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Stripe (yellow) rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), can significantly affect wheat production. Cloning resistance genes is critical for efficient and effective breeding of stripe rust resistant wheat cultivars. One resistance gene (Yr10CG) underlying the Pst resistance locus Yr10 has been cloned. However, following haplotype and linkage analyses indicate the presence of additional Pst resistance gene(s) underlying/near Yr10 locus. Here, we report the cloning of the Pst resistance gene YrNAM in this region using the method of sequencing trait-associated mutations (STAM). YrNAM encodes a non-canonical resistance protein with a NAM domain and a ZnF-BED domain. We show that both domains are required for resistance. Transgenic wheat harboring YrNAM gene driven by its endogenous promoter confers resistance to stripe rust races CYR32 and CYR33. YrNAM is an ancient gene and present in wild wheat species Aegilops longissima and Ae. sharonensis; however, it is absent in most wheat cultivars, which indicates its breeding value.

An analytical method was established for the simultaneous detection of five saccharides in tea by multi-plug filtration cleanup (m-PFC) combined with high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD). An m-PFC cartridge with polyamide powder as sorbent was developed for sample pretreatment. Tea samples were extracted with water while shaking, and then back-extracted with dichloromethane for the removal of impurities. The upper phase was purified using the m-PFC column and detected by HPLC. Quantification was performed by the external standard method. The results showed that the logarithm of the peak areas was linearly related to the logarithm of the concentrations of rhamnose, fructose, glucose, sucrose, and maltose within the linear ranges tested, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.99. The limits of detection (LOD) were in the range of 0.04–0.1 g/100 g, and the limits of quantitation (LOQ) were 0.10–0.20 g/100 g. The average recoveries at three spiked levels were in the range of 91.0%–103%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.0%–4.6%. This method has the advantages of simple operation and good purification effect, and is suitable for the quantitation of these five saccharides in tea.

Wheat stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is a global threat to wheat production. Aegilops tauschii, one of the wheat progenitors, carries the YrAS2388 locus for resistance to Pst on chromosome 4DS. We reveal that YrAS2388 encodes a typical nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor (NLR). The Pst-resistant allele YrAS2388R has duplicated 3' untranslated regions and is characterized by alternative splicing in the nucleotide-binding domain. Mutation of the YrAS2388R allele disrupts its resistance to Pst in synthetic hexaploid wheat; transgenic plants with YrAS2388R show resistance to eleven Pst races in common wheat and one race of P. striiformis f. sp. hordei in barley. The YrAS2388R allele occurs only in Ae. tauschii and the Ae. tauschii-derived synthetic wheat; it is absent in 100% (n = 461) of common wheat lines tested. The cloning of YrAS2388R will facilitate breeding for stripe rust resistance in wheat and other Triticeae species.

Hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction is closely related to cognitive deficits in vascular dementia. We reviewed the latest developments in the internal associations of hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction with cognitive deficits in vascular dementia, which mainly encompass seven aspects: abnormal mitochondrial autophagy, abnormal apoptotic pathway, oxidative damage, abnormal biosynthetic function, dynamic imbalance, imbalance of calcium homeostasis and abnormal respiratory function. According to the evidence, hippocampal mitochondrial dysfunction may be a major cause of cognitive impairment in vascular dementia, which provides insights into the development of new ideas and effective ways for clinical prevention and improvement of cognitive function in vascular dementia.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most serious and common complications in the course of sepsis, known for its poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Recently, ferroptosis, as a newly discovered regulatory cell death, might be closely associated with the progression of AKI. METTL14 is a writer of RNA m6A, an abundant epigenetic modification in transcriptome with broad function. Hence, the purpose of our study is to explore the potential function and mechanism of METTL14 on the ferroptosis in sepsis-induced AKI. In this paper, TCMK-1 cells and mice treated with LPS were used to constructe AKI model in vitro and in vivo. Pathological changes of renal tissue were observed by HE staining. The fluorescent probe C11-BODIPY and 4HNE kits were used to measure the lipid peroxidation. The ferroptosis index was evaluated by MDA, GSH and Fe2+ kits. The total m6A levels were analyzed by EpiQuik M6A RNA methylation kit, and the m6A levels of LPCAT3 were examined by Me-RIP assay. Finally, the interaction between LPCAT3 and METTL14 was clarified using RIP and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays. Our works revealed that the m6A level and ferroptosis was markedly ascended in LPS-induced TCMK-1 cells. The silence of METTL14 lowered the cell viability, the levels of MDA, Fe2+ and lipid peroxidation in the LPS-stimulated AKI model in vitro and in vivo, but increase GSH levels. Moreover, the up-regulation of ferroptosis-related proteins by LPS was notably inhibited by the knockdown of METTL14. In addition, silencing METTL14 reduced the m6A and mRNA levels of LPCAT3. Furthermore, the efficacy of METTL14 downregulation on the ferroptosis in the LPS-induced TCMK-1 cells were antagonized by LPCAT3 overexpression. Taken together, our findings revealed that METTL14 knockdown resisted ferroptosis in sepsis-induced AKI through lessening the level of LPCAT3 mediated by m6A modification. Highlights: Septic kidney injury induces ferroptosis and increased m6A level. Knockdown of METTL14 improved acute kidney injury in sepsis mice. METTL14 enhances the stability of LPCAT3 through m6A modification. Silencing METTL14 inhibited LPS-induced ferroptosis of TCMK-1 by down-regulating LPCAT3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male sterility is a valuable trait for plant breeding and hybrid seed production. The dominant male-sterile gene Ms2 in common wheat has facilitated the release of hundreds of breeding lines and cultivars in China. Here, we describe the map-based cloning of the Ms2 gene and show that Ms2 confers male sterility in wheat, barley and Brachypodium. MS2 appears as an orphan gene within the Triticinae and expression of Ms2 in anthers is associated with insertion of a retroelement into the promoter. The cloning of Ms2 has substantial potential to assemble practical pipelines for recurrent selection and hybrid seed production in wheat.

Industrial parks in China are centers of intensive chemical manufacturing and other industrial activities, often concentrated in relatively small areas. This concentration increases the risk of soil pollution both within the parks and in surrounding areas. The soils of the Tibetan Plateau, known for their high sensitivity to environmental changes, are particularly vulnerable to human activity. In this study, we examined the concentrations (mg/kg) of 10 metal elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) in soils at depths of 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–30 cm from the surface at three distances (500 m, 1000 m, and 1500 m from the park boundary) on the east, south, west, and north sides of the Tianzhu Industrial Park on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The concentrations of As, Cr, Mn, and Pb were close to the standard reference values for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, while Cu, Ni, Se, and Zn levels were found to be 1.6-2.2 times higher than the reference values. Cd and Hg concentrations were particularly concerning, at 8.0 and 6.5 times higher than reference values, respectively. The potential ecological risk indexes indicated persistent risk levels for Cd and Se across various directions and distances. Variations in soil depth and direction were observed for the concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Se, and Zn, underscoring the need for regular or long-term monitoring. Cd, in particular, presents a significant hazard due to its high concentration and its propensity for uptake by plants in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a metastructure device (MSD) modulated by liquid crystal (LC) and vanadium dioxide (VO2), suitable for circular-to-linear polarization conversion and refractive index (RI) sensing. The MSD employs a 2 × 2 array as a unit cell, forming a circular-to-linear polarization conversion. Filling the MSD with analytes of different RIs can cause changes in the electromagnetic properties of the MSD, thus realizing the sensing function. Furthermore, the detection range of the sensing can be modified by changing the long-axis pointing of the LC molecules under an applied voltage, resulting in multi-range detection. The RI unit is denoted as RIU. Without an applied voltage, the RI detection range is 1.949–2.607, with a sensitivity of 199 GHz/RIU; under full-bias conditions, the detection range is 2.828–3.391, with a sensitivity of 143 GHz/RIU. In the initial state of LCs, this paper also explores the use of the phase transition of VO2 to adjust the conductivity of VO2 to achieve changes in the detection range. In the insulating state, the detection range is 2.12–2.607, with a sensitivity of 225 GHz/RIU, while in the metallic state, the detection range is 1–2, with a sensitivity of 183 GHz/RIU. Furthermore, altering the thickness of the analyte also affects the electromagnetic properties of the device, causing a shift in the peak axial ratio frequency, making the MSD suitable for analyte thickness detection. The MSD has a wide detection range, high sensitivity, and adaptability, making it suitable for identifying cancer cells and giving a new method of monitoring human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastrointestinal cancer cells display both morphology and physiology diversity, thus posing a significant challenge for precise representation by a single data model. We conducted an in-depth study of gastrointestinal cancer heterogeneity by integrating and analyzing data from multiple modalities. Methods: We used a modified Canny algorithm to identify edges from tumor images, capturing intricate nonlinear interactions between pixels. These edge features were then combined with differentially expressed mRNA, miRNA, and immune cell data. Before data integration, we used the K-medoids algorithm to pre-cluster individual data types. The results of pre-clustering were used to construct the kernel matrix. Finally, we applied spectral clustering to the fusion matrix to identify different tumor subtypes. Furthermore, we identified hub genes linked to these subtypes and their biological roles through the application of Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis. Results: Our investigation categorized patients into three distinct tumor subtypes and pinpointed hub genes associated with each. Genes MAGI2-AS3, MALAT1, and SPARC were identified as having a differential impact on the metastatic and invasive capabilities of cancer cells. Conclusion: By harnessing multimodal features, our study enhances the understanding of gastrointestinal tumor heterogeneity and identifies biomarkers for personalized medicine and targeted treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the period following the global COVID-19 pandemic, financial sustainability has become critical for the survival of enterprises around the world. This paper investigates the mechanisms and implications of digital transformation on resilience from the perspective of financial sustainability, that is, financial resilience. Employing a sample of Chinese listed firms, the study documents that digital transformation was positively related to financial resilience in normal states due to improved internal corporate governance, increased analyst coverage, alleviated financial constraints, and reduced operation risk. The relationship was more significant for companies with digitally literate executives, non–state–owned companies, and high–tech companies. However, it was not significant during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and for companies with consecutive losses and delisting warnings. These findings provide unique evidence to support the beneficial effects of digital transformation on corporate resilience and to identify strategies for strengthening financial sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has greatly facilitated genomic and transcriptomic studies, contributing significantly in expanding the current knowledge on genome and transcriptome. However, the continually evolving variety of sequencing platforms, protocols and analytical pipelines has led the research community to focus on cross-platform evaluation and standardization. As a NGS pioneer in China, the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) has announced its own NGS platform designated as BGISEQ-500, since 2016. The capability of this platform in large-scale DNA sequencing and small RNA analysis has been already evaluated. However, the comparative performance of BGISEQ-500 platform in transcriptome analysis remains yet to be elucidated. The Illumina series, a leading sequencing platform in China’s sequencing market, would be a preferable reference to evaluate new platforms. Methods To this end, we describe a cross-platform comparative study between BGISEQ-500 and Illumina HiSeq4000 for analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana WT (Col 0) transcriptome. The key parameters in RNA sequencing and transcriptomic data processing were assessed in biological replicate experiments, using aforesaid platforms. Results The results from the two platforms BGISEQ-500 and Illumina HiSeq4000 shared high concordance in both inter- (correlation, 0.88–0.93) and intra-platform (correlation, 0.95–0.98) comparison for gene quantification, identification of differentially expressed genes and alternative splicing events. However, the two platforms yielded highly variable interpretation results for single nucleotide polymorphism and insertion–deletion analysis. Conclusion The present case study provides a comprehensive reference dataset to validate the capability of BGISEQ-500 enabling it to be established as a competitive and reliable platform in plant transcriptome analysis.

The moth Plutella xylostella during its larval stage is the host of the endoparasitic wasp Cotesia vestalis. Here the authors show that the parasitoids deliver microRNAs to their hosts through their symbiotic virus and specialized cells leading to induced developmental delay.