Scientists Identify Different Developmental Trajectories for Individuals with Schizotypal Traits

Schizotypy,defined as the personality organization underlying schizophrenia and other related mental disorders,is a critical construct for a broad range of scientific disciplines.Because schizotypy can be psychometrically identified in the general population,investigating schizotypy may provide a unique

A single-cell transcriptome atlas reveals the trajectory of early cell fate transition during callus induction in Arabidopsis

The acquisition of pluripotent callus from somatic cells plays an important role in plant development studies and crop genetic improvement.This developmental process incorporates a series of cell fate transitions and reprogramming.However,our understanding of cell heterogeneity and mechanisms of cell fate transition during callus induction remains quite limited.Here,we report a time-series single-cell transcriptome experiment on Arabidopsis root explants that were induced in callus induction medium for 0,1,and 4 days,and the construction of a detailed single-cell transcriptional atlas of the callus induction process.We identify the cell types responsible for initiating the early callus:lateral root primordium-initiating(LRPI)-like cells and quiescent center(QC)-like cells.LRPI-like cells are derived from xylem pole pericycle cells and are similar to lateral root primordia.We delineate the developmental trajectory of the dedifferentiation of LRPI-like cells into QC-like cells.QC-like cells are undifferentiated pluripotent acquired cells that appear in the early stages of callus formation and play a critical role in later callus development and organ regeneration.We also identify the transcription factors that regulate QC-like cells and the gene expression signatures that are related to cell fate decisions.Overall,our cell-lineage transcriptome atlas for callus induction provides a distinct perspective on cell fate transitions during callus formation,significantly improving our understanding of callus formation.

Cognitive Function of Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Difficulties： A Developmental Perspective

Background： The cognitive function of children with either attention deficit hyperactivity disorder （ADHD） or learning disabilities （LDs） is known to be impaired. However, little is known about the cognitive function of children with comorbid ADHD and LD. The present study aimed to explore the cognitive function of children and adolescents with ADH D and learning difficulties in comparison with children with ADHD and healthy controls in different age groups in a large Chinese sample. Methods： Totally, 1043 participants with ADHD and learning difficulties （the ADHD ＋ learning difficulties group）, 870 with pure ADHD （the pure ADHD group）, and 496 healthy controls were recruited. To investigate the difference in cognitive impairment using a developmental approach, all participants were divided into three age groups （6-8, 9-11, and 12-14 years old）. Measurements were the Chinese-Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Trail-Making Test, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Parents （BRIEF）. Multivariate analysis of variance was used. Results： The results showed that after controlling for the effect of ADHD symptoms, the A DHD ＋ learning difficulties group was still significantly worse than the pureADHD group, which was, in turn, worse than the control group on full intelligence quotient （98.66 ± 13.87 vs. 105.17 ± 14.36 vs. 112.93 ± 13.87, P 〈 0.001 ）. The same relationship was also evident for shift function （shifting time of the Trail-Making Test, 122.50 [62.00, 194.25] s vs. 122.00 [73.00, 201.50] s vs. 66.00 [45.00, 108.00] s, P 〈 0.001） and everyday life executive function （BRIEF total score, 145.71 ± 19.35 vs. 138.96± 18.00 vs. 122.71 ± 20.45, P 〈 0.001 ） after controlling for the effect of the severity of ADHD symptoms, intelligence quotient, age, and gender. As for the age groups, the differences among groups became nonsignificant in the 12-14 years old group for inhibition （meaning interference of the Stroop Color-Word Test, 18.00 [13.00, 25.00] s vs. 17.00 [15.00, 26.00] s vs. 17.00 [10.50, 20.00] s, P =0.704） and shift function （shifting time of the Trail-Making Test, 62.00 [43.00, 97.00] s vs. 53.00 [38.00, 81.00] s vs. 101.00 [88.00, 114.00] s, P = 0.778）. Conclusions： Children and adolescents with ADHD and learning difficulties have more severe cognitive impairment than pure ADHD patients even after controlling for the effect of ADHD symptoms. However, the differences in impairment in inhibition and shift function are no longer significant when these individuals were 12-14 years old.

Development Trajectories in the Biotechnology Industry:China versus Leading Countries

The present paper examines China＇s biotechnology industry from a global perspective and explores how its development trajectory differs from that of countries that are leaders in biotechnology. We draw on diverse data to demonstrate the unique development trajectory of the industry in China. China has benefited through targeted spin-offs of R＆D-oriented foreign direct investment from developed countries driven by the effects of globalization, government-encouraged collaboration between the domestic academia and industry, and the input of overseas returnees. Together with an increasing focus of the government and domestic enterprises on independent innovation, such developments have enabled China to catch up with the global biotechnology industry. However, its small scale and low capacity for commercializing innovations under China ＂s current regulations and other barriers pose challenges for the development of the industry. Suggestions for the sustainable development of China＇s biotechnology industry are presented in this study.

Application of single‑cell multi‑omics approaches in horticulture research

Cell heterogeneity shapes the morphology and function of various tissues and organs in multicellular organisms.Elucidation of the differences among cells and the mechanism of intercellular regulation is essential for an in-depth understanding of the developmental process.In recent years,the rapid development of high-throughput singlecell transcriptome sequencing technologies has influenced the study of plant developmental biology.Additionally,the accuracy and sensitivity of tools used to study the epigenome and metabolome have significantly increased,thus enabling multi-omics analysis at single-cell resolution.Here,we summarize the currently available single-cell multiomics approaches and their recent applications in plant research,review the single-cell based studies in fruit,vegetable,and ornamental crops,and discuss the potential of such approaches in future horticulture research.

Single-cell Immune Landscape of Human Recurrent Miscarriage

t Successful pregnancy in placental mammals substantially depends on the establishment of maternal immune tolerance to the semi-allogenic fetus.Disorders in this process are tightly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including recurrent miscarriage(RM).However,an indepth understanding of the systematic and decidual immune environment in RM remains largely lacking.In this study,we utilized single-cell RNA-sequencing(scRNA-seq)to comparably analyze the cellular and molecular signatures of decidual and peripheral leukocytes in normal and unexplained RM pregnancies at the early stage of gestation.Integrative analysis identifies 22 distinct cell clusters in total,and a dramatic difference in leukocyte subsets and molecular properties in RM cases is revealed.Specifically,the cytotoxic properties of CD8^(+)effector T cells,nature killer(NK),and mucosal-associated invariant T(MAIT)cells in peripheral blood indicates apparently enhanced pro-inflammatory status,and the population proportions and ligand–receptor interactions of the decidual leukocyte subsets demonstrate preferential immune activation in RM patients.The molecular features,spatial distribution,and the developmental trajectories of five decidual NK(dNK)subsets have been elaborately illustrated.In RM patients,a dNK subset that supports embryonic growth is diminished in proportion,while the ratio of another dNK subset with cyto toxic and immune-active signature is significantly increased.Notably,a unique pro-inflammatory CD56^(+)CD16^(+)dNK subset substantially accumulates in RM decidua.These findings reveal a comprehensive cellular and molecular atlas of decidual and peripheral leukocytes in human early pregnancy and provide an in-depth insight into the immune pathogenesis for early pregnancy loss.

Single-cell transcriptome atlas of the leaf and root of rice seedlings

As a multicellular organism,rice flourishes relying on gene expression diversity among cells of various functions.However,cellular-resolution transcriptome features are yet to be fully recognized,let alone cell-specific transcriptional responses to environmental stimuli.In this study,we apply single-cell RNA sequencing to both shoot and root of rice seedlings growing in Kimura B nutrient solution or exposed to various abiotic stresses and characterize transcriptomes for a total of 237,431 individual cells.We identify 15 and 9 cell types in the leaf and root,respectively,and observe that common transcriptome features are often shared between leaves and roots in the same tissue layer,except for endodermis or epidermis.Abiotic stress stimuli alter gene expression largely in a cell type-specific manner,but for a given cell type,different stresses often trigger transcriptional regulation of roughly the same set of genes.Besides,we detect proportional changes in cell populations in response to abiotic stress and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms through single-cell reconstruction of the developmental trajectory.Collectively,our study represents a benchmark-setting data resource of single-cell transcriptome atlas for rice seedlings and an illustration of exploiting such resources to drive discoveries in plant biology.

A Single-cell Transcriptome Atlas of Cashmere Goat Hair Follicle Morphogenesis

Cashmere,also known as soft gold,is produced from the secondary hair follicles(SHFs)of cashmere goats.The number of SHFs determines the yield and quality of cashmere;therefore,it is of interest to investigate the transcriptional profiles present during cashmere goat hair follicle development.However,mechanisms underlying this development process remain largely unexplored,and studies regarding hair follicle development mostly use a murine research model.In this study,to provide a comprehensive understanding of cellular heterogeneity and cell fate decisions,single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on 19,705 single cells of the dorsal skin from cashmere goat fetuses at induction(embryonic day 60;E60),organogenesis(E90),and cytodifferentiation(E120)stages.For the first time,unsupervised clustering analysis identified 16 cell clusters,and their corresponding cell types were also characterized.Based on lineage inference,a detailed molecular landscape was revealed along the dermal and epidermal cell lineage developmental pathways.Notably,our current data also confirmed the heterogeneity of dermal papillae from different hair follicle types,which was further validated by immunofluorescence analysis.The current study identifies different biomarkers during cashmere goat hair follicle development and has implications for cashmere goat breeding in the future.

Autism spectrum disorders in adolescence and adulthood: Long-term outcomes and relevant issues for treatment and research

The advances in research and treatment of autism spectrum disorders(ASD) over the past three decades have focused largely on early childhood and school-age years. Although ASD is a lifelong condition, there has been relatively little attention paid to ASD during the adolescent and adulthood periods. As the population of those with ASD continues to rise and age, the need to provide research and treatment for this group has become increasingly evident. This paper reviews the current literature available on symptoms, functioning, and treatment of adolescents and adults with ASD, as well as the unique issues that arise for individuals with ASD after childhood. Adulthood outcomes for ASD are generally poor, even for those with average to above average cognitive ability. Further research and additional clinical resources are needed for this rapidly increasing group.

Different paths to sexual size dimorphism in two praying mantids, Pseudomantis albofimbriata and Hierodula majuscula

Sexual size dimorphism （SSD） is widespread among diverse animal taxa and has attracted the attention of evolutionary biologists for over a century. SSD is likely to be adaptive and the result of divergent selection on different size optima for males and females, given their different roles in reproduction. The developmental trajectory leading to SSD may help us to understand how selection acts on male and female size. Here, we describe the growth and development of two Australian praying mantids, Pseudomantis albofimbriata and Hierodula majuscula including the number of moults, time to adulthood, size at each moult, and the degree of SSD. While both species exhibit the common pattern of female-biased SSD, the number of moults required for individuals to reach adulthood differed between males and females and between species. Despite their larger adult size, P. albofimbriata females require fewer moults and less time than males to reach adulthood, but are significantly larger than males from the second instar onwards. In contrast, H. majuscula males reached adulthood in fewer moults, and less time than females, however males and females did not differ in size until females went through their final moult into adulthood. H. majuscula also required more time and more moults to reach adulthood than 17. albofimbriata. We discuss these different developmental pathways in light of the existing knowledge of reproductive biology for each species. We also suggest that these differences may relate to the different phenologies that occur in strongly seasonal temperate environments compared with those in the tropics. This study provides evidence that SSD can result from two different patterns of growth and development in closely related species.