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Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by fatty plaque deposits on artery walls. Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels are an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Research on the mechanism by which Hcy promotes atherosclerosis has gradually turned to epigenetic inheritance, but the correlation between Hcy and m6A (N6-methyladenosine) modification has not been reported. In this study, MeRIP-seq was performed on macrophages and Hcy-treated macrophages. GO and KEGG analyses were used to perform functional analysis of differentially methylated genes. qRT-PCR and western blot were taken to determine the expression of CD209, CD163L1, proinflammatory, and anti-inflammatory factors. Flow cytometry was used to detect the proportion of M2 macrophages. The results showed that after Hcy treatment, the overall m6A methylation of macrophages was down-regulated, and 856 differential methylation peaks were annotated to 781 genes. These included CD209 and CD163L1, whose m6A methylation was inhibited after treatment with Hcy. In addition, mRNA and protein expressions of CD209 and CD163L1 were also inhibited after Hcy treatment. Overexpression of CD209 or CD163L1 prevents the Hcy-induced decrease in the proportion of M2 macrophages. This article identified changes in the modification level of m6A in macrophages by Hcy and revealed the possible mechanism by which Hcy induces macrophage polarization.

Abstract Background Fibrogenesis within ovarian endometrioma (endometrioma), mainly induced by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), is characterized by myofibroblast over-activation and excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, contributing to endometrioma-associated symptoms such as infertility by impairing ovarian reserve and oocyte quality. However, the precise molecular mechanisms that underpin the endometrioma- associated fibrosis progression induced by TGF-β remain poorly understood. Methods The expression level of lysine acetyltransferase 14 (KAT14) was validated in endometrium biopsies from patients with endometrioma and healthy controls, and the transcription level of KAT14 was further confirmed by analyzing a published single-cell transcriptome (scRNA-seq) dataset of endometriosis. We used overexpression, knockout, and knockdown approaches in immortalized human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) or human primary ectopic endometrial stromal cells (EcESCs) to determine the role of KAT14 in TGF-β-induced fibrosis. Furthermore, an adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying KAT14-shRNA was used in an endometriosis mice model to assess the role of KAT14 in vivo. Results KAT14 was upregulated in ectopic lesions from endometrioma patients and predominantly expressed in activated fibroblasts. In vitro studies showed that KAT14 overexpression significantly promoted a TGF-β-induced profibrotic response in endometrial stromal cells, while KAT14 silencing showed adverse effects that could be rescued by KAT14 re-enhancement. In vivo, Kat14 knockdown ameliorated fibrosis in the ectopic lesions of the endometriosis mouse model. Mechanistically, we showed that KAT14 directly interacted with serum response factor (SRF) to promote the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) by increasing histone H4 acetylation at promoter regions; this is necessary for TGF-β-induced ECM production and myofibroblast differentiation. In addition, the knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of SRF significantly attenuated KAT14-mediating profibrotic effects under TGF-β treatment. Notably, the KAT14/SRF complex was abundant in endometrioma samples and positively correlated with α-SMA expression, further supporting the key role of KAT14/SRF complex in the progression of endometrioma-associated fibrogenesis. Conclusion Our results shed light on KAT14 as a key effector of TGF-β–induced ECM production and myofibroblast differentiation in EcESCs by promoting histone H4 acetylation via co-operating with SRF, representing a potential therapeutic target for endometrioma-associated fibrosis.

In seasonal snow-covered regions, the soil microbial community remains highly active, enabling nitrogen (N) mineralization processes to occur even during the winter. Therefore, winter N accumulation is likely to be a primary N source for plant growth in the subsequent spring. However, the availability of winter N resources (i.e., ammonium and nitrate N) to soil microorganisms and plants in temperate grasslands remains unclear. Here, we applied 15NH4Cl and K15NO3 tracers before autumn-winter freezing, and then investigated the retention of both 15N tracers in soil microorganisms and different plants during the winter and spring period in a typical steppe. The results showed that approximately 33 % and 27 % of 15NH4Cl and K15NO3 tracers were immobilized by soil microorganisms, while little had been uptake by plants during winter. In the subsequent spring, soil retained 32 % and 34 %, microorganisms immobilized 5.1 % and 5.2 %, plant acquired 40 % and 28 % of the 15NH4Cl and K15NO3 tracers, respectively. At a temporal scale, perennial bunch grasses first acquired 15N in the winter-spring transition, followed by perennial rhizome grasses and forbs in early spring, while legumes utilized little 15N. In contrast, the 15N absorption capacity of perennial rhizome grasses and perennial forbs was similar to that of bunch grasses. Additionally, only dominant bunch grasses showed a preference for ammonium N over nitrate N, while other plant species did not exhibit a clear preference for different forms of N. Our results suggest that the temporal differentiation of N utilization between plants and microorganisms enhances the availability of winter N sources. Importantly, the differences among plant species in the timing and quantity of winter N resource utilization contribute to species coexistence in temperate grasslands. This study highlights the crucial role of winter N accumulation as a primary N source for plant growth in temperate grasslands. Understanding the availability of winter N sources for plant and microbial growth is essential for predicting plant community dynamics and species coexistence in these ecosystems.

Abstract Objective This study assessed the impacts of in vitro culture times of cleavage embryos on clinical pregnancy outcomes. Methods This retrospective cohort study was performed at the Reproductive Medicine Department of Hainan Modern Women and Children’s Hospital in China between January 2018 and December 2022. Patients who first underwent frozen embryo transfer with in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles on day 3 were included. According to the time of embryo culture after thawing, the embryos were divided into long-term culture group(18-20 h) and short-term culture group (2-4 h). The clinical pregnancy rate was regarded as he primary outcome. To minimize confounding factors and reduce selection bias, the propensity score matching was used to balance the effects of known confounding factors and to reduce selection bias. Stratified analyses and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the risk factors affecting the clinical pregnancy outcomes after matching. Results General characteristics between two groups were comparable after matching. In the long-term culture group, 266/381 (69.81%) embryos had more than 10 blastomeres, and 75/381 (19.68%) reached the morula stage. After overnight culture, the implantation rate (27.97% vs. 14.28%, P = 0.018) and clinical pregnancy rate (38.46% vs. 22.5%, P = 0.05) were increased in the group with proliferating blastomeres. The long-term culture group trended to have a higher clinical pregnancy rate compared with the short-term culture group (35.74% vs. 29.79%). No statistical differences in clinical pregnancy outcomes between the two groups were observed after matching, including the rates of implantation (25.46% vs23.98%), miscarriages (25% vs. 22.85%), ongoing pregnancy rate (76.2% vs. 77.15%) and live birth rate (26.8% vs. 22.98%). Stratified analyses were performed according to the age of the patients. After matching, there were no significant differences in the clinical pregnancy, implantation and miscarriage rates between the two groups for patients > 35 or ≤ 35 years of age. Subgroup analyses were performed according to the quality of the transferred embryos. There were no significant differences in the clinical outcomes, between two groups after embryos transferred with the same quality. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the influencing factors of clinical pregnancy outcomes after matching. Culture time was not found to be an independent predictor for clinical pregnancy [OR 0.742, 95%CI 0.487 ~ 1.13; P = 0.165]. The age of oocyte retrieval [OR 0.906, 95%CI 0.865 ~ 0.949; P

Abstract Background Dysregulated epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in cervical cancer metastasis and associated with histone acetylation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of histone acetylation in cervical cancer EMT and metastasis are still elusive. Methods We systematically investigated the expression patterns of histone acetylation genes and their correlations with the EMT pathway in cervical cancer. The expression of CSRP2BP among cervical cancer tissues and cell lines was detected using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry analyses. The effects of CSRP2BP on cervical cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenicity were examined by cell growth curve, EdU assay, flow cytometry and xenotransplantation assays. Wound healing assays, transwell migration assays and pulmonary metastasis model were used to evaluate the effects of CSRP2BP on cell invasion and metastasis of cervical cancer cells in vivo and in vitro. RNA-seq, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and luciferase reporter assays were used to uncover the molecular mechanisms of CSRP2BP in promoting cervical cancer EMT and metastasis. Results We prioritized a top candidate histone acetyltransferase, CSRP2BP, as a key player in cervical cancer EMT and metastasis. The expression of CSRP2BP was significantly increased in cervical cancer tissues and high CSRP2BP expression was associated with poor prognosis. Overexpression of CSRP2BP promoted cervical cancer cell proliferation and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo, while knockdown of CSRP2BP obtained the opposite effects. In addition, CSRP2BP promoted resistance to cisplatin chemotherapy. Mechanistically, CSRP2BP mediated histone 4 acetylation at lysine sites 5 and 12, cooperated with the transcription factor SMAD4 to bind to the SEB2 sequence in the N-cadherin gene promotor and upregulated N-cadherin transcription. Consequently, CSRP2BP promoted cervical cancer cell EMT and metastasis through activating N-cadherin. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the histone acetyltransferase CSRP2BP promotes cervical cancer metastasis partially through increasing the EMT and suggests that CSRP2BP could be a prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target for combating cervical cancer metastasis.

Global warming has contributed to shifts in precipitation patterns and increased plant productivity, resulting in a significant increase in litter input into the soils. The enhanced litter input, combined with higher levels of precipitation, may potentially affect soil microbial communities. This study aims to investigate the effects of litter input and increased precipitation on soil microbial biomass, community structure, and diversity in a temperate meadow steppe in northeastern China. Different levels of litter input (0%, +30%, +60%) and increased precipitation (0%, +15%, +30%) were applied over a three-year period (2015–2017). The results showed that litter input significantly increased the biomass of bacteria and fungi without altering their diversity, as well as the ratio of bacterial to fungal biomass. Increased precipitation did not have a notable effect on the biomass and diversity of bacteria and fungi, but it did increase the fungal-to-bacterial biomass ratio. However, when litter input and increased precipitation interacted, bacterial diversity significantly increased while the fungal-to-bacterial biomass ratio remained unchanged. These findings indicate that the projected increases in litter and precipitation would have a substantial impact on soil microbial communities. In energy-and water-limited temperate grasslands, the additional litter inputs and increased precipitation contribute to enhanced nutrient and water availability, which in turn promotes microbial growth and leads to shifts in community structure and diversity.

Abstract Background Gastric cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate. Angiogenesis is necessary for tumor infiltration and metastasis and affects patient prognosis. YKL-39 has monocyte chemotactic activity and pro-angiogenic activity in some tumors. In this study, we investigated the relationship between YKL-39 and tumor-associated macrophages and microangiogenesis in gastric cancer to determine its potential as a prognostic biomarker. Materials and methods A total of 119 patients with gastric cancer who had undergone gastrectomy at the 940th Hospital of the Joint Security Force between 2014 and 2018 were included in this study. We assayed the protein expression of YKL-39, CD68, and CD34 by immunohistochemistry in tissues of 119 patients with gastric cancer, as well as the intracellular expression of YKL-39 and CD68 by immunofluorescence. Data were analyzed with SPSS Statistics 25.0 to explore the impact of expression of YKL-39, CD68, and CD34 in gastric cancer patients and the relationship among them. Results Our results show that YKL-39 was expressed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of gastric cancer cells and tumor mesenchyme. YKL-39 protein expression was associated with the depth of tumor infiltration, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage; CD68 protein expression was associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage; CD34 protein expression was not associated with clinicopathological characteristics. Expression of YKL-39 was positively correlated with CD68 and CD34 (p

Soil microbes play vital roles in mediating the functions and services of terrestrial ecosystems in the context of ongoing climate change and human disturbance. There are complex interactions between soil microbial taxa. However, research on the drivers of soil microbial network complexity and stability based on microbial taxa interactions is still in its infancy. We examined network structure and the complexity and stability of soil microbial communities across a large-scale environmental gradient in semi-arid grasslands of northern China by combining network theory and high-throughput sequencing. We found that aridity was the strongest driver of soil microbial network structure. Increasing aridity directly reduced the complexity and stability of soil microbial networks by decreasing the ratio of microbial taxa that participated in network construction and the ratio of potential positive and negative interactions of networks. Soil heterogeneity enhanced microbial network complexity and stability by potentially promoting diverse host plants and mediating uneven distribution of soil resources. These findings suggest that aridity and decreasing soil heterogeneity may have detrimental influences on soil microbial functions and the associated plant performance. This study provides new insights into the controls of climatic and/or edaphic variables in regulating soil microbial networks and highlights the importance of environmental heterogeneity in community assembly mechanisms of soil microbes.

Abstract Background Studies have shown that abnormalities in the decidualization process were closely related to recurrent implantation failure (RIF). Prokineticin 2 (PK2) is a secreted protein with angiogenic and tissue remodeling functions but its role in the endometrium is unknown. Methods PK2 levels and its receptor PKR1 mRNA and protein levels in mid-secretory endometrium from normal and RIF women were examined by real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. The effects of PK2 were evaluated by overexpressed PK2 in immortalized endometrial T-HESC cells using lentivirus vector and found different expression of Matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9) and lncRNA LUCAT1 by RNA-sequencing. The ability of PK2 to regulate LUCAT1 and MMP9 was verified in endometrial cells by real-time PCR and western blotting. Results Using endometrial biopsies from normal and RIF patients, we found increased expression of PK2, together with its receptor PKR1 in RIF patients. We then overexpressed PK2 in immortalized endometrial T-HESC cells using lentivirus vector and found decreased expression of Matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9), and increased expression of lncRNA LUCAT1. We verified the ability of PK2 to stimulate LUCAT1 and decrease MMP9 in endometrial cells. We further demonstrated that increased expression of a long noncoding RNA LUCAT1 and decreased expression of MMP9 in endometrial biopsies of patients with RIF. Thus, we highlighted the important role of PK2 and its receptor PKR1 in decidualization and RIF. Conclusion Prokineticin 2 and its receptor are important in endometrium decidualization. PK2 may affect endometrial decidualization through the LUCAT1- MMP9 pathway, thereby affecting embryo implantation.

Plants have evolved two layers of protection against biotic stress: PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). The primary mechanism of ETI involves nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat immune receptors (NLRs). Although NLR genes have been studied in several plant species, a comprehensive database of NLRs across a diverse array of species is still lacking. Here, we present a thorough analysis of NLR genes across 100 high-quality plant genomes (PlantNLRatlas). The PlantNLRatlas includes a total of 68,452 NLRs, of which 3,689 are full-length and 64,763 are partial-length NLRs. The majority of NLR groups were phyletically clustered. In addition, the domain sequences were found to be highly conserved within each NLR group. Our PlantNLRatlas dataset is complementary to RefPlantNLR, a collection of NLR genes which have been experimentally confirmed. The PlantNLRatlas should prove helpful for comparative investigations of NLRs across a range of plant groups, including understudied taxa. Finally, the PlantNLRatlas resource is intended to help the field move past a monolithic understanding of NLR structure and function.

IL-38, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, is a key regulator of homeostasis in host immunity. Intestinal immunity plays a critical role in defence against pathogenic invasion, as it is the largest surface organ and the most common entry point for micro-organisms. Dysregulated IL-38 activity is observed in several autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus and atherosclerosis. The protective role of IL-38 is well illustrated in experimental colitis models, showing significantly worse colitis in IL-38 deficient mice, compared to wildtype mice. Moreover, exogenous IL-38 has been shown to ameliorate experimental colitis. Surprisingly, upregulated IL-38 is detected in inflamed tissue from inflammatory bowel disease patients, consistent with increased circulating cytokine levels, demonstrating the complex nature of host immunity in vivo. However, colonic IL-38 is significantly reduced in malignant tissues from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), compared to adjacent non-cancerous tissue. Additionally, IL-38 expression in CRC correlates with 5-year survival, tumour size and differentiation, suggesting IL-38 plays a protective role during the development of CRC. IL-38 is also an independent biomarker for the prognosis of CRC, offering useful information in the management of CRC. Taken together, these data demonstrate the role of IL-38 in the maintenance of normal intestinal mucosal homeostasis, but that dysregulation of IL-38 contributes to initiation of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (resulting from persistent local inflammation), and that IL-38 provides protection during the development of colorectal cancer. Such data provide useful information for the development of novel therapeutic targets in the management of intestinal diseases for more precise medicine.

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in driving multiple ecosystem functions in temperate grasslands. However, our understanding of how biodiversity regulates the impacts of desertification processes on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) remains limited. In this study, we investigate plant diversity, soil microbial diversity (fungal, bacterial, archaeal, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) diversity), soil properties (soil water content, pH, and soil clay content), and multiple ecosystem functions (soil N mineralization, soil phosphatase activity, AMF infection rate, microbial biomass, plant biomass, and soil C and nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Na, Cu, Mg, and Mn)) at six different grassland desertification intensities. The random forest model was conducted to assess the importance of soil properties, plant diversity, and soil microbial diversity in driving EMF. Furthermore, a structural equation model (SEM) was employed to analyze the indirect and direct impacts of these predictors on EMF. Our study showed that plant, soil bacterial, fungal, and archaeal diversity gradually decreased with increasing desertification intensity. However, only AMF diversity was found to be less sensitive to desertification. Similarly, EMF also showed a significant decline with increasing desertification. Importantly, both plant and soil microbial diversity were positively associated with EMF during desertification processes. The random forest model and SEM revealed that both plant and soil microbial diversity were identified as important and direct predictors of EMF during desertification processes. This highlights the primary influence of above- and below-ground biodiversity in co-regulating the response of EMF to grassland desertification. These findings have important implications for planned ecosystem restoration and sustainable grassland management.

Abstract Plant root variations and their relations with soil moisture and nutrient supply have been well documented for many species, while effects of drought, combined with extreme poor soil nutrients, on plant roots remain unclear. Herein, we addressed root vertical distributions of two typical xerophyte semishrub species, Artemisia sphaerocephala and A. intramongolica, and their relations with soil moisture, total soil nitrogen and carbon contents in arid Hunshandake desert, China. The two species experienced similar light regimes and precipitation, but differed in soil moisture and soil nutrients. Root vertical distribution patterns (e.g., coarse root diameter, root depth and root biomass) differed considerable for the two species due to high heterogeneity of soil environments. Coarse and fine root biomasses for A. intramongolica, distributed in relatively moist fixed dunes, mainly focused on surface layers (94%); but those for A. sphaerocephala dropped gradually from the surface to 140 cm depth. Relations between root traits (e.g., diameter, root biomass) and soil moisture were positive for A. intramongolica, but those for A. sphaerocephala were negative. In general, the root traits for both species positively correlated with total soil nitrogen and carbon contents. These findings suggest that both soil moisture and poor soil nutrients were the limiting resources for growth and settlement of these two species.

MEME (Multiple Em for Motif Elicitation) is the most commonly used tool to identify motifs within deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or protein sequences. However, the results generated by the MEMEare saved using file formats .xml and .txt, which are difficult to read, visualize, or integrate with other widely used phylogenetic tree packages, such as ggtree. To overcome this problem, we developed the ggmotif R package, which provides two easy-to-use functions that can facilitate the extraction and visualization of motifs from the results files generated by the MEME. ggmotif can extract the information of the location of motif(s) on the corresponding sequence(s) from the .xml format file and visualize it. Additionally, the data extracted by ggmotif can be easily integrated with the phylogenetic data. On the other hand, ggmotif can obtain the sequence of each motif from the .txt format file and draw the sequence logo with the function ggseqlogo from the ggseqlogo R package. The ggmotif R package is freely available (including examples and vignettes) from GitHub at https://github.com/lixiang117423/ggmotif or from CRAN at https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=ggmotif.

In N-limited temperate regions of China, rates of atmospheric N deposition remain high during winter due to industrial development and energy consumption. Winter-deposited N accumulates and is then released after snowmelt. However, little is known about the retention dynamics of early-spring N input in temperate forest ecosystems. We applied 15N isotopic tracer after snowmelt, and then quantified 15N dynamics in litter, soils, microbes and vascular plants over the following growing season in a warm temperate forest of northern China. In early spring (7 days after 15N addition), approximately 80% of applied 15N was retained in the ecosystem. The 15N recovery was the highest in litter, followed by soils and microbes, with only trivial acquisition in vascular plants. After early spring, there was little change in total 15N recovery over the following season, which indicated that the temperate forest ecosystem had high potential for the retention of early-spring N input. The 15N levels gradually declined in litter and microbes, while they were gradually increased in the vascular plants. In late fall, substantial 15N tracer retained in litter and was resorbed from senescing tissues to roots. Evergreen coniferous trees presented higher 15N acquisition than deciduous broad-leaved trees. Our results suggest that substantial early-spring N input can be retained in warm temperate forest ecosystems. The findings highlight the importance of litter and plants in sustaining early-spring exogenous N resources, inferring the need to considering winter N deposition for a better understanding of N cycling in temperate ecosystems.

Soil microbes play crucial roles in grassland ecosystem functions, such as soil carbon (C) pool and nutrient cycle. Soil microbes in grasslands are susceptible to the degradation mediated by climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. However, research on how the degradation influences the diversity and community structure of different soil microbial taxa is relatively scarce. We conducted a large-scale field survey to describe the effects of four degradation levels (PD: potential degradation, LD: light degradation, MD: moderate degradation, and SD: severe degradation) on soil bacterial and fungal community in the semi-arid grasslands of northern China. We found that soil moisture, nutrients, and clay content decreased, but soil sand content increased along the increasing degradation gradient. However, the degradation had no effects on soil pH and the C:N ratio. Grassland degradation had non-significant effect on soil bacterial diversity, but it significantly affected soil bacterial community structure. The degradation decreased soil fungal diversity and had a relatively larger influence on the community structure of soil fungi than that of bacteria. The community composition and structure of soil fungi were mainly affected by soil nutrients and texture, while those of soil bacteria were mainly affected by soil pH. These results indicate that changes in soil properties induced by grassland degradation mainly drive the variation in the soil fungal community and have less effect on the soil bacterial community. This study reveals the sensitivity of soil fungal community to grassland degradation, highlighting the priority of soil fungal community for the management and restoration of degraded grasslands.

BackgroundSubchorionic hematoma (SCH) is common in early pregnancy achieved by in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer/frozen embryo transfer (IVF-ET/FET), and is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes. However, there are no methods known to accurately predict the occurrence of SCH.ObjectiveTo establish a nomogram prediction model for predicting the risk of SCH in early pregnancy with IVF-ET/FET and to analyze pregnancy outcomes of patients with SCH.MethodsPatients who underwent IVF-ET/FET treatment and were diagnosed with clinical pregnancy were enrolled in our study. A total of 256 patients with SCH were enrolled in the SCH group, and 526 patients without SCH in the control group. Logistic regression was used to screen risk factors for SCH, and the nomogram was developed according to the regression coefficient of relevant variables. Discrimination, effect, calibration, and the predictive model’s clinical usefulness were assessed using the C-index, the area under the receiver operating characteristic standard curve, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis. Internal validation was assessed using bootstrapping validation. The effects of SCH on pregnancy outcomes were analyzed.ResultsA multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that fresh embryo transfer, polycystic ovary syndrome, hydrosalpinx, and thin endometrium were risk factors affecting the occurrence of SCH. Based on the above factors, a predictive model for the risk of SCH was created. The model displayed good discrimination, with a C-index of 0.783 (95% confidence interval: 0.750–0.816), area under the receiver operating characteristic standard curve of 0.783, and good calibration. A high C-index value of 0.765 could still be reached in the interval validation. Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram was clinically useful when the intervention was decided at the SCH possibility threshold of 4%–87%. For patients with successful deliveries, the occurrence of SCH did not influence the gestational weeks of delivery, mode of delivery, preterm birth, height, and weight of the newborn.ConclusionWe screened the risk factors for SCH in patients who underwent IVF-ET/FET treatment. Successful establishment of a nomogram can effectively predict the occurrence of SCH. Furthermore, the incidence of miscarriage is higher in patients with SCH.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of seasons on the incidence of high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) after in oocyte retrieval in patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and to establish a nomogram to predict the risk of OHSS.DesignSingle-center, retrospective study.SettingUniversity-affiliated reproductive medicine center.Patient(s)A total of 2,030 infertility patients with PCOS underwent the follicular phase long-acting long protocol IVF/ICSI in the reproductive medicine center from January 2017 to December 2019.Intervention(s)None.Main outcome measure(s)Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the factors associated with a high risk of OHSS. We established a nomogram to predict the risk of OHSS in infertility patients with PCOS after oocyte retrieval.Result(s)The incidence of patients at high risk of OHSS was significantly different from season-to-season and was especially higher in the summer and winter. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that gonadotropin dosage, number of retrieved oocytes, estradiol level, average bilateral ovarian diameter on the day human chorionic gonadotropin was administered, type of infertility, and average temperature were independent risk factors for OHSS after oocyte retrieval in PCOS patients. Based on the above independent risk factors, we constructed a prediction model for OHSS risk. To evaluate the efficiency of the prediction model, we calculated the C-index (0.849), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.849), and internal validation C-index (0.846). Decision curve analysis suggested that the prediction model exhibited significant net benefits.Conclusion(s)The incidence of PCOS patients at high risk for OHSS after oocyte retrieval fluctuated with seasonal temperature changes, and was significantly higher in extreme climates. The prediction model had favorable predictive performance and clinical application value.

In nitrogen (N)-limited temperate regions, winter is an important period of N accumulation. The accumulated N is released during snowmelt and thawing, and the availability peaks in early spring. However, the early-spring dynamics of specific N forms (i.e., ammonium NH4+ and nitrate NO3−) in temperate grasslands are still not fully understood. Here, we added 15NH4+ and 15NO3− (equivalent to 150 mg 15N m−2) to the soils of a meadow steppe and a typical steppe in northern China immediately after snowmelt, then quantified the retention dynamics of 15NH4+ and 15NO3− in soils, microbes, and plants over the subsequent growing season. Approximately 70% of the added 15N tracers were initially retained within the soil−microbe−plant systems in both temperate grasslands. In early spring, much 15N was immobilized in soils and microbes, while little had been taken up by plants. During the subsequent growing season, approximately 45% of the 15N was rapidly lost by the soils and microbes, but plant 15N acquisition gradually increased. Although soils and plants retained similar levels of 15NH4+ and 15NO3− during the growing season, soil microbes retained more 15NH4+ than 15NO3−. Different plant taxa had distinct 15N acquisition capacities: perennial grasses and forbs accumulated the 15N tracers rapidly, while annuals did not. Perennial grasses were effective immobilizers of the 15NH4+, whereas forbs were effective immobilizers of the 15NO3−. These findings provided evidence of the substantial retention of early-spring N over the following growing season in temperate grasslands, regardless of the vegetation type and N form. However, it was clear that the dynamics of early-spring 15NH4+ and 15NO3− differed within the soil−microbe−plant systems.

BACKGROUND: Global climatic change is generally expected to stimulate net primary production, and consequently increase soil carbon (C) input. The enhanced C input together with potentially increased precipitation may affect soil microbial processes and plant growth. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To examine the effects of C and water additions on soil microbial properties and plant growth, we conducted an experiment lasting two years in a temperate steppe of northeastern China. We found that soil C and water additions significantly affected microbial properties and stimulated plant growth. Carbon addition significantly increased soil microbial biomass and activity but had a limited effect on microbial community structure. Water addition significantly increased soil microbial activity in the first year but the response to water decreased in the second year. The water-induced changes of microbial activity could be ascribed to decreased soil nitrogen (N) availability and to the shift in soil microbial community structure. However, no water effect on soil microbial activity was visible under C addition during the two years, likely because C addition alleviated nutrient limitation of soil microbes. In addition, C and water additions interacted to affect plant functional group composition. Water addition significantly increased the ratio of grass to forb biomass in C addition plots but showed only minor effects under ambient C levels. Our results suggest that soil microbial activity and plant growth are limited by nutrient (C and N) and water availability, and highlight the importance of nutrient availability in modulating the responses of soil microbes and plants to potentially increased precipitation in the temperate steppe. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Increased soil C input and precipitation would show significant effects on soil microbial properties and plant growth in the temperate steppe. These findings will improve our understanding of the responses of soil microbes and plants to the indirect and direct climate change effects.

Although it has been widely accepted that global changes will pose the most important constrains to plant survival and distribution, our knowledge of the adaptive mechanism for plant with large-scale environmental changes (e.g. drought and high temperature) remains limited.An experiment was conducted to examine anatomical and physiological plasticity in Leymus chinensis along a large-scale geographical gradient from 115° to 124°E in northeast China. Ten sites selected for plant sampling at the gradient have approximately theoretical radiation, but differ in precipitation and elevation. The significantly increasing in leaf thickness, leaf mass per area, vessel and vascular diameters, and decreasing in stoma density and stoma index exhibited more obvious xerophil-liked traits for the species from the moist meadow grassland sites in contrast to that from the dry steppe and desert sites. Significant increase in proline and soluble sugar accumulation, K(+)/Na(+) for the species with the increasing of stresses along the gradient showed that osmotic adjustment was enhanced.Obvious xerophytic anatomical traits and stronger osmotic adjustment in stress conditions suggested that the plants have much more anatomical and physiological flexibilities than those in non-stress habitats along the large-scale gradient.

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) is a common respiratory pathogen affecting the longevity of the elderly and the health of children. However, the human vaccine against MP has not been successfully developed till now due to the poor immunogenicity and side effects of MP inactivated or attenuated vaccine. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a MP genetic engineering vaccine with influenza virus strain as vector. Methods: In this study, the major antigen genes P1a of MP adhesion factor P1(3862‐4554 bases) and P30a of P30(49‐822 bases) were inserted into the nonstructural protein (NS) gene of Influenza A virus strain A/Puerto Rio/8/34(H1N1), PR8 for short, to construct the recombinant vectors NS‐P1a or NS‐P30a. The recombinant pHW2000 plasmids containing NS‐P1a or NS‐P30a were cotransfected with the rest 7 fragments of PR8 into HEK293T cells. After inoculating chicken embryos, the recombinant influenza viruses rFLU‐P1a and rFLU‐P30a were rescued. RT‐PCR and sequencing were used to identify the recombinant viruses. The hemagglutination titers of rFLU‐P1a and rFLU‐P30a were determined after five successive generations in chicken embryos so as to indicate the genetic stability of the recombinant viruses. The morphology of recombinant influenza viruses was observed under electron microscopy. Results: P1a or P30a was designed to be inserted into the modified NS gene sequence separately and synthesized successfully. RT‐PCR identification of the recombinant viruses rFLU‐P1a and rFLU‐P30a showed that P1a (693 bp), P30a (774 bp), NS‐P1a (1992bp) and NS‐P30a (2073 bp) bands were found, and the sequencing results were correct. After five successive generations, each virus generation has a certain hemagglutination titer (from 1:32 to 1:64), and the band of P1a or P30a can be seen in the corresponding positions. The virus particles under the electron microscope appeared as spheres or long strips connected by several particles, revealing a complete viral membrane structure composed of virus lipid bilayer, hemagglutinin, neuraminidase, and matrix proteins. Conclusion: The recombinant viruses rFLU‐P1a and rFLU‐P30a which carried the advantaged immune regions of the P1 and P30 genes in MP were successfully constructed and identified. And the genetic stability of rFLU‐P1a or rFLU‐P30a was relatively high. The typical and complete morphology of influenza virus was observed under the electron microscope. Our research provided a foundation for the further development of MP vaccines for human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Conductive gel interface materials are widely employed as reliable agents for electroencephalogram (EEG) recording. However, prolonged EEG recording poses challenges in maintaining stable and efficient capture due to inevitable evaporation in hydrogels, which restricts sustained high conductivity. This study introduces a novel ion‐electron dual‐mode conductive hydrogel synthesized through a cost‐effective and streamlined process. By embedding graphite nanoparticles into ionic hyaluronic acid (HAGN), the hydrogel maintains higher conductivity for over 72 h, outperforming commercial gels. Additionally, it exhibits superior low skin contact impedance, considerable electrochemical capability, and excellent tensile and adhesion performance in both dry and wet conditions. The biocompatibility of the HAGN hydrogel, verified through in vitro cell viability assays and in vivo skin irritation tests, underscores its suitability for prolonged skin contact without eliciting adverse reactions. Furthermore, in vivo EEG tests confirm the HAGN hydrogel's capability to provide high‐fidelity signal acquisition across multiple EEG protocols. The HAGN hydrogel proves to be an effective interface for prolonged high‐quality EEG recording, facilitating high‐performance capture and classification of evoked potentials, thereby providing a reliable conductive medium for EEG‐based systems.

The electrospinning of pure chitosan nanofibers is highly sensitive to environmental humidity, which limits their production consistency and applicability. This study investigates the addition of sodium chloride (NaCl) to chitosan solutions to enhance spinnability and mitigate the effigurefects of low humidity. NaCl was incorporated into the electrospun chitosan solution, leading to increased conductivity and decreased viscosity. These modifications improved the electrospinning process. Comparative analyses between chitosan membranes (CM) and sodium-chloride-added chitosan membranes (SCM) revealed no significant differences in chemical structure, mechanical strength, or in vitro cell proliferation. This indicates that the addition of 1% (w/v) NaCl does not adversely affect the fundamental properties of the chitosan membranes. The findings demonstrate that NaCl addition is a viable strategy for producing electrospun chitosan nanofibers in low-humidity environments, maintaining their physicochemical properties while enhancing spinnability.

1. Nitrogen (N) is a critical element for vegetation growth and subsequent carbon (C) and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Plant N uptake, the only pathway for plants to directly obtain N from soils, is a bottleneck process for ecosystem C and N cycling. Ecological theories predict that deciduous trees remain dormant and do not take up N during winters as no growth occurs during this season. 2. In this study, we adopted a 15N isotopic experiment to trace N processes throughout the non-growing season in a temperate forest in northern China. The 15N-labelled inorganic N (NH4+ and NO3-) and 13C15N-labelled organic N (glycine and tyrosine; equivalent to 150 mg 15N/m²) were applied to soils at mid-fall, and the 15N recovery in various components of dominant evergreen and deciduous species was analysed. 3. We found that soil N transformation remained active in the winter and microbial N immobilization reached its peak in late winter. Surprisingly, deciduous species maintained a high N uptake that was comparable with the evergreen species throughout the non-growing season. Perennial herbs did not take up N until the next spring. All plant species acquired inorganic N and simple amino acids, while only the tree species utilized complex amino acids. Throughout the non-growing season, evergreen and deciduous trees showed higher uptake rates for NH+ 4 and glycine than NO3- and tyrosine, while deciduous shrubs and herbs showed a stronger preference for NO3- over other N forms. 4. Synthesis. The finding that deciduous trees have strong N uptake in the nongrowing season challenges the conventional viewpoint that deciduous trees remain dormant during non-growing seasons. This mechanism might supplement the algorithm in the model representation of N-limited temperate forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desirable characteristics of electrospun chitosan membranes (ESCM) for guided bone regeneration are their nanofiber structure that mimics the extracellular fiber matrix and porosity for the exchange of signals between bone and soft tissue compartments. However, ESCM are susceptible to swelling and loss of nanofiber and porous structure in physiological environments. A novel post-electrospinning method using di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (tBOC) prevents swelling and loss of nanofibrous structure better than sodium carbonate treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that retention of nanofiber morphology and high porosity of tBOC-modified ESCM (tBOC-ESCM) would support more bone mineralization in osteoblast-fibroblast co-cultures compared to Na2CO3 treated membranes (Na2CO3-ESCM) and solution-cast chitosan solid films (CM-film). The results showed that only the tBOC-ESCM retained the nanofibrous structure and had approximately 14 times more pore volume than Na2CO3-ESCM and thousands of times more pore volume than CM-films, respectively. In co-cultures, the tBOC-ESCM resulted in a significantly greater calcium-phosphate deposition by osteoblasts than either the Na2CO3-ESCM or CM-film (p < 0.05). This work supports the study hypothesis that tBOC-ESCM with nanofiber structure and high porosity promotes the exchange of signals between osteoblasts and fibroblasts, leading to improved mineralization in vitro and thus potentially improved bone healing and regeneration in guided bone regeneration applications