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Decomposition of plant residues is largely mediated by soil-dwelling microorganisms whose activities are influenced by both climate conditions and properties of the soil. However, a comprehensive understanding of their relative importance remains elusive, mainly because traditional methods, such as soil incubation and environmental surveys, have a limited ability to differentiate between the combined effects of climate and soil. Here, we performed a large-scale reciprocal soil transplantation experiment, whereby microbial communities associated with straw decomposition were examined in three initially identical soils placed in parallel in three climate regions of China (red soil, Chao soil, and black soil, located in midsubtropical, warm-temperate, and cold-temperate zones). Maize straws buried in mesh bags were sampled at 0.5, 1, and 2 years after the burial and subjected to chemical, physical, and microbiological analyses, e.g., phospholipid fatty acid analysis for microbial abundance, community-level physiological profiling, and 16S rRNA gene denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, respectively, for functional and phylogenic diversity. Results of aggregated boosted tree analysis show that location rather soil is the primary determining factor for the rate of straw decomposition and structures of the associated microbial communities. Principal component analysis indicates that the straw communities are primarily grouped by location at any of the three time points. In contrast, microbial communities in bulk soil remained closely related to one another for each soil. Together, our data suggest that climate (specifically, geographic location) has stronger effects than soil on straw decomposition; moreover, the successive process of microbial communities in soils is slower than those in straw residues in response to climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the education and knowledge management research background and current requirement. We make a research in system design based on ontology representation and the Semantic Web model. This paper puts forward a method to represent ontology in XML. This method has a well result and general purpose. Based on this method, we design and realize the ontology layer and the Semantic Web model in the knowledge management system. We use the ontology as the semantic information layer in the system, thus we can share education information automatically and intelligently. Further of the work is to add more support of reasoning functions and research the exchange mechanism of the ontology in Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mammalian rods and cones, light activation of the visual pigments leads to release of the chromophore, which is then recycled through a multistep enzymatic pathway, referred to as the visual or retinoid cycle. In invertebrates such as Drosophila, a visual cycle was thought not to exist since the rhodopsins are bistable photopigments, which consist of a chromophore that normally stays bound to the opsin following light activation. Nevertheless, we recently described a visual cycle in Drosophila that serves to recycle the free chromophore that is released following light-induced internalization of rhodopsin, and a retinol dehydrogenase (RDH) that catalyzes the first step of the pathway. Here, we describe the identification of a putative RDH, referred to as RDHB (retinol dehydrogenase B), which functions in thevisualcycleandindenovosynthesisofthechromophore.RDHBwasexpressedintheretinalpigmentcells(RPCs),whereitpromotedthefinal enzymatic reaction necessary for the production of the chromophore. Mutation of rdhB caused moderate light-dependent degeneration of the phototransducing compartment of the photoreceptor cells--the rhabdomeres, reminiscent of the effects of mutations in some human RDH genes. Since the first and last steps in the visual cycle take place in the RPCs, it appears that these cells are the sites of action for this entire enzymatic pathway in Drosophila [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal termination of signaling is essential to reset signaling cascades, especially those such as phototransduction that are turned on and off with great rapidity. Genetic approaches in Drosophila led to the identification of several proteins required for termination, including protein kinase C (PKC), NINAC (neither inactivation nor afterpotential C) p174, which consists of fused protein kinase and myosin domains, and a PDZ (postsynaptic density-95/Discs Large/zona occludens-1) scaffold protein, INAD (inactivation no afterpotential D). Here, we describe a mutation affecting a poorly characterized but evolutionarily conserved protein, Retinophilin (Retin), which is expressed primarily in the phototransducing compartment of photoreceptor cells, the rhabdomeres. Retin and NINAC formed a complex and were mutually dependent on each other for expression. Loss of retin resulted in an age-dependent impairment in termination of phototransduction. Mutations that affect termination of the photoresponse typically lead to a reduction in levels of the major rhodopsin (Rh1) to attenuate signaling. Consistent with the slower termination in retin¹, the mutant photoreceptor cells exhibited increased endocytosis of Rh1 and a decline in Rh1 protein. The slower termination in retin1 was a consequence of a cascade of defects, which began with the reduction in NINAC p174 levels. The diminished p174 concentration caused a decrease in INAD. Because PKC requires interaction with INAD for protein stability, this leads to reduction in PKC levels. The decline in PKC was age dependent and paralleled the onset of the termination phenotype in retin¹ mutant flies. We conclude that the slower termination of the photoresponse in retin¹ resulted from a requirement for the Retin/NINAC complex for stability of INAD and PKC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase (LRRK2) gene cause late-onset autosomal dominant Parkinson's disease (PD) with pleiomorphic pathology. Previously, we and others found that expression of mutant LRRK2 causes neuronal degeneration in cell culture. Here we used the GAL4/UAS system to generate transgenic Drosophila ex- pressing either wild-type human LRRK2 or LRRK2-G2019S, the most common mutation associated with PD. Expression of either wild-type human LRRK2 or LRRK2-G2019S in the photoreceptor cells caused retinal degeneration. Expression of LRRK2 or LRRK2-G2019S in neurons produced adult-onset selective loss of dopaminergic neurons, locomotor dysfunction, and early mortality. Expression of mutant G2019S-LRRK2 caused a more severe parkinsonism-like phenotype than expression of equivalent levels of wild-type LRRK2. Treatment with L-DOPA improved mutant LRRK2-induced locomotor impairment but did not prevent the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo"gain-of-function" model which recapitulates several key features of LRRK2-linked human parkinsonism. These flies may provide a useful model for studying LRRK2-linked pathogenesis and for future therapeutic screens for PD intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the risk factors for postoperative delirium (POD) after rectal cancer resection in non-diabetic elderly patients. Methods The clinical data of 542 patients were collected from the Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder Risk Factor and Prognosis study, and according to the presence or absence of POD, they were divided into POD group with 80 patients and non-POD group with 462 patients. The two groups were compared in terms of sex, age, years of education, fasting blood glucose (FBG) before surgery, glycosylated hemoglobin before surgery, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score before surgery, and the presence or absence of POD, and the logistic regression model was used to investigate the influencing factors for POD in patients. Results The incidence rate of POD was 14.8% among these patients. There were significant diffe-rences between the POD group and the non-POD group in age, years of education, preoperative FBG level, and preoperative MMSE score (t=-5.420,-2.121,Z=-12.691,-7.753,P

Background: Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is associated with circulating free fatty acids that can cause acute pancreatitis. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is a rapid and effective method of reducing triglyceride levels. This case series presents 6 cases of acute pancreatitis associated with hypertriglyceridemia with a rapid response to therapeutic plasma exchange. Case Report: Six patients diagnosed with hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP) were hospitalized and received therapeutic plasma exchange at the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Upon admission, laboratory tests and abdominal computed tomography (CT) were performed, and all signs and test results were consistent with the diagnosis of hypertriglyceridemia and acute pancreatitis (AP). Among them, 4 patients were discharged after therapeutic plasma exchange. Anaphylaxis and ketoacidosis occurred in 2 cases during therapeutic plasma exchange. Conclusions: High levels of triglyceride can lead to acute pancreatitis events. After therapeutic plasma exchange treatment for hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis, triglyceride levels decrease significantly, and adverse reactions during therapeutic plasma exchange should be actively watched for. However, there are no clear criteria for applying therapeutic plasma exchange, and more studies are needed to assess the value and risks of this treatment option. This case series shows the importance of evaluating triglyceride levels in patients with acute pancreatitis and the role of therapeutic plasma exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Delayed onset of lactogenesis (DOL) is an important cause of failed lactation. Excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum depression will increase the risk of DOL, but appropriate physical activity (PA) during pregnancy may effectively prevent excessive gestational weight gain, improve postpartum negative mood, benefiting breastfeeding. However, the relationship between PA during pregnancy and DOL is still unclear. Objective To investigate the PA level in the third trimester and its association with DOL, providing a basis for early prevention of DOL and ensuring breastfeeding success. Methods A prospective study design was adopted. Participants were women in their third trimester who underwent prenatal examination and later delivery in the 901 Hospital, Joint Logistic Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, from December 2020 to August 2021. General information (including demographic and obstetric data) , PA and sedentary behaviour time (evaluated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form) , postpartum depression (evaluated by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) , and DOL were investigated and collected. Unconditional Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between PA level in the third trimester and DOL. Results A total of 261 cases were selected, and 247 of them (94.7%) who returned responsive questionnaires were finally enrolled. The prevalence of DOL was 27.9% (69/247) . Respondents with and without DOL had significant differences in gestational weight gain, depression prevalence, and prevalence of infant formula feeding within 48 hours after delivery (P

Maize kernel moisture content (KMC) at harvest greatly affects mechanical harvesting, transport and storage. KMC is correlated with kernel dehydration rate (KDR) before and after physiological maturity. KMC and KDR are complex traits governed by multiple quantitative trait loci (QTL). Their genetic architecture is incompletely understood. We used a multiomics integration approach with an association panel to identify genes influencing KMC and KDR. A genome-wide association study using time-series KMC data from 7 to 70 days after pollination and their transformed KDR data revealed respectively 98 and 279 loci significantly associated with KMC and KDR. Time-series transcriptome and proteome datasets were generated to construct KMC correlation networks, from which respectively 3111 and 759 module genes and proteins were identified as highly associated with KMC. Integrating multiomics analysis, several promising candidate genes for KMC and KDR, including Zm00001d047799 and Zm00001d035920, were identified. Further mutant experiments showed that Zm00001d047799, a gene encoding heat shock 70 kDa protein 5, reduced KMC in the late stage of kernel development. Our study provides resources for the identification of candidate genes influencing maize KMC and KDR, shedding light on the genetic architecture of dynamic changes in maize KMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant heterosis has been documented in Brassica juncea L. that are grown as agriculturally important oilseeds, vegetables and condiments crops. Male sterility induced by chemical hybridizing agents is an important pollination control system in hybrid crop breeding. Herein, we show that tribenuron-methyl (TBM), a sulfonylurea herbicide, is an effective male gametocide in B. juncea when used at a very low dosage. In the present study, foliar application of various rates of TBM induced a significant increase in pollen sterility in B. juncea (90.57-100%). TBM-treated plants exhibited reductions in size of floral organ and yield components; however, lower dose of TBM (0.075 g a.i. ha-1) did not cause a significant reduction in seed yield per plant. Tapetum cells of TBM-treated plants were hypertrophied and degenerated earlier, and abnormal meiosis was observed at the meiotic stage. A significant decrease of acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) activities was detected in buds of plants treated with 0.10 g a.i. ha-1 TBM, and RT-qPCR analysis showed that TBM exposure perturbed AHAS expression in small buds, which support that TBM induces male sterility in B. juncea by targeting AHAS expression. Our results suggest that TBM could be used as an efficient chemical hybridization agent in B. juncea, which has practical implications for the application of hybrid breeding in B. juncea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of chromosome 7 and del(7q) [-7/del(7q)] are recurring cytogenetic abnormalities in hematologic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia and therapy-related myeloid neoplasms, and associated with an adverse prognosis. Despite intensive effort by many laboratories, the putative myeloid tumor suppressor(s) on chromosome 7 has not yet been identified. We performed transcriptome sequencing and SNP array analysis on de novo and therapy-related myeloid neoplasms, half with -7/del(7q). We identified a 2.17-Mb commonly deleted segment on chromosome band 7q22.1 containing CUX1, a gene encoding a homeodomain-containing transcription factor. In 1 case, CUX1 was disrupted by a translocation, resulting in a loss-of-function RNA fusion transcript. CUX1 was the most significantly differentially expressed gene within the commonly deleted segment and was expressed at haploinsufficient levels in -7/del(7q) leukemias. Haploinsufficiency of the highly conserved ortholog, cut, led to hemocyte overgrowth - and tumor formation in Drosophila melanogaster. Similarly, haploinsufficiency of CUX1 gave human hematopoietic cells a significant engraftment advantage on transplantation into immunodeficient mice. Within the RNA-sequencing data, we identified a CUXt-associated cell cycle transcriptional gene signature, suggesting that CUX1 exerts tumor suppressor activity by regulating proliferative genes. These data identify CUX1 as a conserved, haploinsufficient tumor suppressor frequently deleted in myeloid neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]