Maize cryptochromes 1a1 and 1a2 promote seedling photomorphogenesis and shade resistance in Zea mays and Arabidopsis

Maize growth and development are regulated by light quality,intensity and photoperiod.Cryptochromes are blue/ultraviolet-A light receptors involved in stem elongation,shade avoidance,and photoperiodic flowering.To investigate the function of cryptochrome 1(CRY1) in maize,where it is encoded by Zm CRY1,we obtained two Zm CRY1a genes(Zm CRY1a1 and Zm CRY1a2),both of which share the highest similarity with other gramineous plants,in particular rice CRY1a by phylogenetic analysis.In Arabidopsis,overexpression of Zm CRY1a genes promoted seedling de-etiolation under blue and white light,resulting in dwarfing of mature plants.In seedlings of the maize inbred line Zong 31(Zm CRY1aOE),overexpression of Zm CRY1a genes caused a reduction in the mesocotyl and first leaf sheath lengths due to down-regulation of genes influencing cell elongation.In mature transgenic maize plants,plant height,ear height,and internode length decreased in response to overexpression of Zm CRY1a genes.Expression of Zm CRY1a were insensitive to low blue light(LBL)-induced shade avoidance syndrome(SAS) in Arabidopsis and maize.This prompted us to investigate the regulatory role of the gibberellin and auxin metabolic pathways in the response of Zm CRY1a genes to LBL treatment.We confirmed a link between Zm CRY1a expression and hormonal influence on the growth and development of maize under LBL-induced SAS.These results reveal that Zm CRY1a has a relatively conservative function in regulating maize photomorphogenesis and may guide new strategies for breeding high density-tolerant maize cultivars.

PM_(1)颗粒物长期暴露与高血压住院:一项基于中国南方大型社区队列的因果推断研究

Limited evidence exists on the effect of submicronic particulate matter(PM_(1)) on hypertension hospitalization. Evidence based on causal inference and large cohorts is even more scarce. In 2015, 36,271 participants were enrolled in South China and followed up through 2020. Each participant was assigned single-year, lag0–1, and lag0–2 moving average concentration of PM_(1)and fine inhalable particulate matter(PM2.5) simulated based on satellite data at a 1-km resolution. We used an inverse probability weighting approach to balance confounders and utilized a marginal structural Cox model to evaluate the underlying causal links between PM_(1)exposure and hypertension hospitalization, with PM2.5-hypertension association for comparison. Several sensitivity studies and the analyses of effect modification were also conducted. We found that a higher hospitalization risk from both overall(HR: 1.13, 95% CI:1.05–1.22) and essential hypertension(HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06–1.25) was linked to each 1 μg/m3increase in the yearly average PM_(1)concentration. At lag0–1 and lag0–2, we observed a 17%–21% higher risk of hypertension associated with PM_(1). The effect of PM_(1)was 6%–11% higher compared with PM2.5. Linear concentration-exposure associations between PM_(1)exposure and hypertension were identified, without safety thresholds. Women and participants that engaged in physical exercise exhibited higher susceptibility, with 4%–22% greater risk than their counterparts. This large cohort study identified a detrimental relationship between chronic PM_(1)exposure and hypertension hospitalization, which was more pronounced compared with PM2.5and among certain groups.

Analysis of a diffusive two-strain malaria model with the carrying capacity of the environment for mosquitoes

We propose a malaria model involving the sensitive and resistant strains,which is described by reaction-diffusion equations.The model reflects the scenario that the vector and host populations disperse with distinct diffusion rates,susceptible individuals or vectors cannot be infected by both strains simultaneously,and the vector population satisfies the logistic growth.Our main purpose is to get a threshold type result on the model,especially the interaction effect of the two strains in the presence of spatial structure.To solve this issue,the basic reproduction number(BRN)R_(0)^(i)and invasion reproduction number(IRN)R_(0)^(i)of each strain(i=1 and 2 are for the sensitive and resistant strains,respectively)are defined.Furthermore,we investigate the influence of the diffusion rates of populations and vectors on BRNs and IRNs.

The effect of ergosterol on the allogrooming behavior of termites in response to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhiziumanisopliae

Termites have physiological and behavioral immunities that make them highly resistant to pathogen infections,which complicates biocontrol efforts.However,the stimuli that trigger the pathogen-avoidance behaviors of termites are still unclear.Our study shows that workers of Coptotermes formosanus exposed to the conidia of Metarhizium anisopliae exhibited a significantly higher frequency and longer duration of allogrooming behaviors compared with untreated termites.Volatile compounds in the cuticle of control termites and termites previously exposed to a suspension of M.anisopliae conidia were analyzed and compared using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer(GC-MS).Our results showed that the amount of ergosterol differed between the fungus-exposed and control termites.Choice tests showed that termites significantly preferred to stay on filter paper treated with ergosterol(0.05,0.1,or 1.0 mg/mL)compared with control filter paper.In addition,termites exposed to ergosterol followed by M.anisopliae conidia were allogroomed at a significantly higher frequency and for a longer duration than termites exposed to alcohol(the solvent used with the ergosterol in the ergosterol trials)alone followed by M.anisopliae conidia.These results showed that ergosterol may enhance the allogrooming behavior of termites in the presence of entomopathogenic fungi.

SARS-CoV-2 N protein induces acute kidney injury in diabetic mice via the Smad3-Ripk3/MLKL necroptosis pathway

Dear Editor,Kidney is one of major organs attacked by SARS-CoV-2,resulting in acute kidney injury(AKI)in critically ill COVID-19 patients,especially in the elderly and diabetic patients with diabetic kidney disease(DKD).1,2 Among SARS-CoV-2 proteins,the N protein can be detectable in damaged tubules in COVID-19 patients with AKI.

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif 1(ADAMTS1) expression increases in acute aortic dissection

Acute aortic dissection(AAD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease caused by progressive medial degeneration of the aortic wall. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 1(ADAMTS1) is a recently identified extracellular metalloproteinase participating in the development of vascular disease, such as atherosclerosis. In the present study, we found that ADAMTS1 was significantly elevated in blood samples from AAD patients compared with patients with acute myocardial infarction and healthy volunteers. Based on these findings, we established an AAD model by infusing angiotensin II in older mice. AAD was successfully developed in aorta tissues, with an incidence of 42% after 14 days in the angiotensin II group. Macrophage and neutrophil infiltration was observed in the media of the aorta, and ADAMTS1 overexpression was found in the aorta by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Double immunofluorescence staining showed the expression of ADAMTS1 in macrophages and neutrophils. Consistent with the upregulation of ADAMTS1 in aortic dissection tissues, versican(a proteoglycan substrate of ADAMTS1) was degraded significantly more in these tissues than in control aortic tissues. These data suggest that the increased expression of ADAMTS1 protein in macrophages and neutrophils that infiltrated aortic tissues may promote the progression of AAD by degrading versican.

Ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation potential from anthropogenic volatile organic compounds emissions in China

Volatile organic compounds （VOCs） are major precursors for ozone and secondary organic aerosol （SOA）, both of which greatly harm human health and significantly affect the Earth＇s climate. We simultaneously estimated ozone and SOA formation from anthropogenic VOCs emissions in China by employing photochemical ozone creation potential （POCP） values and SOA yields. We gave special attention to large molecular species and adopted the SOA yield curves from latest smog chamber experiments. The estimation shows that alkylbenzenes are greatest contributors to both ozone and SOA formation （36.0% and 51.6%, respectively）, while toluene and xylenes are largest contributing individual VOCs. Industry solvent use, industry process and domestic combustion are three sectors with the largest contributions to both ozone （24.7%, 23.0% and 17.8%, respectively） and SOA （22.9%, 34.6% and 19.6%, respectively） formation. In terms of the formation potential per unit VOCs emission, ozone is sensitive to open biomass burning, transportation, and domestic solvent use, and SOA is sensitive to industry process, domestic solvent use, and domestic combustion. Biomass stoves, paint application in industrial protection and buildings, adhesives application are key individual sources to ozone and SOA formation, whether measured by total contribution or contribution per unit VOCs emission. The results imply that current VOCs control policies should be extended to cover most important industrial sources, and the control measures for biomass stoves should be tightened. Finally, discrepant VOCs control policies should be implemented in different regions based on their ozone/aerosol concentration levels and dominant emission sources for ozone and SOA formation potential.

A novel gene-activated matrix composed of PEI/plasmid-BMP2 complexes and hydroxyapatite/chitosan-microspheres promotes bone regeneration

The incorporation of pro-osteogenic growth factors into bone graft materials to enhance bone regeneration is a key research area within the field of bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.However,growth factors directly incorporated in protein form are easily degraded,and have a limited active half-life,which cannot exert long-term and stable osteoinductive and oteoconductive effects.The combination of gene therapy and tissue engineering through gene-activated matrix(GAM)may provide a good alternative solution to overcome such limitations.Scaffold materials can be combined together with plasmid DNA and a chemical-based transfection agent to form GAM,through which transfected cells could secrete growth factors in a sustained manner over a longer time duration;thereby enabling bone graft materials to act as a repository of therapeutic genes,while providing structural support and a scaffold matrix for new bone tissue ingrowth.In this study,we prepared hydroxyapatite/chitosan-microspheres(HA/CS-MS)with microfabrication technology and emulsification method,and loaded the polyethylene imine/bone morphogenetic protein 2 plasmid(PEI/pBMP2)complexes with high transfection capacity(transfection efficiency up to 54.79%±4.95%),thus forming a novel GAM system with superior bone regeneration capacity—PEI/pBMP2-HA/CS-MS.The in vitro experiments in this study demonstrated that our GAM had excellent biocompatibility(with cell viability over 95%),and that the as-fabricated microsphere material possessed a nano-network fibrous structure similar to natural extracellular matrix(ECM),together with a higher surface area that can provide more cell adhesion sites.The sizes of the prepared microspheres were mainly distributed in the 160–180μm range,while the maximal loading rate of PEI-pBMP2 complexes was 59.79%±1.85%.As a loaded complexes system,the GAM can release plasmids in a slow controlled manner,effectively transfecting surrounding target cells(release effect for up to 21 days),while cells adherent to the material can also take up plasmids,resulting in sustained secretion of the target protein,thereby effectively promoting bone regeneration.In vivo data from micro-computed tomography(micro-CT)and histological staining showed that the use of the composite materials effectively enhanced bone regeneration in defect areas.These findings thus demonstrated that the novel GAM system had excellent osteoinductivity with significant clinical potential.

Chemically engineered dendrite growth of uniform monolayers MoS_(2) for enhanced photoluminescence[Invited]

Large area and uniform monolayer MoS_(2)is of great importance for optoelectronic devices but is commonly suffering from rather weak photoluminescence.Here,by engineering the concentration profiles of gaseous chemicals through extra trace amounts of water,we demonstrate the uniform dendrite-type growth of monolayer MoS_(2)unraveled by spatially resolved fluorescence spectroscopy,which exhibits macroscopic monolayer flakes [up to centimeter scale] with photoluminescence intensity of orders of magnitude higher than conventional chemical vapor deposition monolayer MoS_(2).Both spectroscopic evidence and theoretical models reveal that the fast-fractal dendrite growth can be ascribed to the extra introduced water sources that generate sufficient aqueous gas around the S-poor regions nearby the central-axis zone,leading to highly efficient Mo sources transport,accelerated S atom corrosion nearby grain edges,and/or defect sites,as well as enhanced photoemission intensity.Our results may provide new insight for high throughput fabrication of MoS_(2)monolayers with high yield photoluminescence efficiency.

Leveraging individual-level data to advance air pollution health risk management

1 Introduction Environmental health risk management is a systematic engineering task,engaging multiple disciplines from the academic and government sectors.Reducing environmental health risks has become one of the key targets in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).This target has been translated into public policies at many jurisdictional levels(Yue et al.,2020).To design region-specific and targeted policy initiatives,understanding how environmental health risks are spatially distributed and temporally resolved is fundamental.