Molecular traces of alternative social organization in a termite genome

Although eusociality evolved independently within several orders of insects, research into the molecular underpinnings of the transition towards social complexity has been confined primarily to Hymenoptera (for example, ants and bees). Here we sequence the genome and stage-specific transcriptomes of the dampwood termite Zootermopsis nevadensis (Blattodea) and compare them with similar data for eusocial Hymenoptera, to better identify commonalities and differences in achieving this significant transition. We show an expansion of genes related to male fertility, with upregulated gene expression in male reproductive individuals reflecting the profound differences in mating biology relative to the Hymenoptera. For several chemoreceptor families, we show divergent numbers of genes, which may correspond to the more claustral lifestyle of these termites. We also show similarities in the number and expression of genes related to caste determination mechanisms. Finally, patterns of DNAmethylation and alternative splicing support

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

Elemental stoichiometry (C, N, P) of soil in the Yellow River Delta nature reserve: Understanding N and P status of soil in the coastal estuary

The Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve (YNR), which includes two separated regions: part of the old Yellow River Delta (OYD) and part of the current Yellow River Delta (CYD), was established to protect coastal wetlands in the coastal estuary. A total of 120 plots were sampled in the YNR in April 2016, and the spatial patterns of soil C, N and P contents and their stoichiometric ratios (C:N (RCN), C:P (RCP) and N:P (RNP)) were studied and interpolated using the Ordinary Kriging method. Results indicated that the soil elemental contents and stoichiometric ratios showed high spatial heterogeneity and large variations. The mean C:N:P ratio (R-CNP) was similar to 64.7:2.3:1 in OYD, and similar to 64.5:2.0:1 in CYD, respectively, and a well-constrained RCP ratio similar to 65:1 was found in the 0-50 cm soil depth within the YNR. N showed greater variation than C and P. Furthermore, N contents in the 0-5 cm soil layer of OYD were significantly higher than that of CYD (F = 4.79, p = 0.03); RCN in 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm layers of OYD was significantly lower than those in the same layers of CYD (F = 4.75, p = 0.03; F = 5.18, p = 0.02, respectively). RNP in 0-5 cm soil layer of OYD was notably higher than that of CYD (F = 4.88, p = 0.03). These results were due to the combined actions of sedimentation, reclamation and fertilization. Finally, we concluded that a longer reclamation and fertilization history led to decreased RCN in coastal estuary soils, confirmed that the soil of the YNR exhibits N limitation, and suggested that the soil RCN and RNP could be good indicators of the anthropogenic improvement status during soil development in this coastal estuary. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Polydopamine spheres as active templates for convenient synthesis of various nanostructures

In this work, monodisperse polydopamine (PDA) spheres with tunable diameters have been synthesized through a facile and low cost method using a deionized water and alcohol mixed solvent. The PDA spheres possess surface functional groups (–OH, –NH2), exhibiting an extraordinary versatile active nature. It is demonstrated that the PDA spheres could serve as an active template for the convenient synthesis of various nanostructures, e.g., MnO2 hollow spheres or PDA/Fe3O4 and PDA/Ag core/shell nanostructures. No surface modification or special treatment is required for the synthesis of these nanostructures, which makes the fabrication process simple and very convenient. The novel application of PDA/Fe3O4 spheres as fillers in nanocomposites for high-performance capacitors is demonstrated, indicating a promising practicality. The PDA spheres provide a new general platform not only for the facile assembly of nanostructures but also a green synthetic template for practical applications

Beneficial Effects of Resveratrol-Mediated Inhibition of the mTOR Pathway in Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes a high rate of morbidity and disability. The clinical features of SCI are divided into acute, subacute, and chronic phases according to its pathophysiological events. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays an important role in cell death and inflammation in the acute phase and neuroregeneration in the subacute/chronic phases at different times. Resveratrol has the potential of regulating cell growth, proliferation, metabolism, and angiogenesis through the mTOR signaling pathway. Herein, we explicate the role of resveratrol in the repair of SCI through the inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway. The inhibition of the mTOR pathway by resveratrol has the potential of serving as a neuronal restorative mechanism following SCI

Biobjective Optimization Model Considering Risk and Profit for the Multienterprise Layout Design in Village-Level Industrial Parks in China

With the advent and development of Industry 4.0 and 5.0, manufacturing modes have changed and numerous newly complicated and integrated village-level industrial parks have emerged in the Southeast of China, where several enterprises are gathered in the same multistory building. The number of floors and surrounding enterprises can have an impact on accident risk. To reduce the overall risk level of industrial parks, the layout of enterprises with different risks needs to be well designed and optimized. However, to date, limited studies have been conducted to emphatically consider safety and optimize the enterprise layout at an industrial area level, and most studies focus on the cost of the layout. Therefore, this study proposed three biobjective mathematical optimization models to obtain the trade-off between minimizing risk and maximizing rental profit. Risk factors include the enterprise location and the association risk; the enterprise inherent safety risks are not considered. To solve this problem, a specific linearization strategy was proposed and an epsilon-constraint method was applied to obtain Pareto-optimal solutions. Subsequently, an industrial park in Shunde, China, was considered as a case study to verify the performance of the proposed models and methods. Finally, a sensitivity analysis of critical parameters was conducted. The critical factors influencing the objective functions were also analyzed to provide valuable managerial insights

LONP1 ameliorates liver injury and improves gluconeogenesis dysfunction in acute-on-chronic liver failure

Abstract. Background:. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe liver disease with complex pathogenesis. Clinical hypoglycemia is common in patients with ACLF and often predicts a worse prognosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that glucose metabolic disturbance, especially gluconeogenesis dysfunction, plays a critical role in the disease progression of ACLF. Lon protease-1 (LONP1) is a novel mediator of energy and glucose metabolism. However, whether gluconeogenesis is a potential mechanism through which LONP1 modulates ACLF remains unknown. Methods:. In this study, we collected liver tissues from ACLF patients, established an ACLF mouse model with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and D-galactose (D-gal), and constructed an in vitro hypoxia and hyperammonemia-triggered hepatocyte injury model. LONP1 overexpression and knockdown adenovirus were used to assess the protective effect of LONP1 on liver injury and gluconeogenesis regulation. Liver histopathology, biochemical index, mitochondrial morphology, cell viability and apoptosis, and the expression and activity of key gluconeogenic enzymes were detected to explore the underlying protective mechanisms of LONP1 in ACLF. Results:. We found that LONP1 and the expressions of gluconeogenic enzymes were downregulated in clinical ACLF liver tissues. Furthermore, LONP1 overexpression remarkably attenuated liver injury, which was characterized by improved liver histopathological lesions and decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in ACLF mice. Moreover, mitochondrial morphology was improved upon overexpression of LONP1. Meanwhile, the expression and activity of the key gluconeogenic enzymes were restored by LONP1 overexpression. Similarly, the hepatoprotective effect was also observed in the hepatocyte injury model, as evidenced by improved cell viability, reduced cell apoptosis, and improved gluconeogenesis level and activity, while LONP1 knockdown worsened liver injury and gluconeogenesis disorders. Conclusion:. We demonstrated that gluconeogenesis dysfunction exists in ACLF, and LONP1 could ameliorate liver injury and improve gluconeogenic dysfunction, which would provide a promising therapeutic target for patients with ACLF

Preparation and analysis of active rat model of rheumatoid arthritis with features of TCM toxic heat-stasis painful obstruction

Objective: To establish a collagen type II-induced rat model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) presenting characteristics of the human form of the traditional Chinese syndrome pattern of toxic heat-stasis painful obstruction (bi zheng; arthromyodynia) as well as pathologic features of active RA. The Chinese herbal medicine Tengmei decoction was used to validate the animal model. Methods: Ninety specific pathogen free Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group of 6 rats and a model group of 84 rats. To establish the rat model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), bovine type II collagen in complete Freund's adjuvant was injected into the model group rats as a priming dose (Day 0) and boosting dose (Day 9). Changes in arthritic index (AI) scores, including limb swelling, were monitored. Thereafter, 24 successfully-established CIA rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups with 6 animals each: model, positive control drug, high-dose traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and traditional Chinese herbal medicine. A blank control group of 6 rats was included. After 12 weeks of intervention with Tengmei decoction, articular synovial tissue and serum specimens were collected to detect interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-17 transcription and protein expression levels. Results: Days 0 through 9, the anterior–posterior and lateral diameters of the limbs in model group rats did not differ significantly when compared to the normal control group (P > .05). On day 16, anterior–posterior, lateral diameters, and footpad thicknesses of both hind limbs in the model group were higher than those of the normal control group (P < .01, P < .05). Total AI, AI of both hind limbs between Days 11 and 16 were significantly higher than those of the normal control group (P < .01). Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses of rat joint tissues indicated that compared to the normal control group, levels of mRNA transcription of IL-2 and IL-17 were significantly upregulated (P < .01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, levels of mRNA transcription of the aforementioned inflammatory cytokines were significantly downregulated in the positive control drug and traditional Chinese medicine treatment groups (P < .01). Results of ELISA analyses indicated that compared with the normal control group, levels of protein expression of cytokines IL-2, IL-17 were significantly upregulated (P < .01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, levels of protein expression of the aforementioned inflammatory cytokines were significantly downregulated in the positive control drug and traditional Chinese medicine treatment groups (P < .01). Conclusion: The CIA model established in this study presents both active RA pathologic features and characteristics of the symptoms of toxic heat-stasis painful obstruction 12 weeks after successful establishment of an animal model. In addition, this study may be a valuable reference for development of animal studies with combined Eastern and Western medicines in dialectics and identification of diseases