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This study explored the effect of Ustilago esculenta infection on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in male Manchurian wild rice (Zizania latifolia). We injected male Jiaobai plants at the five-leaf stage with U. esculenta suspension, and leaves at different timepoints after inoculation were collected for transcriptome sequencing. Transcriptome sequencing identified 1,226 DEGs mainly enriched in resistance-related processes. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) showed that ‘plant–pathogen interaction’ and ‘MAPK signalling pathway-plant’ were the two most important upregulated pathways, and 16 candidate genes related to response to U. esculenta infection were screened. The results provide a basis for determining the molecular mechanisms of the response of male Z. latifolia to U. esculenta infection.

Fe-based superelastic alloys, which show both superelasticity and high damping capacity, can be divided into four alloy systems based on the characteristics of the martensite transformation that is responsible for these effects, viz., Fe-Pt, Fe-Pd, Fe-Mn-Si, and Fe-Ni-Co. Since 2010, Fe-Ni-Co-Al-based alloys that exhibit a large superelastic effect have attracted widespread attention. In this paper, the characteristics of the phase transformation from austenite ( γ ) to martensite ( α ') and the effects of the martensite variants in Fe-Ni-Co-Al-based superelastic alloys are summarized. The effects of alloying elements, precipitates and texture on the thermoelastic martensite transformation and the superelastic properties are reviewed. The factors affecting the superelastic effect and recoverable strain along with the related mechanisms are discussed. In addition, research progress on the damping performance, microwire structures, and modeling of Fe-Ni-Co-Al-based superelastic alloys are outlined. Finally, the challenges and future developments of the superelastic effect in Fe-Ni-Co-Al-based alloy are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of hierarchical architecture with suitable band alignment for graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) played a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of photocatalysts. In this study, a novel attapulgite-intercalated g-C 3 N 4 /ZnIn 2 S 4 nanocomposite material (ZIS/CN/ATP, abbreviated as ZCA) was successfully synthesized using the freeze-drying technique, thermal polymerization, and a simple low-temperature hydrothermal method. Attapulgite (ATP) was intercalated into g-C 3 N 4 to effectively regulate its interlayer structure. The results reveal a substantial enlargement of its internal space, thereby facilitating the provision of additional active sites for improved dispersibility of ZnIn 2 S 4 . Notably, the optimized photocatalyst, comprising a mass ratio of ATP, g-C 3 N 4 , and ZnIn 2 S 4 at 1:1:2.5 respectively, achieves an outstanding hydrogen evolution rate of 3906.15 μmol g -1 h -1 , without the need for a Pt co-catalyst. This rate surpasses that of pristine g-C 3 N 4 by a factor of 475 and ZnIn 2 S 4 by a factor of 5, representing a significant improvement in performance. This significant enhancement can be primarily attributed to the higher specific surface area, richer active sites, broadened light response range, and efficient interfacial charge transfer channels of the ZCA composite photocatalyst. Furthermore, the Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism for the sandwich-like layered structure heterojunction was thoroughly investigated using diverse characterization techniques. This work offers new insights for enhancing photocatalytic performance through the expanded utilization of natural minerals, paving the way for future advancements in this field., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating blood cancer with high heterogeneity and ill-fated outcome. Despite numerous advances in AML treatment, the prognosis remains poor for a significant proportion of patients. Consequently, it is necessary to accurately and comprehensively identify biomarkers as soon as possible to enhance the efficacy of diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of AML. In this study, we aimed to identify prognostic markers of AML by analyzing the cohorts from TCGA-LAML database and GEO microarray datasets. Interestingly, the transcriptional level of microtubule-associated protein TBCB in AML patients was noticeably increased when compared with normal individuals, and this was verified in two independent cohorts (GSE9476 and GSE13159) and with our AML patients. Furthermore, univariate and multivariate regression analysis revealed that high TBCB expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for AML. GO and GSEA enrichment analysis hinted that immune-related signaling pathways were enriched in up-regulated DEGs between two populations separated by the median expression level of TBCB . By constructing a protein-protein interaction network, we obtained six hub genes, all of which are immune-related molecules, and their expression levels were positively linked to that of TBCB . In addition, the high expression of three hub genes was significantly associated with a poor prognosis in AML. Moreover, we found that the tumor microenvironment in AML with high TBCB expression tended to be infiltrated by NK cells, especially CD56 bright NK cells. The transcriptional levels of NK cell inhibitory receptors and their ligands were positively related to that of TBCB , and their high expression levels also predicted poor prognosis in AML. Notably, we found that the down-regulation of TBCB suppressed cell proliferation in AML cell lines by enhancing the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Finally, drug sensitivity prediction illustrated that cells with high TBCB expression were more responsive to ATRA and midostaurin but resistant to cytarabine, dasatinib, and imatinib. In conclusion, our findings shed light on the feasibility of TBCB as a potential predictor of poor outcome and to be an alternative target of treatment in AML., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has become an important regulator of many cellular processes, including cell proliferation. Although studies have shown that a variety of lncRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of hematopoietic malignancies, a more comprehensive and unbiased method to study the function of lncRNAs in leukemia cell lines is lacking. Here, we used short hairpin RNA (shRNA) library combined with high-throughput sequencing to screen lncRNAs that may affect the proliferation of leukemia cell lines, and identified lncRNA C20orf204-203 among 74 candidate lncRNAs in this study. Further experiments showed that C20orf204-203 was localized in the cytoplasm in both K562 and THP-1 cell lines. C20orf204-203 knockdown decreased the proliferation of K562 and THP-1 cell lines accompanied with the increased proportion of early apoptotic cells. We observed the increased mRNA level of BAD gene while decreased protein level of TP53 and BCL2. The expression of Caspase 3 decreased and Caspase 3-cleaved protein increased in THP-1 cell line. However, their changes were inconsistent in the two cell lines. Our experimental results showed that knockdown of lncRNA C20orf204-203 in leukemia cell lines affected cell proliferation although the mechanism of action in different cell lines may differ. Importantly, our research demonstrated the feasibility of using shRNA library combined with high-throughput sequencing to study the role of lncRNA in leukemia cell lines on a large scale.