Identification of key genes and novel immune infiltration-associated biomarkers of sepsis

Sepsis is the major cause of mortality in the intensive care unit. The aim of this study was to identify the key prognostic biomarkers of abnormal expression and immune infiltration in sepsis. In this study, a total of 36 differentially expressed genes were identified to be mainly involved in a number of immune-related Gene Ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The hub genes (MMP9 and C3AR1) were significantly related to the prognosis of sepsis patients. The immune infiltration analysis indicated a significant difference in the relative cell content of naive B cells, follicular Th cells, activated NK cells, eosinophils, neutrophils and monocytes between sepsis and normal controls. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and a de-convolution algorithm that quantifies the cellular composition of immune cells were used to analyse the sepsis expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and to identify modules related to differential immune cells. CEBPB is the key immune-related gene that may be involved in sepsis. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that CEBPB is involved in the processes of T cell selection, B cell–mediated immunity, NK cell activation and pathways of T cells, B cells and NK cells. Therefore, CEBPB may play a key role in the biological and immunological processes of sepsis.     

Chromosome‐level genome assembly of the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood)

The greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood, is an agricultural pest of global importance. Here we report a 787‐Mb high‐quality draft genome sequence of T. vaporariorum assembled from PacBio long reads and Hi‐C chromatin interaction maps, which has scaffold and contig N50 lengths of 70 Mb and 500 kb, respectively, and contains 18,275 protein‐coding genes. About 98.8% of the assembled contigs were placed onto the 11 T. vaporariorum chromosomes. Comparative genomic analysis reveals significantly expanded gene families such as aspartyl proteases in T. vaporariorum compared to Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (MED) and Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1). Furthermore, the cytochrome CYP6 subfamily shows significant expansion in T. vaporariorum and several genes in this subfamily display developmental stage‐specific expression patterns. The high‐quality T. vaporariorum genome provides a valuable resource for research in a broad range of areas such as fundamental molecular ecology, insect–plant/insect–microorganism or virus interactions and pest resistance management.     

Active interfacial dynamic transport of fluid in a network of fibrous connective tissues throughout the whole body

Fluid in interstitial spaces accounts for ~20% of an adult body weight and flows diffusively for a short range. Does it circulate around the body like vascular circulations? This bold conjecture has been debated for decades. As a conventional physiological concept, interstitial space is a micron‐sized space between cells and vasculature. Fluid in interstitial spaces is thought to be entrapped within interstitial matrix. However, our serial data have further defined a second space in interstitium that is a nanosized interfacial transport zone on a solid surface. Within this fine space, fluid along a solid fibre can be transported under a driving power and identically, interstitial fluid transport can be visualized by tracking the oriented fibres. Since 2006, our data from volunteers and cadavers have revealed a long‐distance extravascular pathway for interstitial fluid flow, comprising at least four types of anatomic distributions. The framework of each extravascular pathway contains the longitudinally assembled and oriented fibres, working as a fibrorail for fluid flow. Interestingly, our data showed that the movement of fluid in a fibrous pathway is in response to a dynamic driving source and named as dynamotaxis. By analysis of previous studies and our experimental results, a hypothesis of interstitial fluid circulatory system is proposed.     

Research progress on gut health of farmers teleost fish: a viewpoint concerning the intestinal mucosal barrier and the impact of its damage

Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries - The intestinal mucosal barrier plays a critical role in the maintenance of host health. In farmed teleost fish, the intestinal epithelium is challenged by a...     

The crosstalk between lncRNAs and the Hippo signalling pathway in cancer progression

LncRNAs play a pivotal role in the regulation of epigenetic modification, cell cycle, differentiation, proliferation, migration and other physiological activities. In particular, considerable studies have shown that the aberrant expression and dysregulation of lncRNAs are widely implicated in cancer initiation and progression by acting as tumour promoters or suppressors. Hippo signalling pathway has attracted researchers’ attention as one of the critical cancer‐related pathways in recent years. Increasing evidences have demonstrated that lncRNAs could interact with Hippo cascade and thereby contribute to acquisition of multiple malignant hallmarks, including proliferation, metastasis, relapse and resistance to anti‐cancer treatment. Specifically, Hippo signalling pathway is reported to modulate or be regulated by widespread lncRNAs. Intriguingly, certain lncRNAs could form a reciprocal feedback loop with Hippo signalling. More speculatively, lncRNAs related to Hippo pathway have been poised to become important putative biomarkers and therapeutic targets in human cancers. Herein, this review focuses on the crosstalk between lncRNAs and Hippo pathway in carcinogenesis, summarizes the comprehensive role of Hippo‐related lncRNAs in tumour progression and depicts their clinical diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic potentials in tumours.     

不同姿势久坐下女性腰部肌肉的sEMG信号变化

目的:观察女性受试者在不同坐姿久坐前后腰部肌肉表面肌电(sEMG)信号的变化,探讨不同姿势的久坐对竖脊肌功能状态的影响。方法:32名女性受试者随机分成4组,分别在4种不同的座椅(座椅A、B、C、D)上久坐2 h。记录受试者腰部竖脊肌在久坐前后2次最大随意收缩力量(MVC)测试中的sEMG信号,观察测试过程中的前3 s时频指标及全程频域指标的变化。结果:3 s的时频指标平均肌电振幅(AEMG)、平均功率谱频率(MPF)在不同坐姿久坐前后无显著性差异,其中AEMG在座椅B组中明显大于座椅A组;全程信号的频域指标MPF在久坐后显著减小,但在不同坐姿之间无显著性差异。结论:女性受试者在4种不同坐姿2 h久坐前后腰部竖脊肌的最大活动水平无明显改变;最大持续收缩能力在久坐后下降,但在不同坐姿间并无显著差异。     

典型草原大针茅种群空间格局及对长期过度放牧的响应

种群空间格局是生态学研究的基本问题之一。典型草原带由于过度放牧退化严重, 原生群落罕见, 探讨原生群落的种群空间格局具有重要生态学意义。大针茅(Stipa grandis)草原是典型草原区广泛分布的主要群落类型, 1979年围封的大针茅样地, 是目前保存完整的大针茅草原原生群落。本文选择大针茅草原原生群落和长期过度放牧群落, 应用O-Ring函数结合不同零假设模型分析了大针茅种群的空间格局。结果表明: 在原生群落中大针茅种群在小尺度范围内呈均匀分布, 而在长期过度放牧群落中则表现为聚集分布。这说明在大针茅草原原生群落中竞争是主要的相互作用, 而在长期过度放牧群落中正相互作用居主导, 验证了胁迫梯度假说; 同时证明长期过度放牧改变了种群空间格局。     

不同林型树倒林隙内微立地类型的土壤微团聚体组成及其分形特征

采用野外调查和室内分析相结合的方法,分析小兴安岭地区阔叶红松林和云冷杉红松林两种林型下树倒林隙内丘坑微立地类型(丘顶和坑底)土壤微团聚体组成及其分形特征。结果表明: 两种林型的土壤微团聚体0.25～2 mm和0.05～0.25 mm粒级含量较高,分别为25.7%～50.7%和27.0%～42.8%,<0.002 mm粒级含量最小,为4.4%～8.9%。在两种林型的树倒林隙内,坑底和丘顶的土壤容重较大,且丘顶土壤养分含量均高于坑底。阔叶红松林树倒林隙内丘顶和坑底的土壤养分含量均高于云冷杉红松林。<0.002 mm土壤微团聚体与土壤物理和化学性质均无相关性,0.25～2 mm和0.002～0.02 mm土壤微团聚体分别与土壤非毛管孔隙度、总孔隙度、通气度、有机质、全磷、全氮和有机碳之间呈极显著正相关和极显著负相关。整体来看,阔叶红松林的土壤分形维数(D)和土壤特征微团聚体组成比例(PCM)大于云冷杉红松林。两种林型下,丘顶和坑底的土壤特征微团聚体粒级比值(RMD)均增高。土壤D和PCM与各土壤理化性质均无显著相关性,土壤RMD与土壤毛管孔隙度、总孔隙度、土壤容重和通气度呈显著负相关。丘顶和坑底微立地的形成会导致土壤较大粒级微团聚体减少,土壤微团聚体稳定性降低,土壤D和PCM增加,RMD显著增加;土壤RMD可作为定量化描述不同林型下丘坑微立地内土壤理化性质的指标。