The insect mitogenome is typically a compact circular molecule with highly conserved gene contents.Nonetheless,mitogenome structural variations have been reported in specific taxa,and gene rearrangements,usually the t...The insect mitogenome is typically a compact circular molecule with highly conserved gene contents.Nonetheless,mitogenome structural variations have been reported in specific taxa,and gene rearrangements,usually the tRNAs,occur in different lineages.Because synapomorphies of mitogenome organizations can provide information for phylogenetic inferences,comparative analyses of mitogenomes have been given increasing attention.However,most studies use a very few species to represent the whole genus,tribe,family,or even order,overlooking potential variations at lower taxonomic levels,which might lead to some incorrect inferences.To provide new insights into mitogenome organizations and their implications for phylogenetic inference,this study conducted comparative analyses for mitogenomes of three social bee tribes(Meliponini,Bombini,and Apini)based on the phylogenetic framework with denser taxonomic sampling at the species and population levels.Comparative analyses revealed that mitogenomes of Apini and Bombini are the typical type,while those of Meliponini show diverse variations in mitogenome sizes and organizations.Large inverted repeats(IRs)cause significant gene rearrangements of protein coding genes(PCGs)and rRNAs in Indo-Malay/Australian stingless bee species.Molecular evolution analyses showed that the lineage with IRs have lower dN/dS ratios for PCGs than lineages without IRs,indicating potential effects of IRs on the evolution of mitochondrial genes.The finding of IRs and different patterns of gene rearrangements suggested that Meliponini is a hotspot in mitogenome evolution.Unlike conserved PCGs and rRNAs whose rearrangements were found only in the mentioned lineages within Meliponini,tRNA rearrangements are common across all three tribes of social bees,and are significant even at the species level,indicating that comprehensive sampling is needed to fully understand the patterns of tRNA rearrangements,and their implications for phylogenetic inference.展开更多
AIM:To assess the repeatability,interocular correlation,and agreement of quantitative swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)optic nerve head(ONH)parameters in healthy subjects.METHODS:Thir ty-thre...AIM:To assess the repeatability,interocular correlation,and agreement of quantitative swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)optic nerve head(ONH)parameters in healthy subjects.METHODS:Thir ty-three healthy subjects were enrolled.The ONH of both eyes were imaged four times by a swept-source-OCTA using a 3 mm×3 mm scanning protocol.Images of the radial peripapillary capillary were analyzed by a customized Matlab program,and the vessel density,fractal dimension,and vessel diameter index were measured.The repeatability of the four scans was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC).The most well-centered optic disc from the four repeated scans was then selected for the interocular correlation and agreement analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient,ICC and Bland-Altman plots.RESULTS:All swept-source-OCTA ONH parameters exhibited certain repeatability,with ICC>0.760 and coefficient of variation(CoV)≤7.301%.The obvious interocular correlation was observed for papillary vessel density(ICC=0.857),vessel diameter index(ICC=0.857)and fractal dimension(ICC=0.906),while circumpapillary vessel density exhibited moderate interocular correlation(ICC=0.687).Bland-Altman plots revealed an agreement range of-5.26%to 6.21%for circumpapillary vessel density.CONCLUSION:OCTA ONH parameters demonstrate good repeatability in healthy subjects.The interocular correlations of papillary vessel density,fractal dimension and vessel diameter index are high,but the correlation for circumpapillary vessel density is moderate.展开更多
BACKGROUND In this study,we retrospectively analysed macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in three patients with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis(LN)who un-derwent repeated renal biopsy.CASE SUMMARY Clinic...BACKGROUND In this study,we retrospectively analysed macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in three patients with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis(LN)who un-derwent repeated renal biopsy.CASE SUMMARY Clinical data of three diffuse proliferative LN patients with different pathological characteristics(case 1 was LN IV-G(A),case 2 was LN IV-G(A)+V,and case 3 was LN IV-G(A)+thrombotic microangiopathy)were reviewed.All patients underwent repeated renal biopsies 6 mo later,and renal biopsy specimens were studied.Macrophage infiltration was assessed by CD68 expression detected by immunohistochemical staining,and an immunofluorescence assay was used to detect podocin expression to assess podocyte damage.After treatment,Case 1 changed to LN III-(A),Case 2 remained as type V LN lesions,and Case 3,which changed to LN IV-S(A),had the worst prognosis.We observed reduced macro-phage infiltration after therapy.However,two of the patients with active lesions after treatment still showed macrophage infiltration in the renal interstitium.Before treatment,the three patients showed discontinuous expression of podocin.Notably,the integrity of podocin was restored after treatment in Case 1.CONCLUSION It may be possible to reverse podocyte damage and decrease the infiltrating ma-crophages in LN patients through effective treatment.展开更多
Cell lineages of nematodes are completely known: the adult male of Caenorhabditis elegans contains 1031 somatic cells, the hermaphrodite 959, not one more, not one less;cell divisions are strictly deterministic (as in...Cell lineages of nematodes are completely known: the adult male of Caenorhabditis elegans contains 1031 somatic cells, the hermaphrodite 959, not one more, not one less;cell divisions are strictly deterministic (as in the great majority of invertebrates) but so far nothing is known about the mechanism used by cells to count precise numbers of divisions. In vertebrates, each species has its invariable deterministic numbers of somites, vertebrae, fingers, and teeth: counting the number of iterations is a widespread process in living beings;nonetheless, it remains an unanswered question and a great challenge in cell biology. This paper introduces a computational model to investigate the possible role of satellite DNA in counting cell divisions, showing how cells may operate under Boolean logic algebra. Satellite DNA, made up of repeated monomers and subject to high epigenetic methylation rates, is very similar to iterable sequences used in programming: just like in the “iteration protocol” of algorithms, the epigenetic machinery may run over linear tandem repeats (that hold cell-fate data), read and orderly mark one monomer per cell-cycle (cytosine methylation), keep track and transmit marks to descendant cells, sending information to cell-cycle regulators.展开更多
The Oriental Stork(Ciconia boyciana)is listed as'Endangered'on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature(IUCN)Red List of Threatened Species and is classified as a first category nationally protec...The Oriental Stork(Ciconia boyciana)is listed as'Endangered'on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature(IUCN)Red List of Threatened Species and is classified as a first category nationally protected bird species in China.Understanding this species'seasonal movements and migration will facilitate effective conservation to promote its population.We tagged 27 Oriental Stork nestlings at Xingkai Lake on the Sanjiang Plain in Heilongjiang Province,China,used GPS tracking to follow them over the periods of 2014-2017 and 2019-2022,and confirmed their detailed migratory routes using the spatial analysis function of ArcGIS 10.7.We discovered four migration routes during autumn migration:one common long-distance migration route in which the storks migrated along the coastline of Bohai Bay to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River for wintering,one short-distance migration route in which the storks wintered in Bohai Bay and two other migration routes in which the storks crossed the Bohai Strait around the Yellow River and wintered in South Korea.There were no significant differences in the number of migration days,residence days,migration distances,number of stopovers and average number of days spent at stopover sites between the autumn and spring migrations(P>0.05).However,the storks migrated significantly faster in spring than in autumn(P=0.03).The same individuals did not exhibit a high degree of repetition in their migration timing and route selection in either autumn or spring migration.Even storks from the same nest exhibited considerable between-individual variation in their migration routes.Some important stopover sites were identified,especially in the Bohai Rim Region and on the Songnen Plain,and we further explored the current conservation status at these two important sites.Overall,our results contribute to the understanding of the annual migration,dispersal and protection status of the endangered Oriental Stork and provide a scientific basis for conservation decisions and the development of action plans for this species.展开更多
In higher plants, the chloroplast is the most important organelle for photosynthesis and for numerous essential metabolic processes in the cell. Although many genes involved in chloroplast development have been identi...In higher plants, the chloroplast is the most important organelle for photosynthesis and for numerous essential metabolic processes in the cell. Although many genes involved in chloroplast development have been identified, the mechanisms underlying such development are not fully understood. In this study, a rice(Oryza sativa) mutant exhibiting pale green color and seedling lethality was isolated from a mutant library. The mutated gene was identified as an ortholog of THA8(thylakoid assembly 8) in Arabidopsis and maize. This gene is designated as OsTHA8 hereafter. OsTHA8 showed a typical pentatricopeptide repeat(PPR) characteristic of only four PPR motifs. Inactivation of OsTHA8 led to a deficiency in chloroplast development in the rice seedling stage. OsTHA8 was expressed mainly in young leaves and leaf sheaths.The OsTHA8 protein was localized to the chloroplast. Loss of function of OsTHA8 weakened the editing efficiency of ndhB-611/737 and rps8-182 transcripts under normal conditions. Y2H and BiFC indicated that OsTHA8 facilitates RNA editing by forming an editosome with multiple organellar RNA editing factor(OsMORF8) and thioredoxin z(OsTRXz), which function in RNA editing in rice chloroplasts. Defective OsTHA8 impaired chloroplast ribosome assembly and resulted in reduced expression of PEP-dependent genes and photosynthesis-related genes. Abnormal splicing of the chloroplast gene ycf3 was detected in ostha8. These findings reveal a synergistic regulatory mechanism of chloroplast biogenesis mediated by RNA, broaden the function of the PPR family, and shed light on the RNA editing complex in rice.展开更多
Every breeding program that aims to create new and improved cultivars with desired traits mostly relies on information related to genetic diversity.Therefore,molecular characterization of germplasms is important to ob...Every breeding program that aims to create new and improved cultivars with desired traits mostly relies on information related to genetic diversity.Therefore,molecular characterization of germplasms is important to obtain target cultivars with desirable traits.Sweet potato[Ipomoea batatas(L.)Lam]is widely considered the world’s most important crop,with great diversity in morphological and phenotypic traits.The genetic diversity of 20 sweet potato germplasms originating from Bangladesh,CIP,Philippines,Taiwan,and Malaysia were compared,which was accomplished by genetic diversity analysis by exploring 20 microsatellite DNA markers for germplasm characterization and utilization.This information was effective in differentiating or clustering the sweet potato genotypes.A total of 64 alleles were generated using the 20 primers throughout the 20 germplasm samples,with locus IBS97 having the highest number of alleles(5),whereas locus IbU33 had the fewest alleles(2).The alleles varied in size from 105(IbU31)to 213 base pairs(IBS34).The Polymorphism Information Content(PIC)values for the loci IbL46 and IBS97 varied from 0.445 to 0.730.IBS97 has the highest number of effective alleles(3.704),compared to an average of 2.520.The average Shannon’s diversity index(H)was 1.003,ranging from 0.673 in IbU3 to 1.432 in IBS97.The value of gene flow(Nm)varied between 0.000 and 0.005,with an average of 0.003,whereas genetic differentiation(FST-values)ranged between 0.901 and 1.000.The sweet potato germplasm included in this study had a broad genetic base.SP1 vs.SP9 and SP12 vs.SP18 germplasm pairings had the greatest genetic distance(GD=0.965),while SP1 vs.SP2 germplasm couples had the least genetic diversity(GD=0.093).Twenty genotypes were classified into two groups in the UPGMA dendrogram,with 16 genotypes classified as group“A”and the remaining four genotypes,SP10,SP18,SP19,and SP20,classified as group“B.”According to cluster analysis,the anticipated heterozygosity(gene diversity)of Nei(1973)was 0.591 on average.In summary,SSR markers successfully evaluated the genetic relationships among the sweet potato accessions used and generated a high level of polymorphism.The results of the present study will be useful for the management of germplasm,improvement of the current breeding strategies,and the release of new cultivars as varieties.展开更多
AIM:To report the myopia-controlling effect of repeated low-level red-light(RLRL)therapy in patients with Stickler syndrome(STL),an inherited collagenic disease typically presenting with early onset myopia.METHODS:Thr...AIM:To report the myopia-controlling effect of repeated low-level red-light(RLRL)therapy in patients with Stickler syndrome(STL),an inherited collagenic disease typically presenting with early onset myopia.METHODS:Three STL children,aged 3,7,and 11y,received RLRL therapy throughout the follow-up period of 17,3,and 6mo,respectively after exclusion of fundus anomalies.Data on best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA),intraocular pressure,cycloplegic subjective refraction,ocular biometrics,scanning laser ophthalmoscope,optical coherence tomography,genetic testing,systemic disease history,and family history were recorded.RESULTS:At the initiation of the RLRL therapy,the spherical equivalent(SE)of 6 eyes from 3 patients ranged from-3.75 to-20.38 D,axial length(AL)were from 23.88 to 30.68 mm,and BCVA were from 0.4 to 1.0(decimal notation).Myopia progression of all six eyes slowed down after RLRL therapy.AL in five out of the six eyes shortened-0.07 to-0.63 mm.No side effects were observed.CONCLUSION:Three cases of STL whose progression of myopic shift and AL elongation are successfully reduced and even reversed after RLRL therapy.展开更多
BACKGROUND F-box and leucine-rich repeat 6(FBXL6)have reportedly been associated with several cancer types.However,the role and mechanisms of FBXL6 in gastric cancer(GC)require further elucidation.AIM To investigate t...BACKGROUND F-box and leucine-rich repeat 6(FBXL6)have reportedly been associated with several cancer types.However,the role and mechanisms of FBXL6 in gastric cancer(GC)require further elucidation.AIM To investigate the effect of FBXL6 in GC tissues and cells and the underlying mechanisms.METHODS TCGA and GEO database analysis was performed to evaluate the expression of FBXL6 in GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues.Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction,immunofluorescence,and western blotting were used to detect the expression of FBXL6 in GC tissue and cell lines.Cell clone formation,5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine(EdU)assays,CCK-8,transwell migration assay,and wound healing assays were performed to evaluate the malignant biological behavior in GC cell lines after transfection with FBXL6-shRNA and the overexpression of FBXL6 plasmids.Furthermore,in vivo tumor assays were performed to prove whether FBXL6 promoted cell proliferation in vivo.RESULTS FBXL6 expression was upregulated more in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues and positively associated with clinicopathological characteristics.The outcomes of CCK-8,clone formation,and Edu assays demonstrated that FBXL6 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation,whereas upregulation of FBXL6 promoted proliferation in GC cells.Additionally,the transwell migration assay revealed that FBXL6 knockdown suppressed migration and invasion,whereas the overex pression of FBXL6 showed the opposite results.Through the subcutaneous tumor implantation assay,it was evident that the knockdown of FBXL6 inhibited GC graft tumor growth in vivo.Western blotting showed that the effects of FBXL6 on the expression of the proteins associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated proteins in GC cells.CONCLUSION Silencing of FBXL6 inactivated the EMT pathway to suppress GC malignancy in vitro.FBXL6 can potentially be used for the diagnosis and targeted therapy of patients with GC.展开更多
We have found that the expression of ring finger and WD repeat domain 3(RFWD3)is significantly higher in unpaired and paired hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)tissues than in normal tissues.Moreover,this expression has a s...We have found that the expression of ring finger and WD repeat domain 3(RFWD3)is significantly higher in unpaired and paired hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)tissues than in normal tissues.Moreover,this expression has a significant correlation with the infiltration level of 14 immune cell types and when the detected RFWD3 expression levels were grouped as high and low,a prominent difference was revealed for overall survival,disease-specific survival,and progression-free interval.Through statistical analysis(univariate Cox),we were also able to identify RFWD3 as an independent prognostic element for HCC,with RFWD3 having an ability to accurately predict HCC prognosis(area under the curve of 0.863).Finally,we have generated prognostic nomograms for probabilities of 1-,3-and 5-year overall survival in HCC via integrating the factors of age,pathologic stage,alpha-fetoprotein level,and RFWD3 expression.展开更多
As the use of mobile devices continues to rise,trust administration will significantly improve security in routing the guaranteed quality of service(QoS)supply in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks(MANET)due to the mobility of th...As the use of mobile devices continues to rise,trust administration will significantly improve security in routing the guaranteed quality of service(QoS)supply in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks(MANET)due to the mobility of the nodes.There is no continuance of network communication between nodes in a delay-tolerant network(DTN).DTN is designed to complete recurring connections between nodes.This approach proposes a dynamic source routing protocol(DSR)based on a feed-forward neural network(FFNN)and energybased random repetition trust calculation in DTN.If another node is looking for a node that swerved off of its path in this situation,routing will fail since it won’t recognize it.However,in the suggested strategy,nodes do not stray from their pathways for routing.It is only likely that the message will reach the destination node if the nodes encounter their destination or an appropriate transitional node on their default mobility route,based on their pattern of mobility.The EBRRTC-DTN algorithm(Energy based random repeat trust computation)is based on the time that has passed since nodes last encountered the destination node.Compared to other existing techniques,simulation results show that this process makes the best decision and expertly determines the best and most appropriate route to send messages to the destination node,which improves routing performance,increases the number of delivered messages,and decreases delivery delay.Therefore,the suggested method is better at providing better QoS(Quality of Service)and increasing network lifetime,tolerating network system latency.展开更多
Background: The timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery at 38 weeks versus 39 weeks is still a debatable subject, both regarding maternal and neonatal outcomes. In the Saudi context, there is lack of local data to...Background: The timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery at 38 weeks versus 39 weeks is still a debatable subject, both regarding maternal and neonatal outcomes. In the Saudi context, there is lack of local data to aid decision-making regarding the timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery. Objectives: To estimate the rate of spontaneous onset of labor before the planned gestational age for repeat cesarean section in women who were booked at gestational age of (39 0/7 - 39 6/7) weeks (W39) versus (38 0/7 - 38 6/7) weeks (W38) and to compare the rate of maternal composite outcome between these groups. Design: Retrospective cohort. Setting: This study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, KSA. Method: Delivery registry books were reviewed to identify all deliveries from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016 (3 years). All low-risk pregnant women who had 2 or more cesarean deliveries and who met the inclusion criteria were included. Results: A total of 440 women were included of whom 318 (72.3%) were planned for elective cesarean section at W38 gestational age and 122 women at W39 gestational age. Mothers planned at W39 had higher rate of emergency cesarean deliveries versus those planned at W38 (18.0% versus 10.4%, p = 0.030;RR = 13.06), most frequently due to early onset of contractions (16.4% versus 8.2%, p = 0.012;RR = 12.17) or cervical dilatation (11.6% versus 5.4%, p = 0.024, RR = 16.15). No difference in the incidence of individual or composite maternal complications was noted between the two groups. Mother’s age (OR 0.93, p = 0.018) and schedule date at W39 (OR = 1.94, p = 0.028) were independently associated with spontaneous onset of labor before the scheduled gestational age, while no association was found with parity, previous number of spontaneous vaginal deliveries, number of previous cesarean deliveries or interval from last cesarean delivery. Conclusion: Elective cesarean section scheduled at 39 weeks of gestation or beyond carries a higher risk of emergency cesarean section, with no significant increase in maternal complications. The identification of factors associated with spontaneous onset of labor before the planned gestational age should be carefully identified to determine the optimal timing.展开更多
Quantum communication is a groundbreaking technology that is driving the future of information transmission and communication technologies to a new paradigm.It relies on quantum entanglement to facilitate the transmis...Quantum communication is a groundbreaking technology that is driving the future of information transmission and communication technologies to a new paradigm.It relies on quantum entanglement to facilitate the transmission of quantum states between parties.Quantum repeaters are crucial for facilitating long-distance quantum communication.These quantum devices act as intermediaries between adjacent communication channel segments within a fragmented quantum network,allowing for entanglement swapping between the channel segments.This entanglement swapping process establishes entanglement links between the endpoints of adjacent segments,gradually creating a continuous entanglement connection over the entire length of the transmission channel.The established quantum link can be utilized for secure and efficient quantum communication between distant sender and receiver nodes.This study focuses on quantum entanglement purification,a protocol aimed at maintaining high fidelity entangled states above the operational threshold of the communication channel.This study investigates the optimal stage for executing the purification protocol and applies optimization schemes to evaluate various purification protocols.We use IBM Qiskit for circuit implementation and simulation.The results offer valuable insights into future approaches to implementing practical quantum repeaters and shed light on existing and anticipated challenges.展开更多
Pathogenic mutations involving DNA repeat expansions are responsible for over 20 different neuronal and neuromuscular diseases. All result from expanded tracts of repetitive DNA sequences(mostly microsatellites) that ...Pathogenic mutations involving DNA repeat expansions are responsible for over 20 different neuronal and neuromuscular diseases. All result from expanded tracts of repetitive DNA sequences(mostly microsatellites) that become unstable beyond a critical length whentransmitted across generations. Nearly all are inherited as autosomal dominant conditions and are typically associated with anticipation. Pathologic unstable repeat expansions can be classified according to their length, repeat sequence, gene location and underlying pathologic mechanisms. This review summarizes the current contribution of mutant pluripotent stem cells(diseased human embryonic stem cells and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells) to the research of unstable repeat pathologies by focusing on particularly large unstable noncoding expansions. Among this class of disorders are Fragile X syndrome and Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and myotonic dystrophy type 2, Friedreich ataxia and C9 related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and/or frontotemporal dementia, Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and potentially more. Common features that are typical to this subclass of conditions are RNA toxic gain-of-function, epigenetic loss-of-function, toxic repeat-associated non-ATG translation and somatic instability. For each mechanism we summarize the currently available stem cell based models, highlight how they contributed to better understanding of the related mechanism, and discuss how they may be utilized in future investigations.展开更多
Interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1(IFIT1), also known as interferon-induced protein 56(IFI56) or Interferon-stimulated protein 56(ISG56), was originally identified as a protein induced upon tr...Interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1(IFIT1), also known as interferon-induced protein 56(IFI56) or Interferon-stimulated protein 56(ISG56), was originally identified as a protein induced upon treatment with interferon and inhibited by viral replication and translational initiation. In this study, Epinephelus lanceolatus IFIT1(ELIFIT1) gene was cloned for the first time. The complete cDNA of El IFIT1 gene includes 2921 nucleotides, and encodes a 437-amino acid(AA) protein. The putative ELIFIT1 protein has 9 TRP domains and is highly similar with IFIT1 proteins in other teleosts. In healthy fish, ELIFIT1 gene was highly expressed in the blood, which indicate its specific function in the peripheral immune system. Its expression was also observed in various immunity-related tissues including spleen, intestine, and kidney, Inducted with spotted knifejaw iridovirus(SKIV), ELIFIT1 gene expression was upregulated in the spleen, kidney, and liver 24 h after induction and reached its peak at 72 h, indicating that ELIFIT1 may play an important role in antivirus. These findings contribute to the understanding of the antiviral regulation of ELIFIT1 gene in teleost.展开更多
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB31000000)Science and Technology Basic Resources Investigation Program of China(2021FY100200)+1 种基金Yunnan Revitalization Talent Support Program“Young Talent”and"Innovation Team"Projectsthe 14th Five-Year Plan of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden,Chinese Academy of Science(XTBG-1450101)。
文摘The insect mitogenome is typically a compact circular molecule with highly conserved gene contents.Nonetheless,mitogenome structural variations have been reported in specific taxa,and gene rearrangements,usually the tRNAs,occur in different lineages.Because synapomorphies of mitogenome organizations can provide information for phylogenetic inferences,comparative analyses of mitogenomes have been given increasing attention.However,most studies use a very few species to represent the whole genus,tribe,family,or even order,overlooking potential variations at lower taxonomic levels,which might lead to some incorrect inferences.To provide new insights into mitogenome organizations and their implications for phylogenetic inference,this study conducted comparative analyses for mitogenomes of three social bee tribes(Meliponini,Bombini,and Apini)based on the phylogenetic framework with denser taxonomic sampling at the species and population levels.Comparative analyses revealed that mitogenomes of Apini and Bombini are the typical type,while those of Meliponini show diverse variations in mitogenome sizes and organizations.Large inverted repeats(IRs)cause significant gene rearrangements of protein coding genes(PCGs)and rRNAs in Indo-Malay/Australian stingless bee species.Molecular evolution analyses showed that the lineage with IRs have lower dN/dS ratios for PCGs than lineages without IRs,indicating potential effects of IRs on the evolution of mitochondrial genes.The finding of IRs and different patterns of gene rearrangements suggested that Meliponini is a hotspot in mitogenome evolution.Unlike conserved PCGs and rRNAs whose rearrangements were found only in the mentioned lineages within Meliponini,tRNA rearrangements are common across all three tribes of social bees,and are significant even at the species level,indicating that comprehensive sampling is needed to fully understand the patterns of tRNA rearrangements,and their implications for phylogenetic inference.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(No.2018A0303130306)Shantou Science and Technology Program(No.190917085269835,No.200629165261641).
文摘AIM:To assess the repeatability,interocular correlation,and agreement of quantitative swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)optic nerve head(ONH)parameters in healthy subjects.METHODS:Thir ty-three healthy subjects were enrolled.The ONH of both eyes were imaged four times by a swept-source-OCTA using a 3 mm×3 mm scanning protocol.Images of the radial peripapillary capillary were analyzed by a customized Matlab program,and the vessel density,fractal dimension,and vessel diameter index were measured.The repeatability of the four scans was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC).The most well-centered optic disc from the four repeated scans was then selected for the interocular correlation and agreement analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient,ICC and Bland-Altman plots.RESULTS:All swept-source-OCTA ONH parameters exhibited certain repeatability,with ICC>0.760 and coefficient of variation(CoV)≤7.301%.The obvious interocular correlation was observed for papillary vessel density(ICC=0.857),vessel diameter index(ICC=0.857)and fractal dimension(ICC=0.906),while circumpapillary vessel density exhibited moderate interocular correlation(ICC=0.687).Bland-Altman plots revealed an agreement range of-5.26%to 6.21%for circumpapillary vessel density.CONCLUSION:OCTA ONH parameters demonstrate good repeatability in healthy subjects.The interocular correlations of papillary vessel density,fractal dimension and vessel diameter index are high,but the correlation for circumpapillary vessel density is moderate.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81960136the Science and Technology Department of Yunnan Province,No.202101AT070243.
文摘BACKGROUND In this study,we retrospectively analysed macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in three patients with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis(LN)who un-derwent repeated renal biopsy.CASE SUMMARY Clinical data of three diffuse proliferative LN patients with different pathological characteristics(case 1 was LN IV-G(A),case 2 was LN IV-G(A)+V,and case 3 was LN IV-G(A)+thrombotic microangiopathy)were reviewed.All patients underwent repeated renal biopsies 6 mo later,and renal biopsy specimens were studied.Macrophage infiltration was assessed by CD68 expression detected by immunohistochemical staining,and an immunofluorescence assay was used to detect podocin expression to assess podocyte damage.After treatment,Case 1 changed to LN III-(A),Case 2 remained as type V LN lesions,and Case 3,which changed to LN IV-S(A),had the worst prognosis.We observed reduced macro-phage infiltration after therapy.However,two of the patients with active lesions after treatment still showed macrophage infiltration in the renal interstitium.Before treatment,the three patients showed discontinuous expression of podocin.Notably,the integrity of podocin was restored after treatment in Case 1.CONCLUSION It may be possible to reverse podocyte damage and decrease the infiltrating ma-crophages in LN patients through effective treatment.
文摘Cell lineages of nematodes are completely known: the adult male of Caenorhabditis elegans contains 1031 somatic cells, the hermaphrodite 959, not one more, not one less;cell divisions are strictly deterministic (as in the great majority of invertebrates) but so far nothing is known about the mechanism used by cells to count precise numbers of divisions. In vertebrates, each species has its invariable deterministic numbers of somites, vertebrae, fingers, and teeth: counting the number of iterations is a widespread process in living beings;nonetheless, it remains an unanswered question and a great challenge in cell biology. This paper introduces a computational model to investigate the possible role of satellite DNA in counting cell divisions, showing how cells may operate under Boolean logic algebra. Satellite DNA, made up of repeated monomers and subject to high epigenetic methylation rates, is very similar to iterable sequences used in programming: just like in the “iteration protocol” of algorithms, the epigenetic machinery may run over linear tandem repeats (that hold cell-fate data), read and orderly mark one monomer per cell-cycle (cytosine methylation), keep track and transmit marks to descendant cells, sending information to cell-cycle regulators.
基金supported by National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2019YFA0607103)the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China(91217-2022,202999922001,213023721203)。
文摘The Oriental Stork(Ciconia boyciana)is listed as'Endangered'on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature(IUCN)Red List of Threatened Species and is classified as a first category nationally protected bird species in China.Understanding this species'seasonal movements and migration will facilitate effective conservation to promote its population.We tagged 27 Oriental Stork nestlings at Xingkai Lake on the Sanjiang Plain in Heilongjiang Province,China,used GPS tracking to follow them over the periods of 2014-2017 and 2019-2022,and confirmed their detailed migratory routes using the spatial analysis function of ArcGIS 10.7.We discovered four migration routes during autumn migration:one common long-distance migration route in which the storks migrated along the coastline of Bohai Bay to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River for wintering,one short-distance migration route in which the storks wintered in Bohai Bay and two other migration routes in which the storks crossed the Bohai Strait around the Yellow River and wintered in South Korea.There were no significant differences in the number of migration days,residence days,migration distances,number of stopovers and average number of days spent at stopover sites between the autumn and spring migrations(P>0.05).However,the storks migrated significantly faster in spring than in autumn(P=0.03).The same individuals did not exhibit a high degree of repetition in their migration timing and route selection in either autumn or spring migration.Even storks from the same nest exhibited considerable between-individual variation in their migration routes.Some important stopover sites were identified,especially in the Bohai Rim Region and on the Songnen Plain,and we further explored the current conservation status at these two important sites.Overall,our results contribute to the understanding of the annual migration,dispersal and protection status of the endangered Oriental Stork and provide a scientific basis for conservation decisions and the development of action plans for this species.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (C2021208014)the Key R&D Program of Hebei Province (22326312D, 21326332D)。
文摘In higher plants, the chloroplast is the most important organelle for photosynthesis and for numerous essential metabolic processes in the cell. Although many genes involved in chloroplast development have been identified, the mechanisms underlying such development are not fully understood. In this study, a rice(Oryza sativa) mutant exhibiting pale green color and seedling lethality was isolated from a mutant library. The mutated gene was identified as an ortholog of THA8(thylakoid assembly 8) in Arabidopsis and maize. This gene is designated as OsTHA8 hereafter. OsTHA8 showed a typical pentatricopeptide repeat(PPR) characteristic of only four PPR motifs. Inactivation of OsTHA8 led to a deficiency in chloroplast development in the rice seedling stage. OsTHA8 was expressed mainly in young leaves and leaf sheaths.The OsTHA8 protein was localized to the chloroplast. Loss of function of OsTHA8 weakened the editing efficiency of ndhB-611/737 and rps8-182 transcripts under normal conditions. Y2H and BiFC indicated that OsTHA8 facilitates RNA editing by forming an editosome with multiple organellar RNA editing factor(OsMORF8) and thioredoxin z(OsTRXz), which function in RNA editing in rice chloroplasts. Defective OsTHA8 impaired chloroplast ribosome assembly and resulted in reduced expression of PEP-dependent genes and photosynthesis-related genes. Abnormal splicing of the chloroplast gene ycf3 was detected in ostha8. These findings reveal a synergistic regulatory mechanism of chloroplast biogenesis mediated by RNA, broaden the function of the PPR family, and shed light on the RNA editing complex in rice.
基金The work was financially supported by National Agricultural Technology Program-II Project(NATP-2)BARC Component Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council,Farmgate,Dhaka-1215+2 种基金Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute(BARI),Joydebpur,Gazipur 1701The work was partially supported by the Taif University Researchers Supporting Project No.(TURSP-2020/39)Taif University,Taif,Saudi Arabia.
文摘Every breeding program that aims to create new and improved cultivars with desired traits mostly relies on information related to genetic diversity.Therefore,molecular characterization of germplasms is important to obtain target cultivars with desirable traits.Sweet potato[Ipomoea batatas(L.)Lam]is widely considered the world’s most important crop,with great diversity in morphological and phenotypic traits.The genetic diversity of 20 sweet potato germplasms originating from Bangladesh,CIP,Philippines,Taiwan,and Malaysia were compared,which was accomplished by genetic diversity analysis by exploring 20 microsatellite DNA markers for germplasm characterization and utilization.This information was effective in differentiating or clustering the sweet potato genotypes.A total of 64 alleles were generated using the 20 primers throughout the 20 germplasm samples,with locus IBS97 having the highest number of alleles(5),whereas locus IbU33 had the fewest alleles(2).The alleles varied in size from 105(IbU31)to 213 base pairs(IBS34).The Polymorphism Information Content(PIC)values for the loci IbL46 and IBS97 varied from 0.445 to 0.730.IBS97 has the highest number of effective alleles(3.704),compared to an average of 2.520.The average Shannon’s diversity index(H)was 1.003,ranging from 0.673 in IbU3 to 1.432 in IBS97.The value of gene flow(Nm)varied between 0.000 and 0.005,with an average of 0.003,whereas genetic differentiation(FST-values)ranged between 0.901 and 1.000.The sweet potato germplasm included in this study had a broad genetic base.SP1 vs.SP9 and SP12 vs.SP18 germplasm pairings had the greatest genetic distance(GD=0.965),while SP1 vs.SP2 germplasm couples had the least genetic diversity(GD=0.093).Twenty genotypes were classified into two groups in the UPGMA dendrogram,with 16 genotypes classified as group“A”and the remaining four genotypes,SP10,SP18,SP19,and SP20,classified as group“B.”According to cluster analysis,the anticipated heterozygosity(gene diversity)of Nei(1973)was 0.591 on average.In summary,SSR markers successfully evaluated the genetic relationships among the sweet potato accessions used and generated a high level of polymorphism.The results of the present study will be useful for the management of germplasm,improvement of the current breeding strategies,and the release of new cultivars as varieties.
文摘AIM:To report the myopia-controlling effect of repeated low-level red-light(RLRL)therapy in patients with Stickler syndrome(STL),an inherited collagenic disease typically presenting with early onset myopia.METHODS:Three STL children,aged 3,7,and 11y,received RLRL therapy throughout the follow-up period of 17,3,and 6mo,respectively after exclusion of fundus anomalies.Data on best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA),intraocular pressure,cycloplegic subjective refraction,ocular biometrics,scanning laser ophthalmoscope,optical coherence tomography,genetic testing,systemic disease history,and family history were recorded.RESULTS:At the initiation of the RLRL therapy,the spherical equivalent(SE)of 6 eyes from 3 patients ranged from-3.75 to-20.38 D,axial length(AL)were from 23.88 to 30.68 mm,and BCVA were from 0.4 to 1.0(decimal notation).Myopia progression of all six eyes slowed down after RLRL therapy.AL in five out of the six eyes shortened-0.07 to-0.63 mm.No side effects were observed.CONCLUSION:Three cases of STL whose progression of myopic shift and AL elongation are successfully reduced and even reversed after RLRL therapy.
基金Supported by the Key Research and Development Program of Anhui Province,No.202104J07020029.
文摘BACKGROUND F-box and leucine-rich repeat 6(FBXL6)have reportedly been associated with several cancer types.However,the role and mechanisms of FBXL6 in gastric cancer(GC)require further elucidation.AIM To investigate the effect of FBXL6 in GC tissues and cells and the underlying mechanisms.METHODS TCGA and GEO database analysis was performed to evaluate the expression of FBXL6 in GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues.Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction,immunofluorescence,and western blotting were used to detect the expression of FBXL6 in GC tissue and cell lines.Cell clone formation,5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine(EdU)assays,CCK-8,transwell migration assay,and wound healing assays were performed to evaluate the malignant biological behavior in GC cell lines after transfection with FBXL6-shRNA and the overexpression of FBXL6 plasmids.Furthermore,in vivo tumor assays were performed to prove whether FBXL6 promoted cell proliferation in vivo.RESULTS FBXL6 expression was upregulated more in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues and positively associated with clinicopathological characteristics.The outcomes of CCK-8,clone formation,and Edu assays demonstrated that FBXL6 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation,whereas upregulation of FBXL6 promoted proliferation in GC cells.Additionally,the transwell migration assay revealed that FBXL6 knockdown suppressed migration and invasion,whereas the overex pression of FBXL6 showed the opposite results.Through the subcutaneous tumor implantation assay,it was evident that the knockdown of FBXL6 inhibited GC graft tumor growth in vivo.Western blotting showed that the effects of FBXL6 on the expression of the proteins associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated proteins in GC cells.CONCLUSION Silencing of FBXL6 inactivated the EMT pathway to suppress GC malignancy in vitro.FBXL6 can potentially be used for the diagnosis and targeted therapy of patients with GC.
文摘We have found that the expression of ring finger and WD repeat domain 3(RFWD3)is significantly higher in unpaired and paired hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)tissues than in normal tissues.Moreover,this expression has a significant correlation with the infiltration level of 14 immune cell types and when the detected RFWD3 expression levels were grouped as high and low,a prominent difference was revealed for overall survival,disease-specific survival,and progression-free interval.Through statistical analysis(univariate Cox),we were also able to identify RFWD3 as an independent prognostic element for HCC,with RFWD3 having an ability to accurately predict HCC prognosis(area under the curve of 0.863).Finally,we have generated prognostic nomograms for probabilities of 1-,3-and 5-year overall survival in HCC via integrating the factors of age,pathologic stage,alpha-fetoprotein level,and RFWD3 expression.
文摘As the use of mobile devices continues to rise,trust administration will significantly improve security in routing the guaranteed quality of service(QoS)supply in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks(MANET)due to the mobility of the nodes.There is no continuance of network communication between nodes in a delay-tolerant network(DTN).DTN is designed to complete recurring connections between nodes.This approach proposes a dynamic source routing protocol(DSR)based on a feed-forward neural network(FFNN)and energybased random repetition trust calculation in DTN.If another node is looking for a node that swerved off of its path in this situation,routing will fail since it won’t recognize it.However,in the suggested strategy,nodes do not stray from their pathways for routing.It is only likely that the message will reach the destination node if the nodes encounter their destination or an appropriate transitional node on their default mobility route,based on their pattern of mobility.The EBRRTC-DTN algorithm(Energy based random repeat trust computation)is based on the time that has passed since nodes last encountered the destination node.Compared to other existing techniques,simulation results show that this process makes the best decision and expertly determines the best and most appropriate route to send messages to the destination node,which improves routing performance,increases the number of delivered messages,and decreases delivery delay.Therefore,the suggested method is better at providing better QoS(Quality of Service)and increasing network lifetime,tolerating network system latency.
文摘Background: The timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery at 38 weeks versus 39 weeks is still a debatable subject, both regarding maternal and neonatal outcomes. In the Saudi context, there is lack of local data to aid decision-making regarding the timing of elective repeat cesarean delivery. Objectives: To estimate the rate of spontaneous onset of labor before the planned gestational age for repeat cesarean section in women who were booked at gestational age of (39 0/7 - 39 6/7) weeks (W39) versus (38 0/7 - 38 6/7) weeks (W38) and to compare the rate of maternal composite outcome between these groups. Design: Retrospective cohort. Setting: This study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, KSA. Method: Delivery registry books were reviewed to identify all deliveries from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016 (3 years). All low-risk pregnant women who had 2 or more cesarean deliveries and who met the inclusion criteria were included. Results: A total of 440 women were included of whom 318 (72.3%) were planned for elective cesarean section at W38 gestational age and 122 women at W39 gestational age. Mothers planned at W39 had higher rate of emergency cesarean deliveries versus those planned at W38 (18.0% versus 10.4%, p = 0.030;RR = 13.06), most frequently due to early onset of contractions (16.4% versus 8.2%, p = 0.012;RR = 12.17) or cervical dilatation (11.6% versus 5.4%, p = 0.024, RR = 16.15). No difference in the incidence of individual or composite maternal complications was noted between the two groups. Mother’s age (OR 0.93, p = 0.018) and schedule date at W39 (OR = 1.94, p = 0.028) were independently associated with spontaneous onset of labor before the scheduled gestational age, while no association was found with parity, previous number of spontaneous vaginal deliveries, number of previous cesarean deliveries or interval from last cesarean delivery. Conclusion: Elective cesarean section scheduled at 39 weeks of gestation or beyond carries a higher risk of emergency cesarean section, with no significant increase in maternal complications. The identification of factors associated with spontaneous onset of labor before the planned gestational age should be carefully identified to determine the optimal timing.
文摘Quantum communication is a groundbreaking technology that is driving the future of information transmission and communication technologies to a new paradigm.It relies on quantum entanglement to facilitate the transmission of quantum states between parties.Quantum repeaters are crucial for facilitating long-distance quantum communication.These quantum devices act as intermediaries between adjacent communication channel segments within a fragmented quantum network,allowing for entanglement swapping between the channel segments.This entanglement swapping process establishes entanglement links between the endpoints of adjacent segments,gradually creating a continuous entanglement connection over the entire length of the transmission channel.The established quantum link can be utilized for secure and efficient quantum communication between distant sender and receiver nodes.This study focuses on quantum entanglement purification,a protocol aimed at maintaining high fidelity entangled states above the operational threshold of the communication channel.This study investigates the optimal stage for executing the purification protocol and applies optimization schemes to evaluate various purification protocols.We use IBM Qiskit for circuit implementation and simulation.The results offer valuable insights into future approaches to implementing practical quantum repeaters and shed light on existing and anticipated challenges.
文摘Pathogenic mutations involving DNA repeat expansions are responsible for over 20 different neuronal and neuromuscular diseases. All result from expanded tracts of repetitive DNA sequences(mostly microsatellites) that become unstable beyond a critical length whentransmitted across generations. Nearly all are inherited as autosomal dominant conditions and are typically associated with anticipation. Pathologic unstable repeat expansions can be classified according to their length, repeat sequence, gene location and underlying pathologic mechanisms. This review summarizes the current contribution of mutant pluripotent stem cells(diseased human embryonic stem cells and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells) to the research of unstable repeat pathologies by focusing on particularly large unstable noncoding expansions. Among this class of disorders are Fragile X syndrome and Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, myotonic dystrophy type 1 and myotonic dystrophy type 2, Friedreich ataxia and C9 related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and/or frontotemporal dementia, Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and potentially more. Common features that are typical to this subclass of conditions are RNA toxic gain-of-function, epigenetic loss-of-function, toxic repeat-associated non-ATG translation and somatic instability. For each mechanism we summarize the currently available stem cell based models, highlight how they contributed to better understanding of the related mechanism, and discuss how they may be utilized in future investigations.
基金supported by the Shandong Breeding Project (No. 2016LZGC009)the Projects from Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes+2 种基金Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao)(Nos. 2018-MFS-T08, 2017A STCP-OS15)the Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund,CAFS (No. 2020TD20)the Central Public-Interest Scientific Institution Basal Re-search Fund,YSFRI,CAFS (No. 20603022018026)。
文摘Interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 1(IFIT1), also known as interferon-induced protein 56(IFI56) or Interferon-stimulated protein 56(ISG56), was originally identified as a protein induced upon treatment with interferon and inhibited by viral replication and translational initiation. In this study, Epinephelus lanceolatus IFIT1(ELIFIT1) gene was cloned for the first time. The complete cDNA of El IFIT1 gene includes 2921 nucleotides, and encodes a 437-amino acid(AA) protein. The putative ELIFIT1 protein has 9 TRP domains and is highly similar with IFIT1 proteins in other teleosts. In healthy fish, ELIFIT1 gene was highly expressed in the blood, which indicate its specific function in the peripheral immune system. Its expression was also observed in various immunity-related tissues including spleen, intestine, and kidney, Inducted with spotted knifejaw iridovirus(SKIV), ELIFIT1 gene expression was upregulated in the spleen, kidney, and liver 24 h after induction and reached its peak at 72 h, indicating that ELIFIT1 may play an important role in antivirus. These findings contribute to the understanding of the antiviral regulation of ELIFIT1 gene in teleost.
