10 research outputs found

    The genome and gene editing system of sea barleygrass provide a novel platform for cereal domestication and stress tolerance studies

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    The tribe Triticeae provides important staple cereal crops and contains elite wild species with wide genetic diversity and high tolerance to abiotic stresses. Sea barleygrass (Hordeum marinum Huds.), a wild Triticeae species, thrives in saline marshlands and is well known for its high tolerance to salinity and waterlogging. Here, a 3.82-Gb high-quality reference genome of sea barleygrass is assembled de novo, with 3.69 Gb (96.8%) of its sequences anchored onto seven chromosomes. In total, 41 045 high-confidence (HC) genes are annotated by homology, de novo prediction, and transcriptome analysis. Phylogenetics, non-synonymous/synonymous mutation ratios (Ka/Ks), and transcriptomic and functional analyses provide genetic evidence for the divergence in morphology and salt tolerance among sea barleygrass, barley, and wheat. The large variation in post-domestication genes (e.g. IPA1 and MOC1) may cause interspecies differences in plant morphology. The extremely high salt tolerance of sea barleygrass is mainly attributed to low Na+ uptake and root-to-shoot translocation, which are mainly controlled by SOS1, HKT, and NHX transporters. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing systems were developed for sea barleygrass to promote its utilization for exploration and functional studies of hub genes and for the genetic improvement of cereal crops

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    MOLECULAR RELAPSE OF ACUTE PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA AFTER COMPLETE REMISSION: A CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW

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    Objective To investigate the molecular biological changes of relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and to provide guidance for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of relapsed APL. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of a pediatric patient with relapsed APL who was molecular relapse 8 months after drug withdrawal, and related literature was reviewed. Results The patient was a 1-year-old boy who initially presented with fever and hemorrhagic spots on the skin, and physical examination showed the appearance of anemia. The skin and mucosa of his whole body were covered with hemorrhagic spots and ecchymosis. Several enlarged lymph nodes that had fused together could be palpated on the left side of the neck, and the liver was palpable at 2 cm below the costal margin. The routine blood test showed low hemoglobin and platelet counts. The bone marrow smear showed that the proportion of promyelocytes was 75%, and POX was positive. The polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization assay showed positive results for the PML/RARα fusion gene in the bone marrow smear. NRAS gene mutation was detected, and the initial diagnosis was APL. Following standard therapy, the patient’s bone marrow smear and minimal residual disease showed complete remission, and the PML/RARα fusion gene was no longer detectable. However, 8 months after drug withdrawal, the reexamination revealed that the L-type PML/RARα in the bone marrow of the child accounted for 4.51%. Therefore, the child was diagnosed with molecular relapse of APL and was given a chemotherapy regimen against relapsed APL. As a result, the PML/RARα of the child turned negative. Afterwards, the regular chemotherapy was continued. Meanwhile, autologous stem cell collection and regular reexamination were performed. Conclusion For relapsed APL, once molecular relapse is confirmed, treatment should be started as soon as possible, and regular detection of the PML/RARα fusion gene should be performed. Moreover, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should be considered if second molecular remission cannot be achieved

    Influence of Benzothiadiazole on the Amino Acids and Aroma Compositions of ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ Grapes (<i>Vitis vinifera</i> L.)

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    The application of elicitors enhances grape quality, especially the volatile compounds. There are few studies on the influence of elicitors on the aroma compositions of grapes. Additionally, studies on the amino acids and aroma profiles of ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ grapes are scant. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of benzothiadiazole (BTH) treatments on the amino acids and aroma profiles of ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ grapes during berry development. BTH was sprayed on berries at three different stages during grape development; the fruit set period, swelling, and veraison stages. Physicochemical parameters, amino acids, and aroma compounds of the grapes were evaluated. The results showed increased an weight and color quality of treated grapes, while the content of primary metabolites such as sugar and amino acids in treated grapes declined relative to control grapes. However, total concentrations of the various aroma classes were higher in treated grapes, except for carbonyls and terpenoids, which presented higher levels in control grapes than in BTH-treated grapes. The correlation analysis between amino acids and aroma compounds revealed positive correlations in both samples with few negative correlations in BTH samples. The odor activity values (OAVs) affirmed the floral, fruity, and fresh-green nature of ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ grapes. BTH application to ‘Cabernet Gernischt’ berries significantly influenced the compositional qualities of the grapes

    Adropin inhibits the progression of atherosclerosis in ApoE-/-/Enho-/- mice by regulating endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition

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    Abstract Adropin, a secreted protein, coded by energy homeostasis-associated gene (Enho), is recently reported to modulate atherogenesis, with endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) involved in the early process. We explored whether adropin may alleviate atherosclerosis by regulating EndMT. We found that an intraperitoneal injection of adropin [105 μg/(kg·d) for 13 weeks] inhibited the progression of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced aortic atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (ApoE–/–) and those with double gene deletion (ApoE–/–/Enho–/–), as detected by Oil Red O and haematoxylin-eosin staining. In the aortas of ApoE–/– mouse, adropin treatment ameliorated the decrease in the mRNA expression of endothelial cell markers (leukocyte differentiation antigen 31, CD31, and vascular endothelial cadherin, VE-cadherin), but increased that of EndMT markers (alpha smooth muscle actin, α-SMA, and fibroblasts specific protein-1). In vitro, an adropin treatment (30 ng/ml) arrested the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced EndMT in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), attenuated the morphological changes of HUVECs, reduced the number of immunofluorescence-positive α-SMA, increased the mRNA and protein expressions of CD31 and VE-cadherin, and decreased those of α-SMA. Furthermore, the adropin treatment decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and TGF-β2, and suppressed the phosphorylation of downstream signal protein Smad2/3 in HUVECs. These mitigative effects of adropin on H2O2-induced EndMT were reversed by the transfection of TGF-β plasmid. The findings signify that adropin treatment may alleviate the atherosclerosis in ApoE–/–/Enho–/– mice by inhibiting EndMT via the TGF-β/Smad2/3 signaling pathway

    Low Etendue yellow-green solid-state light generation by laser-pumped LuAG:Ce ceramic

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    A low Etendue (6.1 mm2) yellow-green solid-state light source with optical conversion efficiency up to 101.3 lumen/Watt is demonstrated by through high-power laser diode pumping of a static LuAG:Ce transparent ceramic plate. A 443-nm blue laser diode array with a full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) of <;1.5 nm and a maximum output power of 15.2 W is used to attain a high spectral absorption efficiency. The output from the high-power laser diode array is collimated, shaped, despeckled, and focused to display a Gaussian-like profile with a 1.5-mm beam waist (1/e2 radius) to stimulate a 1.2-mm thick LuAG:Ce transparent ceramic plate with an emission FWHM spectra at 505-585 nm. No thermal quenching, pump absorption saturation, and obvious luminous flux decrease is found during test

    Lymphopenia predicted illness severity and recovery in patients with COVID-19: A single-center, retrospective study.

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    The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 began in December 2019 and rapidly became a pandemic. The present study investigated the significance of lymphopenia on disease severity. A total of 115 patients with confirmed COVID-19 from a tertiary hospital in Changsha, China, were enrolled. Clinical, laboratory, treatment and outcome data were gathered and compared between patients with and without lymphopenia. The median age was 42 years (1-75). Fifty-four patients (47.0%) of the 115 patients had lymphopenia on admission. More patients in the lymphopenia group had hypertension (30.8% vs. 10.0%, P = 0.006) and coronary heart disease (3.6% vs. 0%, P = 0.029) than in the nonlymphopenia group, and more patients with leukopenia (48.1% vs 14.8%, P<0.001) and eosinopenia (92.6% vs 54.1%, P<0.001) were observed. Lymphopenia was also correlated with severity grades of pneumonia (P<0.001) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level (P = 0.0014). Lymphopenia was associated with a prolonged duration of hospitalization (17.0 days vs. 14.0 days, P = 0.002). Lymphocyte recovery appeared the earliest, prior to CRP and chest radiographs, in severe cases, which suggests its predictive value for disease improvement. Our results demonstrated the clinical significance of lymphopenia for predicting the severity of and recovery from COVID-19, which emphasizes the need to dynamically monitor lymphocyte count
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