylation and deacetylation of Fru-1,6-bisphosphatase, thereby regulating its enzymatic activity. Our identification of a Lys deacylase provides insight into the mechanisms globally regulating photosynthesis and carbon metabolism in cyanobacteria and potentially in other photosynthetic organisms as well.

Danzhi Jiangtang Capsule (DJC), a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, has been used clinically in treating diabetes and diabetic nephropathy (DN). We previously demonstrated that DJC is capable of improving renal function in patients and rats with DN, but the mechanisms underlying these therapeutic benefits of DJC are not quite clear yet. In this study, STZ-induced diabetic rats were orally administered DJC for 8 weeks. Fasting blood glucose, renal function indicators in the serum, renal index, and the expression of proteins related to JAK-STAT signaling pathway were evaluated at the end of the experiment. The kidneys were sliced for pathological histology. Antioxidant status was assessed by measuring SOD, LPO and MDA in serum. The expression levels of COX2, iNOS, SOCS and the phosphorylation status of JAK2, STAT1, and STAT3 in renal tissues were evaluated by Western blot analyses. IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1 expression levels in renal tissues were determined using double-antibody sandwich ELISA. Diabetic renal dysfunction and its associated pathologies were ameliorated by DJC treatment. DJC significantly reversed the high expression of COX2 and iNOS in renal tissues. Furthermore, DJC inhibited the JAK2-STAT1/STAT3-SOCS3 signaling pathway, resulting in decreased concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1. Moreover, the oxidant status in the kidney was substantially ameliorated by DJC treatment. In conclusion, the ability of DJC to ameliorate diabetic renal dysfunction and the associated pathologies of this disease might be due to its antioxidant capacity and suppression of the JAK2-STAT1/STAT3 cascade.

Previous studies showed that the high mortality caused by viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus, primarily results from the complications of a cytokine storm. Therefore, it is critical to identify the key factors participating in the cytokine storm. Here, we demonstrate that the interferon-induced protein 35 (IFP35), plays an important role in the cytokine storm induced by SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infection. We find that the levels of serum IFP35 in SARS-CoV-2 patients correlates with the severity of the syndrome. Using mouse model and cell assays, we show that IFP35 is released by lung epithelial cells and macrophage after SARS-CoV-2 or influenza virus infection. In addition, we show that administration of neutralizing antibody against IFP35 considerably reduce lung injuries, and thus the mortality rate of mice exposed to viral infection. In conclusion, our findings suggest that IFP35 serves both as a biomarker and a therapeutic target in virus-induced syndromes., Graphical Abstract, Yu et al. identify IFP35 both as a biomarker and a therapeutic target in SARS-CoV-2 or influenza virus induced syndromes. Neutralizing antibody against IFP35 considerably reduces lung injury and the mortality of infected mice.

Large mammalian carnivores have undergone catastrophic declines during the Anthropocene across the world. Despite their pivotal roles as apex predators in food webs and ecosystem dynamics, few detailed dietary datasets of large carnivores exist, prohibiting deep understanding of their coexistence and persistence in human-dominated landscapes. Here, we present fine-scaled, quantitative trophic interactions among sympatric carnivores from three assemblages in the Mountains of Southwest China, a global biodiversity hotspot harboring the world's richest large-carnivore diversity, derived from DNA metabarcoding of 1,097 fecal samples. These assemblages comprise a large-carnivore guild ranging from zero to five species along with two mesocarnivore species. We constructed predator-prey food webs for each assemblage and identified 95 vertebrate prey taxa and 260 feeding interactions in sum. Each carnivore species consumed 6-39 prey taxa, and dietary diversity decreased with increased carnivore body mass across guilds. Dietary partitioning was more evident between large-carnivore and mesocarnivore guilds, yet different large carnivores showed divergent proportional utilization of different-sized prey correlating with their own body masses. Large carnivores particularly selected livestock in Tibetan-dominated regions, where the indigenous people show high tolerance toward wild predators. Our results suggest that dietary niche partitioning and livestock subsidies facilitate large-carnivore sympatry and persistence and have key implications for sustainable conservation promoting human-carnivore coexistence.

Nε-Acetylation of lysine residues represents a frequently occurring post-translational modification widespread in bacteria that plays vital roles in regulating bacterial physiology and metabolism. However, the role of lysine acetylation in cyanobacteria remains unclear, presenting a hurdle to in-depth functional study of this post-translational modification. Here, we report the lysine acetylome of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 (hereafter Synechococcus) using peptide prefractionation, immunoaffinity enrichment, and coupling with high-precision liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Proteomic analysis of Synechococcus identified 1653 acetylation sites on 802 acetylproteins involved in a broad range of biological processes. Interestingly, the lysine acetylated proteins were enriched for proteins involved in photosynthesis, for example. Functional studies of the photosystem II manganese-stabilizing protein were performed by site-directed mutagenesis and mutants mimicking either constitutively acetylated (K99Q, K190Q, and K219Q) or nonacetylated states (K99R, K190R, and K219R) were constructed. Mutation of the K190 acetylation site resulted in a distinguishable phenotype. Compared with the K190R mutant, the K190Q mutant exhibited a decreased oxygen evolution rate and an enhanced cyclic electron transport rate in vivo. Our findings provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of lysine acetylation that involved in the negative regulation of oxygen evolution in Synechococcus and creates opportunities for in-depth elucidation of the physiological role of protein acetylation in photosynthesis in cyanobacteria.