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Abstract The evolutionary origins of specialized organs pose significant challenges for empirical studies, as most such organs evolved millions of years ago. The Northern snakehead (Channa argus), an air-breathing fish, possesses a suprabranchial organ, a common feature of the Anabantoidei, offering a unique opportunity to investigate the function and evolutionary origins of specialized organs. In this study, a high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of C. argus was constructed using PacBio HiFi sequencing and Hi-C technology. The final genome assembly size is 712.14 Mb, with a scaffold N50 of 28.08 Mb. The assembled sequences were anchored to 24 pseudo-chromosomes and predicted 21,643 protein-coding genes. The genome comprises 27.70% repetitive elements and includes 3,588 (98.6%) complete BUSCOs, demonstrating superior contiguity and functional completeness compared to other published C. argus assemblies. This genome provides valuable genetic resources for exploring the evolution of the aquatic-aerial bimodal breathing system, including clarifying the evolutionary histories and adaptive strategies.

Abstract Spotted sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus) is a species of significant economic importance in aquaculture. However, genetic degeneration, such as declining growth performance, has severely impeded industry development, necessitating urgent genetic improvement. Here, we conducted a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) and genomic prediction for growth traits using insertion and deletion (InDel) markers, and systematically compared the results with our previous studies using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. A total of 97 significant InDels including a 6 bp insertion in an exon region were identified. It is worth noting that only 5 and 1 candidate genes for DY and TS populations were also detected in previous GWAS using SNPs, and numerous novel genes including c4b, fgf4, and dnajb9 were identified as vital candidate genes. Moreover, several novel growth‐related procedures, such as the growth and development of the bone and muscle, were also detected. These findings indicated that InDel‐based GWAS can provide valuable complement to SNP‐based studies. The comparison of genomic predictive performance for total length trait under different marker selection strategies and genomic selection models indicated that GWAS selection strategy exhibits more stable predictive performance compared to the evenly selection strategy. Additionally, support vector machine model demonstrated better predictive accuracy and efficiency than traditional best linear unbiased prediction and Bayes models. Furthermore, the superior predictive performance using InDel markers compared to SNP markers highlighted the potential of InDels to enhance genomic predictive accuracy and efficiency. Our results carry significant implications for dissecting genetic mechanisms and contributing genetic improvement of growth traits in spotted sea bass through genomic resources.

Abstract Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by an abnormal immune response, and the pathogenesis lacks clear understanding. The cGAS-STING pathway is an innate immune signaling pathway that plays a significant role in various pathophysiological processes. However, the role of the cGAS-STING pathway in UC remains largely unclear. In this study, we obtained transcriptome sequencing data from multiple publicly available databases. cGAS-STING related genes were obtained through literature search, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed using R package limma. Hub genes were identified through protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and module construction. The ConsensuClusterPlus package was utilized to identify molecular subtypes based on hub genes. The therapeutic response, immune microenvironment, and biological pathways of subtypes were further investigated. A total of 18 DEGs were found in UC patients. We further identified IFI16, MB21D1 (CGAS), TMEM173 (STING) and TBK1 as the hub genes. These genes are highly expressed in UC. IFI16 exhibited the highest diagnostic value and predictive value for response to anti-TNF therapy. The expression level of IFI16 was higher in non-responders to anti-TNF therapy. Furthermore, a cluster analysis based on genes related to the cGAS-STING pathway revealed that patients with higher gene expression exhibited elevated immune burden and inflammation levels. This study is a pioneering analysis of cGAS-STING pathway-related genes in UC. These findings provide new insights for the diagnosis of UC and the prediction of therapeutic response.

Abstract Basal progenitor cells are crucial for maintaining foregut (the esophagus and forestomach) homeostasis. When their function is dysregulated, it can promote inflammation and tumorigenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying these processes remain largely unclear. Here, we employ genetic mouse models to reveal that Jag1/2 regulate esophageal homeostasis and foregut tumorigenesis by modulating the function of basal progenitor cells. Deletion of Jag1/2 in mice disrupts esophageal and forestomach epithelial homeostasis. Mechanistically, Jag1/2 deficiency impairs activation of Notch signaling, leading to reduced squamous epithelial differentiation and expansion of basal progenitor cells. Moreover, Jag1/2 deficiency exacerbates the deoxycholic acid (DCA)-induced squamous epithelial injury and accelerates the initiation of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the forestomach. Importantly, expression levels of JAG1/2 are lower in the early stages of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) carcinogenesis. Collectively, our study demonstrates that Jag1/2 are important for maintaining esophageal and forestomach homeostasis and the onset of foregut SCC.

IntroductionAir flow driven by air-conditioner has a significant impact on the indoor environment, however, the bacterial contamination conditions in the different parts of air-conditioners have not been fully elucidated.MethodsIn this study, we assessed the bacterial pollution in the four parts, including air outlet, filter net, cooling fin and water sink, of ten household air-conditioners quantitatively and qualitatively from Chengdu, southwestern China.ResultsThe microbial cultivation results showed the large total bacterial counts of 5042.0, 9127.6, 6595.1, and 12296.2 CFU/cm2 in air outlet, filter net, cooling fin, and water sink. Furthermore, the sequencing data showed that these four parts displayed different bacterial characteristics. At the level of genus, Caproiciproducens and Acidipropionibacterium were predominant in air outlet. Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Paracoccus, and Corynebacterium were detected as the characteristic bacteria in filter net. For cooling fin, Rhodococcus, Achromobacter, and Nocardioides were the dominant bacteria. The genera of Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum, Brevibacterium, Stenotrophomonas, and Psychrobacter were identified as the bioindicators in water sink. The bioinformatic analysis on the sequencing data illustrated that the bacteria from air-conditioners were associated with metabolic disturbance.DiscussionThis study reveals the distinct bacterial compositions in the different parts of air-conditioner, and provides new clues for the non-negligible bacterial pollution in this common appliance from Chinese households.

The aim of the present study was to comprehensively analyze and identify the metabolites of different varieties of raw peanut, as well as provide a reference for the utilization of different varieties of peanuts. In this study, three varieties of peanuts, namely ZKH1H, ZKH13H, and CFD, were investigated via ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and widely targeted metabolomics methods based on tandem mass spectrometry (MS) and solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC–MS). In total, 417 nonvolatile and 55 volatile substances were detected. The nonvolatile substances were classified into the following 10 categories: organic acids and derivatives (28.9%); organic oxygen compounds (21.9%); lipids and lipid-like molecules (12.6%); organoheterocyclic compounds (9.9%); nucleosides, nucleotides, and analogues (9.4%); benzenoids (7.8%); phenylpropanoids and polyketides (6.1%); organic nitrogen compounds (2.7%); lignans, neolignans, and related compounds (0.5%); and alkaloids and their derivatives (0.3%). The volatile compounds (VOCs) were classified into the following eight categories: organic oxygen compounds (24.1%); organic cyclic compounds (20.4%); organic nitrogen compounds (13%); organic acids and their derivatives (13%); lipids and lipid-like molecules (11.2%); benzenoids (11.1%); hydrocarbons (3.7%); and homogeneous non-metallic compounds (3.7%). Differentially abundant metabolites among the different peanut varieties (ZKH13H vs. CFD, ZKH1H vs. CFD, and ZKH1H vs. ZKH13H) were investigated via multivariate statistical analyses, which identified 213, 204, and 157 nonvolatile differentially abundant metabolites, respectively, and 12, 11, and 10 volatile differentially abundant metabolites, respectively. KEGG metabolic pathway analyses of the differential non-VOCs revealed that the most significant metabolic pathways among ZKH13H vs. CFD, ZKH1H vs. CFD, and ZKH1H vs. ZKH13H were galactose metabolism, purine metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA, while the nitrogen metabolism pathway was identified as a significant metabolic pathway for the VOCs. The present findings provide a theoretical foundation for the development and utilization of these three peanut species, as well as for the breeding of new peanut varieties.

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a global health problem in which gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a pivotal pathogenic role. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy has emerged as a prospective novel tool for managing IBD, and which can also regulate the composition of gut microbiota. However, the functional significance of MSCs-induced changes in gut microbiome is poorly understood. Methods Here, we investigated for the first time the role of gut microbiota in mediating the protective effect of human umbilical cord MSCs (HUMSCs) on DSS-induced colitis. Gut microbiota alteration and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production were analyzed through 16S rRNA sequencing and targeted metabolomics. Spectrum antibiotic cocktail (ABX), fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and sterile fecal filtrate (SFF) were employed to evaluate the protective effect of intestinal flora and its metabolites. Cytokine microarray, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and flow cytometry were conducted to assess the effect on CD4+T homeostasis. Results Here, we investigated for the first time the role of gut microbiota in mediating the protective effect of MSCs on DSS-induced colitis. By performing gut microbiota depletion and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiments, we revealed that MSCs derived from human umbilical cord ameliorated colon inflammation and reshaped T-cells immune homeostasis via remodeling the composition and diversity of gut flora, especially up-regulated SCFAs-producing bacterial abundance, such as Akkermansia, Faecalibaculum, and Clostridia_UCG_014. Consistently, targeted metabolomics manifested the increased SCFAs production with MSCs administration, and there was also a significant positive correlation between differential bacteria and SCFAs. Meanwhile, combined with sterile fecal filtrate (SFF) gavage experiments, the underlying protective mechanism was further associated with the improved Treg/Th2/Th17 balance in intestinal mucosa mediated via the increased microbiota-derived SCFAs production. Conclusion The present study advances understanding of MSCs in the protective effects on colitis, providing evidence for the new role of the microbiome-metabolite-immune axis in the recovery of colitis by MSCs.

In contemporary distribution networks (DNs), characterized by extensive integration of distributed energy, the photovoltaic (PV) power output data from the distribution station areas become crucial for system planning and operational optimization. Since many PVs are installed behind-the-meter (BTM), it is difficult to directly obtain PV power data through measurement devices. Therefore, it is important to estimate the BTM PV power from the aggregating data that can be directly obtained. However, the existing estimation methods usually require centralized large-scale data training, which brings certain privacy leakage risks. In order to solve these problems, we propose a federated learning-based improved Transformer Neural Network strategy to estimate BTM PV generation at the community level with data privacy protection. Initially, enhanced Transformer neural networks, employing a fused-attention mechanism, are deployed to precisely delineate the solar power generation pattern. Subsequently, federated learning principles facilitate the sharing of specific parameters among multiple edge endpoints and a central server. This model bifurcates into two layers: an individual layer, where parameters are retained locally, and an exchange layer, where parameters are collectively shared and conveyed through momentum aggregation. This dual-layer structure effectively synchronizes the capture of both unique and common characteristics. The test on the Australian residential load dataset verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Here we investigated the potential impacts of soil inorganic nitrogen (SIN) content on the phylogenetic characteristics and ecological functions of soil bacterial communities in estuarine intertidal zones in China, aiming to comprehend the response mechanism of soil microorganisms to variations in SIN content within estuarine wetlands. Our results show that SIN in estuarine areas has a significant spatiotemporal variation on spatial and seasonal scales, in this study and is significantly associated with the phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic turnover of soil bacterial communities. In addition, the results of the metagenomic analysis showed that the relative abundance of nitrogen-cycling functional genes in bacterial communities did not differ significantly in sampling sites and seasons, and weakly correlated with SIN content. Further, the results based on structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis showed that SIN directly and significantly regulated the phylogenetic characteristics of bacterial communities, thereby indirectly affecting the potential of bacterial nitrogen metabolism. This study emphasizes the key influence of SIN variations on the phylogenetic dissimilarity in soil bacterial communities. Moreover, although there was a weak direct relationship between the functional characteristics of the bacterial nitrogen metabolism and SIN content, the spatiotemporal variation of bacterial nitrogen metabolic potential may be indirectly regulated by SIN content by influencing the phylogenetic diversity in bacterial communities. Our study unravels the pivotal mechanisms through which SIN content influences bacterial communities, thereby offering novel insights into the microbial intricacies governing nitrogen metabolism within estuaries.

Abstract The access of a high proportion of renewable energies has deepened the randomness and complexity of cascading failures (CFs) in power systems. In this regard, a real‐time risk assessment method for CFs in power systems with high proportion of new energy is proposed. First, combined with historical statistical data and relevant national standards, a CF simulation model that considers the off‐grid protection action of renewable energy units in the event of a power grid fault is proposed. The model is based on the continuous steady‐state power flow model, which simulates the spread of CFs via continuous power flow calculations. Second, via introducing the concept of a fault graph chain, the electrical and topological characteristics of the continuous dynamic of the power system in the process of CFs can be described. Then, through continuous CF simulation and replay buffer, a data‐driven method is used to calculate the CF risk index corresponding to the fault graph. Finally, a cascaded graph neural network is employed to fit the nonlinear mapping relationship between fault graphs and CF risk indicators. The simulation results in the IEEE 39‐bus system show that the proposed method can accurately and real‐time evaluate the risk of CFs.

With the global warming and climate change, the low-carbon power system has attracted increasing attention. A low-carbon optimal dispatch model incorporating carbon capture and storage technology and the uncertainty of wind power is proposed. An accurate calculation of carbon dioxide emission is established, and the carbon tax mechanism is incorporated into the traditional economic dispatch taking into account the economy and low-carbon of power production. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by simulation results of modified IEEE 24-bus system. The case study shows that the proposed model can significantly reduce carbon emissions of coal-fired units and encourage coal-fired units to improve their emission performance.

Abstract Background This retrospective study included an alternative treatment for types A2, A3, and B1 distal radius fractures using percutaneous fixation with a cemented K-wire frame. Methods From January 2017 to January 2020, 78 patients with distal radius fractures were treated with percutaneous internal fixation using a cemented K-wire frame. There were 47 male patients and 31 female patients. The fractures were classified into types A2 (n = 10), A3 (n = 46), and B1 (n = 22). X-rays were taken immediately after surgery and after the bone had healed. Wrist function was assessed using the Mayo Wrist Score (90–100, excellent; 80–90, good; 60–80, satisfactory; 0.05). Osteomyelitis was not observed in this series. All patients achieved bone healing after a mean of 4.5 weeks (range, 4 to 8 weeks). Follow-up lasted a mean of 27 months (range, 24 to 33 months). The mean score of wrist function was 97 (range, 91 to 100). Among them, 66 results were excellent and 12 results were good. The mean patient satisfaction was 10 cm (range, 8 to 10 cm). Conclusions Percutaneous fixation with cemented K-wire frame is a safe and preferred choice for the treatment of types A2, A3, and B1 distal radius fractures. The frame provides support to prevent wire migration. The fixation technique is a minimally invasive procedure that is easy to perform. Level of Evidence Therapeutic study, Level IVa.

A high proportion of new energy sources are connected to the grid, which not only alleviates the energy shortage, but also brings hidden dangers to the safe and stable operation of the grid. Aiming at the inadequate consideration of uncertainty caused by new energy sources such as wind power being connected to the grid, a method for identifying voltage-dominant cascading fault types is proposed. A voltage-dominant fault analysis model in the sense of probability is established. Based on the fault data, the nonlinear mapping relationship between the initial fault and the fault propagation characteristics is established through the neural network. Finally, the effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper is verified in the IEEE39-bus system, and the simulation results show that the method proposed in this paper can effectively identify the fault types of high-proportion new energy systems.

Abstract Background Adipose tissue is an important endocrine and energy-storage organ in organisms, and it plays a crucial role in the energy-metabolism balance. Previous studies have found that sex-linked dwarf (SLD) chickens generally have excessively high abdominal fat deposition during the growing period, which increases feeding costs. However, the underlying mechanism of this fat deposition during the growth of SLD chickens remains unknown. Results The Oil Red O staining showed that the lipid-droplet area of SLD chickens was larger than that of normal chickens in E15 and 14d. Consistently, TG content in the livers of SLD chickens was higher than that of normal chickens in E15 and 14d. Further, lower ΔΨm and lower ATP levels and higher MDA levels were observed in SLD chickens than normal chickens in both E15 and 14d. We also found that overexpression of GHR reduced the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism (AMPK, PGC1α, PPARγ, FAS, C/EBP) and oxidative phosphorylation (CYTB, CYTC, COX1, ATP), as well as reducing ΔΨm and ATP levels and increasing MDA levels. In addition, overexpression of GHR inhibited fat deposition in CPPAs, as measured by Oil Red O staining. On the contrary, knockdown of GHR had the opposite effects in vitro. Conclusions In summary, we demonstrate that GHR promotes mitochondrial function and inhibits lipid peroxidation as well as fat deposition in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, GHR is essential for maintaining the stability of lipid metabolism and regulating mitochondrial function in chicken.

Summary: How lung macrophages, especially interstitial macrophages (IMs), respond to invading pathogens remains elusive. Here, we show that mice exhibited a rapid and substantial expansion of macrophages, especially CX3CR1+ IMs, in the lung following infection with Cryptococcus neoformans, a pathogenic fungus leading to high mortality among patients with HIV/AIDS. The IM expansion correlated with enhanced CSF1 and IL-4 production and was affected by the deficiency of CCR2 or Nr4a1. Both alveolar macrophages (AMs) and IMs were observed to harbor C. neoformans and became alternatively activated following infection, with IMs being more polarized. The absence of AMs by genetically disrupting CSF2 signaling reduced fungal loads in the lung and prolonged the survival of infected mice. Likewise, infected mice depleted of IMs by the CSF1 receptor inhibitor PLX5622 displayed significantly lower pulmonary fungal burdens. Thus, C. neoformans infection induces alternative activation of both AMs and IMs, which facilitates fungal growth in the lung.

Abstract Simultaneous localization and mapping methods are fundamental to many robotic applications. In dynamic environments, SLAM methods focus on eliminating the influence of moving objects to construct a static map since they assume a static world. To improve localization robustness in dynamic environments, an RGB‐D SLAM method is proposed to build a complete 3D map containing both static and dynamic maps, the latter of which consists of the trajectories and points of the moving objects. Without any prior knowledge of the moving targets, the proposed method uses only the correlation between map points to discriminate between the static scene and the moving objects. After the static points are determined, camera motion estimation is performed only on reliable static map points to eliminate the influence of moving objects. The motion of the moving objects will then be estimated with the obtained camera motion by tracking their dynamic points in subsequent frames. Moreover, multiple groups of dynamic points that belong to the same moving object are fused by a volume overlap checking step. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the proposed method.

Body colour is an important economic trait for commercial fishes. Recently, a new colour morph displaying market-favoured yellow skin (termed as yellow-mutant, YM) of northern snakehead (Channa argus) was discovered in China. We confirmed that YM snakehead is an albino with complete loss of melanin in the skin and eyes by histological and ultrastructural observations, and inherited as a recessive Mendelian trait. By applying genomic analysis approaches, in combination with gene knockdown and rescue experiments, we suggested a non-sense mutation in slc45a2 (c.383G > A) is the causation for the YM snakehead. Notably, significantly higher levels of key melanogenesis genes (tyr, tyrp1, dct and pmel) and phospho-MITF protein were detected in YM snakehead than those in wild-type individuals, and the underlying mechanism was further investigated by comparative transcriptomic analysis. Results revealed that differential expressed genes involved in pathways like MAPK, WNT and calcium signalling were significantly induced in YM snakehead, which might account for the increased amount of melanogenesis elements, and presumably be stimulated by fibroblast-derived melanogenic factors in a paracrine manner. Our study clarified the genetic basis of colour variation in C. argus and provided the preliminary clue indicating the potential involvement of fibroblasts in pigmentation in fish.

Power system equipment outages are one of the most important factors affecting the reliability and economy of power systems. It is crucial to consider the reliability of the planning problems. In this paper, a generation expansion planning (GEP) model is proposed, in which the candidate generating units and energy storage systems (ESSs) are simultaneously planned by minimizing the cost incurred on investment, operation, reserve, and reliability. The reliability cost is computed by multiplying the value of lost load (VOLL) with the expected energy not supplied (EENS), and this model makes a compromise between economy and reliability. Because the computation of EENS makes the major computation impediment of the entire model, a new efficient linear EENS formulation is proposed and applied in a multi-step GEP model. By doing so, the computation efficiency is significantly improved, and the solution accuracy is still desirable. The proposed GEP model is illustrated using the IEEE-RTS system to validate the effectiveness and superiority of the new model.

Abstract Trichogramma is a useful species that is widely applied in biocontrol. Temperature profoundly affects the commercial application of T. chilonis. Different developmental transcriptomes of prepupae and pupae of T. chilonis under 10, 25, and 40°C were obtained from our previous study. In this study, transcriptomic analysis was further conducted to gain a clear understanding of the molecular changes in the prepupae of T. chilonis under different thermal conditions. A total of 37,295 unigenes were identified from 3 libraries of prepupae of T. chilonis, 17,293 of which were annotated. Differential expression analysis showed that 408 and 108 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified after heat and cold treatment, respectively. Under heat stress, the pathway of protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum was found to be active. Most of the genes involved in this pathway were annotated as lethal (2) essential for life [l(2)efl] and heat shock protein genes (hsps), which were both highly upregulated. Nevertheless, most of the genes involved in another significantly enriched pathway of starch and sucrose metabolism were downregulated, including 1 alpha‐glucosidase gene and 2 beta‐glucuronidase genes. Under cold stress, no significantly enriched pathway was found, and the significantly enriched GO terms were related to the interaction with host and immune defenses. Together, these results provide us with a comprehensive view of the molecular mechanisms of T. chilonis in response to temperature stresses and will provide new insight into the mass rearing and utilization of T. chilonis.

Abstract Plant–microbe interactions can modulate the plant metabolome, but there is no information about how different soil microbiomes could affect the sugarcane metabolome and its quality. Here, we collected soil and stalk samples from bitter sugarcane (BS) and sweet sugarcane (SS) to conduct chemical analysis, microbiome and metabolome analysis. Our data revealed lower species diversity in the BS group than in the SS group, and 18 discriminatory OTUs (relative abundance ≥ 0.01%) were identified. Sugarcane metabolomic analysis indicated the different abundances of 247 metabolites between the two groups in which 22 distinct metabolites involved in two flavonoid biosynthesis pathways were revealed. Integrated analysis between soil microbial taxa, stalk chemical components, and soil properties showed that the flavonoid content in stalks and the nitrogen concentration in soil were highly correlated with the soil microbiome composition. Bacteria at the genus level exhibited greater associations with distinct metabolites, and six genera were independently associated with 90.9% of the sugarcane metabolites that play a major metabolic role in sugarcane. In conclusion, this study provided evidences that the interaction between plant–microbiome can change the plant metabolome.

Objective: Obesity, a growing threat to the modern society, represents an imbalance of metabolic queues that normally signal to the arcuate hypothalamic nucleus, a critical brain region sensing and regulating energy homeostasis. This is achieved by various neurons many of which developmentally originate from the proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing lineage. Within the mature neurons originating from this lineage, we aimed to identify non-coding genes in control of metabolic function in the adulthood. Methods: In this work, we used microRNA mimic delivery and POMCCre-dependent CRISPR-Cas9 knock-out strategies in young or aged mice. Importantly, we also used CRISPR guides directing suicide cleavage of Cas9 to limit the off-target effects. Results: Here we found that mature neurons originating from the POMC lineage employ miR-29a to protect against insulin resistance obesity, hyperphagia, decreased energy expenditure and obesity. Moreover, we validated the miR-29 family as a prominent regulator of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway. Within the latter, we identified a direct target of miR-29a-3p, Nras, which was up-regulated in those and only those mature POMCCreCas9 neurons that were effectively transduced by anti-miR-29 CRISPR-equipped construct. Moreover, POMCCre-dependent co-deletion of Nras in mature neurons attenuated miR-29 depletion-induced obesity. Conclusions: Thus, the first to our knowledge case of in situ Cre-dependent CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knock-out of microRNAs in a specific hypothalamic neuronal population helped us to decipher a critical metabolic circuit in adult mice. This work significantly extends our understanding about the involvement of neuronal microRNAs in homeostatic regulation.

Abstract Background B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6 (BCL6) is a transcriptional master regulator that represses more than 1200 potential target genes. Our previous study showed that a decline in blood production in runting and stunting syndrome (RSS) affected sex-linked dwarf (SLD) chickens compared to SLD chickens. However, the association between BCL6 gene and hematopoietic function remains unknown in chickens. Methods In this study, we used RSS affected SLD (RSS-SLD) chickens, SLD chickens and normal chickens as research object and overexpression of BCL6 in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), to investigate the effect of the BCL6 on differentiation and development of HSCs. Results The results showed that comparison of RSS-SLD chickens with SLD chickens, the BCL6 was highly expressed in RSS-SLD chickens bone marrow. The bone marrow of RSS-SLD chickens was exhausted and red bone marrow was largely replaced by yellow bone marrow, bone density was reduced, and the levels of immature erythrocytes in peripheral blood were increased. At the same time, the hematopoietic function of HSCs decreased in RSS-SLD chickens, which was manifested by a decrease in the hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) EPO, SCF, TPO, and IL-3, as well as hemoglobin α1 and hemoglobin β expression. Moreover, mitochondrial function in the HSCs of RSS-SLD chickens was damaged, including an increase in ROS production, decrease in ATP concentration, and decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). The same results were also observed in SLD chickens compared with normal chickens; however, the symptoms were more serious in RSS-SLD chickens. Additionally, after overexpression of the BCL6 in primary HSCs, the secretion of HGFs (EPO, SCF, TPO and IL-3) was inhibited and the expression of hemoglobin α1 and hemoglobin β was decreased. However, cell proliferation was accelerated, apoptosis was inhibited, and the HSCs entered a cancerous state. The function of mitochondria was also abnormal, ROS production was decreased, and ATP concentration and ΔΨm were increased, which was related to the inhibition of apoptosis of stem cells. Conclusions Taken together, we conclude that the high expression of BCL6 inhibits the differentiation and development of HSCs by affecting mitochondrial function, resulting in impaired growth and development of chickens. Moreover, the abnormal expression of BCL6 might be a cause of the clinical manifestations of chicken comb, pale skin, stunted growth and development, and the tendency to appear RSS in SLD chickens.

The present study showed that pretreatment of triadimefon (TDM), a triazole compound, could improve tolerance of soybean seedlings to subsequent water stress. TDM pretreatment resulted in early and late rise in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and upregulation of ascorbate (AsA) content in non-stressed and water-stressed seedlings, leading to late increase in net photosynthetic rate (Pn), late decrease in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and electrolyte leakage in stressed ones. These TDM-induced changes were blocked by application of abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis inhibitor tungstate, which inhibited early rise of ABA and H2O2 contents in non-stressed and stressed seedlings. However, ABA pretreatment overcomed the effects of this inhibitor. Application of NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), polyamine oxidase (PAO) inhibitor 2-hydroxyethylhydrazine (2-HEH) and H2O2 scavenger dimethylthiourea (DMTU) prevented early TDM-induced rise of H2O2 content. DPI, 2-HEH and DMTU also decreased SOD, CAT and AsA levels, but did not affect ABA content during early and late phases in both seedlings pretreated with TDM. In addition, these chemicals decreased Pn, and increased H2O2 content and electrolyte leakage during late phase in TDM-pretreated stressed seedlings. Overall, these results indicated that TDM pretreatment alleviated adverse effects of water stress on soybean seedlings, which was at least in part, due to increase of antioxidant capacity and decrease of oxidative damage induced by early ABA-dependent H2O2 generation.

Sugar beet is vulnerable to years of continuous cropping, and allelopathy is one of the important factors leading to continuous cropping disorder. To explore the physiological and molecular mechanisms behind continuous cropping obstacles on sugar beet, this study combined transcriptomics and metabolomics to analyze the effects of different years of continuous cropping on metabolite changes, differential gene expression, and root exudate regulation in sugar beet. We collected sugar beet’s root samples from 1–, 3–, and 5-year continuous cropping systems for metabolome and transcriptome analyses. Our data revealed that T3 and T5 had 50 and 33 metabolites significantly different from T1, respectively. The autotoxic substance salicylaldehyde was found to continuously accumulate in root exudates with increasing years of continuous cropping. Sucrose was highly reduced in T3 (4.05-fold decrease) and T5 (2.01-fold decrease) compared to T1. Respectively, 2,660 and 3,515 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly regulated in T3 and T5 compared to T1. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses showed that metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites were perturbed in T3 and T5 vs. T1. Integrated metabolomics analyses identified 73 DEGs involved in enriched metabolic pathways, all of which were the oxidation-reduction process pathways. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that continuous cropping obstacles can change the metabolome and transcriptome of sugar beet, affecting its growth and quality.

Patients with liver diseases are at increased risk of fungal infections. Here the authors show that Kupffer cells are critical for the filtration of fungi out of the blood and thereby for liver-mediated protection against disseminating fungal infection.

Insect chemoreception involves many families of genes, including odourant/pheromone binding proteins (OBP/PBPs), chemosensory proteins (CSPs), odourant receptors (ORs), ionotropic receptors (IRs), and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), which play irreplaceable roles in mediating insect behaviors such as host location, foraging, mating, oviposition, and avoidance of danger. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of olfactory reception in Chilo sacchariphagus, which is a major pest of sugarcane. A set of 72 candidate chemosensory genes, including 31 OBPs/PBPs, 15 CSPs, 11 ORs, 13 IRs, and two SNMPs, were identified in four transcriptomes from different tissues and genders of C. sacchariphagus. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted on gene families and paralogs from other model insect species. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that most of these chemosensory genes exhibited antennae-biased expression, but some had high expression in bodies. Most of the identified chemosensory genes were likely involved in chemoreception. This study provides a molecular foundation for the function of chemosensory proteins, and an opportunity for understanding how C. sacchariphagus behaviors are mediated via chemical cues. This research might facilitate the discovery of novel strategies for pest management in agricultural ecosystems.

TNF/iNOS-producing dendritic cells (Tip-DCs) are at the front line as immune effector cells to fight off a broad range of invading microbes. Excessive development of Tip-DCs contributes to tissue destruction.

The cultivation and production of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) are severely affected by viral disease. Yet there have been few studies of the molecular response of passion fruit to virus attack. In the present study, RNA-based transcriptional profiling (RNA-seq) was used to identify the gene expression profiles in yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) leaves following inoculation with cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Six RNA-seq libraries were constructed comprising a total of 42.23 Gb clean data. 1,545 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained (701 upregulated and 884 downregulated). Gene annotation analyses revealed that genes associated with plant hormone signal transduction, transcription factors, protein ubiquitination, detoxification, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, photosynthesis and chlorophyll metabolism were significantly affected by CMV infection. The represented genes activated by CMV infection corresponded to transcription factors WRKY family, NAC family, protein ubiquitination and peroxidase. Several DEGs encoding protein TIFY, pathogenesis-related proteins, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases also were upregualted by CMV infection. Overall, the information obtained in this study enriched the resources available for research into the molecular-genetic mechanisms of the passion fruit/CMV interaction, and might provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and management of passion fruit viral disease in the field.

Monocytes exist in two major populations, termed Ly6Chi and Ly6Clow monocytes. Compared to Ly6Chi monocytes, less is known about Ly6Clow monocyte recruitment and mechanisms involved in the recruitment of this subset. Furthermore, the role of Ly6Clow monocytes during infections is largely unknown. Here, using intravital microscopy, we demonstrate that Ly6Clow monocytes are predominantly recruited to the brain vasculature following intravenous infection with Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen causing meningoencephalitis. The recruitment depends primarily on the interaction of VCAM1 expressed on the brain endothelium with VLA4 expressed on Ly6Clow monocytes. Furthermore, TNFR signaling is essential for the recruitment through enhancing VLA4 expression on Ly6Clow monocytes. Interestingly, the recruited Ly6Clow monocytes internalized C. neoformans and carried the organism while crawling on and adhering to the luminal wall of brain vasculature and migrating to the brain parenchyma. Our study reveals a substantial recruitment of Ly6Clow monocytes to the brain and highlights important properties of this subset during infection.

This paper proposes a novel frequency aware robust economic dispatch (FARED) approach to exploit the synergistic capability of accommodating uncertain loads and renewable generation by accounting for both the frequency regulation effect and optimal participation mechanism of secondary regulation reserves for conventional units in response to uncertainties in the robust optimization counterpart of security constrained economic dispatch. The FARED is formulated as a robust optimization problem. In this formulation the allowable frequency deviation and the possible load or renewable generation curtailments are expressed in terms of variable uncertainty sets. The variables in the formulation are described as interval variables and treated in affine form. In order to improve the computational tractability, the dominant constraints which can be the candidates of tight transmission constraints are determined by complementarity constraints. Then the robust optimization problem is simplified to a bilinear programming problem based on duality theory. Finally, the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method are illustrated based on several study cases.

African trypanosomes are extracellular protozoan parasites causing a chronic debilitating disease associated with a persistent inflammatory response. Maintaining the balance of the inflammatory response via downregulation of activation of M1-type myeloid cells was previously shown to be crucial to allow prolonged survival. Here we demonstrate that infection with African trypanosomes of IL-27 receptor-deficient (IL-27R-/-) mice results in severe liver immunopathology and dramatically reduced survival as compared to wild-type mice. This coincides with the development of an exacerbated Th1-mediated immune response with overactivation of CD4+ T cells and strongly enhanced production of inflammatory cytokines including IFN-γ. What is important is that IL-10 production was not impaired in infected IL-27R-/- mice. Depletion of CD4+ T cells in infected IL-27R-/- mice resulted in a dramatically reduced production of IFN-γ, preventing the early mortality of infected IL-27R-/- mice. This was accompanied by a significantly reduced inflammatory response and a major amelioration of liver pathology. These results could be mimicked by treating IL-27R-/- mice with a neutralizing anti-IFN-γ antibody. Thus, our data identify IL-27 signaling as a novel pathway to prevent early mortality via inhibiting hyperactivation of CD4+ Th1 cells and their excessive secretion of IFN-γ during infection with African trypanosomes. These data are the first to demonstrate the essential role of IL-27 signaling in regulating immune responses to extracellular protozoan infections.

As a member of the Scathophagidae family, Scathophaga stercoraria (S. stercoraria) is widely distributed globally and is closely associated with animal feces. It is also a species of great interest to many scientific studies. However, its phylogenetic relationships are poorly understood. In this study, S. stercoraria was found in plateau pikas for the first time. The potential cause of its presence in the plateau pikas was discussed and it was speculated that the presence of S. stercoraria was related to the yak feces. In addition, 2 nuclear genes (18SrDNA and 28SrDNA), 1 mitochondrial gene (COI), and the complete mitochondrial genome of S. stercoraria were sequenced. Phylogenetic trees constructed based on 13 Protein coding genes (13PCGs), 18S and 28S rDNA showed that S. stercoraria is closely related to the Calliphoridae family; phylogenetic results based on COI suggest that within the family Scathophagidae, S. stercoraria is more closely related to the genus Leptopa, Micropselapha, Parallelomma and Americina. Divergence times estimated using the COI gene suggest that the divergence formation of the genus Scathophaga is closely related to changes in biogeographic scenarios and potentially driven by a combination of uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and dramatic climate changes. These results provide valuable information for further studies on the phylogeny and differentiation of the Scathophaga genus in the future.

As an invasive weed, Bidens pilosa seriously threatens native ecosystem functions in beach regions in South China. This study aimed to explore the differences in soil nutrients and microorganisms between the invasive weed B. pilosa and native weeds (Cynodon dactylon, Portulaca oleracea, and Eleusine indica), exploring variations in soil functions after B. pilosa invasion. The results showed that soil nutrients varied by the weed species. The total and unique bacterial and fungal amplicon sequence variant (ASV) numbers in B. pilosa were higher than those in the other three weeds. The bacterial composition related to soil carbon metabolism differed between B. pilosa and the other three native weeds. Analysis of bacterial metabolic pathways showed that their soil carbon metabolism ability was higher than that of the other three native weeds. Some pathogenic fungi and Lophotrichus (dark septate endophytes) are enriched in the rhizosphere of B. pilosa. Increasing the relative abundance of beneficial soil bacteria and decreasing the relative abundance of pathogenic soil fungi may be beneficial for resisting the invasion of B. pilosa. In addition, the soil total phosphorus, available phosphorus, and soil organic matter contents were identified as the most important edaphic factors shaping microbial community structure and function in the context of B. pilosa invasion. This study revealed differences in soil microorganisms between B. pilosa and native weeds, and these differences potentially affected the native ecosystem function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]