A Precursory Signal of June-July Precipitation over the Yangtze River Basin: December-January Tropospheric Temperature over the Tibetan Plateau

The prediction of summer precipitation over the Yangtze River basin(YRB)has long been challenging,especially during June-July(JJ),when the mei-yu generally occurs.This study explores the potential signal for the YRB precipitation in JJ and reveals that the Tibetan Plateau tropospheric temperature(TPTT)in the middle and upper levels during the preceding December-January(DJ)is significantly correlated with JJ YRB precipitation.The close connection between the DJ TPTT anomaly with JJ YRB precipitation may be due to the joint modulation of the DJ ENSO and spring TP soil temperatures.The lagged response to an anomalously cold TPTT during the preceding DJ is a TPTT that is still anomalously cold during the following JJ.The lower TPTT can lead to an anomalous anticyclone to the east of Lake Baikal,an anomalous cyclone at the middle latitudes of East Asia,and an anomalous anticyclone over the western North Pacific.Meanwhile,the East Asian westerly jet shifts southward in response to the meridional thermal gradient caused by the colder troposphere extending from the TP to the east of Lake Baikal.The above-mentioned circulation anomalies constitute the positive anomaly of the East Asia-Pacific pattern,known to be conducive to more precipitation over the YRB.Since the DJ TPTT contains both the land(TP soil temperature)and ocean(ENSO)signals,it has a closer relationship with the JJ precipitation over the YRB than the DJ ENSO alone.Therefore,the preceding DJ TPTT can be considered an alternative predictor of the JJ YRB precipitation.

AAV2-PDE6B restores retinal structure and function in the retinal degeneration 10 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa by promoting phototransduction and inhibiting apoptosis

Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of inherited diseases that lead to retinal degeneration and photoreceptor cell death.However,there is no effective treatment for retinitis pigmentosa caused by PDE6B mutation.Adeno-associated virus(AAV)-mediated gene therapy is a promising strategy for treating retinitis pigmentosa.The aim of this study was to explore the molecular mechanisms by which AAV2-PDE6B rescues retinal function.To do this,we injected retinal degeneration 10(rd10)mice subretinally with AAV2-PDE6B and assessed the therapeutic effects on retinal function and structure using dark-and light-adapted electroretinogram,optical coherence tomography,and immunofluorescence.Data-independent acquisition-mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis was conducted to investigate protein expression levels and pathway enrichment,and the results from this analysis were verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting.AAV2-PDE6B injection significantly upregulated PDE6βexpression,preserved electroretinogram responses,and preserved outer nuclear layer thickness in rd10 mice.Differentially expressed proteins between wild-type and rd10 mice were closely related to visual perception,and treating rd10 mice with AAV2-PDE6B restored differentially expressed protein expression to levels similar to those seen in wild-type mice.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome analysis showed that the differentially expressed proteins whose expression was most significantly altered by AAV2-PDE6B injection were enriched in phototransduction pathways.Furthermore,the phototransductionrelated proteins Pde6α,Rom1,Rho,Aldh1a1,and Rbp1 exhibited opposite expression patterns in rd10 mice with or without AAV2-PDE6B treatment.Finally,Bax/Bcl-2,p-ERK/ERK,and p-c-Fos/c-Fos expression levels decreased in rd10 mice following AAV2-PDE6B treatment.Our data suggest that AAV2-PDE6B-mediated gene therapy promotes phototransduction and inhibits apoptosis by inhibiting the ERK signaling pathway and upregulating Bcl-2/Bax expression in retinitis pigmentosa.

Multidrug dissolvable microneedle patch for the treatment of recurrent oral ulcer

Recurrent oral ulcer is a painful oral mucosal disorder that affects 20%of the world’s population.The lack of a radical cure due to its unknown underlying cause calls for innovative symptomatic treatments.This work reports a hyaluronic acid-based dissolvablemicroneedle patch(ROUMNpatch,short for recurrent oral ulcer microneedle)loaded with dexamethasone acetate,vitamin C and tetracaine hydrochloride for the treatment of recurrent oral ulcers.The ROUMN patch shows enhancement in both the anti-inflammatory effect elicited by dexamethasone and the pro-proliferation effect of vitamin C.In vitro experiments show that ROUMN has a higher efficiency in suppressing lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced interleukin-6(IL-6)expression than dexamethasone alone.Cell proliferation and migrationwere also significantly promoted byROUMNcompared to vitamin C alone.The healing-promoting effect of ROUMN was also verified in vivo using an acetic acid-cauterized oral ulcer model in rats.ROUMN as a treatment accelerated the healing process of oral ulcers,shortening the total healing time to 5 days compared with the 7 days required by treatment using watermelon frost,a commonly used over-the-counter(OTC)drug for oral ulcers.The rapid dissolution of the hyaluronic acid-based microneedles and the superior healing-promoting effect of the drug combination could lead to a broad application prospect of the ROUMN patch in the treatment of recurrent oral ulcers.

Single-molecule RNA capture-assisted droplet digital loop-mediated isothermal amplification for ultrasensitive and rapid detection of infectious pathogens

To minimize and control the transmission of infectious diseases,a sensitive,accurate,rapid,and robust assay strategy for application on-site screening is critical.Here,we report single-molecule RNA capture-assisted digital RT-LAMP(SCADL)for point-of-care testing of infectious diseases.Target RNA was captured and enriched by specific capture probes and oligonucleotide probes conjugated to magnetic beads,replacing laborious RNA extraction.Droplet generation,amplification,and the recording of results are all integrated on a microfluidic chip.In assaying commercial standard samples,quantitative results precisely corresponded to the actual concentration of samples.This method provides a limit of detection of 10 copies mL−1 for the N gene within 1 h,greatly reducing the need for skilled personnel and precision instruments.The ultrasensitivity,specificity,portability,rapidity and user-friendliness make SCADL a competitive candidate for the on-site screening of infectious diseases.

Identification of Age-associated Proteins and Functional Alterations in Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium

Retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)has essential functions,such as nourishing and supporting the neural retina,and is of vital importance in the pathogenesis of age-related retinal degeneration.However,the exact molecular changes of RPE during aging remain poorly understood.Here,we isolated human primary RPE(h RPE)cells from 18 eye donors distributed over a wide age range(10–67 years old).A quantitative proteomic analysis was performed to analyze changes in their intracellular and secreted proteins.Age-group related subtypes and age-associated proteins were revealed and potential age-associated mechanisms were validated in ARPE-19 and h RPE cells.The results of proteomic data analysis and verifications suggest that RNF123-and RNF149-related protein ubiquitination plays an important role in protecting h RPE cells from oxidative damage during aging.In older h RPE cells,apoptotic signaling-related pathways were up-regulated,and endoplasmic reticulum organization was down-regulated both in the intracellular and secreted proteomes.Our work paints a detailed molecular picture of h RPE cells during the aging process and provides new insights into the molecular characteristics of RPE during aging and under other related clinical retinal conditions.