Large-scale interplant exchange of macromolecules between soybean and dodder under nutrient stresses

Parasitic plants and their hosts communicate through haustorial connections.Nutrient deficiency is a common stress for plants,yet little is known about whether and how host plants and parasites communicate during adaptation to such nutrient stresses.In this study,we used transcriptomics and proteomics to analyze how soybean(Glycine max)and its parasitizing dodder(Cuscuta australis)respond to nitrate and phosphate deficiency(-N and-P).After-N and-P treatment,the soybean and dodder plants exhibited substantial changes of transcriptome and proteome,although soybean plants showed very few transcriptional responses to-P and dodder did not show any transcriptional changes to either-N or-P.Importantly,large-scale interplant transport of mRNAs and proteins was detected.Although the mobile mRNAs only comprised at most 0.2%of the transcriptomes,the foreign mobile proteins could reach 6.8%of the total proteins,suggesting that proteins may be the major forms of interplant communications.Furthermore,the interplant mobility of macromolecules was specifically affected by the nutrient regimes and the transport of these macromolecules was very likely independently regulated.This study provides new insight into the communication between host plants and parasites under stress conditions.

Novel Long Non-coding RNA Markers for Prognostic Prediction of Patients with Bladder Cancer

Objective To explore novel long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)molecular markers related to bladder cancer prognosis and to construct a prognostic prediction model for bladder cancer patients.Methods LncRNA expression data of patients with bladder cancer were downloaded from TCGA database.Univariate Cox regression and likelihood-based survival analysis were used to discover prognosis related lncRNAs.Functional studies of prognosis related lncRNAs were conducted by co-expression analysis and pathway enrichment analysis.Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to establish risk score model,and Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis was used to determine the optimal cut-off point of the model.The risk score model was validated through Kaplan Meier estimation method and log-rank test.Results Seven prognosis related lncRNAs(OCIAD1-AS1,RP11-111 J6.2,AC079354.3,RP11-553 A21.3,RP11-598 F7.3,CYP4 F35 P and RP11-113 K21.4)which can predict survival of bladder cancer patient were discovered.Co-expression analysis and pathway analysis of these novel lncRNA signature and their target genes further revealed that these lncRNAs play important roles in the occurrence and development of bladder cancer.Additionally,a seven-lncRNA signature based risk score model for prognostic prediction of bladder cancer patients was established and validated.Notably,we identified the potential significance of two tumor-related antisense lncRNAs(OCIAD1-AS1 and RP11-553 A21.3)in the prognosis of bladder cancer.Conclusion Our results suggest that these lncRNA markers may serve as potential prognosis predictors for bladder cancer and deserve further functional verification studies.

Fertilization practices affect biological nitrogen fixation by modulating diazotrophic communities in an acidic soil in southern China

Biological nitrogen(N)fixation(BNF)driven by diazotrophs is an important pathway for N input in agricultural ecosystems.However,free-living BNF and its associated diazotrophic communities under different fertilization practices in acidic soils are poorly studied.Here,we conducted a long-term(29 years)fertilization experiment to explore how fertilization affected free-living BNF via changing biotic and abiotic variables.The fertilization treatments included an unfertilized control(CK),chemical N,phosphorus(P),and potassium(K)fertilizers(NPK),NPK plus lime(NPKL),NPK plus straw(NPKS),NPK plus straw and lime(NPKSL),and NPK plus manure(NPKM).Compared with CK(1.51 nmol C_(2)H_(2)g^(-1)d^(-1)),BNF rate was significantly(P<0.05)higher in NPKM(1.99 nmol C_(2)H_(2)g^(-1)d^(-1))but lower in NPK(0.55 nmol C_(2)H_(2)g^(-1)d^(-1)),NPKL(0.61 nmol C_(2)H_(2)g^(-1)d^(-1)),and NPKS(0.69nmol C_(2)H_(2)g^(-1)d^(-1)).Similarly,chemical fertilization treatments without manure reduced the gene abundance(0.71×10^(8)-1.18×10^(8)copies g^(-1))andα-diversity(Shannon index,1.11-2.43)of diazotrophic communities,whereas the treatment with manure had a positive effect on diazotrophic abundance(3.23×10^(8)copies g^(-1))and Shannon index(3.36).Non-parametric multivariate analysis of variance(PERMANOVA)suggested that manure application(R^(2)=0.212,P=0.001)had a stronger influence on diazotrophic community composition than the addition of lime(R^(2)=0.115,P=0.019)or straw(R^(2)=0.064,P=0.161).Random forest modeling revealed that BNF rates can be significantly(P<0.05)explained by soil pH(9.9%),diazotrophic community attributes(composition,8.5%;Chao 1 index,8.1%;abundance,6.0%;Shannon index,5.7%),and soil total carbon(5.1%).Partial least squares path modeling(PLS-PM)suggested that the diazotrophic community attributes and soil properties mainly provided direct and indirect contributions to the variations in BNF rates,respectively.The dominant genera,Pelomonas,Azospirillum,and Dechloromonas,were positively associated with BNF rates,with their members being observed as keystone species in the community network.Application of chemical fertilizers combined with manure is an effective practice for improving BNF in acidic soils by affecting soil diazotrophic communities.

Intensive phototherapy vs.exchange transfusion for the treatment of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia:a multicenter retrospective cohort study

Background:Intensive phototherapy(IPT)and exchange transfusion(ET)are the main treatments for extreme hyperbilirubinemia.However,there is no reliable evidence on determining the thresholds for these treatments.This multicenter study compared the effectiveness and complications of IPT and ET in the treatment of extreme hyperbilirubinemia.Methods:This retrospective cohort study was conducted in seven centers from January 2015 to January 2018.Patients with extreme hyperbilirubinemia that met the criteria of ET were included.Patients were divided into three subgroups(low-,medium-,and high-risk)according to gestational week and risk factors.Propensity score matching(PSM)was performed to balance the data before treatment.Study outcomes included the development of bilirubin encephalopathy,duration of hospitalization,expenses,and complications.Mortality,auditory complications,seizures,enamel dysplasia,ocular motility disorders,athetosis,motor,and language development were evaluated during follow-up at age of 3 years.Results:A total of 1164 patients were included in this study.After PSM,296 patients in the IPT only group and 296 patients in the IPT plus ET group were further divided into the low-,medium-,and high-risk subgroups with 188,364,and 40 matched patients,respectively.No significant differences were found between the IPT only and IPT plus ET groups in terms of morbidity,complications,and sequelae.Hospitalization duration and expenses were lower in the low-and medium-risk subgroups in the IPT only group.Conclusions:In this study,our results suggest that IPT is a safe and effective treatment for extreme hyperbilirubinemia.The indication of ET for patients with hyperbilirubinemia could be stricter.However,it is necessary to have a contingency plan for emergency ET as soon as IPT is commenced especially for infants with risk factors.If IPT can be guaranteed and proved to be therapeutic,ET should be avoided as much as possible.