AcWRKY28 mediated activation of AcCPK genes confers salt tolerance in pineapple(Ananas comosus)

Unfavorable environmental cues severely affect crop productivity resulting in significant economic losses to farmers. In plants, multiple regulatory genes, such as the WRKY transcription factor (TF) family, modulate the expression of defense genes. However, the role of the pineapple WRKY genes is poorly understood. Here, we studied the pineapple WRKY gene, AcWRKY28, by generating AcWRKY28 over-expressing transgenic pineapple plants. Overexpression of AcWRKY28 enhanced the salt stress resistance in transgenic pineapple lines. Comparative transcriptome analysis of transgenic and wild-type pineapple plants showed that “plant-pathogen interaction” pathway genes, including 9calcium-dependent protein kinases (CPKs), were up-regulated in AcWRKY28 over-expressing plants. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation and yeast one-hybrid assays revealed AcCPK12, AcCPK3, AcCPK8, AcCPK1, and AcCPK15 as direct targets of AcWRKY28. Consistently, the study of AcCPK12 over-expressing Arabidopsis lines showed that AcCPK12 enhances salt, drought, and disease resistance. This study shows that AcWRKY28 plays a crucial role in promoting salt stress resistance by activating the expression of AcCPK genes.

Microstrip Patch Antenna with an Inverted T-Type Notch in the Partial Ground for Breast Cancer Detections

This study designs a microstrip patch antenna with an inverted T-type notch in the partial ground to detect tumorcells inside the human breast.The size of the current antenna is small enough(18mm×21mm×1.6mm)todistribute around the breast phantom.The operating frequency has been observed from6–14GHzwith a minimumreturn loss of−61.18 dB and themaximumgain of current proposed antenna is 5.8 dBiwhich is flexiblewith respectto the size of antenna.After the distribution of eight antennas around the breast phantom,the return loss curveswere observed in the presence and absence of tumor cells inside the breast phantom,and these observations showa sharp difference between the presence and absence of tumor cells.The simulated results show that this proposedantenna is suitable for early detection of cancerous cells inside the breast.

An overview of autophagy in the differentiation of dental stem cells

Dental stem cells(DSCs)have attracted significant interest as autologous stem cells since they are easily accessible and give a minimal immune response.These properties and their ability to both maintain self-renewal and undergo multi-lineage differentiation establish them as key players in regenerative medicine.While many regulatory factors determine the differentiation trajectory of DSCs,prior research has predominantly been based on genetic,epigenetic,and molecular aspects.Recent evidence suggests that DSC differentiation can also be influenced by autophagy,a highly conserved cellular process responsible for maintaining cellular and tissue homeostasis under various stress conditions.This comprehensive review endeavors to elucidate the intricate regulatory mechanism and relationship between autophagy and DSC differentiation.To achieve this goal,we dissect the intricacies of autophagy and its mechanisms.Subsequently,we elucidate its pivotal roles in impacting DSC differentiation,including osteo/odontogenic,neurogenic,and angiogenic trajectories.Furthermore,we reveal the regulatory factors that govern autophagy in DSC lineage commitment,including scaffold materials,pharmaceutical cues,and the extrinsic milieu.The implications of this review are far-reaching,underpinning the potential to wield autophagy as a regulatory tool to expedite DSC-directed differentiation and thereby promote the application of DSCs within the realm of regenerative medicine.

Active components of Dengzhan Shengmai ameliorate cognitive impairment by facilitating hippocampal long-term potentiation via the NMDA receptor-mediated Ca^(2+)/CaMKII pathway

Abnormal synaptic plasticity causes cognitive deficits.Hippocampal long-term potentiation(LTP)is a critical synaptic plasticity process[1].Rescuing impaired LTP is challenging;hence,novel agents are required for LTP facilitation.Chinese medicine Dengzhan Shengmai(DzSM)has shown notable clinical efficacy against cognitive deficits[2].However,it remains unclear how DzSM modulates cognition.Our previous study[3]revealed the influence of DZSM on glutamatergic and GABAergic synapses following chronic cerebral hypoperfusion(CCH),which motivated us to assess how DzSM affects synaptic functions.

Corrigendum to“Active components of Dengzhan Shengmai ameliorate cognitive impairment by facilitating hippocampal long-term potentiation via the NMDA receptor-mediated Ca^(2+)/CaMKII pathway”[J.Pharm.Anal.14(2024)435–438]

The authors regret there was an unfortunate error in the reproduction of Fig.1I in the article.In the original figure,the fluorescence picture of the positive control drug-ifenprodil was misused.The authors have corrected Fig.1I and provided the original fluorescence pictures of all groups(seven groups,n=5 for each group)to the editorial office.Below,the corrected Fig.1I is shown below.The authors declare that this correction does not affect the description,interpretation,or the original conclusions of the article.

Autophagy and circadian rhythms:interactions and clinical implications

Autophagy is a widespread biological process that controls cellular growth,survival,development,and death.Circadian rhythm is a recurring reaction of living organisms and behaviors to variations in surrounding brightness and obscurity.Most of the fundamental physiological processes in mammals,such as the sleep-wake pattern and the rhythm of nutrition and energy metabolism,are governed by circadian rhythms.Research has indicated that autophagy exhibits a specific circadian pattern in both normal and abnormal conditions.Autophagy can modulate circadian rhythms by breaking down proteins that regulate the circadian clock.The potential regulatory connection between the two has been a popular subject of clinical and fundamental research.Understanding the interaction between circadian rhythm and autophagy could potentially lead to the development of novel approaches for disease treatment in the future.The present analysis presented a summary of the molecular processes implicated in the interplay between autophagy and circadian rhythm,as well as the pathological importance of the disrupted regulatory association between these two phenomena.

Deblurring,artifact-free optical coherence tomography with deconvolution-random phase modulation

Deconvolution is a commonly employed technique for enhancing image quality in optical imaging methods.Unfortu-nately,its application in optical coherence tomography(OCT)is often hindered by sensitivity to noise,which leads to ad-ditive ringing artifacts.These artifacts considerably degrade the quality of deconvolved images,thereby limiting its effect-iveness in OCT imaging.In this study,we propose a framework that integrates numerical random phase masks into the deconvolution process,effectively eliminating these artifacts and enhancing image clarity.The optimized joint operation of an iterative Richardson-Lucy deconvolution and numerical synthesis of random phase masks(RPM),termed as De-conv-RPM,enables a 2.5-fold reduction in full width at half-maximum(FWHM).We demonstrate that the Deconv-RPM method significantly enhances image clarity,allowing for the discernment of previously unresolved cellular-level details in nonkeratinized epithelial cells ex vivo and moving blood cells in vivo.

Core clock component MtLUX controls shoot architecture through repression of MtTB1/MtTCP1A in Medicago truncatula

Plants are capable of regulating their shoot architecture in response to diverse internal and external environments.The circadian clock is an adaptive mechanism that integrates information from internal and ambient conditions to help plants cope with recurring environmental fluctuations.Despite the current understanding of plant circadian clock and genetic framework underlying plant shoot architecture,the intricate connection between these two adaptive mechanisms remains largely unclear.In this study,we elucidated how the core clock gene LUX ARRHYTHMO(LUX)regulates shoot architecture in the model legume plant Medicago truncatula.We show that mtlux mutant displays increased main stem height,reduced lateral shoot length,and decreased the number of lateral branches and biomass yield.Gene expression analysis revealed that Mt LUX regulated shoot architecture by repressing the expression of strigolactone receptor MtD14 and MtTB1/MtTCP1A,a TCP gene that functions centrally in modulating shoot architecture.In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that Mt LUX directly binds to a cis-element in the promoter of MtTB1/MtTCP1A,suggesting that Mt LUX regulates branching by rhythmically suppressing MtTB1/MtTCP1A.This work demonstrates the regulatory effect of the circadian clock on shoot architecture,offering a new understanding underlying the genetic basis towards the flexibility of plant shoot architecture.

Pineapple SWEET10 is a glucose transporter

SWEET transporters are a unique class of sugar transporters that play vital roles in various developmental and physiological processes in plants.While the functions of SWEETs have been well established in model plants such as Arabidopsis,their functions in economically important fruit crops like pineapple have not been well studied.Here we aimed to investigate the substrate specificity of pineapple SWEETs by comparing the protein sequences of known glucose and sucrose transporters in Arabidopsis with those in pineapple.Our genome-wide approach and 3D structure comparison showed that the Arabidopsis SWEET8 homolog in pineapple,AcSWEET10,shares similar sequences and protein properties responsible for glucose transport.To determine the functional conservation of AcSWEET10,we tested its ability to complement glucose transport mutants in yeast and analyzed its expression in stamens and impact on the microspore phenotype and seed set in transgenic Arabidopsis.The results showed that AcSWEET10 is functionally equivalent to AtSWEET8 and plays a critical role in regulating microspore formation through the regulation of the Callose synthase5(CalS5),which highlights the importance of SWEET transporters in pineapple.This information could have important implications for improving fruit crop yield and quality by manipulating SWEET transporter activity.

Epigenetic modification mechanisms of chloroplasts mutants in pineapple leaves during somatic regeneration

Somaclonal variation in tissue culture is a common phenomenon induced by various external or internal environmental conditions,resulting in heritable or non-heritable alterations in gene expression. One crucial mechanism involved in plant growth and development is epigenetic regulation. A highly dynamic epigenome can respond to environmental changes by regulating gene expression. DNA methylation is one of these epigenetic modifications that can alter gene expression in tissue-cultured pineapple plants. The underlying mechanism of such somaclonal variations in pineapple and the epigenetic regulation involvement in somaclonal variations has not been studied. This study performed DNA methylome and transcriptome sequencing of wild-type(WT) and mutant pineapple plants(WS, HW, and TW). We observed altered DNA methylation patterns in chlorophyll development in the mutants. Specifically, we noticed that the methylation levels in the CHG and CHH contexts were lower in the gene body regions compared to the upstream and downstream regions. We identified several thousand differentially methylated regions(DMRs) located at the gene body regions, some of which overlapped with the differentially expressed genes(DEGs). Functional enrichment analyses suggested that these genes were involved in chlorophyll metabolism. Thus, our results revealed that the transcriptional regulation of many chlorophyll metabolic essential genes could be regulated by DNA methylation caused by somaclonal variations and provided insights into epigenetic mechanisms underlying the regulation of chlorosis in pineapple plants.

Chromosome-scale genome sequence of Suaeda glauca sheds light on salt stress tolerance in halophytes

Soil salinity is a growing concern for global crop production and the sustainable development of humanity.Therefore,it is crucial to comprehend salt tolerance mechanisms and identify salt-tolerance genes to enhance crop tolerance to salt stress.Suaeda glauca,a halophyte species well adapted to the seawater environment,possesses a unique ability to absorb and retain high salt concentrations within its cells,particularly in its leaves,suggesting the presence of a distinct mechanism for salt tolerance.In this study,we performed de novo sequencing of the S.glauca genome.The genome has a size of 1.02 Gb(consisting of two sets of haplotypes)and contains 54761 annotated genes,including alleles and repeats.Comparative genomic analysis revealed a strong synteny between the genomes of S.glauca and Beta vulgaris.Of the S.glauca genome,70.56%comprises repeat sequences,with retroelements being the most abundant.Leveraging the allele-aware assembly of the S.glauca genome,we investigated genome-wide allele-specific expression in the analyzed samples.The results indicated that the diversity in promoter sequences might contribute to consistent allele-specific expression.Moreover,a systematic analysis of the ABCE gene families shed light on the formation of S.glauca’s flower morphology,suggesting that dysfunction of A-class genes is responsible for the absence of petals in S.glauca.Gene family expansion analysis demonstrated significant enrichment of Gene Ontology(GO)terms associated with DNA repair,chromosome stability,DNA demethylation,cation binding,and red/far-red light signaling pathways in the co-expanded gene families of S.glauca and S.aralocaspica,in comparison with glycophytic species within the chenopodium family.Time-course transcriptome analysis under salt treatments revealed detailed responses of S.glauca to salt tolerance,and the enrichment of the transition-upregulated genes in the leaves associated with DNA repair and chromosome stability,lipid biosynthetic process,and isoprenoid metabolic process.Additionally,genome-wide analysis of transcription factors indicated a significant expansion of FAR1 gene family.However,further investigation is needed to determine the exact role of the FAR1 gene family in salt tolerance in S.glauca.

Novel flavin-containing monooxygenase protein FMO1 interacts with CAT2 to negatively regulate drought tolerance through ROS homeostasis and ABA signaling pathway in tomato

Drought stress is themajor abiotic factor that can seriously affect plant growth and crop production.The functions of flavin-containing monooxygenases(FMOs)are known in animals.They addmolecular oxygen to lipophilic compounds or produce reactive oxygen species(ROS).However,little information on FMOs in plants is available.Here,we characterized a tomato drought-responsive gene that showed homology to FMO,and it was designated as FMO1.FMO1 was downregulated promptly by drought and ABA treatments.Transgenic functional analysis indicated that RNAi suppression of the expression of FMO1(FMO1-Ri)improved drought tolerance relative to wild-type(WT)plants,whereas overexpression of FMO1(FMO1-OE)reduced drought tolerance.The FMO1-Ri plants exhibited lower ABA accumulation,higher levels of antioxidant enzyme activities,and less ROS generation comparedwith theWTand FMO1-OE plants under drought stress.RNA-seq transcriptional analysis revealed the differential expression levels of many drought-responsive genes thatwere co-expressed with FMO1,including PP2Cs,PYLs,WRKY,and LEA.Using Y2H screening,we found that FMO1 physically interacted with catalase 2(CAT2),which is an antioxidant enzyme and confers drought resistance.Our findings suggest that tomato FMO1 negatively regulates tomato drought tolerance in the ABA-dependent pathway and modulates ROS homeostasis by directly binding to SlCAT2.

A Leaking-Proof Theranostic Nanoplatform for Tumor-Targeted and Dual-Modality Imaging-Guided Photodynamic Therapy

Objective:A protein-based leaking-proof theranostic nanoplatform for dual-modality imaging-guided tumor photodynamic therapy(PDT)has been designed.Impact Statement:A site-specific conjugation of chlorin e6(Ce6)to ferrimagnetic ferritin(MFtn-Ce6)has been constructed to address the challenge of unexpected leakage that often occurs during small-molecule drug delivery.Introduction:PDT is one of the most promising approaches for tumor treatment,while a delivery system is typically required for hydrophobic photosensitizers.However,the nonspecific distribution and leakage of photosensitizers could lead to insufficient drug accumulation in tumor sites.Methods:An engineered ferritin was generated for site-specific conjugation of Ce6 to obtain a leaking-proof delivery system,and a ferrimagnetic core was biomineralized in the cavity of ferritin,resulting in a fluorescent ferrimagnetic ferritin nanoplatform(MFtn-Ce6).The distribution and tumor targeting of MFtn-Ce6 can be detected by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and fluorescence imaging(FLI).Results:MFtn-Ce6 showed effective dual-modality MRI and FLI.A prolonged in vivo circulation and increased tumor accumulation and retention of photosensitizer was observed.The time-dependent distribution of MFtn-Ce6 can be precisely tracked in real time to find the optimal time window for PDT treatment.The colocalization of ferritin and the iron oxide core confirms the high stability of the nanoplatform in vivo.The results showed that mice treated with MFtn-Ce6 exhibited marked tumor-suppressive activity after laser irradiation.Conclusion:The ferritin-based leaking-proof nanoplatform can be used for the efficient delivery of the photosensitizer to achieve an enhanced therapeutic effect.This method established a general approach for the dual-modality imagingguided tumor delivery of PDT agents.

吡啶取代度对聚乙烯醇基碱性阴离子交换膜性能的影响

将具有共轭结构的吡啶盐接枝在聚乙烯醇(PVA)基质上,制备出吡啶基团功能化的PVA-FP阴离子交换膜。N元素分析测得该系列膜最大取代度为10.4%(No.3膜);吡啶基团的引入将膜的初始热降解温度提高了近32℃;吡啶基团的线性分布提高了OH-离子的迁移效率;70℃时No.3膜表现出最高的OH-离子电导率(3.02×10-2 S/cm),分别将其浸泡在2 mol/L、4 mol/L、6 mol/L的KOH溶液中进行耐碱稳定性测试,未见电导率下降,升高碱液浓度至8 mol/L,其电导率在120 h后稳定在初始值的88%左右,表现出优异的耐碱稳定性能。

Effect of Mitochondrial Function of Ovarian Granulosa Cells on In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer Outcomes in Obese Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Patients

Objective:To investigate the effect of abnormal ovarian granulosa cell metabolism on in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET)outcomes in obese polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)patients.Methods:Patients with PCOS who met the study criteria were screened according to the inclusion criteria.A total of 32 patients with obese PCOS were recruited into the study group,and 39 patients with non-obese PCOS were recruited into the control group.The general data(age,body mass index,and years of infertility),insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),luteinizing hormone(LH),granulosa cell mitochondrial function,and IVF-ET outcome of patients in the study group and control group were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The differences in age and years of infertility between the study group and the control group were insignificant(P>0.05),and the body mass index(BMI)of the study group and control group was 30.5±1.24 kg/m2 and 22.3±1.12 kg/m2,respectively,in which the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05);the HOMA-IR of the study group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05);the reactive oxygen species(ROS)in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05),and the ATP content in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05);comparing the FSH and LH levels between the two groups,the difference was not statistically significant(P>0.05);the rate of IVF-ET failure was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group.Conclusion:PCOS is a complex endocrine disorder,and obesity is one of the independent risk factors for the development of PCOS.

用于长期神经电生理记录的自伸展电极阵列

由于能够实现高时空分辨的神经环路功能解析,微电极阵列已经成为了神经科学研究中的重要工具。然而,目前在自由活动动物中实施长期稳定的电生理记录仍然极具挑战。为此,我们研发了一种可自伸展的多通道电极阵列,并探讨了其应用于长期神经电生理记录的可行性和潜在优势。当电极植入后,其表面的水凝胶包裹层会迅速溶胀并溶解,随后电极阵列的记录通道会在脑组织中自行展开。由于分散的记录通道的直径较小,电极在长期植入后的组织反应显著减轻。得益于此,与传统的四电极(tetrode)相比,这种自伸展电极在长期植入后的界面阻抗显著降低,电生理信号质量更好。上述特性将受益于活体水平的神经环路机制研究。

钛酸四丁酯/季铵化壳聚糖无机/有机杂化膜的制备及耐碱性

将钛酸四丁酯(TBT)均匀地掺入到季铵化壳聚糖(QCS)中制备无机/有机杂化膜。借助红外光谱、扫描电镜等分析膜样品的结构和形貌;通过力学性能、含水率、离子交换量、电导率等性能指标进行膜性能测试。试验过程中,将膜浸渍在3 mol/L和6 mol/L的Na OH溶液中,考察不同浓度、不同时间对膜耐碱性能的影响,以此探讨其作为燃料电池电解质膜使用的可行性。结果表明,随着TBT含量的增加,膜的力学性能增加,而膜的含水率、离子交换量和电导率均呈现降低趋势。碱处理之后除了膜的含水率增加,其余各项性能指标均比相应未碱处理的膜样品有所降低,降低幅度小于5%;电导保留率随着温度升高、碱液浓度增加也在一定程度上有所降低,但均保持在90%以上,而且膜外观形貌无明显变化,说明该膜具有较好的耐碱稳定性能。

Effects of artificially cultivated biological soil crusts on soil nutrients and biological activities in the Loess Plateau

Biological soil crusts （BSCs） play an important role in the early succession of vegetation restoration in the Loess Plateau, China. To evaluate the effects of artificially cultivated BSCs on the soil surface micro-envir- onment, we obtained natural moss crusts and moss-lichen crusts from the Loess Plateau of Shaanxi province, and subsequently inoculated and cultivated on horizontal and sloping surfaces of loess soil in a greenhouse. The chemical and biological properties of the subsoil under cultivated BSCs were determined after 10 weeks of cul- tivation. The results indicated that BSCs coverage was more than 65% after 10 weeks of cultivation. Moss crust coverage reached 40% after 5 weeks of cultivation. Compared with the control, soil organic matter and available nitrogen contents in moss crust with the horizontal treatments increased by 100.87% and 48.23%, respectively; increased by 67.56% and 52.17% with the sloping treatments, respectively; they also increased in moss-lichen crust with horizontal and sloping treatments, but there was no significant difference. Available phosphorus in cultivated BSCs was reduced, soil pH was lower and cationic exchange capacity was higher in cultivated BSCs than in the control. Alkaline phosphatase, urease and invertase activities were increased in artificially cultivated BSCs, and alkaline phosphatase activity in all cultivated BSCs was obviously higher than that in the control. Numbers of soil bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes were increased in the formation process of cultivated BSCs. These results indicate that BSCs could be formed rapidly in short-term cultivation and improve the mi- cro-environment of soil surface, which provides a scientific reference for vegetation restoration and ecological reconstruction in the Loess Plateau. China.

Solid-state electrolytes for solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries:Comparisons,advances and prospects

Compared with other secondary batteries,lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)have unparalleled advantages such as high energy density,low cost,etc.In liquid LSB systems,it is extremely easy to cause severe‘‘shuttle effecto and safety issues.Hence,the development of solid-state LSBs(SSLSBs)has been attracting much more attention.As the most essential part of the SSLSBs,the solid-state electrolyte(SSE)has received significant attention from researchers.In this review,we concentrate on discussing the core of SSLSBs,which is the SSE.Moreover,we also highlight the differences in the properties of the different SSEs,which are polymer-based electrolytes and ceramic-based electrolytes.In addition,the challenges and advances in different types of SSEs are also compared and described systematically.Furthermore,the prospects for new SSE systems and the design of effective SSE structures to achieve highperformance SSLSBs are also discussed.Thus,this review is expected to give readers a comprehensive and systematic understanding of SSEs for SSLSBs.

La_(1-x)Ca_xMn_(1-y)Al_yO_3 perovskites as efficient catalysts for two-step thermochemical water splitting in conjunction with exceptional hydrogen yields

Solar‐driven thermochemical water splitting represents one efficient route to the generation of H2as a clean and renewable fuel.Due to their outstanding catalytic abilities and promising solar fuel production capacities,perovskite‐type redox catalysts have attracted significant attention in this regard.In the present study,the perovskite series La1‐xCaxMn1‐yAlyO3(x,y=0.2,0.4,0.6,or0.8)was fabricated using a modified Pechini method and comprehensively investigated to determine the applicability of these materials to solar H2production via two‐step thermochemical water splitting.The thermochemical redox behaviors of these perovskites were optimized by doping at either the A(Ca)or B(Al)sites over a broad range of substitution values,from0.2to0.8.Through this doping,a highly efficient perovskite(La0.6Ca0.4Mn0.6Al0.4O3)was developed,which yielded a remarkable H2production rate of429μmol/g during two‐step thermochemical H2O splitting,going between1400and1000°C.Moreover,the performance of the optimized perovskite was found to be eight times higher than that of the benchmark catalyst CeO2under the same experimental conditions.Furthermore,these perovskites also showed impressive catalytic stability during two‐step thermochemical cycling tests.These newly developed La1‐xCaxMn1‐yAlyO3redox catalysts appear to have great potential for future practical applications in thermochemical solar fuel production.