Genome-wide identification of the heat shock transcription factor gene family in two kiwifruit species

High temperatures have a significant impact on plant growth and metabolism. In recent years, the fruit industry has faced a serious threat due to high-temperature stress on fruit plants caused by global warming. In the present study, we explored the molecular regulatory mechanisms that contribute to high-temperature tolerance in kiwifruit. A total of 36 Hsf genes were identified in the A. chinensis (Ac) genome, while 41 Hsf genes were found in the A. eriantha (Ae) genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the clustering of kiwifruit Hsfs into three distinct groups (groups A, B, and C). Synteny analysis indicated that the expansion of the Hsf gene family in the Ac and Ae genomes was primarily driven by whole genome duplication (WGD). Analysis of the gene expression profiles revealed a close relationship between the expression levels of Hsf genes and various plant tissues and stress treatments throughout fruit ripening. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that GFP-AcHsfA2a/AcHsfA7b and AcHsfA2a/AcHsfA7b -GFP were localized in the nucleus, while GFP-AcHsfA2a was also observed in the cytoplasm of Arabidopsis protoplasts. The results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that the majority of Hsf genes, especially AcHsfA2a, were expressed under high-temperature conditions. In conclusion, our findings establish a theoretical foundation for analyzing the potential role of Hsfs in high-temperature stress tolerance in kiwifruit. This study also offers valuable information to aid plant breeders in the development of heat-stress-resistant plant materials

Orbital- and millennial-scale Asian winter monsoon variability across the Pliocene–Pleistocene glacial intensification

Intensification of northern hemisphere glaciation (iNHG), ~2.7 million years ago (Ma), led to establishment of the Pleistocene to present-day bipolar icehouse state. Here we document evolution of orbital- and millennial-scale Asian winter monsoon (AWM) variability across the iNHG using a palaeomagnetically dated centennial-resolution grain size record between 3.6 and 1.9 Ma from a previously undescribed loess-palaeosol/red clay section on the central Chinese Loess Plateau. We find that the late Pliocene–early Pleistocene AWM was characterized by combined 41-kyr and ~100-kyr cycles, in response to ice volume and atmospheric CO2 forcing. Northern hemisphere ice sheet expansion, which was accompanied by an atmospheric CO2 concentration decline, substantially increased glacial AWM intensity and its orbitally oscillating amplitudes across the iNHG. Superposed on orbital variability, we find that millennial AWM intensity fluctuations persisted during both the warmer (higher-CO2) late Pliocene and colder (lower-CO2) early Pleistocene, in response to both external astronomical forcing and internal climate dynamics

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

The effect of insulin, TNFα and DHA on the proliferation, differentiation and lipolysis of preadipocytes isolated from large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena Crocea R.).

Fish final product can be affected by excessive lipid accumulation. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies to control obesity in cultivated fish to strengthen the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. As in mammals, the development of adiposity in fish depends on hormonal, cytokine and dietary factors. In this study, we investigated the proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes isolated from the large yellow croaker and examined the effects of critical factors such as insulin, TNFα and DHA on the proliferation, differentiation and lipolysis of adipocytes. Preadipocytes were isolated by collagenase digestion, after which their proliferation was evaluated. The differentiation process was optimized by assaying glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity. Oil red O staining and electron microscopy were performed to visualize the accumulated triacylglycerol. Gene transcript levels were measured using SYBR green quantitative real-time PCR. Insulin promoted preadipocytes proliferation, stimulated cell differentiation and decreased lipolysis of mature adipocytes. TNFα and DHA inhibited cell proliferation and differentiation. While TNFα stimulated mature adipocyte lipolysis, DHA showed no lipolytic effect on adipocytes. The expressions of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), fatty acid synthase (FAS), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, γ (PPARα, PPARγ) were quantified during preadipocytes differentiation and adipocytes lipolysis to partly explain the regulation mechanisms. In summary, the results of this study indicated that although preadipocytes proliferation and the differentiation process in large yellow croaker are similar to these processes in mammals, the effects of critical factors such as insulin, TNFα and DHA on fish adipocytes development are not exactly the same. Our findings fill in the gaps in the basic data regarding the effects of critical factors on adiposity development in fish and will facilitate the further study of molecular mechanism by which these factors act in fish and the application of this knowledge to eventually control obesity in cultured species

GPDH activity of large yellow croaker adipocytes induced by different medium¹.

<p>The confluent cells were induced by growth medium, growth medium + hormones (containing 10 µg/ml insulin, 0.25 µM dexamethasone, and 0.5 mM IBMX), growth medium + lipid mixture (containing 45 µg/mL cholesterol, 100 µg/mL cod liver oil fatty acids) or growth medium + hormones +lipid mixture for 6 days and evaluated by GPDH, the indicator of cell differentiation.</p>1<p>Values are mean ± SEM obtained from six wells. Different letters indicate significant differences at <i>P</i><0.05.</p

The effect of insulin on GPDH activity and gene expressions of large yellow croaker adipocytes during differentiation.

<p>The confluent cells were exposed to the differentiation medium without the lipid mixture but supplemented with 0, 0.5, 5 or 50 µg/ml insulin for 6 days and evaluated by GPDH, the indicator of cell differentiation. The gene expression levels were determined by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Data were analyzed by using 2^−ΔΔCt<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048069#pone.0048069-Livak1" target="_blank">[87]</a> and are referred to the control treatment (insulin  = 0) using β-actin as a control. Data are means ± SEM, n = 3. Different letters indicate significant differences at <i>P</i><0.05. ATGL =  adipose triglyceride lipase, FAS = fatty acid synthase, LPL = lipoprotein lipase, PPAR  = proliferators-activated receptor α, γ.</p

Growth of large yellow croaker preadipocytes isolated from adipose tissue at different days of growth.

<p>(A) Photomicrographs of yellow croaker preadipocytes on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 (× 40). (B) Proliferation profile of preadipocytes on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Data are means ± SEM, n = 8. Different letters indicate significant differences at <i>P</i><0.05.</p