Soybean AP1 homologs control flowering time and plant height

Flowering time and plant height are key agronomic traits that directly affect soybean (Glycine max) yield. APETALA1 (AP1) functions as a class A gene in the ABCE model for floral organ development, helping to specify carpel, stamen, petal, and sepal identities. There are four AP1 homologs in soybean, all of which are mainly expressed in the shoot apex. Here, we used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) – CRISPR‐associated protein 9 technology to generate a homozygous quadruple mutant, gmap1, with loss‐of‐function mutations in all four GmAP1 genes. Under short‐day (SD) conditions, the gmap1 quadruple mutant exhibited delayed flowering, changes in flower morphology, and increased node number and internode length, resulting in plants that were taller than the wild type. Conversely, overexpression of GmAP1a resulted in early flowering and reduced plant height compared to the wild type under SD conditions. The gmap1 mutant and the overexpression lines also exhibited altered expression of several genes related to flowering and gibberellic acid metabolism, thereby providing insight into the role of GmAP1 in the regulatory networks controlling flowering time and plant height in soybean. Increased node number is the trait with the most promise for enhancing soybean pod number and grain yield. Therefore, the mutant alleles of the four AP1 homologs described here will be invaluable for molecular breeding of improved soybean yield.     

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 8 induced epithelial‐mesenchymal transition to promote the invasion of colon cancer cells via TGF‐β/Smad2/3 signalling pathway

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 8 (ADAM8) protein is a multi‐domain transmembrane glycoprotein which involves in extracellular matrix remodelling, cell adhesion, invasion and migration. ADAM8 and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) play an important role in tumour invasion has been well established. However, the interaction between ADAM8 and EMT has remained unclear. The data of colon cancer patients obtained from TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GTEx (Genotype‐Tissue Expression Project) were analysed by the bioinformatics research method. The expression of ADAM8 in colon cancer cells was up‐regulated and down‐regulated by transfecting with the expression plasmid and small interfering RNA, respectively. Transwell invasion assay, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, Western blotting and qRT‐PCR were utilized to study the effect of ADAM8 on colon cancer cell''s EMT and its related mechanisms. Analysis of TCGA and GTEx data revealed that ADAM8 was linked to poor overall survival in colon cancer patients. Besides, ADAM8 was correlated with multiple EMT biomarkers (E‐cadherin, N‐cadherin, Vimentin, Snail2 and ZEB2). In vitro, we also proved that the up‐regulation of ADAM8 could promote EMT effect and enhance the invasive ability of colon cancer cells. On the contrary, the down‐regulation of ADAM8 in colon cancer cells attenuated these effects above. Further studies suggested that ADAM8 modulated EMT on colon cancer cells through TGF‐β/Smad2/3 signalling pathway. Our research suggested that ADAM8 could be a potential biomarker for the prognosis of colon cancer and induced EMT to promote the invasion of colon cancer cells via activating TGF‐β/Smad2/3 signalling pathway.     

Gastrodin relieves inflammation injury induced by lipopolysaccharides in MRC‐5 cells by up‐regulation of miR‐103

The beneficial function of gastrodin towards many inflammatory diseases has been identified. This study designed to see the influence of gastrodin in a cell model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MRC‐5 cells were treated by LPS, before which gastrodin was administrated. The effects of gastrodin were evaluated by conducting CCK‐8, FITC‐PI double staining, Western blot, qRT‐PCR and ELISA. Besides this, the downstream effector and signalling were studied to decode how gastrodin exerted its function. And dual‐luciferase assay was used to detect the targeting link between miR‐103 and lipoprotein receptor‐related protein 1 (LRP1). LPS induced apoptosis and the release of MCP‐1, IL‐6 and TNF‐α in MRC‐5 cells. Pre‐treating MRC‐5 cells with gastrodin attenuated LPS‐induced cell damage. Meanwhile, p38/JNK and NF‐κB pathways induced by LPS were repressed by gastrodin. miR‐103 expression was elevated by gastrodin. Further, the protective functions of gastrodin were attenuated by miR‐103 silencing. And LRP1 was a target of miR‐103 and negatively regulated by miR‐103. The in vitro data illustrated the protective function of gastrodin in LPS‐injured MRC‐5 cells. Gastrodin exerted its function possibly by up‐regulating miR‐103 and modulating p38/JNK and NF‐κB pathways.     

Emperipolesis mediated by CD8+ T cells correlates with biliary epithelia cell injury in primary biliary cholangitis

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic destruction of the bile ducts. A major unanswered question regarding the pathogenesis of PBC is the precise mechanisms of small bile duct injury. Emperipolesis is one of cell‐in‐cell structures that is a potential histological hallmark associated with chronic hepatitis B. This study aimed to clarify the pathogenesis and characteristics of emperipolesis in PBC liver injury. Sixty‐six PBC patients, diagnosed by liver biopsy combined with laboratory test, were divided into early‐stage PBC (stages I and II, n = 39) and late‐stage PBC (stages III and IV, n = 27). Emperipolesis was measured in liver sections stained with haematoxylin‐eosin. The expressions of CK19, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, Ki67 and apoptosis of BECs were evaluated by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence double labelling. Emperipolesis was observed in 62.1% of patients with PBC, and BECs were predominantly host cells. The number of infiltrating CD3⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells correlated with the advancement of emperipolesis (R² = 0.318, P < .001; R² = 0.060, P < .05). The cell numbers of TUNEL‐positive BECs and double staining for CK19 and Ki67 showed a significant positive correlation with emperipolesis degree (R² = 0.236, P < .001; R² = 0.267, P < .001). We conclude that emperipolesis mediated by CD8⁺ T cells appears to be relevant to apoptosis of BEC and thus may aggravate the further injury of interlobular bile ducts.     

Enabling Deformable and Stretchable Batteries

Deformable energy storage devices are needed to power next‐generation wearable electronics that interface intimately with human skin. Currently, deformable energy storage devices demonstrate poor performance compared to their rigid lithium‐ion counterparts, forcing wearable manufacturers to design their devices around bulky battery compartments. However, technological advances to create deformable batteries at the component and device level have yielded continuous improvement in stretchable batteries over the last five years. In this Essay, the major strategies at the component and device level that have been successfully employed to create stretchable batteries are reviewed. The outstanding challenges facing deformable energy storage are also discussed, namely, energy density, packaging, delamination, device integration, and manufacturing. This Essay will give researchers who are interested in contributing to the development of deformable batteries a cursory understanding of the most successful strategies to date, and provide insights into the most important directions to pursue in the future.     

白蛋白静脉滴注联合茵栀黄颗粒治疗新生儿黄疸血清 AKP、TBA、 FFA、γ-GT、HS-CRP的影响

目的:研究白蛋白静脉滴注联合茵栀黄颗粒对新生儿黄疸血清碱性磷酸酶(alkaline phosphatase,AKP)、总胆汁酸(totalbileacids,TBA)、游离脂肪酸(free fatty acid,FFA)、γ-谷氨酰基转移酶(γ-glutamyltransferase,γ-GT)、超敏C-反应蛋白(hypersensitive C-reactive protein, HS-CRP)的影响。方法:选择2016年1月～2019年1月我院收治的95例新生儿病理性黄疸患儿,随机分为两组。对照组服用茵栀黄颗粒治疗,观察组在服用茵栀黄的基础上静脉滴注白蛋白治疗。检测两组的血清间接胆红素(indirectreacting bilirubin,,IBIL)、总胆红素(total bilirubin,TBIL)和AKP、TBA、FFA、y-GT、HS-CRP水平。结果:观察组的有效率明显高于对照组(P0.05);两组治疗后的血清IBIL、TBIL水平明显降低(P0.05),观察组的IBIL、TBIL水平明显低于对照组(P0.05);两组治疗后的血清AKP、TBA、FFA、γ-GT、HS-CRP水平明显降低(P0.05),观察组的血清AKP、TBA、FFA、γ-GT、HS-CRP水平明显低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:白蛋白静脉滴注联合茵栀黄颗粒对新生儿黄疸的治疗效果良好,有助于促进血清胆红素和其他血清学相关指标恢复正常,且安全性好。     

右美托咪定复合罗哌卡因对膝关节置换术后镇痛镇静效果、睡眠质量及应激反应的影响

目的:探讨右美托咪定复合罗哌卡因对膝关节置换术后的临床效果。方法:选取2015年2月～2018年12月期间在武警陕西省总队医院择期行膝关节置换术患者103例,根据随机数字表将患者分成对照组(n=51)和研究组(n=52),对照组股神经阻滞时给予罗哌卡因,研究组在对照组基础上联合右美托咪定。比较两组患者镇痛镇静效果、睡眠质量、应激反应以及不良反应。结果:研究组术后12 h、术后24 h、术后48 h视觉模拟评分(VAS)低于对照组(P0.05),Ramsay镇静评分则高于对照组(P0.05)。研究组术后24 h、术后48 h阿森斯失眠量表(AIS)评分均低于术前,且呈先降低后升高趋势(P0.05)。研究组术后24 h、术后48 h AIS评分低于对照组(P0.05)。两组患者手术开始即刻、术毕的去甲肾上腺素(NE)、肾上腺素(E)水平均上升,且呈先升高后降低趋势(P0.05);研究组手术开始即刻、术毕的NE、E水平低于对照组(P0.05)。两组不良反应发生率对比无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:右美托咪定复合罗哌卡因方案应用于膝关节置换术,镇痛镇静效果确切,可减轻术中应激反应,有效改善睡眠质量,且不增加不良反应发生率,临床应用价值较高。     

门冬胰岛素联合甘精胰岛素对新诊断2型糖尿病患者炎性因子、血糖及血脂水平的影响

目的:探讨门冬胰岛素联合甘精胰岛素对新诊断2型糖尿病患者血清炎性因子、血糖及血脂水平的影响。方法:选取我院2017年3月～2019年3月收治的100例新诊断2型糖尿病患者,将其随机分为研究组和对照组,每组50例患者。对照组患者给予门冬胰岛素治疗,研究组患者给予门冬胰岛素联合甘精胰岛素治疗,对比两组患者治疗前后血清炎性因子、血糖及血脂水平的变化。结果:治疗后,两组患者糖化血红蛋白(hemoglobin A1c,HbA1c)、空腹血糖(fasting plasma glucose,FPG)、餐后2h血糖(2h postprandial blod glucose,2hPBG)、血清肿瘤坏死因子(Tumor necrosis factor,TNF-α)、高敏C反应蛋白(high-sensitive C-reactive protein,hs-CRP)水平均较治疗前明显降低(P0.05),且研究组患者以上指标均显著低于对照组(P0.05);两组患者治疗后总胆固醇(Total Cholesterol,TC)、甘油三酯(Triglyceride,TG)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,LDL-C)水平均较治疗前明显降低,高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(High-density lipoprotein cholesterol,HDL-C)明显升高(P0.05),且研究组以上指标的改善程度均优于对照组(P0.05)。研究组患者的胰岛素用量明显少于对照组(P0.05),患者血糖首次达标时间明显短于对照组(P0.05)。结论:门冬胰岛素联合甘精胰岛素适用于新诊断2型糖尿病患者,可有效降低血糖、血脂、血清TNF-α和hs-CRP水平。     

Plant adaptation to climate change—Where are we?

Climate change poses critical challenges for population persistence in natural communities, for agriculture and environmental sustainability, and for food security. In this review, we discuss recent progress in climatic adaptation in plants. We evaluate whether climate change exerts novel selection and disrupts local adaptation, whether gene flow can facilitate adaptive responses to climate change, and whether adaptive phenotypic plasticity could sustain populations in the short term. Furthermore, we discuss how climate change influences species interactions. Through a more in‐depth understanding of these eco‐evolutionary dynamics, we will increase our capacity to predict the adaptive potential of plants under climate change. In addition, we review studies that dissect the genetic basis of plant adaptation to climate change. Finally, we highlight key research gaps, ranging from validating gene function to elucidating molecular mechanisms, expanding research systems from model species to other natural species, testing the fitness consequences of alleles in natural environments, and designing multifactorial studies that more closely reflect the complex and interactive effects of multiple climate change factors. By leveraging interdisciplinary tools (e.g., cutting‐edge omics toolkits, novel ecological strategies, newly developed genome editing technology), researchers can more accurately predict the probability that species can persist through this rapid and intense period of environmental change, as well as cultivate crops to withstand climate change, and conserve biodiversity in natural systems.