The GARP/MYB-related grape transcription factor AQUILO improves cold tolerance and promotes the accumulation of raffinose family oligosaccharides

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a widely cultivated fruit crop whose growth and productivity are greatly affected by low temperatures. On the other hand, wild Vitis species represent valuable genetic resources of natural stress tolerance. We have isolated and characterized a MYB-like gene encoding a putative GARP-type transcription factor from Amur grape (V. amurensis) designated as VaAQUILO. AQUILO (AQ) is induced by cold in both V. amurensis and V. vinifera, and its overexpression results in significantly improved tolerance to cold both in transgenic Arabidopsis and in Amur grape calli. In Arabidopsis, the ectopic expression of VaAQ increased antioxidant enzyme activities and up-regulated reactive oxygen species- (ROS) scavenging-related genes. Comparative mRNA sequencing profiling of 35S:VaAQ Arabidopsis plants suggests that this transcription factor is related to phosphate homeostasis like their Arabidopsis closest homologues: AtHRS1 and AtHHO2. However, when a cold stress is imposed, AQ is tightly associated with the cold-responsive pathway and with the raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), as observed by the up-regulation of galactinol synthase (GoLS) and raffinose synthase genes. Gene co-expression network (GCN) and cis-regulatory element (CRE) analyses in grapevine indicated AQ as potentially regulating VvGoLS genes. Increased RFO content was confirmed in both transgenic Arabidopsis and Amur grape calli overexpressing VaAQ. Taken together, our results imply that AQ improves cold tolerance through promoting the accumulation of osmoprotectants.This work was supported by the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS (2015281), project funded by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2016M601166), Science and Technology Service Network Initiative of CAS (KFJ-STS-ZDTP-025), and Grape Breeding Project of Ningxia (NXNYYZ201502)

The GARP/MYB-related grape transcription factor AQUILO improves cold tolerance and promotes the accumulation of raffinose family oligosaccharides

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a widely cultivated fruit crop whose growth and productivity are greatly affected by low temperatures. On the other hand, wild Vitis species represent valuable genetic resources of natural stress tolerance. We have isolated and characterized a MYB-like gene encoding a putative GARP-type transcription factor from Amur grape (V. amurensis) designated as VaAQUILO. AQUILO (AQ) is induced by cold in both V. amurensis and V. vinifera, and its overexpression results in significantly improved tolerance to cold both in transgenic Arabidopsis and in Amur grape calli. In Arabidopsis, the ectopic expression of VaAQ increased antioxidant enzyme activities and up-regulated reactive oxygen species- (ROS) scavenging-related genes. Comparative mRNA sequencing profiling of 35S:VaAQ Arabidopsis plants suggests that this transcription factor is related to phosphate homeostasis like their Arabidopsis closest homologues: AtHRS1 and AtHHO2. However, when a cold stress is imposed, AQ is tightly associated with the cold-responsive pathway and with the raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs), as observed by the up-regulation of galactinol synthase (GoLS) and raffinose synthase genes. Gene co-expression network (GCN) and cis-regulatory element (CRE) analyses in grapevine indicated AQ as potentially regulating VvGoLS genes. Increased RFO content was confirmed in both transgenic Arabidopsis and Amur grape calli overexpressing VaAQ. Taken together, our results imply that AQ improves cold tolerance through promoting the accumulation of osmoprotectants

A multi-proxy reconstruction of spatial and temporal variations in Asian summer temperatures over the last millennium

To investigate climate variability in Asia during the last millennium, the spatial and temporal evolution of summer (June–July–August; JJA) temperature in eastern and south-central Asia is reconstructed using multi-proxy records and the regularized expectation maximization (RegEM) algorithm with truncated total least squares (TTLS), under a point-by-point regression (PPR) framework. The temperature index reconstructions show that the late 20th century was the warmest period in Asia over the past millennium. The temperature field reconstructions illustrate that temperatures in central, eastern, and southern China during the 11th and 13th centuries, and in western Asia during the 12th century, were significantly higher than those in other regions, and comparable to levels in the 20th century. Except for the most recent warming, all identified warm events showed distinct regional expressions and none were uniform over the entire reconstruction area. The main finding of the study is that spatial temperature patterns have, on centennial time-scales, varied greatly over the last millennium. Moreover, seven climate model simulations, from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), over the same region of Asia, are all consistent with the temperature index reconstruction at the 99 % confidence level. Only spatial temperature patterns extracted as the first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) from the GISS-E2-R and MPI-ESM-P model simulations are significant and consistent with the temperature field reconstruction over the past millennium in Asia at the 90 % confidence level. This indicates that both the reconstruction and the simulations depict the temporal climate variability well over the past millennium. However, the spatial simulation or reconstruction capability of climate variability over the past millennium could be still limited. For reconstruction, some grid points do not pass validation tests and reveal the need for more proxies with high temporal resolution, accurate dating, and sensitive temperature signals, especially in central Asia and before AD 1400

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Primary healthcare professionals’ perspective on vertical integration of health care system in China: a qualitative study

Objective This study aims to present perspectives of primary healthcare professionals (PHPs) on the impact of vertical integration on achievement of policy goals in China. To this purpose, we also explore underlying inter-professional collaboration processes based on D’Amour’s Model of Collaboration. Design A qualitative study involving individual interview and group interview was conducted between 2017 and 2018. Setting Primary healthcare institutions (PHIs) in five counties/districts of China. Participants The major participants includes twelve heads of PHIs (by twelve individual interviews) and thirty-eight PHPs (by twelve group interviews). We also interviewed other stakeholders including twenty-four health policy makers (by five group interviews) and five hospital leaders (by five individual interviews) for triangulation analysis. Results Our study indicates that PHPs perceived vertical integration has resulted in improved professional competency, better care coordination, and stronger capacity to satisfy patients’ needs. The positive impacts have varied between integration types. Contributing factors for such progress are identified at administrative, organizational and service delivery levels. Other perceived effects are a loss of autonomy, increased workload, and higher turnover of capable PHPs. Higher level hospitals played a dominant role in the inter-professional collaboration, particularly regarding shared goals, vision and leadership. These findings are different from the evidence in high-income countries. Incentive mechanisms and the balance of power with hospitals management are prominent design elements. Conclusions Our findings are particularly valuable for other countries with a fragmented health service system and low competency of PHPs as China’s experience in integrated care provides a feasible path to strengthen primary care

A Noninvasive Score Model for Prediction of NASH in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Aims. To develop a noninvasive score model to predict NASH in patients with combined CHB and NAFLD. Objective and Methods. 65 CHB patients with NAFLD were divided into NASH group (34 patients) and non-NASH group (31 patients) according to the NAS score. Biochemical indexes, liver stiffness, and Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) were determined. Data in the two groups were compared and subjected to multivariate analysis, to establish a score model for the prediction of NASH. Results. In the NASH group, ALT, TG, fasting blood glucose (FBG), M30 CK-18, CAP, and HBeAg positive ratio were significantly higher than in the non-NASH group (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that CK-18 M30, CAP, FBG, and HBVDNA level were independent predictors of NASH. Therefore, a new model combining CK18 M30, CAP, FBG, and HBVDNA level was established using logistic regression. The AUROC curve predicting NASH was 0.961 (95% CI: 0.920–1.00, cutoff value is 0.218), with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 80.6%. Conclusion. A noninvasive score model might be considered for the prediction of NASH in patients with CHB combined with NAFLD

Hydrogen Bond-Directed Self-Assembly of a Novel Pyrene Derivative

A symmetrical pyrene derivative chemical structure was prepared by a classical synthetic method such as the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. The molecular structure of the product was characterised in detail by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS) and other methods. Furthermore, the optical properties of the novel products were studied by UV-vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the molecules were fully characterised by comparison of electrochemical experiments and DFT simulation. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observed that the product successfully formed a regular self-assembly structure. The product verifies the role of the molecular structure of the disc-mounted molecules on the optical and self-assembly properties, and is of reference value in the field of organic optoelectronic molecule

Metformin modulates the gut microbiome in a mice model of high-fat diet-induced glycolipid metabolism disorder

Introduction Metformin (MET) can regulate glucose and lipid levels, and the gut microbiota may be involved in the control of metabolism. We hypothesized that MET alleviates glucolipid metabolism disorder by modulating gut microbiota and microbial metabolites.Research design and methods A total of 24 male C57BL/6 J mice were equally divided into three groups (normal control, model control (MC), and MET-treated groups). Model mice were established by feeding a high-fat diet for 6 weeks. The MET-treated group was administered MET solution (2.5 g/100 mL, 250 mg/kg). Fecal samples were collected to characterize the microbiota system using metagenomic shotgun sequencing and gas chromatography–time of flight–mass spectrometry analysis. Phenotypic and biochemical indices were obtained for further correlation analysis.Results Compared with the MC group, MET reduced the levels of weight, glucose, areas under the glucose curve in the glucose tolerance test, triglyceride (TG), and total cholesterol (TC). A decreasing abundance of bacteria, including Parabacteroides distasonis, and an increasing abundance of bacteria, including Bacteroides vulgatus, were observed in the MET-treated group. The 2-deoxytetronic acid declined after MET intervention and was positively correlated with species over-represented in the MC group and negatively correlated with species enriched in the MET-treated group. Additionally, species enriched in the MET-treated group negatively correlated with glucose, areas under the glucose curve in the glucose tolerance test, and TGs. Further, the correlation between the differential metabolites, which decreased after MET intervention, and the phenotypic indices was positive.Conclusions MET-induced restoration of intestinal homeostasis correlates with the amelioration of host glucolipid metabolism

Evaluation and Exploration of Citrus Germplasm Resources in the Origin of Shatangju (Citrus flamea Hort.ex Tseng Shiyueju)

[Objectives] To protect the local rare citrus germplasm resources and further develop and cultivate new citrus varieties. [Methods] The germplasm resources of Shatangju (Citrus flamea Hort. Ex Tseng Shiyueju) in Sihui City of Guangdong Province and other 8 citrus varieties from the same origin were evaluated. The appearance characteristics of tree shape, the length and thickness of shoot at each shoot stage, the appearance characteristics of leaves and the fruit quality of each variety were investigated. [Results] Through the comparison of various citrus varieties grafted with sour mandarin, the results showed that the overall advantages of the length and thickness of the shoots of Shatang tangerine in summer and autumn were more prominent, which was conducive to fruit setting. The sprouting time of the three shoots of each variety was different, and there were sporadic sprouting phenomena in different seasons, so the growth was different, and the length and thickness of the shoots were different in different seasons. There were significant differences in shoot length and diameter among different varieties in the same season. The coefficient of variation of Shatangju’s leaves was low, and the traits were stable; leaf shape, leaf base shape, leaf margin and other indicators among the three shoots of the same variety and the differences among the same shoots of different varieties were compared. All varieties had strong flavor, separately sweet and sour, sweet and sweet taste. Shatangju has many segments, orange pericarp, rough texture, easy peeling, and high oblate fruit shape. The orange pericarp was favored by the participants, while the rough and thick peel was not favored by the participants. [Conclusions] Based on the improvement of local varieties, it is recommended to improve the smoothness of pericarp, reducing the thickness of pericarp and improving the flavor of fruit will be conducive to increasing sales. In the cultivation process of various quality resources, especially in the period of fruit growth and development, the plan of nutrition and fertilization should be formulated according to the rules of fruit growth and development, the rules of yield formation and the rules of quality composition, so as to establish the integrated nutrient management system of various varieties

Evaluation and Exploration of Citrus Germplasm Resources in the Origin of Shatangju (Citrus flamea Hort.ex Tseng Shiyueju)

[Objectives] To protect the local rare citrus germplasm resources and further develop and cultivate new citrus varieties. [Methods] The germplasm resources of Shatangju (Citrus flamea Hort. Ex Tseng Shiyueju) in Sihui City of Guangdong Province and other 8 citrus varieties from the same origin were evaluated. The appearance characteristics of tree shape, the length and thickness of shoot at each shoot stage, the appearance characteristics of leaves and the fruit quality of each variety were investigated. [Results] Through the comparison of various citrus varieties grafted with sour mandarin, the results showed that the overall advantages of the length and thickness of the shoots of Shatang tangerine in summer and autumn were more prominent, which was conducive to fruit setting. The sprouting time of the three shoots of each variety was different, and there were sporadic sprouting phenomena in different seasons, so the growth was different, and the length and thickness of the shoots were different in different seasons. There were significant differences in shoot length and diameter among different varieties in the same season. The coefficient of variation of Shatangju’s leaves was low, and the traits were stable; leaf shape, leaf base shape, leaf margin and other indicators among the three shoots of the same variety and the differences among the same shoots of different varieties were compared. All varieties had strong flavor, separately sweet and sour, sweet and sweet taste. Shatangju has many segments, orange pericarp, rough texture, easy peeling, and high oblate fruit shape. The orange pericarp was favored by the participants, while the rough and thick peel was not favored by the participants. [Conclusions] Based on the improvement of local varieties, it is recommended to improve the smoothness of pericarp, reducing the thickness of pericarp and improving the flavor of fruit will be conducive to increasing sales. In the cultivation process of various quality resources, especially in the period of fruit growth and development, the plan of nutrition and fertilization should be formulated according to the rules of fruit growth and development, the rules of yield formation and the rules of quality composition, so as to establish the integrated nutrient management system of various varieties