Ionothermal Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Magnetic Study of Co2PO4OH Isostructural with Caminite

A new framework cobalt(II) hydroxyl phosphate, Co2PO4OH, was prepared by ionothermal synthesis using 1-butyl-4-methyl-pyridinium hexafluorophosphate as the ionic liquid. As the formation of Co2PO4F competes in the synthesis, the synthesis conditions have to be judiciously chosen to obtain well-crystallized, single phase Co2PO4OH. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses reveal Co2PO4OH crystallizes with space group I41/amd (a = b = 5.2713(7) Å, c = 12.907(3) Å, V = 358.63(10) Å3, and Z = 4). Astonishingly, it does not crystallize isotypically with Co2PO4F but rather isotypically with the hydroxyl minerals caminite Mg1.33[SO4(OH)0.66(H2O)0.33] and lipscombite Fe2–yPO4(OH) (0 ≤ y ≤ 2/3). Phosphate tetrahedra groups interconnect four rod-packed face-sharing ∞1{CoO6/2} octahedra chains to form a three-dimensional framework structure. The compound Co2PO4OH was further characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform–infrared, and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, confirming the discussed structure. The magnetic measurement reveals that Co2PO4OH undergoes a magnetic transition and presents at low temperatures a canted antiferromagnetic spin order in the ground state

Reassortant between Human-Like H3N2 and Avian H5 Subtype Influenza A Viruses in Pigs: A Potential Public Health Risk

Human-like H3N2 influenza viruses have repeatedly been transmitted to domestic pigs in different regions of the world, but it is still uncertain whether any of these variants could become established in pig populations. The fact that different subtypes of influenza viruses have been detected in pigs makes them an ideal candidate for the genesis of a possible reassortant virus with both human and avian origins. However, the determination of whether pigs can act as a “mixing vessel” for a possible future pandemic virus is still pending an answer. This prompted us to gather the epidemiological information and investigate the genetic evolution of swine influenza viruses in Jilin, China.Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from pigs with respiratory illness in Jilin province, China from July 2007 to October 2008. All samples were screened for influenza A viruses. Three H3N2 swine influenza virus isolates were analyzed genetically and phylogenetically.Influenza surveillance of pigs in Jilin province, China revealed that H3N2 influenza viruses were regularly detected from domestic pigs during 2007 to 2008. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that two distinguishable groups of H3N2 influenza viruses were present in pigs: the wholly contemporary human-like H3N2 viruses (represented by the Moscow/10/99-like sublineage) and double-reassortant viruses containing genes from contemporary human H3N2 viruses and avian H5 viruses, both co-circulating in pig populations.The present study reports for the first time the coexistence of wholly human-like H3N2 viruses and double-reassortant viruses that have emerged in pigs in Jilin, China. It provides updated information on the role of pigs in interspecies transmission and genetic reassortment of influenza viruses

Simulating soil salinity dynamics, cotton yield and evapotranspiration under drip irrigation by ensemble machine learning

We thank the China Scholarship Council (CSC) for providing a scholarship (202206710073) to Zewei Jiang. This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (B220203009), the Postgraduate Research & Practice Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX22_0669), the Water Conservancy Science and Technology Project of Jiangxi Province (201921ZDKT06, 202124ZDKT09), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51879076), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (B210204016), Science & Technology Specific Projects in Agricultural High-tech Industrial Demonstration Area of the Yellow River Delta, Grant No: 2022SZX01.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The characteristics of soil salinization effects on nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in upland fields

The influence of soil salinization on nitrogen (N) transformation is largely unknown, which impedes the reasonable management of N in saline fields. A comprehensive meta-analysis was thus conducted to evaluate the effects of salinity and relative soil physicochemical properties on net N mineralization and nitrification in upland soils. Results showed that effects of salinity on the net-N mineralization rate (Min) and nitrification rate (Nit) changed with the salinity level and incubation time. Generally, the inhibitory effect of salt on Min and Nit decreased gradually with incubation time. At 14–16 days of soil incubation, significant stimulatory effects on Min were observed in middle-level (ECe: 12–16 dS m-1) and high-level (ECe >16 dS m-1) saline soils, and on Nit in low-level (ECe: 4–12 dS m-1) saline soils. Regression analysis revealed that the effects of soil organic carbon (SOC), total N (TN), C/N, pH, and clay content on Min and Nit were closely related to salinity levels. Nit at 5–7 days of soil incubation first enhanced and then decreased with C/N increase, and the threshold value was 34.7. The effect of pH on Nit changed with salinity levels, and shifted from stimulation to inhibition with increasing pH. Min at 5–7 days of soil incubation in middle-level group first increased with increasing pH, and decreased when pH was higher than 8.1. Salinization deeply affected soil properties, which further influenced N turnover via alteration of the availability of substrates and microbial biomass and activities. Our findings suggest that the influence of salinity on soil N turnover closely related with salinity level, and salinity level should be considered fully when optimizing N management in saline upland fields

Effect of host shift on the gut microbes of Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

BackgroundGut microbes play an important role in the adaptation of insects. Polyphagous insects usually undergo changes in gut microbiota after host shift. The Bactrocera cucurbitae have a wide range of hosts, but the dynamic of gut microorganisms during host shift have not been thoroughly investigated. To understand the role of gut microbes in insect adaptation, it is necessary to study the dynamics of insect gut microorganisms during host transfer.MethodsUsing Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) and its four hosts as study subjects, we investigated the dynamics of gut microbes during host transfer and the effects of different hosts on the gut microbial composition of B. cucurbitae.ResultsThe results showed that the Chao1 index of B. cucurbitae decreased significantly during host transfer, and the intestinal microorganisms were significantly affected by the original host, host, and generations. Furthermore, predicated changes in the abundance of secondary metabolite pathways after host transfer suggested that microorganisms may play an important role in the degradation of secondary metabolites, among which Providencia and Morganella have important functions in the gut of B. cucurbitae.ConclusionThis implied that microorganisms play a function in the host transfer process of B. cucurbitae and may be an important cofactor in the adaptation of B. cucurbitae to different hosts and environments, providing new research ideas for the future control of B. cucurbitae

Wet and Dry Atmospheric Depositions of Inorganic Nitrogen during Plant Growing Season in the Coastal Zone of Yellow River Delta

The ecological problems caused by dry and wet deposition of atmospheric nitrogen have been widespread concern in the world. In this study, wet and dry atmospheric depositions were monitored in plant growing season in the coastal zone of the Yellow River Delta (YRD) using automatic sampling equipment. The results showed that SO42- and Na+ were the predominant anion and cation, respectively, in both wet and dry atmospheric depositions. The total atmospheric nitrogen deposition was ~2264.24 mg m−2, in which dry atmospheric nitrogen deposition was about 32.02%. The highest values of dry and wet atmospheric nitrogen deposition appeared in May and August, respectively. In the studied area, NO3-–N was the main nitrogen form in dry deposition, while the predominant nitrogen in wet atmospheric deposition was NH4+–N with ~56.51% of total wet atmospheric nitrogen deposition. The average monthly attribution rate of atmospheric deposition of NO3-–N and NH4+–N was ~31.38% and ~20.50% for the contents of NO3-–N and NH4+–N in 0–10 cm soil layer, respectively, suggested that the atmospheric nitrogen was one of main sources for soil nitrogen in coastal zone of the YRD

Simulating soil salinity dynamics, cotton yield and evapotranspiration under drip irrigation by ensemble machine learning

Cotton is widely used in textile, decoration, and industry, but it is also threatened by soil salinization. Drip irrigation plays an important role in improving water and fertilization utilization efficiency and ensuring crop production in arid areas. Accurate prediction of soil salinity and crop evapotranspiration under drip irrigation is essential to guide water management practices in arid and saline areas. However, traditional hydrological models such as Hydrus require more variety of input parameters and user expertise, which limits its application in practice, and machine learning (ML) provides a potential alternative. Based on a global dataset collected from 134 pieces of literature, we proposed a method to comprehensively simulate soil salinity, evapotranspiration (ET) and cotton yield. Results showed that it was recommended to predict soil salinity, crop evapotranspiration and cotton yield based on soil data (bulk density), meteorological factors, irrigation data and other data. Among them, meteorological factors include annual average temperature, total precipitation, year. Irrigation data include salinity in irrigation water, soil matric potential and irrigation water volume, while other data include soil depth, distance from dripper, days after sowing (for EC and soil salinity), fertilization rate (for yield and ET). The accuracy of the model has reached a satisfactory level, R2 in 0.78-0.99. The performance of stacking ensemble ML was better than that of a single model, i.e., gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT); random forest (RF); extreme gradient boosting regression (XGBR), with R2 increased by 0.02%-19.31%. In all input combinations, other data have a greater impact on the model accuracy, while the RMSE of the S1 scenario (input without meteorological factors) without meteorological data has little difference, which is -34.22%~19.20% higher than that of full input. Given the wide application of drip irrigation in cotton, we recommend the application of ensemble ML to predict soil salinity and crop evapotranspiration, thus serving as the basis for adjusting the irrigation schedule

Emodin Alleviates Liver Fibrosis of Mice by Reducing Infiltration of Gr1 hi

Emodin, as a major active component of Rheum palmatum L. and Polygonum cuspidatum, has been reported to have antifibrotic effect. However, the mechanism of emodin on antifibrotic effect for liver fibrosis was still obscure. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether emodin can alleviate carbon tetrachloride- (CCl4-) induced liver fibrosis through reducing infiltration of Gr1hi monocytes. Liver fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal CCl4 injection in mice. Mice in the emodin group received emodin treatment by gavage. Pretreatment with emodin significantly protected mice from liver inflammation and fibrosis revealed by the decreased elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as reduced hepatic necrosis and fibrosis by analysis of hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, Masson staining, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and collagen-I immunohistochemistry staining. Further, compared to CCl4 group, mice in the emodin group showed significantly less intrahepatic infiltration of Gr1hi monocytes. Moreover, emodin significantly inhibited hepatic expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), granulin (GRN), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and chemokine ligand 7 (CCL7), which was in line with the decreased numbers of intrahepatic Gr1hi monocytes. In conclusion, emodin can alleviate the degree of liver fibrosis by reducing infiltration of Gr1hi monocytes. These results suggest that emodin is a promising candidate to prevent and treat liver fibrosis

Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Revealed a Novel Homozygous Loss-of-Function Mutation in ILDR1 Gene Causes Autosomal Recessive Nonsyndromic Sensorineural Hearing Loss in a Chinese Family

Hereditary hearing impairment is one of the major and common birth defects in Chinese population. Non-syndromic sensorineural hearing loss (NSHL) is the most common types of hereditary hearing impairment. Genotypically and phenotypically NSHL is extremely heterogenous and follow either autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive or X-linked mode of inheritance. Presently, 127 genes have been identified to be associated with both syndromic and (NSHL). Here, we studied a Chinese family with moderate and profound hearing impairment. The proband is a 30-year old Chinese man. The proband was born with normal hearing and at the age of 5-years, the proband was first noticed with hearing impairment. Gradually and progressively the proband was presented with loss of hearing in his both right and left ears at the age of 30 years. The clinical symptoms, age of onset or progression to loss of hearing was similar in both the proband and his younger brother. The proband’s parents are phenotypically normal and non-consanguineous. Clinical diagnosis of the proband and his younger brother has been done by classical pure tone audiogram (PTA). Computed Tomography (CT) found no abnormality in bilateral external ear, middle ear and inner ear. Targeted next generation sequencing was performed with a panel of 127 genes reported to be associated with hereditary hearing impairment. A novel homozygous single nucleotide deletion (c.427delT) in exon 4 of ILDR1 gene has been identified in proband and in his younger brother. Sanger sequencing confirmed that proband’s father and mother are carrying this mutation in a heterozygous manner. This mutation has not been identified in 100 normal healthy control individuals. This mutation (c.427delT) causes frameshift (p.Tyr143Ilefs∗19) which leads to the formation of a truncated ILDR1 protein of 162 amino acids instead of the wild type ILDR1 protein of 546 amino acids. ILDR1 associated hereditary hearing impairment is very rare and this is the first report of identifying a loss-of-function mutation in ILDR1 gene associated with hereditary hearing impairment in Chinese population. Our present study also emphasized the significance of rapid, accurate and cost-effective screening for the patient with hereditary hearing impairment by targeted next generation sequencing