Comparative Profiling of MicroRNAs in the Winged and Wingless English Grain Aphid, \u3cem\u3eSitobion avenae\u3c/em\u3e (F.) (Homoptera: Aphididae)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short single-stranded non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression, particularly during development. In this study, 345 miRNAs were identified from the English green aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.), of which 168 were conserved and 177 were S. avenae-specific. Quantitative comparison of miRNA expression levels indicated that 16 and 12 miRNAs were significantly up-regulated in winged and wingless S. avenae small RNA libraries, respectively. Differential expression of these miRNAs was confirmed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR validation. The putative transcript targets for these candidate miRNAs were predicted based on sequences from a model species Drosophila melanogaster and four aphid species Acyrthosiphon pisum, Myzus persicae, Toxoptera citricida, and Aphis gosspii. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analyses shed light on the potential functions of these miRNAs in the regulation of genes involved in the metabolism, development and wing polyphenism of S. avenae

Bacterial Symbionts, \u3cem\u3eBuchnera\u3c/em\u3e, and Starvation on Wing Dimorphism in English Grain Aphid, \u3cem\u3eSitobion avenae\u3c/em\u3e (F.) (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Wing dimorphism in aphids can be affected by multiple cues, including both biotic (nutrition, crowding, interspecific interactions, the presence of natural enemies, maternal and transgenerational effects, and alarm pheromone) and abiotic factors (temperature, humidity, and photoperiod). The majority of the phloem-feeding aphids carry Buchnera, an obligate symbiotic proteobacteria. Buchnera has a highly reduced genome size, but encode key enzymes in the tryptophan biosynthetic pathway and is crucial for nutritional balance, development and reproduction in aphids. In this study, we investigated the impact of two nutritional-based biotic factors, symbionts and starvation, on the wing dimorphism in the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae, a devastating insect pest of cereal crops (e.g., wheat) worldwide. Elimination of Buchnera using the antibiotic rifampicin significantly reduced the formation of winged morphs, body mass, and fecundity in S. avenae. Furthermore, the absence of this primary endosymbiont may disrupt the nutrient acquisition in aphids and alter transgenerational phenotypic expression. Similarly, both survival rate and the formation of winged morphs were substantially reduced after neonatal (\u3c24h \u3eold) offspring were starved for a period of time. The combined results shed light on the impact of two nutritional-based biotic factors on the phenotypic plasticity in aphids. A better understanding of the wing dimorphism in aphids will provide the theoretical basis for the prediction and integrated management of these phloem-feeding insect pests

New Environmental-Thermal Barrier Coatings for Ultrahigh Temperature Alloys

Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Projecting future carbon emissions from cement production in developing countries

Achieving low-carbon development of the cement industry in the developing countries is fundamental to global emissions abatement, considering the local construction industry’s rapid growth. However, there is currently a lack of systematic and accurate accounting and projection of cement emissions in developing countries, which are characterized with lower basic economic country condition. Here, we provide bottom-up quantifications of emissions from global cement production and reveal a regional shift in the main contributors to global cement CO2 emissions. The study further explores cement emissions over 2020-2050 that correspond to different housing and infrastructure conditions and emissions mitigation options for all developing countries except China. We find that cement emissions in developing countries except China will reach 1.4-3.8 Gt in 2050 (depending on different industrialization trajectories), compared to their annual emissions of 0.7 Gt in 2018. The optimal combination of low-carbon measures could contribute to reducing annual emissions by around 65% in 2050 and cumulative emissions by around 48% over 2020-2050. The efficient technological paths towards a low carbon future of cement industry vary among the countries and infrastructure scenarios. Our results are essential to understanding future emissions patterns of the cement industry in the developing countries and can inform policies in the cement sector that contribute to meeting the climate targets set out in the Paris Agreement

Projecting future carbon emissions from cement production in developing countries

Achieving low-carbon development of the cement industry in the developing countries is fundamental to global emissions abatement, considering the local construction industry’s rapid growth. However, there is currently a lack of systematic and accurate accounting and projection of cement emissions in developing countries, which are characterized with lower basic economic country condition. Here, we provide bottom-up quantifications of emissions from global cement production and reveal a regional shift in the main contributors to global cement CO2 emissions. The study further explores cement emissions over 2020-2050 that correspond to different housing and infrastructure conditions and emissions mitigation options for all developing countries except China. We find that cement emissions in developing countries except China will reach 1.4-3.8 Gt in 2050 (depending on different industrialization trajectories), compared to their annual emissions of 0.7 Gt in 2018. The optimal combination of low-carbon measures could contribute to reducing annual emissions by around 65% in 2050 and cumulative emissions by around 48% over 2020-2050. The efficient technological paths towards a low carbon future of cement industry vary among the countries and infrastructure scenarios. Our results are essential to understanding future emissions patterns of the cement industry in the developing countries and can inform policies in the cement sector that contribute to meeting the climate targets set out in the Paris Agreement

Dietary Protein Intake, Meat Consumption, and Dairy Consumption in the Year Preceding Pregnancy and During Pregnancy and Their Associations With the Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Prospective Cohort Study in Southwest China

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has become a public health problem in China.Objective: To examine the association of dietary protein intake before and during pregnancy with the risk of GDM.Design: Dietary intake before pregnancy and during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy was assessed using food frequency questionnaires in a prospective cohort of pregnant women. To screen GDM, participants underwent an OGTT test during 24–28 weeks of gestation. Cox proportional hazards were used to estimate RRs and 95% CIs for the associations between tertiles of dietary protein and the source of protein intake in different time windows with GDM status.Results: Higher intake of total protein [RR (95% CI): 1.92 (1.10–3.14), p for trend = 0.04] or animal protein [1.67 (1.19–2.93), p for trend = 0.03] in mid-pregnancy was associated with higher risk of GDM. Vegetable protein intake before or during pregnancy was not related to GDM risk (p for trend > 0.05). Moreover, in the mid-pregnancy, participants with higher meat consumption or dairy consumption had a higher risk of GDM.Conclusion: Our study indicated that higher dietary intakes of total protein and animal protein in mid-pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of GDM among pregnant Chinese women

Micro RNA expression profile and functional analysis reveal that mi R ‐382 is a critical novel gene of alcohol addiction

Alcohol addiction is a major social and health concern. Here, we determined the expression profile of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of rats treated with alcohol. The results suggest that multiple miRNAs were aberrantly expressed in rat NAc after alcohol injection. Among them, miR‐382 was down‐regulated in alcohol‐treated rats. In both cultured neuronal cells in vitro and in the NAc in vivo , we identified that the dopamine receptor D1 ( Drd1 ) is a direct target gene of miR‐382. Via this target gene, miR‐382 strongly modulated the expression of DeltaFosB. Moreover, overexpression of miR‐382 significantly attenuated alcohol‐induced up‐regulation of DRD1 and DeltaFosB, decreased voluntary intake of and preference for alcohol and inhibited the DRD1‐induced action potential responses. The results indicated that miRNAs are involved in and may represent novel therapeutic targets for alcoholism. The underlying molecular causes of alcohol addiction remain unclear. Many miRNAs are found modulated in the nucleus accumbens of rats chronically treated with alcohol. Specifically, miR‐382 is shown to regulate alcohol intake via DRD1 and DeltaFosB.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/1/emmm201201900-sm-0001-Review_Process_File.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/2/emmm201201900.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/3/emmm201202100-sm-0006-SourceData-S5.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/4/emmm201201900-sm-0002-SuppData-S1.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/5/emmm201202100-sm-0005-SourceData-S4.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/6/emmm201202100-sm-0004-SourceData-S3.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/7/emmm201202100-sm-0003-SourceData-S2.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99635/8/emmm201202100-sm-0007-SourceData-S6.pd

A Lithium-Ion Pump Based on Piezoelectric Effect for Improved Rechargeability of Lithium Metal Anode.

Lithium metal is widely studied as the "crown jewel" of potential anode materials due to its high specific capacity and low redox potential. Unfortunately, the Li dendrite growth limits its commercialization. Previous research has revealed that the uniform Li-ion flux on electrode surface plays a vital role in achieving homogeneous Li deposition. In this work, a new strategy is developed by introducing a multifunctional Li-ion pump to improve the homogenous distribution of Li ions. Via coating a β-phase of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (β-PF) film on Cu foil (Cu@β-PF), a piezoelectric potential across such film is established near the electrode surface because of its piezoelectric property, which serves as a driving force to regulate the migration of Li ions across the film. As a result, uniform Li-ion distribution is attained, and the Cu@β-PF shows coulombic efficiency around 99% throughout 200 cycles. Meanwhile, the lithium-sulfur full cell paired with Li-Cu@β-PF anode exhibits excellent performance. This facile strategy via regulating the Li-ion migration provides a new perspective for safe and reliable Li metal anode

Synthesis of a Dual Functional Anti-MDR Tumor Agent PH II-7 with Elucidations of Anti-Tumor Effects and Mechanisms

Multidrug resistance mediated by P-glycoprotein in cancer cells has been a major issue that cripples the efficacy of chemotherapy agents. Aimed for improved efficacy against resistant cancer cells, we designed and synthesized 25 oxindole derivatives based on indirubin by structure-activity relationship analysis. The most potent one was named PH II-7, which was effective against 18 cancer cell lines and 5 resistant cell lines in MTT assay. It also significantly inhibited the resistant xenograft tumor growth in mouse model. In cell cycle assay and apoptosis assay conducted with flow cytometry, PH II-7 induced S phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis even in resistant cells. Consistently revealed by real-time PCR, it modulates the expression of genes related to the cell cycle and apoptosis in these cells, which may contributes to its efficacy against them. By side-chain modification and FITC-labeling of PH II-7, we were able to show with confocal microscopy that not only it was not pumped by P-glycoprotein, it also attenuated the efflux of Adriamycin by P-glycoprotein in MDR tumor cells. Real-time PCR and western blot analysis showed that PH II-7 down-regulated MDR1 gene via protein kinase C alpha (PKCA) pathway, with c-FOS and c-JUN as possible mediators. Taken together, PH II-7 is a dual-functional compound that features both the cytotoxicity against cancer cells and the inhibitory effect on P-gp mediated drug efflux