Electroacupuncture preconditioning protects against focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury via suppression of dynamin-related protein 1

Electroacupuncture preconditioning at acupoint Baihui （GV20） can reduce focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, the precise protective mechanism remains unknown. Mitochondrial fission mediated by dynamin-related protein 1 （Drp1） can trigger neuronal apoptosis following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Herein, we examined the hypothesis that electroacupuncture pretreatment can regulate Drp1, and thus inhibit mitochondrial fission to provide cerebral protection. Rat models of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury were established by middle cerebral artery occlusion at 24 hours after 5 consecutive days of preconditioning with electroacupuncture at GV20 （depth 2 mm, intensity 1 mA, frequency 2/15 Hz, for 30 minutes, once a day）. Neurological function was assessed using the Longa neurological deficit score. Pathological changes in the ischemic penumbra on the injury side were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Cellular apoptosis in the ischemic penumbra on the injury side was assessed by terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling staining. Mitochondrial ultrastructure in the ischemic penumbra on the injury side was assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Drp1 and cytochrome c expression in the ischemic penumbra on the injury side were assessed by western blot assay. Results showed that electroacupuncture preconditioning decreased expression of total and mitochondrial Drp1, decreased expression of total and cytosolic cytochrome c, maintained mitochondrial morphology and reduced the proportion of apoptotic cells in the ischemic penumbra on the injury side, with associated improvements in neurological function. These data suggest that electroacupuncture preconditioning-induced neuronal protection involves inhibition of the expression and translocation of Drp1.

Selective brain hypothermia-induced neuroprotection against focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury is associated with Fis1 inhibition

Selective brain hypothermia is considered an effective treatment for neuronal injury after stroke,and avoids the complications of general hypothermia.However,the mechanisms by which selective brain hypothermia affects mitochondrial fission remain unknown.In this study,we investigated the effect of selective brain hypothermia on the expression of fission 1 (Fis1) protein,a key factor in the mitochondrial fission system,during focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups.In the sham group,the carotid arteries were exposed only.In the other three groups,middle cerebral artery occlusion was performed using the intraluminal filament technique.After 2 hours of occlusion,the filament was slowly removed to allow blood reperfusion in the ischemia/reperfusion group.Saline,at 4℃ and 37℃,were perfused through the carotid artery in the hypothermia and normothermia groups,respectively,followed by restoration of blood flow.Neurological function was assessed with the Zea Longa 5-point scoring method.Cerebral infarct volume was assessed by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining,and apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining.Fis1 and cytosolic cytochrome c levels were assessed by western blot assay.Fis1 mRNA expression was assessed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.Mitochondrial ultrastructure was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy.Compared with the sham group,apoptosis,Fis1 protein and mRNA expression and cytosolic cytochrome c levels in the cortical ischemic penumbra and cerebral infarct volume were increased after reperfusion in the other three groups.These changes caused by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion were inhibited in the hypothermia group compared with the normothermia group.These findings show that selective brain hypothermia inhibits Fis1 expression and reduces apoptosis,thereby ameliorating focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.Experiments were authorized by the Ethics Committee of Qingdao Municipal Hospital of China (approval No.2019008).

Enhanced electrochemical performance of Si/C electrode through surface modification using SrF_(2) particle

The silicon-based material exhibits a high theoretical specific capacity and is one of the best anode for the next generation of advanced lithium-ion batteries(LIBs).However,it is difficult for the silicon-based anode to form a stable solid-state interphase(SEI)during Li alloy/de-alloy process due to the large volume change(up to 300%)between silicon and Li4.4Si,which seriously limits the cycle life of the LIBs.Herein,we use strontium fluoride(SrF_(2))particle to coat the silicon-carbon(Si/C)electrode(SrF_(2)@Si/C)to help forming a stable and high mechanical strength SEI by spontaneously embedding the SrF_(2) particle into SEI.Meanwhile the formed SEI can inhibit the volume expansion of the silicon-carbon anode during the cycle.The electrochemical test results show that the cycle performance and the ionic conductivity of the SrF_(2)@Si/C anode has been significantly improved.The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)analysis reveals that there are fewer electrolyte decomposition products formed on the surface of the SrF_(2)@Si/C anode.This study provides a facile approach to overcome the problems of Si/C electrode during the electrochemical cycling,which will be beneficial to the industrial application of silicon-based anode materials.

Electroacupuncture preconditioning attenuates ischemic brain injury by activation of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase signaling pathway

Electroacupuncture has therapeutic effects on ischemic brain injury, but its mechanism is still poorly understood. In this study, mice were stimulated by electroacupuncture at the Baihui（GV20） acupoint for 30 minutes at 1 m A and 2/15 Hz for 5 consecutive days. A cerebral ischemia model was established by ligating the bilateral common carotid artery for 15 minutes. At 72 hours after injury, neuronal injury in the mouse hippocampus had lessened, and the number of terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated d UTP nick-end labeling-positive cells reduced after electroacupuncture treatment. Moreover, expression of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase α（AMPKα） and phosphorylated AMPKα was up-regulated. Intraperitoneal injection of the AMPK antagonist, compound C, suppressed this phenomenon. Our findings suggest that electroacupuncture preconditioning alleviates ischemic brain injury via AMPK activation.

Unveiling the functional and evolutionary landscape of RNA editing in chicken using genomics and transcriptomics

The evolutionary and functional features of RNA editing are well studied in mammals,cephalopods,and insects,but not in birds.Here,we integrated transcriptomic and whole-genomic analyses to exhaustively characterize the expansive repertoire of adenosine-to-inosine(A-to-I)RNA editing sites(RESs)in the chicken.In addition,we investigated the evolutionary status of the chicken editome as a potential mechanism of domestication.We detected the lowest editing level in the liver of chickens,compared to muscles in humans,and found higher editing activity and specificity in the brain than in non-neural tissues,consistent with the brain’s functional complexity.To a certain extent,specific editing activity may account for the specific functions of tissues.Our results also revealed that sequences critical to RES secondary structures remained conserved within avian evolution.Furthermore,the RNA editome was shaped by purifying selection during chicken domestication and most RESs may have served as a selection pool for a few functional RESs involved in chicken domestication,including evolution of nervous and immune systems.Regulation of RNA editing in chickens by adenosine deaminase acting on RNA(ADAR)enzymes may be affected by non-ADAR factors whose expression levels changed widely after ADAR knockdown.Collectively,we provide comprehensive lists of candidate RESs and non-ADAR-editing regulators in the chicken,thus contributing to our current understanding of the functions and evolution of RNA editing in animals.

Genomes reveal selective sweeps in kiang and donkey for high-altitude adaptation

Over the last several hundred years,donkeys have adapted to high-altitude conditions on the Tibetan Plateau.Interestingly,the kiang,a closely related equid species,also inhabits this region.Previous reports have demonstrated the importance of specific genes and adaptive introgression in divergent lineages for adaptation to hypoxic conditions on the Tibetan Plateau.Here,we assessed whether donkeys and kiangs adapted to the Tibetan Plateau via the same or different biological pathways and whether adaptive introgression has occurred.We assembled a de novo genome from a kiang individual and analyzed the genomes of five kiangs and 93 donkeys(including 24 from the Tibetan Plateau).Our analyses suggested the existence of a strong hard selective sweep at the EPAS1 locus in kiangs.In Tibetan donkeys,however,another gene,i.e.,EGLN1,was likely involved in their adaptation to high altitude.In addition,admixture analysis found no evidence for interspecific gene flow between kiangs and Tibetan donkeys.Our findings indicate that despite the short evolutionary time scale since the arrival of donkeys on the Tibetan Plateau,as well as the existence of a closely related species already adapted to hypoxia,Tibetan donkeys did not acquire adaptation via admixture but instead evolved adaptations via a different biological pathway.

Revisiting the evolutionary history of domestic and wild ducks based on genomic analyses

Although domestic ducks have been important poultry species throughout human history,their origin remains enigmatic,with mallards and/or Chinese spot-billed ducks being proposed as the direct wild ancestor(s)of domestic ducks.Here,we analyzed 118 whole genomes from mallard,Chinese spotbilled,and domestic ducks to reconstruct their evolutionary history.We found pervasive introgression patterns among these duck populations.Furthermore,we showed that domestic ducks separated from mallard and Chinese spotbilled ducks nearly 38 thousand years ago(kya)and 54 kya,respectively,which is considerably outside the time period of presumed duck domestication.Thus,our results suggest that domestic ducks may have originated from another wild duck population that is currently undefined or unsampled,rather than from present-day mallard and/or Chinese spot-billed ducks,as previously thought.Overall,this study provides new insight into the complex evolution of ducks.

Accelerated evolution of constraint elements for hematophagic adaptation in mosquitoes

Comparative genomics is a powerful approach that comprehensively interprets the genome. Herein, we performed whole genome comparative analysis of 16 Diptera genomes, including four mosquitoes and 12 Drosophilae. We found more than 540 000 constraint elements （CEs） in the Diptera genome, with the majority found in the intergenic, coding and intronic regions. Accelerated elements （AEs） identified in mosquitoes were mostly in the proteincoding regions （〉93%）, which differs from vertebrates in genomic distribution. Some genes functionally enriched in blood digestion, body temperature regulation and insecticide resistance showed rapid evolution not only in the lineage of the recent common ancestor of mosquitoes （RCAM）, but also in some mosquito lineages. This may be associated with lineage-specific traits and/or adaptations in comparison with other insects. Our findings revealed that although universally fast evolution acted on biological systems in RCAM, such as hematophagy, same adaptations also appear to have occurred through distinct degrees of evolution in different mosquito species, enabling them to be successful blood feeders in different environments.

Recent selection and introgression facilitated high-altitude adaptation in cattle

During the past 3000 years,cattle on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau have developed adaptive phenotypes under the selective pressure of hypoxia,ultraviolet(UV)radiation,and extreme cold.The genetic mechanism underlying this rapid adaptation is not yet well understood.Here,we present whole-genome resequencing data for 258 cattle from 32 cattle breeds/populations,including 89 Tibetan cattle representing eight populations distributed at altitudes ranging from 3400 m to 4300 m.Our genomic analysis revealed that Tibetan cattle exhibited a continuous phylogeographic cline from the East Asian taurine to the South Asian indicine ancestries.We found that recently selected genes in Tibetan cattle were related to body size(HMGA2 and NCAPG)and energy expenditure(DUOXA2).We identified signals of sympatric introgression from yak into Tibetan cattle at different altitudes,covering 0.64%–3.26%of their genomes,which included introgressed genes responsible for hypoxia response(EGLN1),cold adaptation(LRP11),DNA damage repair(LATS1),and UV radiation resistance(GNPAT).We observed that introgressed yak alleles were associated with noncoding variants,including those in present EGLN1.In Tibetan cattle,three yak introgressed SNPs in the EGLN1 promoter region reduced the expression of EGLN1,suggesting that these genomic variants enhance hypoxia tolerance.Taken together,our results indicated complex adaptation processes in Tibetan cattle,where recently selected genes and introgressed yak alleles jointly facilitated rapid adaptation to high-altitude environments.

Boost VS_(2) electrochemical reactive kinetics by regulating crystallographic planes and coupling carbon matrix for high performance sodium-ion storage

Vanadium disulfide(VS_(2)) as a typical two-dimensional transition metal chalcogenide has excellent competitiveness for sodium-ion storage due to its wide layer spacing(0.575 nm),high theoretical capacity of 932mAh·g^(-1) originating from multi-electron electrochemical redox.However,continuous sodiation process accompanied by crystal structural evolution and collapse cause rapid capacity decaying.Herein,novel few-layer VS_(2)nanosheets with open(001) crystal planes are in-situ constructed on reduced graphene oxide to solve these issues mentioned above.It indicates that few-layer VS_(2)provides more Na^(+) storage activity due to the low Na^(+)surface migration energy barrier on exposed crystal(001)planes.The flexible and high electronic conductivity of carbon matrix also effectively builds multi-level buffer structure and electron transport kinetics to boost the Na^(+)insertion/conversion reactive activity on VS_(2) as well as Na^(+) pseudocapacitance storage kinetics on edges and defects of nano sheets.Those coupling effects result in high rate capability and long cycling stability as a battery/capacitor anode.It delivers conspicuous high energy density of 81 and 40 Wh·kg^(-1) at power density of 118 and 10,286W·kg^(-1),as well as 80% energy retention rate after 5000cycles,confirming its great application potential in sodiumbased storage devices.

Comparative population genomics reveals genetic basis underlying body size of domestic chickens

Body size is the most important economic trait for animal production and breeding.Several hundreds of loci have been reported to be associated with growth trait and body weight in chickens.The loci are mapped to large genomic regions due to the low density and limited number of genetic markers in previous studies.Herein,we employed comparative population genomics to identify genetic basis underlying the small body size of Yuanbao chicken(a famous ornamental chicken)based on 89 whole genomes.The most significant signal was mapped to the BMP10 gene,whose expression was upregulated in the Yuanbao chicken.Overexpression of BMP10 induced a significant decrease in body length by inhibiting angiogenic vessel development in zebrafish.In addition,three other loci on chromosomes 1,2,and 24 were also identified to be potentially involved in the development of body size.Our results provide a paradigm shift in identification of novel loci controlling body size variation,availing a fast and efficient strategy.These loci,particularly BMP10,add insights into ongoing research of the evolution of body size under artificial selection and have important implications for future chicken breeding.

Integrating Genomic and Transcriptomic Data to Reveal Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Piao Chicken Rumpless Trait

Piao chicken,a rare Chinese native poultry breed,lacks primary tail structures,such as pygostyle,caudal vertebra,uropygial gland,and tail feathers.So far,the molecular mechanisms underlying tail absence in this breed remain unclear.In this study,we comprehensively employed comparative transcriptomic and genomic analyses to unravel potential genetic underpinnings of rumplessness in Piao chicken.Our results reveal many biological factors involved in tail development and several genomic regions under strong positive selection in this breed.These regions contain candidate genes associated with rumplessness,including Irx4,Il18,Hspb2,and Cryab.Retrieval of quantitative trait loci(QTL)and gene functions implies that rumplessness might be consciously or unconsciously selected along with the high-yield traits in Piao chicken.We hypothesize that strong selection pressures on regulatory elements might lead to changes in gene activity in mesenchymal stem cells of the tail bud.The ectopic activity could eventually result in tail truncation by impeding differentiation and proliferation of the stem cells.Our study provides fundamental insights into early initiation and genetic basis of the rumpless phenotype in Piao chicken.

Was chicken domesticated in northern China?New evidence from mitochondrial genomes

The timing and location of chicken(Gallus gallus domesticus)domestication have remained controversial for over a century[1].Several researchers have proposed China as one of the early centers for chicken domestication[2].This is based on a few archaeological‘‘chicken"remains discovered in China(Table S1).Recently,one investigation detected mitochondrial DNA(mt DNA)haplotypes

A paratlei mechanism underlying frizzle in domestic chickens

Dear Editor,The feather,a highly keratinized tissue with variations in the shape,distribution,pigmentation,and structure,is an attractive topic in developmental and evolutionary biology (Boer et al.,2017).