Fish species-specific TRIM gene FTRCA1 negatively regulates interferon response through attenuating IRF7 transcription

In mammals and fish, emerging evidence highlights that TRIM family members play important roles in the interferon (IFN) antiviral immune response. Fish TRIM family has undergone an unprecedented expansion leading to generation of finTRIM subfamily, which is exclusively specific to fish. Our recent results have shown that FTRCA1 (finTRIM C. auratus 1) is likely a fish species-specific finTRIM member in crucian carp C. auratus and acts as a negative modulator to downregulate fish IFN response by autophage-lysosomal degradation of protein kinase TBK1. In the present study, we found that FTRCA1 also impedes the activation of crucian carp IFN promoter by IRF7 but not by IRF3. Mechanistically, FTRCA1 attenuates IRF7 transcription levels likely due to enhanced decay of IRF7 mRNA, leading to reduced IRF7 protein levels and subsequently reduced fish IFN expression. E3 ligase activity is required for FTRCA1 to negatively regulate IRF7-mediated IFN response, because ligase-inactive mutants and the RING-deleted mutant of FTRCA1 lose the ability to block the activation of crucian carp IFN promoter by IRF7. These results together indicate that FTRCA1 is a multifaceted modulator to target different signaling factors for shaping fish IFN response in crucian carp.</p

Laboratory study of consolidation of marine soft soil using flocculation-vacuum preloading-electro-osmosis

To solve the technical issues in vacuum preloading method, including the sediment clogging of drains and the limitation of drainage conditions, this study investigated vacuum preloading combined with flocculation and electro-osmosis consolidation for marine soft soil. A series of column settling tests was conducted to determine the optimal organic flocculant for the combined method. With the selected organic flocculant, laboratory tests were performed on the soil samples using the combined consolidation method, in which the electro-osmosis was added at different time moments. The tests considered three representative cases at different time moments: (i) at 48 h, i.e., the initial stage of vacuum preloading with the consolidation degree of 0; (ii) at 60 h, i.e., the obvious reduction in the dewatering speed with the consolidation degree of 60%; and (iii) at 84 h, i.e., the dewatering speed of 0 with the consolidation degree of 80%. The effectiveness of the combined method was evaluated using the tested results, including water discharge, soil vane shear strength, water content, and pore water pressure, along with the determination of the best time for adding the electro-osmosis. The results indicated that the combined method effectively delayed the decrease of dewatering efficiency and significantly increased dewatering duration. Also, the shear strength and load-bearing capacity of the consolidated soil were clearly improved, with the evenly dissipated pore water pressure. In addition, the cationic polyamide was the optimal flocculant for the combined method, which enhanced the initial dewatering speed and improved the permeability of the soft soil to solve the sediment clogging in the plastic board during the vacuum preloading. This research demonstrated the effectiveness of vacuum preloading combined with flocculation and electroosmosis consolidation for soil improvement

catena-Poly[[(2-amino-1,3-benzothia­zole-6-carboxyl­ato-κ2 O,O′)(2,2′-bipyridyl-κ2 N,N′)cadmium]-μ-2-amino-1,3-benzothia­zole-6-carboxyl­ato-κ3 N 1:O,O′]

In the title coordination polymer, [Cd(C8H5N2O2S)2(C10H8N2)]n, the CdII ion is coordinated by a bidentate 2,2-bipyridyl ligand, two O,O′-chelating 2-amino-1,3-benzothia­zole-6-carboxyl­ate (ABTC) ligands and one N-bonded ABTC ligand. The resulting CdN3O4 coordination polyhedron approximates to a very distorted penta­gonal bipramid with one O and one N atom in axial positions. One of the ABTC ligands is bridging to an adjacent metal atom, generating an infinite chain propagating in [100]. A three-dimensional network is constructed from N—H⋯O and N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds and aromatic π–π stacking inter­actions [centroid–centroid separations = 3.641 (2) and 3.682 (3) Å]

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and the risk of idiopathic central precocious puberty in girls

Introduction: Prior studies have found inconsistent results regarding the relationship between vitamin D status and Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty (ICPP). Objective: To assess the role of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 [OH]D) levels in ICPP development. Method: The authors retrospectively collected data from 221 girls with ICPP and 144 healthy girls between January 2017 and December 2019. The participants’ serum 25(OH)D levels were measured using an automatic chemiluminescence method, and the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and the risk of ICPP was assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) were calculated as effect estimates. Results: Serum 25(OH)D levels in the ICPP group were significantly lower than those in healthy controls (p &lt; 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that girls with insufficient vitamin D levels (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.201; 95% CI 0.094–0.428; p &lt; 0.001) and sufficient vitamin D levels (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.141; 95% CI 0.053–0.375; p &lt; 0.001) both had a lower risk of ICPP than girls with vitamin D deficiency. Moreover, the authors found that the height (p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.014), weight (p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.014), breast stage (p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.010), mother's height (p &lt; 0.001), and luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio (p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.010) in girls with ICPP could be associated with levels of vitamin D. Conclusion: This study found that a low serum 25(OH)D level is an independent risk factor for ICPP, and several characteristics of girls with ICPP could be affected by their vitamin D status.

An miR-200 Cluster on Chromosome 23 Regulates Sperm Motility in Zebrafish

Besides its well-documented roles in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and carcinogenesis, the function of the p53-microRNA axis has been recently revealed in the reproductive system. Recent studies indicated that miR-200 family members are dysregulated in nonobstructive azoospermia patients, whereas their functions remain poorly documented. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of the miR-200 family on zebrafish testis development and sperm activity. There was no substantial difference in testis morphology and histology between wild-type (WT) and knockout zebrafish with deletion of miR-200 cluster on chromosome 6 (chr6-miR-200-KO) or on chromosome 23 (chr23-miR-200-KO). Interestingly, compared with WT zebrafish, the chr6-miR-200-KO zebrafish had no difference on sperm motility, whereas chr23-miR-200-KO zebrafish showed significantly improved sperm motility. Consistently, ectopic expression of miR-429a, miR-200a, and miR-200b, which are located in the miR-200 cluster on chromosome 23, significantly reduced motility traits of sperm. Several sperm motility-related genes, such as amh, wt1a, and srd5a2b have been confirmed as direct targets of miR-200s on chr23. 17a-ethynylestradiol (EE2) exposure resulted in upregulated expression of p53 and miR-429a in testis and impairment of sperm motility. Strikingly, in p53 mutant zebrafish testis, the expression levels of miR-200s on chr23 were significantly reduced and accompanied by a stimulation of sperm motility. Moreover, the upregulation of miR-429a associated with EE2 treatment was abolished in testis with p53 mutation. And the impairment of sperm activity by EE2 treatment was also eliminated when p53 was mutated. Together, our results reveal that miR-200 cluster on chromosome 23 controls sperm motility in a p53-dependent manner.</p

Linkage between surface energy balance non‐closure and horizontal asymmetric turbulent transport

A number of studies have reported that the traditional eddy covariance (EC) method generally underestimated vertical turbulent fluxes, leading to an outstanding non-closure problem of the surface energy balance (SEB). Although it is recognized that the enlarged surface energy imbalance frequently coincides with the increasing wind shear, the role of large eddies in affecting the SEB remains unclear. On analyzing data collected by an EC array, considerable horizontal inhomogeneity of kinematic heat flux is observed. The results show that the combined EC method that incorporates the spatial flux contribution increases the kinematic heat flux by 21% relative to the traditional EC method, improving the SEB closure. Additionally, spectral analysis indicates that large eddies with scales ranging from 0.0005 to 0.01 (in the normalized frequency) mainly account for the horizontal inhomogeneity of kinematic heat flux. Under unstable conditions, this process is operating upon large eddies characterized by enlarged asymmetric turbulent flux transport. With enhanced wind shear, the increment of flux contribution associated with sweeps and ejections becomes disproportionate, contributing to the horizontal inhomogeneity of kinematic heat flux, and thus may explain the increased SEB non-closure