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Abstract Pampus argenteus is a highly commercial marine fish whose population is declining sharply. Here, we generated a female P. argenteus genome, spanning 536.33 Mb with contig N50 of 1.79 Mb; 24070 genes (99.50% of 24,182) were functionally annotated. To improve quality of it, we assembled a 553.79 Mb genome of male fish with contig N50 of 24.75 Mb through HiFi and ultra-long ONT sequence technologies; 550.82 Mb were anchored onto 24 gap-free chromosomes; 22,892 genes (98.1% of 23,346) were functionally annotated; the QV value was 51.55 with 98.9% of BUSCO and 99.39% coverage of Illumina reads. Finally, we compared this genome with previous published one, revealing 37,301 SVs. 52.82 Mb and 18.05 Mb SDs were characterized in our and published assemblies, respectively, and 48.96 Mb PURs were constructed. Thus, this genome assembly exhibits excellent completeness, continuity and accuracy comparing to the published one, which can be current preferred reference genome. Overall, these works help aquaculture and wild resources recovery of P. argenteus and provide a valuable genetic resource for study.

Tendinopathy leads to low-grade tissue inflammation and chronic damage, which progresses due to pathological imbalance in angiogenesis. Reducing early pathological vascularization may be a new approach in helping to regenerate tendon tissue. Conventional stem cell therapy and tissue engineering scaffolds have not been highly effective at treating tendinopathy. In this study, tissue engineered stem cells (TSCs) generated using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) were combined with microcarrier scaffolds to limit excessive vascularization in tendinopathy. By preventing VEGF receptor activation through their paracrine function, TSCs reduced in vitro angiogenesis and the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. TSCs also decreased the inflammatory expression of tenocytes while promoting their anabolic and tenogenic characteristics. Furthermore, local injection of TSCs into rats with collagenase-induced tendinopathy substantially reduced early inflammation and vascularization. Mechanistically, transcriptome sequencing revealed that TSCs could reduce the progression of pathological angiogenesis in tendon tissue, attributed to Rap1-mediated vascular inhibition. TSCs may serve as a novel and practical approach for suppressing tendon vascularization, and provide a promising therapeutic agent for early-stage clinical tendinopathy.

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic inflammatory condition, is caused by several factors involving aberrant immune responses. Genetic factors are crucial in IBD occurrence. Mendelian randomization (MR) can offer a new perspective in understanding IBD’s genetic background. Methods Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were considered instrumental variables (IVs). We analyzed the relationship between 731 immunophenotypes, 1,400 metabolite phenotypes, and IBD. The total effect was decomposed into indirect and direct effects, and the ratio of the indirect effect to the total effect was calculated. Results We identified the causal effects of HLA-DR-expressing CD14 + monocytes on IBD through MR analysis. The phenotype “HLA-DR expression on CD14 + monocytes” showed the strongest association among the selected 48 immune phenotypes. Chiro-inositol metabolites mediated the effect of CD14 + monocytes expressing HLA-DR on IBD. An increase in Chiro-inositol metabolites was associated with a reduced risk of IBD occurrence, accounting for 4.97%. Conclusion Our findings revealed a new pathway by which HLA-DR-expressing CD14 + monocytes indirectly reduced the risk of IBD occurrence by increasing the levels of Chiro-inositol metabolites. The results provided a new perspective on the immunoregulatory mechanisms underlying IBD, laying a theoretical foundation for developing new therapeutic targets in the future.

There has been an emergence of a diversity of microalgal mixotrophic synergistic mechanisms due to substrate differences. In this study, the effects of the mixotrophic culture of Chlorella vulgaris were examined. The maximum values of cell density, specific growth rate, and cell dry weight of Chlorella vulgaris were 3.52*107 cells/mL, 0.75 d−1, and 3.48 g/L in the mixotrophic mode, respectively. These were higher than the corresponding values of photoautotrophic or heterotrophic modes. Moreover, it was found that the concentrations of sodium bicarbonate consumed by the Chlorella vulgaris under mixotrophic and photoautotrophic modes were 635 mg/L/d and 505 mg/L/d, respectively; the concentrations of sodium acetate consumed by the Chlorella vulgaris under mixotrophic and heterotrophic modes were 614 mg/L/d and 645 mg/L/d, respectively. The activity of Rubisco was 9.36 U/mL in the mixotrophic culture, which was 3.09 and 4.85 times higher than that of the photoautotrophic and heterotrophic modes, respectively. This indicated that the differences for the carbon source absorption efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris in the mixotrophy led to different internal metabolic efficiencies when compared to photoautotroph or heterotrophy. Additionally, Chlorella vulgaris exhibits a more rapid energy metabolism efficiency when operating in the mixotrophic mode.

Abstract Running speed degradation of insect-scale (less than 5 cm) legged microrobots after carrying payloads has become a bottleneck for microrobots to achieve high untethered locomotion performance. In this work, we present a 2-cm legged microrobot (BHMbot, BeiHang Microrobot) with ultrafast untethered running speeds, which is facilitated by the complementary combination of bouncing length and bouncing frequency in the microrobot’s running gait. The untethered BHMbot (2-cm-long, 1760 mg) can achieve a running speed of 17.5 BL s−1 and a turning centripetal acceleration of 65.4 BL s−2 at a Cost of Transport of 303.7 and a power consumption of 1.77 W. By controlling its two front legs independently, the BHMbot demonstrates various locomotion trajectories including circles, rectangles, letters and irregular paths across obstacles through a wireless control module. Such advancements enable the BHMbot to carry out application attempts including sound signal detection, locomotion inside a turbofan engine and transportation via a quadrotor.

Fish skeletal muscle is composed of well-defined fiber types. In order to identify potential candidate genes affecting muscle growth and development under epigenetic regulation. Bisulfite sequencing was utilized to analyze and compare the muscle DNA methylation profiles of Larimichthys crocea inhabiting different environments. The results revealed that DNA methylation in L. crocea was predominantly CG methylation, with 2,396 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) identified through comparisons among different populations. The largest difference in methylation was observed between the ZhouShan and JinMen wild populations, suggesting that L. crocea may have undergone selection and domestication. Additionally, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of differentially methylated genes (DMGs) revealed 626 enriched GO functional categories, including various muscle-related genes such as myh10, myf5, myf6, ndufv1, klhl31, map3k4, syn2b, sostdc1a, bag4, and hsp90ab. However, significant enrichment in KEGG pathways was observed only in the JinMen and XiangShan populations of L. crocea. Therefore, this study provides a theoretical foundation for a better understanding of the epigenetic regulation of skeletal muscle growth and development in L. crocea under different environmental conditions.

Abstract Phyllosphere endophytes play a critical role in a myriad of biological functions, such as maintaining plant health and overall fitness. They play a determinative role in crop yield and quality by regulating vital processes, such as leaf functionality and longevity, seed mass, apical growth, flowering, and fruit development. This study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis aiming to review the prevailing research trajectories in phyllosphere endophytes and harness both primary areas of interest and emerging challenges. A total of 156 research articles on phyllosphere endophytes, published between 2002 and 2022, were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). A systematic analysis was conducted using CiteSpace to visualize the evolution of publication frequency, the collaboration network, the co-citation network, and keywords co-occurrence. The findings indicated that initially, there were few publications on the topic of phyllosphere endophytes. However, from 2011 onwards, there was a notable increase in the number of publications on phyllosphere endophytes, gaining worldwide attention. Among authors, Arnold, A Elizabeth is widely recognized as a leading author in this research area. In terms of countries, the USA and China hold the highest rankings. As for institutional ranking, the University of Arizona is the most prevalent and leading institute in this particular subject. Collaborative efforts among the authors and institutions tend to be confined to small groups, and a large-scale collaborative network needs to be established. This study identified the influential journals, literature, and hot research topics. These findings also highlight the interconnected nature of key themes, e.g., phyllosphere endophyte research revolves around the four pillars: diversity, fungal endophytes, growth, and endophytic fungi. This study provides an in-depth perspective on phyllosphere endophytes studies, revealing the identification of biodiversity and microbial interaction of phyllosphere endophytes as the principal research frontiers. These analytical findings not only elucidate the recent trajectory of phyllosphere endophyte research but also provide invaluable insights for similar studies and their potential applications on a global scale.

Abstract Metastasis is the major cause of lung cancer-related death, but the mechanisms governing lung tumor metastasis remain incompletely elucidated. SE translocation (SET) is overexpressed in lung tumors and correlates with unfavorable prognosis. Here we uncover SET-associated transcription factor, zinc finger and BTB domain-containing protein 11 (ZBTB11), as a prometastatic regulator in lung tumors. SET interacts and collaborates with ZBTB11 to promote lung cancer cell migration and invasion, primarily through SET-ZBTB11 complex-mediated transcriptional activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9). Additionally, by transcriptional repression of proline-rich Gla protein 2 (PRRG2), ZBTB11 links Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) activation to drive lung tumor metastasis independently of SET-ZBTB11 complex. Loss of ZBTB11 suppresses distal metastasis in a lung tumor mouse model. Overexpression of ZBTB11 is recapitulated in human metastatic lung tumors and correlates with diminished survival. Our study demonstrates ZBTB11 as a key metastatic regulator and reveals diverse mechanisms by which ZBTB11 modulates lung tumor metastasis.

Abstract Background Microalgae-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), which transfer their cargos to the extracellular environment to affect recipient cells, play important roles in microalgal growth and environmental adaptation. And, they are also considered as sustainable and renewable bioresources of delivery nanocarrier for bioactive molecules and/or artificial drug molecules. However, their molecular composition and functions remain poorly understood. Results In this study, isolation, characterization, and functional verification of Haematococcus pluvialis-derived EVs (HpEVs) were performed. The results indicated that HpEVs with typical EV morphology and size were secreted by H. pluvialis cells during the whole period of growth and accumulated in the culture medium. Cellular uptake of HpEVs by H. pluvialis was confirmed, and their roles in regulation of growth and various physiological processes of the recipient cells were also characterized. The short-term inhibition of HpEV secretion results in the accumulation of functional cellular components of HpEVs, thereby altering the biological response of these cells at the molecular level. Meanwhile, continuously inhibiting the secretion of HpEVs negatively influenced growth, and fatty acid and astaxanthin accumulation in H. pluvialis. Small RNA high-throughput sequencing was further performed to determine the miRNA cargoes and compelling details in HpEVs in depth. Comparative analysis revealed commonalities and differences in miRNA species and expression levels in three stages of HpEVs. A total of 163 mature miRNAs were identified with a few unique miRNAs reveal the highest expression levels, and miRNA expression profile of the HpEVs exhibited a clear stage-specific pattern. Moreover, a total of 12 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified and their target genes were classified to cell cycle control, lipid transport and metabolism, secondary metabolites biosynthesis and so on. Conclusion It was therefore proposed that cargos of HpEVs, including miRNA constituents, were suggested potential roles in modulate cell physiological state of H. pluvialis. To summarize, this work uncovers the intercellular communication and metabolism regulation functions of HpEVs.

ABSTRACTTo effectively utilize the by-products of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus Pelamis) for the preparation of peptides with lipid-lowering activity, alkaline proteinase was selected from six commercial proteases to hydrolyze dark muscle. An L16 (54) orthogonal design was employed to optimize the hydrolysis conditions, resulting in the production of a high-peptide-content hydrolyzate named KPHs-AL. This hydrolyzate exhibited the ability to significantly reduce TG content. KPHs-AL also showed higher persuasive pancreatic lipase (PL) and cholesterol esterase (CEase) inhibitory potential than various molecular weight (Mw) fractions and other enzymatic hydrolyzates, with IC50 values of 5.14 and 8.51 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, KPHs-AL exerted a combined effect of regulating lipid accumulation in FAA-induced steatosis HepG2 cells, leading to decreased total cholesterol (TC) and total triglyceride (TG). Based on the high binding likelihood and interaction with specific binding sites predicted by Pepsite2, 38 peptide sequences were identified as potential PL and CEase inhibitors. Hence, KPHs-AL holds promise as a beneficial component of functional food and exhibits the potential for anti-obesity effects through the alleviation of lipid accumulation

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers in the Guanxi honey pomelo production area has led to severe soil acidification and magnesium (Mg) deficiency, adversely affecting pomelo fruit quality. To address this issue, an integrated nutrient optimization model crucial for ensuring the sustainable and environmentally friendly development of the Guanxi honey pomelo industry has been explored. In a three-year experiment, two fertilizer treatments were implemented: a farmer fertilizer practice (FP) and an NPK reduction plus foliar Mg fertilizer (OPT + fMg). We investigated the impact of this integrated optimized fertilization measure on pomelo fruit quality from three aspects: flavor (sugars and organic acids), nutrition (vitamin C and mineral elements), and antioxidant properties (phenolics, flavonoids, and phytic acid). The results revealed that the OPT + fMg treatment improved fruit flavor by reducing acidity (titratable acid, citric acid, and quinine), while having a minimal impact on sugar components (sucrose, fructose, and glucose). Additionally, the OPT + fMg treatment increased the total phenolics, total flavonoids, and phytic acid in the fruit peel, enhancing its potential antioxidant quality. However, the OPT + fMg treatment reduced the mineral nutrient quality (excluding calcium) in the fruit. As for the fruit developmental period, the OPT + fMg treatment significantly increased the total flavonoid concentration in the peel from the mid-expansion fruit stage, followed by notable increases in phytic acid in the peel during the mid-to-late expansion fruit stage. The total phenolic concentration in the peel significantly rose only during the late fruit development stage. The most pronounced effect was observed on phytic acid in both peel and pulp. The influence of the OPT + fMg treatment on the mineral nutrients (excluding calcium) primarily occurred during the mid-to-late expansion fruit stage. Overall, the OPT + fMg treatment significantly improved the comprehensive nutritional quality of pomelo fruit, providing valuable insights for scientifically reducing fertilizer application while enhancing fruit quality.

The stress response of fasting and extended observation of metabolic activity, antioxidant status, and transcriptomic analysis in the mussel digestive gland was reported in the present study. Our results showed that the survival rate of mussel fasting for 12 weeks was 76.15 %, and the condition factor and gonadal condition index reduced significantly after 4 weeks fasting. The ROS accumulation was significantly increased after fasting for 12 weeks, the lipid peroxidation indexes (H2O2 and MDA) were upregulated after fasting for 8 weeks, the antioxidant indexes (T-AOC, T-SOD, and CAT) were increased significantly in mussels suffering from one week fasting, then significantly decreased along with GST and GPX after long-term fasting (4, 8, 12 weeks), and the atrophy and necrosis of epithelial cells and tissue loss were observed in mussel digestive gland after long-term fasting. Changes across various metabolic regulatory pathways involved in lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, as well as the immunological responses were revealed by transcriptome analysis. In addition, the appearance of autophagosome and autolysosome along with the upregulation of ulk2, atg2, atg4, and Beclin1 mRNAs expression indicates autophagy was activated when fasting for one week but was relatively weakened when fasting for 8 and 12 weeks. When autophagy failed to relieve the fasting stress, apoptosis was gradually enhanced by up regulated apoptosis genes trail and bax, executing the death plan upon long-term fasting. In summary, these results indicated the transition between autophagy and apoptosis was involved in the structural and functional impairment of digestive glands in mussels caused by long-term fasting.

The razor clam Sinonovacula constricta, a commercially important and nutritionally valuable bivalve species, has been found to display notable responses to different light spectra. While previous research has highlighted the influence of light spectra on the growth, feeding rate, and various physiological characteristics of S. constricta, its impact on the biochemical composition of this species remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the proximate, fatty acid, and amino acid compositions of S. constricta cultured under various light spectra, including white, violet, blue, cyan, green, yellow, red, and darkness. Furthermore, we explored the potential molecular mechanisms underlying these observations through transcriptomic analysis. The results indicate that the light spectrum has a significant impact on the growth, biochemical composition, and gene expression of juvenile S. constricta. Specifically, culturing S. constricta under the yellow light led to improved growth rate (1.09 ± 0.03%/day), higher levels of carbohydrate (26.27% ± 0.49%), crude lipid (11.99% ± 0.23%), energy contents (14,611.34 ± 1,067.01 kJ/kg), and essential amino acids (15.22 ± 0.01 g/kg), as well as increased proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids (12.38 ± 0.31 µg/mg). These findings suggest that yellow light may play a crucial role in enhancing the nutritional quality of S. constricta. Moreover, the transcriptomic analysis revealed that the yellow light treatment upregulated pathways related to fatty acid biosynthesis, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism and fatty acid metabolism. This indicates that yellow light may influence nutrient metabolism regulation in S. constricta, potentially leading to the observed changes in biochemical composition. Overall, our study recommends cultivating juvenile S. constricta under yellow light to optimize their growth and nutritional value. Further research could delve deeper into the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of different light spectra on S. constricta to enhance our understanding of how light influences aquaculture practices and the nutritional quality of seafood products.

Mytilus coruscus is one of large bivalve mollusks that is wildly distributed along the coasts of Korea, Japan and China and as a potential economic shellfish candidate. Efforts to propagate and culture M. coruscus have expanded worldwide recent years. The larval stage of bivalves is a vital life-history phase, of which the eyed veligers larva with a pigmented eyespot is the pre-settlement phase of M. coruscus. However, information on light conditions for the breeding of its larval during the eye-spotting period is still limited. In our study, based on the transcriptome analysis of the different light cycles from M. coruscus were performed with the DNBSEQ to screen for light-response genes. Comparative transcriptome analysis identified 853 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the 12 h vs 0 h group and 696 genes were differentially expressed between 12 h vs 24 h group. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that DEGs were assigned to 1078 and 969 pathways, respectively. The DEGs were enriched in organismal systems pathways such as immune system pathway, endocrine system pathway, development pathway, and environmental adaptation pathway. Further analysis revealed that DEGs, including CRY and CLOCK, were significantly overrepresented in the circadian rhythm pathway. We also identified a visual OPIN gene, which affects the detection of relevant visual signals. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRTPCR) showed that CRY and CLOCK were down-regulated, whereas OPIN was up-regulated. The data from this study provides important insights into the light response of M. coruscus, which will aid future investigations into the management of M. coruscus breeding in Bivalvia.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized particles involved in intercellular communications that intrinsically possess many attributes as a modern drug delivery platform. Haematococcus pluvialis-derived EVs (HpEVs) can be potentially exploited as a high-value-added bioproduct during astaxanthin production. The encapsulation of HpEV cargo is a crucial key for the determination of their biological functions and therapeutic potentials. However, little is known about the composition of HpEVs, limiting insights into their biological properties and application characteristics. This study examined the protein composition of HpEVs from three growth phases of H. pluvialis grown under high light (350 µmol·m−2·s−1) and sodium acetate (45 mM) stresses. A total of 2038 proteins were identified, the majority of which were associated with biological processes including signal transduction, cell proliferation, cell metabolism, and the cell response to stress. Comparative analysis indicated that H. pluvialis cells sort variant proteins into HpEVs at different physiological states. It was revealed that HpEVs from the early growth stage of H. pluvialis contain more proteins associated with cellular functions involved in primary metabolite, cell division, and cellular energy metabolism, while HpEVs from the late growth stage of H. pluvialis were enriched in proteins involved in cell wall synthesis and secondary metabolism. This is the first study to report and compare the protein composition of HpEVs from different growth stages of H. pluvialis, providing important information on the development and production of functional microalgal-derived EVs.

Mytilus coruscus is an economically important marine calcifier living in the Yangtze River estuary sea area, where seasonal fluctuations in natural pH occur owing to freshwater input, resulting in a rapid reduction in seawater pH. In addition, Mytilus constantly suffers from shell fracture or injury in the natural environment, and the shell repair mechanisms in mussels have evolved to counteract shell injury. Therefore, we utilized shell-complete and shell-damaged Mytilus coruscus in this study and performed transcriptomic analysis of the mantle to investigate whether the expression of mantle-specific genes can be induced by acute seawater acidification and how the mantle responds to acute acidification during the shell repair process. We found that acute acidification induced more differentially expressed genes than shell damage in the mantle, and the biomineralization-related Gene Ontology terms and KEGG pathways were significantly enriched by these DEGs. Most DEGs were upregulated in enriched pathways, indicating the activation of biomineralization-related processes in the mussel mantle under acute acidification. The expression levels of some shell matrix proteins and antimicrobial peptides increased under acute acidification and/or shell damage, suggesting the molecular modulation of the mantle for the preparation and activation of the shell repairing and anti-infection under adverse environmental conditions. In addition, morphological and microstructural analyses were performed for the mantle edge and shell cross-section, and changes in the mantle secretory capacity and shell inner film system induced by the two stressors were observed. Our findings highlight the adaptation of M. coruscus in estuarine areas with dramatic fluctuations in pH and may prove instrumental in its ability to survive ocean acidification.

Hox genes encode transcription factors that are crucial regulators of various developmental processes, including patterning of the body axis and differentiation of cells, tissues and organs. They are organized in clusters in a wide range of Metazoans and expressed during embryonic development in a collinear manner from the 3′ to the 5′ end of these genomic units. Hox genes are part of the larger homeobox gene super-class, and other gene clusters beyond Hox are being increasingly discovered. This transcriptional dynamic generates spatiotemporal expression patterns throughout the developing body that are required for the establishment of fields of cell identity. Here we suggest that subcluster temporal collinearity may occur during the development of a bivalve species, as demonstrated for other Bilateran species. We performed a genome-wide analysis of the Mytilus coruscus Hox gene family, including gene structure, synteny, and expression patterns. It was shown that 11 Hox genes were evenly distributed within one chromosome in M. coruscus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 11 Hox proteins were divided into four groups and each of them contained different conserved motifs. Besides, sequence alignment and analysis showed the conservation of 11 Hox genes of M. coruscus. Selection pressure analysis revealed the Ka/Ks ratios of Hox1, Hox4, Lox4, Post2, and Post1 were less than 1 in Bivalvia, indicating that these five Hox genes suffered significant purifying selection. Notably, Hox1, Hox4, Post2 were overlapped with the leading gene in the subcluster collinearity. This discovery suggests the potential existence of subcluster temporal collinearity in M. coruscus, which adds new insights into Hox gene organization in Bivalvia or Mollusca.

Abstract Objective To assess the repair method of exposure or fracture of the porous high-density polyethylene ear framework after total auricle reconstruction. Study design A prospective case study. Methods From April 2018 to October 2021, 11 patients with framework exposure or fracture after total auricle reconstruction were admitted to the hospital for repair. In these 11 patients, the repair was performed using (1) a temporal muscle flap combined with free skin graft in 5 patients, (2) a mastoid fascia flap combined with free skin graft in 2 patients, (3) a simple local skin flap in 1 patient, (4) combination of a temporalis muscle flap and a mastoid fascia flap together with free skin graft in 2 patients, and (5) a Su-Por helix material combined with a temporal muscle flap and free skin graft in 1 patient. Results After follow-up for 3–36 months, except for one patient in whom local exposure again occurred at the same site, the framework was in a good shape in the other patients, and all the skin graft survived. Conclusion The defect of the upper part of the auricle can be repaired using a temporal muscle flap combined with temporal muscle fascia and skin graft. The defect of the middle and lower part of the auricle can be repaired using a mastoid fascia flap combined with skin graft. For framework fracture, the damaged site can be first strengthened with another ear material and then combined with the adjacent fascia flap and free skin graft.

Summary: Posttranslational modifications represent a key step in modulating programmed death-1 (PD-1) functions, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. Here, we report crosstalk between deglycosylation and ubiquitination in regulating PD-1 stability. We show that the removal of N-linked glycosylation is a prerequisite for efficient PD-1 ubiquitination and degradation. Murine double minute 2 (MDM2) is identified as an E3 ligase of deglycosylated PD-1. In addition, the presence of MDM2 facilitates glycosylated PD-1 interaction with glycosidase NGLY1 and promotes subsequent NGLY1-catalyzed PD-1 deglycosylation. Functionally, we demonstrate that the absence of T cell-specific MDM2 accelerates tumor growth by primarily upregulating PD-1. By stimulating the p53-MDM2 axis, interferon-α (IFN-α) reduces PD-1 levels in T cells, which, in turn, exhibit a synergistic effect on tumor suppression by sensitizing anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Our study reveals that MDM2 directs PD-1 degradation via a deglycosylation-ubiquitination coupled mechanism and sheds light on a promising strategy to boost cancer immunotherapy by targeting the T cell-specific MDM2-PD-1 regulatory axis.

The intensity of light has been known to play a crucial role in the growth and developmental processes of fish through the visual system. To investigate effects of light intensity on the growth, feeding patterns, retinal structure, and vision-related genes of silver pomfret, we set four groups including control (natural light), L0 (darkness), L100 (100 lux), and L1000 (1000 lux) at larval, juvenile and young stages. Full length and survival rate were significantly lower in L0 at larval and juvenile, while feeding rate was significantly higher in control and L1000; at young stage, weight and feeding rate was significantly lower in L0 and specific growth rate was significantly higher in control; but there was no significant difference in condition factor among four groups. Next, at larvae stage, we observed a clear ten-layer structure of the retina, which developed better in high light intensity groups; the number of melanin particles in pigment epithelial layer also increased with development of retina; at juvenile and young stages, low light intensity led to aggregation of melanin particles, and thickness of ganglion cell layer became thinner, with cell body decreasing to one layer in high light intensity groups. Finally, we examined expression of seven vision-related genes: RH1 gene was up-regulated at larvae stage and down-regulated at juvenile and young stages in L0 and L100, and RH2 and LWS initially increased and then declined with the development of the fish in control; conversely, SWS, SWS2, RPE65, and RBP were up-regulated in high light intensity groups. In conclusion, our study suggests that high light intensity can lead to improved growth and feeding patterns in fish, as well as promoting the development of retina and up-regulating the expression of pigment genes. Consequently, our findings provide a valuable theoretical foundation for optimizing the lighting scheme of the artificial breeding process of silver pomfret.

Growth is a fundamental aspect of aquaculture breeding programs, pivotal for successful cultivation. Understanding the mechanisms that govern growth and development differences across various stages can significantly boost seedling production of economically valuable species, thereby enhancing aquaculture efficiency and advancing the aquaculture industry. Mytilus coruscus, a commercially vital marine bivalve, underscores this importance. To decipher the intricate molecular mechanisms dictating growth and developmental disparities in marine shellfish, we conducted transcriptome sequencing and meticulously analyzed gene expression variations and molecular pathways linked to growth traits in M. coruscus. This study delved into the molecular and gene expression variations across five larval development stages, with a specific focus on scrutinizing the differential expression patterns of growth-associated genes using RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR analysis. A substantial number of genes—36,044 differentially expressed genes (DEGs)—exhibited significant differential expression between consecutive developmental stages. These DEGs were then categorized into multiple pathways (Q value < 0.05), including crucial pathways such as the spliceosome, vascular smooth muscle contraction, DNA replication, and apoptosis, among others. In addition, we identified two pivotal signaling pathways—the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway and the TGF-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway—associated with the growth and development of M. coruscus larvae. Ten key growth-related genes were pinpointed, each playing crucial roles in molecular function and the regulation of growth traits in M. coruscus. These genes and pathways associated with growth provide deep insights into the molecular basis of physiological adaptation, metabolic processes, and growth variability in marine bivalves.

Microalgae are considered to be natural producers of bioactive pigments, with the production of pigments from microalgae being a sustainable and economical strategy that promises to alleviate growing demand. Chlorophyll, as the main pigment of photosynthesis, has been widely studied, but its medicinal applications as an antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumor reagent are still poorly understood. Chlorophyll is the most important pigment in plants and algae, which not only provides food for organisms throughout the biosphere, but also plays an important role in a variety of human and man-made applications. The biological activity of chlorophyll is closely related to its chemical structure; its specific structure offers the possibility for its medicinal applications. This paper reviews the structural and functional roles of microalgal chlorophylls, commonly used extraction methods, and recent advances in medicine, to provide a theoretical basis for the standardization and commercial production and application of chlorophylls.

Copepods are the most abundant organisms in marine zooplankton and the primary components of the food chain. They are hotspots for highly adaptable microorganisms, which are pivotal in biogeochemical cycles. The microbiome, encompassing microorganisms within and surrounding marine planktonic organisms, holds considerable potential for biotechnological advancements. Despite marine microbiome research interests expanding, our understanding of the ecological interactions between microbiome and copepods remains limited. This review intends to give an overview of the recent studies regarding the microbiome associated with marine copepods, with particular focus on the diversity of bacteria and fungi. The significance of copepod-associated microbiomes in different contexts, such as aquaculture and biodegradation processes, was evaluated. The ability of the microbiome to mitigate harmful bacterial growth in cultured organisms was also explored. The microbiome associated with copepods has demonstrated efficacy in reducing the proliferation of detrimental bacteria in aquaculture, paving the way for the commercial utilization of natural zooplankton in fish rearing. Additionally, copepod-associated microbiomes may play a role in addressing marine environmental challenges, such as the bioremediation of polluted marine matrices. Overall, this review represents a basis for investigating intricate copepod-associated microbiomes and their diverse applications, enhancing our comprehension of the ecological and evolutionary significance of marine microbiomes.

Recent evidence has shown active N2 fixation in coastal eutrophic waters, yet the rate and controlling factors remain poorly understood, particularly in large estuaries. The Changjiang Estuary (CE) and adjacent shelf are characterized by fresh, nitrogen-replete Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) and saline, nitrogen-depletion intruded Kuroshio water (Taiwan Warm Current and nearshore Kuroshio Branch Current), where N2 fixation may be contributed by different groups (i.e., Trichodesmium and heterotrophic diazotrophs). Here, for the first time, we provide direct measurement of size-fractionated N2 fixation rates (NFRs) off the CE during summer 2014 using the 15N2 bubble tracer method. The results demonstrated considerable spatial variations (southern > northern; offshore > inshore) in surface and depth-integrated NFRs, averaging 0.83 nmol N L−1 d−1 and 24.3 μmol N m−2 d−1, respectively. The highest bulk NFR (99.9 μmol N m−2 d−1; mostly contributed by >10 μm fraction) occurred in the southeastern East China Sea, where suffered from strong intrusion of the Kuroshio water characterized by low N/P ratio (100) were high and Trichodesmium abundance was low. The >10 μm fraction accounted for 60% of depth-integrated bulk NFR over the CE and adjacent shelf. We speculated that the present NFR of >10 μm fraction was mostly supported by Trichodesmium. Spearman rank correlation indicated that the NFR was significantly positively correlated with Trichodesmium abundance, salinity, temperature and Secchi depth, but was negatively with turbidity, N/P ratio, NOx, and chlorophyll a concentration. Our study suggests that distribution and size structure of N2 fixation off the CE are largely regulated by water mass (intruded Kuroshio water and CDW) movement and associated diazotrophs (particularly Trichodesmium) and nutrient conditions.

A 22-week feeding experiment was executed to assess the impact of dietary ARA supplementation on the growth, tissue proximate composition, hemolymph biochemical, tissue fatty acids profile, ARA metabolite and sex steroid hormone, and the mRNA expression of ovarian development related gene of female mud crab in the pre-devolopmental stage. Crabs were fed with six diets containing different ARA levels (0.04%, 0.25%, 0.46%, 0.89%, 1.25%, and 1.57%, dry matter). The results showed that the increasing dietary ARA levels had significant effects on survival, percent weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR), and feed efficiency (FE), which showed an increasing trend initially and then showed a decreasing trend. According to the two-slope broken-line model and quadratic curve model for the relationship between PWG and dietary ARA levels, optimal dietary ARA levels were estimated to be 0.46% and 0.70%. The lipid contents in muscle and hepatopancreas decreased significantly with the increasing dietary ARA levels. Similarly, total cholesterol (T-CHO) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were significantly decreased with the increasing dietary ARA levels. In the hepatopancreas and muscle, ARA contents significantly increased with the increasing dietary ARA levels. In hemolymph and hepatopancreas, progesterone (Prog), pregnenolone (Preg), estradiol (E2) and vitellogen (Vtg) concentrations presented earlier increase and later decrease trend. In the hepatopancreas, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) concentrations showed an upward trend. In the muscle, PGE2 concentration presented earlier increasing and later decreasing trend. In the ovary, the increasing dietary ARA levels produced similar effects on the expressions of genes, including steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (star), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3βhsd), vitellogenin (vtg) and vitellogenin receptor (vtgr). Thus, moderate dietary ARA levels promoted growth, improved ARA deposition and metabolism, increased sex steroid hormone and Vtg levels, and enhanced ovarian development of female mud crab in the pre-developmental stage.

IntroductionIntensive plum production usually involves high yields but also high environmental costs due to excessive fertilizer inputs. Quantitative analysis of the environmental effects of plum production is thereby required in the development of optimum strategies to promote sustainable fruit production.MethodsWe collected survey questionnaires from 254 plum production farms in Zhao’an county, Fujian province, southeast China to assess the environmental impacts by life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. The farms were categorized into four groups based on yield and environmental impacts, i.e., LL (low yield and low environmental impact), LH (low yield but high environmental impact), HL (high yield but low environmental impact), and HH (high yield and high environmental impact).ResultsThe environmental impacts, i.e., average energy depletion, global warming, acidification, and eutrophication potential in plum production were 18.17 GJ ha-1, 3.63 t CO2 eq ha-1, 42.18 kg SO2 eq ha-1, and 25.06 kg PO4 eq ha-1, respectively. Only 19.7% of farmers were in the HL group, with 13.3% in the HH group, 39.0% in LL, and 28.0% LH. Plum yields of the HL group were 109-114% higher than the mean value of all 254 farms. Additionally, the HL group had a lower environmental impact per unit area compared to the overall mean value, with a reduction ranging from 31.9% to 36.7%. Furthermore, on a per tonne of plum production basis, the energy depletion, global warming potential, acidification potential, and eutrophication potential of HL farms were lower by 75.4%, 75.0%, 75.6%, and 75.8%, respectively. Overall, the total environmental impact index of LL, LH, HL, and HH groups were 0.26, 0.42, 0.06, and 0.21, respectively.DiscussionExcessive fertilizer N application was the main source of the environmental impacts, the potential to reduce fertilizer N rate can be achieved without compromising plum yield by studying the HH group. The results provide an important foundation for enhancing the management of plum production, in order to promote ‘green’ agricultural development by reducing environmental impacts.

The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a pivotal regulator of antioxidant gene expression in mammals, forming heterodimer complexes with small Maf proteins through its BZip domain. However, the underlying mechanism of Nrf2 action in molluscs remains poorly understood. The thick shell mussel, Mytilus coruscus, represents a model organism for the marine environment and molluscs interaction research. In this study, we used in silico cloning to obtain a small Maf homologue called McMafF_G_K from M. coruscus. McMafF_G_K possesses a typical BZip domain, suggesting its affiliation with the traditional small Maf family and its potential involvement in the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Transcriptional analysis revealed that McMafF_G_K exhibited a robust response to benzo[a]pyrene (Bap) in the digestive glands. However, this response was down-regulated upon interference with McMafF_G_K-siRNA. Interestingly, the expression levels of Nrf2, NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO-1), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), which are key players in oxidative stress response, showed a positive correlation with McMafF_G_K in digested adenocytes of M. coruscus. Furthermore, in vitro analysis of antioxidant capacity in digestive gland cells demonstrated that Bap exposure led to an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, accompanied by an elevation in total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), potentially counterbalancing the excessive ROS. Strikingly, transfection of McMafF_G_K siRNA resulted in a significant rise in ROS level and a down-regulation of T-AOC level. To validate the functional relevance of McMafF_G_K, a glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down assay confirmed its interaction with McNrf2, providing compelling evidence of their protein interaction. This study significantly contributes to our understanding of the functional role of McMafF_G_K in the Nrf2 signaling pathway and sheds light on its potential as a target for further research in oxidative stress response.

The hard-shell mussel (Mytilus coruscus) is widespread in the temperate coastal areas of the northwest Pacific and holds a significant position in the shellfish aquaculture market in China. However, the natural resources of this species have been declining, and population genetic studies of M. coruscus are also lacking. In this study, we conducted whole-genome resequencing (WGR) of M. coruscus from eight different latitudes along the Chinese coast and identified a total of 25,859,986 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. Our findings indicated that the genetic diversity of M. coruscus from the Zhoushan region was lower compared with populations from other regions. Furthermore, we observed that the evolutionary tree clustered into two primary branches, and the Zhangzhou (ZZ) population was in a separate branch. The ZZ population was partly isolated from populations in other regions, but the distribution of branches was not geographically homogeneous, and a nested pattern emerged, consistent with the population differentiation index (FST) results. To investigate the selection characteristics, we utilized the northern M. coruscus populations (Dalian and Qingdao) and the central populations (Zhoushan and Xiangshan) as reference populations and the southern ZZ population as the target population. Our selection scan analysis identified several genes associated with thermal responses, including Hsp70 and CYP450. These genes may play important roles in the adaptation of M. coruscus to different living environments. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the genomic diversity of coastal M. coruscus in China and is a valuable resource for future studies on genetic breeding and the evolutionary adaptation of this species.

To reveal the biosynthetic pathway of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) in Ruditapes philippinarum, herein, two fatty acid desaturases (Fads, including one Δ5 Fad and one Δ6 Fad-like) and three elongases of very long-chain fatty acids (Elovls, including one Elovl2/5 and two Elovl4-like) genes were firstly cloned from this bivalve and their tissue distributions were examined. Results showed that the newly cloned Fads and Elovls contained the corresponding conserved functional domains and clustered closely with their orthologs, respectively. Meanwhile, they were expressed significantly higher in the digestive glands and intestine. Subsequently, to further understand the LC-PUFA biosynthesis in R. philippinarum, the effects of dietary LC-PUFA on Fad and Elovl expressions and the fatty acid (FA) profile in this bivalve were investigated by feeding with three microalgae varied in LC-PUFA compositions [including Chlorella sp. (rich in 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3), Chaetoceros calcitrans (rich in eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA), and Isochrysis galbana (rich in docosahexaenoic acid, DHA]. Results showed that, throughout the experiment, the expressions of Fad and Elovl were significantly up-regulated in the visceral mass (digestive glands and intestine) of R. philippinarum fed with Chlorella sp., while no significant changes or slightly decreases were observed in those fed with I. galbana. Furthermore, in those fed with C. calcitrans, the expressions of Fad were not significantly changed, whereas the expressions of Elovl were firstly up-regulated but then restored to its initial level at the end of experiment. These results suggested that R. philippinarum could modulate Fad and Elovl expressions to adapt to the dietary LC-PUFA composition. The FA analysis showed that a significantly higher amount of DHA and EPA was found in the R. philippinarum fed with I. galbana and C. calcitrans, respectively, which reflected well of the dietary FA. However, the R. philippinarum fed with Chlorella sp. exhibited a significant decrease of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 but with a significant increase of their products such as 20:3n-6 and 22:5n-3, indicating that R. philippinarum had a certain capacity for LC-PUFA biosynthesis. Collectively, this study provided valuable insights into the biosynthesis of LC-PUFA in R. philippinarum.

It is challenging for microrobots to fly using onboard energy due to the relatively heavy power supplies and inefficient actuators that are limited to a small size (mass less than 1000 mg and wingspan less than 100 mm). Inspired by the movement of jellyfish in nature (Physophora hydrostatica), herein, a microscale aerial vehicle FlyJelly is introduced, powered by onboard energy to achieve untethered flight. FlyJelly uses a balloon filled with helium to overcome self‐gravity and an actuator powered by electrostatic power to generate thrust. The balloon, heat sealed with two gold‐covered Mylar films, weighs 95.56 mg, provides 257.9 mg of buoyancy when filled with helium, and stores 19.457 × 10−3 J of energy when powered by 2400 V of direct current. The electrostatic actuator is composed of multiflapping units arranged radially and symmetrically, consuming only 0.3370 mW of power but generating a thrust of 0.2271 mN to drive the vehicle for flight. Benefiting from a design of distributed propulsion, FlyJelly is highly reliable and continues to work well even after the actuator is damaged. The milligram‐level weight, untethered flight with onboard energy, and high reliability make the prototype suitable for development as a long‐term remote exploration and search‐and‐rescue mission.

Chloroquine (CQ) is a common autophagy inhibitor but was few understood in marine fish. This study investigated the effects of different concentration of CQ on representative tissues of large yellow croakers (Larimichthys crocea) by setting 5 treatments: 2.52 μg/mL, 5.03 μg/mL, 12.58 μg/mL, 25.16 μg/mL, 50.32 μg/mL, and 251.60 μg/mL CQ groups. We found that the higher the concentration of CQ was, the more obvious the toxic effect it caused, exhibiting as high mortalities of large yellow croakers. The LC50 (24 h) to CQ was 17.14 μg/mL with the upper limit 34.84 μg/mL, the lower limit 8.43 μg/mL, and the standard error 0.16 μg/mL. The CQ treatment also led to the differential expressions of autophagy / inflammation / apoptosis-related genes in representative tissues. The inflammation-related genes IL8 / TNF-α1 (peaked mostly in 2.52 μg/mL and 5.03 μg/mL) and the autophagy-related genes Cx43 / LC3 (from 2.52 μg/mL to 25.16 μg/mL) were more sensitive to lower CQ concentration groups. The apoptosis-related genes BAX / Cas3 were more sensitive to medium CQ concentration (peaked around 25.16 μg/mL). The autophagy and apoptosis-related gene P62 in all tissues peaked in the highest CQ concentration 50.32 μg/mL group, and the expression pattern of P62 was more similar to autophagy genes under Control, but more similar to apoptosis genes in the CQ-treatment groups. In addition, we have newly identified an expression pattern of Cx43 similar to that of the autophagy marker gene LC3, which was also for the first time in marine fish. These data largely enriched our knowledge of the effects of CQ on marine fish and provided a solid basis for further studies on the autophagy regulation in large yellow croakers.

Mytilus coruscus is an economically important marine bivalve mollusk found in the Yangtze River estuary, which experiences dramatic pH fluctuations due to seasonal freshwater input and suffer from shell fracture or injury in the natural environment. In this study, we used intact-shell and damaged-shell M. coruscus and performed metabolomic analysis, free amino acids analysis, calcium-positive staining, and intracellular calcium level tests in the mantle to investigate whether the mantle-specific metabolites can be induced by acute sea-water acidification and understand how the mantle responds to acute acidification during the shell repair process. We observed that both shell damage and acute acidification induced alterations in phospholipids, amino acids, nucleotides, organic acids, benzenoids, and their analogs and derivatives. Glycylproline, spicamycin, and 2-aminoheptanoic acid (2-AHA) are explicitly induced by shell damage. Betaine, aspartate, and oxidized glutathione are specifically induced by acute acidification. Our results show different metabolic patterns in the mussel mantle in response to different stressors, which can help elucidate the shell repair process under ocean acidification. furthermore, metabolic processes related to energy supply, cell function, signal transduction, and amino acid synthesis are disturbed by shell damage and/or acute acidification, indicating that both shell damage and acute acidification increased energy consumption, and disturb phospholipid synthesis, osmotic regulation, and redox balance. Free amino acid analysis and enzymatic activity assays partially confirmed our findings, highlighting the adaptation of M. coruscus to dramatic pH fluctuations in the Yangtze River estuary.

Fucoxanthin is the most abundant marine carotenoid derived from edible brown seaweeds and has been used as a functional ingredient for the treatment of obesity. However, poor brain bioavailability of fucoxanthin has limited its application in combating neurological diseases. In this study, we demonstrated that 40 % fucoxanthin was released from polylactic-co-glycolic acid-polyethylene glycol (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles at one day after incubation. Fucoxanthin nanoparticles (20–40 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly prevented neurological and behavioral deficits in middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO)-treated rats via the reduction of M1 microglial activation, decrease of pro-inflammatory factor production, inactivation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway, and elevation of the nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in ischemic penumbra. Moreover, fucoxanthin nanoparticles (5–15 μg/mL) inhibited hypoxia-stimulated neurotoxicity in a mouse hippocampal neuron cell line (HT22 cells). These results suggest that fucoxanthin nanoparticles enhanced brain bioavailability and produced neuroprotection against ischemic stroke in vivo with much lower effective concentrations than fucoxanthin itself, providing further support for the development of fucoxanthin as a functional ingredient for the prevention of ischemic stroke with proper nanoparticle formulations.

Abstract The blood clam (Tegillarca granosa) is being developed into a model bivalve mollusc for assessing and monitoring marine pollution on the offshore seabed. However, the information on the response of blood clam to PAHs, an organic pollutant usually deposited in submarine sediment, remains limited. Herein, we employed multiple biomarkers, including histological changes, oxidative stress, neurotoxicity and global DNA methylation, to investigate the effects of 10 and 100 μg/L Bap exposure on the blood clams under laboratory conditions, as well as the potential mechanisms. Acute Bap exposure can induce significant morphological abnormalities in gills as shown through hematoxylin–eosin (H.E) staining, providing an intuitive understanding on the effects of Bap on the structural organization of the blood clams. Meanwhile, the oxidative stress was significantly elevated as manifested by the increase of antioxidants activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione-s-transferase (GST), lipid peroxidation (LPO) level and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) content. The neurotoxicity was also strengthened by Bap toxicity manifested as inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities. In addition, the global DNA methylation level was investigated, and a significant DNA hypomethylation was observed in Bap exposed the blood clam. The correlation analysis showed that the global DNA methylation was negatively correlated with antioxidants (SOD, CAT and POD) activities, but positively correlated choline enzymes (AChE and ChAT) activities. These results collectively suggested that acute Bap exposure can cause damage in gills structures in the blood clam possibly by generating oxidative stress and neurotoxicity, and the global DNA methylation was inhibited to increase the transcriptional expression level of antioxidants genes and consequently elevate antioxidants activities against Bap toxicity. These results are hoped to shed some new light on the study of ecotoxicology effect of PAHs on marine bivalves.

In this study, we use cytarabine anticancer drug to synthesize a new rare earth complex with Europium ion. The study work is an attempt to investigate luminescence and biological properties of the Eu-based coordination polymers of cytarabine (Eu-CP-Ara) anticancer drug which have been prepared by us. Eu-CP-Ara has luminescence properties with emission centering at about 619 nm excited with 394 nm. We study cytarabine and Eu-CP-Ara in vitro cytotoxicity. Cytotoxicity of Eu-CP-Ara against lung cancer cells (A549) could even be comparable to the inhibitory effect of cytarabine ligands, showing the advantage of antitumor activity. In addition, Eu-CP-Ara showed lower cytotoxicity to normal liver cells (L02). At the same, from the CLSM images, Eu-CP-Ara has successfully entered the A549 cell. Hence, Eu-CP-Ara can be used as a potential anticancer drug. Eu-CP-Ara may be an effective strategy for the tracking cytarabine against tumours and might impart better accurate treatment effect and therapeutic efficiency.

Being an industrially valuable species of bivalve, Mytilus is widespread in the area around the eastern coast of China. Starvation is an environmental stress that mussels often encounter in their growth. However, few report carried out on the physiological and biochemical response and molecular regulation and adaptation mechanism of mussels under starvation. To illustrate the molecular mechanism of hosts of Mytilus to starvation, the gill transcriptome was used for analysis before and after 9 days of starvation in Mytilus using the Illumina/HiSeq-2000 deep sequencing platform, accompanied by the study of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In total, 42.137 GB of clean data were obtained from six sample libraries, the average amount of clean data of each sample is 7.023 GB, and 58,540 unigenes that average 780 bp in length were assembled. Unigenes were illustrated by commenting them against the NR, Swiss-Prot, Pfam, String, GO and KEGG databases. After 9 days of starvation, 2,188 and 2,672 genes were determined to be significantly up- or down-regulated expression genes, separately. Amongst, 4,860 genes were associated with 260 pathways, contains vital enrichment pathways, such as “Metabolic”, “PI3K-Akt signaling pathway”, “Phagosome”, “Apoptosis” and “Lysosome”. In inclusion, autophagy cells were investigated by an electron microscopy, alongside further observations of the expression of autophagy-related genes in gill tissue before and after starvation. The data indicates that the amount of autophagosomes increased and found that atg2, atg6 and atg13 were significantly up-regulated. These results indicated that Mytilus may use autophagy to cope with their damage after starvation. With our research results, we have contributed to a deeper understanding of the role of the molecular mechanisms of immune defence in Mytilus under environmental stress, which has given insights into mussel breeding and the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Mytilus immune system.

Details of the chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) distribution in the water of the Zhoushan archipelago were analyzed based on data from the panchromatic multispectral sensor (PMS) of the GaoFen-6 (GF-6). A new Chl-a inversion model was built using in-situ Chl-a and the green-red bands of the 2 m spatial resolution GF-6/PMS image. Combined with fishery data, the relationship between Chl-a concentration and fish resources were revealed. The results show that: (1) High Chl-a concentration area was mainly concentrated in the nearshore intensive islands waters, and Chl-a concentration changes obviously with the change of tidal currents. Chl-a concentration around islands increases, especially downstream of islands. Seasonally, Chl-a concentration is higher in spring and summer, lower in autumn, and lowest in winter. (2) The change of fish eggs and larvae in the water of the Zhoushan archipelago shows consistency with the spatial distribution and seasonal variation of Chl-a. (3) The interaction between tidal currents and islands results in the diverse currents (upstream upwelling and downstream vortex currents) around the islands, promoting vertical water exchange and the uplifting of nutrients, resulting in a high overall Chl-a concentration in the waters around the islands. The diverse flow conditions, the ideal nutrient-rich environment, and the abundant phytoplankton attract a large number of fish to gather and breed in the waters around the islands. (4) Chl-a of intensive island waters is an essential indicator for fish spawning grounds.

Soil is the basis of agricultural production, and the quality of soil directly affects crop quality and yield. Microalgae can carry out photosynthesis, carbon and nitrogen fixation, and produce large amounts of valuable biomass coupled with wastewater treatment. Also, microalgae can produce plant hormones and other high-value products, which can promote plant growth, improve soil fertility, soil ecological health, and control crop diseases. This research reviews the characteristics of microalgae in improving soil health, discusses the situation of microalgae in controlling soil pollutants, elaborates on the technical application of microalgae in alleviating soil problems, and proposes potential applications of microalgae in ecological environment. Also, resource utilization of multifunctional microalgae is discussed, to provide a theoretical basis for the application of microalgae in soil improvement.

This study aimed to understand the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and to develop and validate a prognostic model for HNSCC based on pyroptosis-associated genes (PAGs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was used to identify differentially expressed PAGs. These genes were analyzed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional annotation analyses and Gene Ontology analyses. The NLR family pyrin domain containing 1 (NLRP1) gene, charged multivesicular body protein 7 (CHMP7) gene, and cytochrome C (CYCS) gene were used to create a prognostic model for HNSCC. The results of the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and Cox regression analyses indicated that the developed model served as an independent risk factor for HNSCC. According to the K-M analysis, the overall survival of high-risk patients was lower than that of low-risk patients. The hazard ratios corresponding to the risk scores determined using the multivariate and univariate Cox regression analyses were 1.646 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.189–2.278) and 1.724 (95% CI: 1.294–2.298), respectively, and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve was 0.621. The potential mechanisms associated with the functions of the identified genes were then identified, and the tumor microenvironment and levels of immune cell infiltration achieved were analyzed. The immune infiltration analysis revealed differences in the distribution of Th cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, regulatory T cells, follicular helper T cells, adipose-derived cells, interdigitating dendritic cells, CD8+ T cells, and B cells. However, validating bioinformatics analyses through biological experiments is still recommended. This study developed a prognostic model for HNSCC that included NLRP1, CHMP7, and CYCS.

The response of typical environmental factors in Zhoushan Fishery, including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), and chlorophyll a (Chl-a), before and after Typhoon In-fa was analyzed using satellite data and reanalysis data in this study. Additionally, this study simultaneously elucidated the mechanism by which the typhoon affected these factors. The results showed that: (1) the strong vertical mixing caused by In-fa provoked a decrease in SST, while the asymmetric typhoon wind stress and vertical difference in temperature structure before the typhoon caused a more robust cooling of SST on the right side of the In-fa track; (2) despite the strong mixing and inflow of hypersaline seawater increasing SSS, the combined effect of intense rainfall and diluted water inflow caused an overall decrease in SSS after In-fa’s landing; (3) In-fa caused the Chl-a concentration to decrease first and then increase. The high cloudiness and low Chl-a seawater inflow inhibited the phytoplankton growth during the typhoon, while the abundant light, rich surface nutrients under the upwelling effect, and transport of rich land-based substances induced rapid phytoplankton reproduction after the typhoon; and (4) the change in Chl-a concentration, current, temperature, and salinity induced by a typhoon are essential factors that affect fish behavior and community composition in fisheries. This study provides a point of reference to reveal the response of environmental factors to typhoons and their effects on fishery resources in fisheries located on nearshore estuarine shallow waters with intensive islands.

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the serial changes in left ventricular (LV) myocardial deformation in patients with sepsis using three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE).MethodsIn this single-center, prospective, and observational study, we included 59 patients diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock in the intensive care unit and 40 healthy controls. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), and global circumferential strain (GCS) assessed by 3D STE and 2D STE were obtained on the first, third, fifth, seventh to the tenth day after sepsis or septic shock.ResultsIn patients with sepsis or septic shock, 3D and 2D LVEF were not different at each time point. GLS and GCS obtained by 3D STE and 2D STE decreased on the first day compared with the healthy group (all P < 0.01). Compared with the values on the first day, GLS and GCS further decreased on the third day, while 3D and 2D LVEF did not differ. 3D and 2D STE strains were lowest on the third day and gradually improved on the seventh to the tenth day compared with values on the third day. When compared with values on the first day, 3D and 2D GLS gradually improved on the seventh to the tenth day, whereas 3D and 2D GCS on the seventh to the tenth day was not different. Although 3D and 2D STE strains were significantly increased on the seventh to the tenth day, they were not fully recovered to normality.ConclusionAlthough patients with sepsis or septic shock demonstrated gradual improvements in 3D and 2D STE parameters during the ten-day period, LV myocardial strain was not fully recovered to normality by the seventh to the tenth days. 3D and 2D strain imaging, used as a helpful tool for monitoring the evolution of myocardial deformation, can provide clinicians with a useful additional imaging parameter.

Orchards in acid soils are at risk of magnesium (Mg) deficiency which negatively affects the plant growth, yield, and quality. However, the impacts of Mg supplementation on fruit yield, quality, and environmental and economic benefits have only been rarely addressed. We conducted 15 pomelo (Citrus grandis L.) orchard trials in South China to assess more efficient integrated nutrient management (INM) practices, including local farmer fertilization practices (FP; average application rate of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were 1,075 kg N ha−1, 826 kg P2O5 ha−1, and 948 kg K2O ha−1, respectively), optimum fertilization practice (OPT; average application rate of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were 550 kg N ha−1, 295 kg P2O5 ha−1, and 498 kg K2O ha−1, respectively) and optimum fertilization supplemented with Mg (OPT+Mg; average application rate of Mg was 196 kg MgO ha−1). The results showed that the yield, total soluble solid-to-titratable acidity ratio, and economic benefits under OPT practice were not significantly different from those of FP, while those of OPT+Mg were significantly higher than those of FP, by 8.76, 8.79, and 15.00%, respectively, while titratable acidity contents were significantly lower by 7.35%. In addition, compared with those from FP, the energy inputs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from OPT were 31.00 and 26.48% lower, and those from OPT+Mg were 26.71 and 23.40% lower, respectively. Compared with those of OPT, the marginal efficiency of energy, GHG emissions, and capital of Mg under OPT+Mg were reduced by 62.30, 44.19, and 21.07%, respectively. Overall, adopting OPT+Mg for pomelo production could further enhance yield, fruit quality, and economic benefits while reducing the environmental burdens.

Cognition may be improved by the active ingredients of the Yiqi Qingre Ziyin method in patients with atrophic rhinitis (AR). This study aimed to identify potential targets of the Yiqi Qingre Ziyin method for the treatment of patients with cognitive impairment. Nasal mucosal tissue samples from patients with AR were subjected to proteomic assays, and differentially expressed proteins were obtained. To explore the mechanism of AR leading to mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a differential analysis of AR related differential proteins in the MCI related GSE140831 dataset was performed. Most AR-related differential proteins are also differentially expressed in peripheral blood tissues of MCI, have similar biological functions and are enriched in similar pathways. These co-expressed differential factors in AR and MCI are known as common differential proteins of AR and MCI (CDPAM). Based on the analysis and validation of the random forest, support vector machine and neural network models, CDPAM acted as a diagnostic marker for MCI risk. Cytochrome C (CYCS) was significantly upregulated in the peripheral blood of patients with MCI. The active ingredients in the Yiqi Qingre Ziqin method were obtained and targeted 137 proteins. Among these targeted proteins, CYCS belong to the CDPAM set. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics analysis revealed that baicalein, an active ingredient in the Yiqi Qingre Ziyin method, stably targeted the CYCS protein. Results of the enrichment analysis revealed that the up-regulation of CYCS expression may have a defensive effect on the cells to resist foreign stimuli. Therefore, baicalein, an active ingredient in the Yiqi Qingre Ziyin method, may prevent the development and progression of MCI by targeting the CYCS protein.

Abstract Large yellow croaker is an economically important fish in China and East Asia. Despite its economic importance, genome-wide adaptions of domesticated large yellow croaker are largely unknown. Here, we performed whole-genome resequencing of 198 individuals of large yellow croaker obtained in the sea or from farmers in Zhoushan or Ningde. Population genomics analyses revealed the genetic population structure of our samples, reflecting the living environment. Each effective population size is estimated to be declining over generations. Moreover, we identified genetically differentiated genomic regions between the sea-captured population in the Zhoushan Sea area and that of the Ningde Sea area or between the sea-captured population and the farmed population in either area. Gene ontology analyses revealed the gene groups under selective sweep for the adaptation to the domesticated environment. All these results suggest that individuals of the large yellow croaker populations show genomic signatures of adaptation to different living environments.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been shown to play a central role in regulating cell growth and metabolism. However, little is known about the function of mTOR in nutrient metabolism in bivalve mollusks. In this study, the role of mTOR in the regulation of nutrient metabolism was investigated in Sinonovacula constricta. First, the activation of mTOR was assayed after starvation and refeeding. Afterwards, the role of mTOR in the regulation of nutrient metabolism was investigated using an activator (MHY1485) or inhibitor (rapamycin) of mTOR. The open reading frame of the S. constricta mTOR is 7416 bp in length and encodes a polypeptide consisting of 2471 amino acids. The mTOR amino acid sequence of S. constricta was highly conserved when compared with other species and had a close evolutionary relationship with the TOR proteins of Crassostrea gigas and Lingula anatine. mTOR was expressed in the intestine, exhalent siphon, labial palppus, muscle, inhalent siphon, gill, mantle, digestive land, and gonad tissue of S. constricta, with the highest expression in muscle. During starvation, the level of phosphorylated mTOR protein was relatively low, and the ratio of LC3II/LC3I protein and the AMPKα mRNA level significantly increased with the increase in starvation time. After feeding, the level of phosphorylated mTOR protein increased from 0.13 to 0.56, and the ratio of LC3II/I protein and AMPKα mRNA level decreased from 1.17 to 0.38. MHY1485 significantly increased the level of phosphorylated 4E-BP1 and significantly decreased the ratio of LC3II/I proteins. Furthermore, MHY1485 significantly increased the mRNA level of the glucose metabolism-related gene glucokinase (GK), significantly decreased the mRNA expression of the G6P gene, and significantly increased the mRNA expression of the lipid synthesis-related genes sterol-regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD). Rapamycin significantly reduced the level of phosphorylated 4E-BP1 and the mRNA expression of mTOR, and the expression level of phosphorylated 4EBP1 decreased from 0.97 to 0.28. Meanwhile, it also significantly reduced the mRNA expression of glucose metabolism-related genes GK, pyruvate kinase (PK), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), and G6P, as well as lipid synthesis-related genes SCD and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). These results indicate a conserved role of mTOR in regulating nutritional metabolism, including glucose metabolism, lipid synthesis, and autophagy in S. constricta.

In this work, the effects of the tropical marine atmospheric environment on the corrosion behaviour of the 7B04-T74 aluminium alloy were systematically investigated by using accelerated testing, together with corrosion kinetic analysis, microstructure observation, product composition analysis, and potentiodynamic polarization curve tests. The weight loss method was used for the corrosion kinetics analysis. The surface morphology and corrosion products transformation law were investigated by OM, SEM, EDS, and XPS. The electrochemical characteristics were studied using potentiodynamic polarization curves. The research indicated that the 7B04-T74 aluminium alloy has eminent corrosion resistance in the tropical marine atmospheric environment. Localized pitting corrosion occurred rapidly in the tropical marine atmosphere. In the later stage of corrosion, the corrosion of aluminium alloy did not become serious. Specifically, no obvious intergranular corrosion was found, which is related to the thermal treatment method. Corrosion products included Al(OH)3, Al2O3, and AlCl3, of which Al(OH)3 is the most notable.

Ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), and peptide YY (PYY) are potent hormones mediating food intake according to the nutritional status in fish. However, limited information is available on these genes and their expression in response to nutrition in silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus). A comparison analysis revealed that ghrelin and GLP-1 were relatively conserved in marine fish. PYYa and PYYb shared a low identity and were clustered to different PYY branches. Ghrelin, pyya, and pyyb mRNAs were highly expressed in the brain, while glp-1 was highly expressed in the gills and liver. The ghrelin mRNA expression was relatively high an hour post-feeding and decreased after 3 to 72 h of fasting. The glp-1 mRNA expression was increased after 6 to 24 h of fasting. The pyya mRNA expression was increased after 72 h of fasting, while the pyyb expression remained stable during fasting. The diet with 14% lipid promoted the expressions of glp-1, pyya, and pyyb, but inhibited the ghrelin expression. The ghrelin expression in the intestine was increased after palmitic acid, oleic acid (OA), linoleic acid (LA), α-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) incubation. OA decreased the expression of glp-1 and increased the expression of pyya. The expression of pyyb was downregulated by LA, DHA, and EPA. These results suggest the importance of ghrelin, glp-1, and pyy in coordinating food intake in response to fasting, dietary lipid concentration, and fatty acids in silver pomfret.

Interleukin-17 (IL-17) represents a class of proinflammatory cytokines involved in chronic inflammatory and degenerative disorders. Prior to this study, it was predicted that an IL-17 homolog could be targeted by Mc-novel_miR_145 to participate in the immune response of Mytilus coruscus. This study employed a variety of molecular and cell biology research methods to explore the association between Mc-novel_miR_145 and IL-17 homolog and their immunomodulatory effects. The bioinformatics prediction confirmed the affiliation of the IL-17 homolog with the mussel IL-17 family, followed by quantitative real-time PCR assays (qPCR) to demonstrate that McIL-17-3 was highly expressed in immune-associated tissues and responded to bacterial challenges. Results from luciferase reporter assays confirmed the potential of McIL-17-3 to activate downstream NF-κb and its targeting by Mc-novel_miR_145 in HEK293 cells. The study also produced McIL-17-3 antiserum and found that Mc-novel_miR_145 negatively regulates McIL-17-3 via western blotting and qPCR assays. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis indicated that Mc-novel_miR_145 negatively regulated McIL-17-3 to alleviate LPS-induced apoptosis. Collectively, the current results showed that McIL-17-3 played an important role in molluscan immune defense against bacterial attack. Furthermore, McIL-17-3 was negatively regulated by Mc-novel_miR_145 to participate in LPS-induced apoptosis. Our findings provide new insights into noncoding RNA regulation in invertebrate models.

Shape memory alloy (SMA) beam actuators are widely used in morphing structures, which leads to a surgent demand for a comprehensive design method. Previous methods have not considered the heat treatment and the evolution of actuation performance during training. In this study, an in-depth investigation was conducted into the Ni50Ti50 (at%) SMA beam actuator from the perspective of heat treatment, training, numerical simulation for developing a comprehensive and novel design methodology. The proper heat treatment conditions that result in the relatively high actuation performance for the Ni50Ti50 SMA beam were determined. The dependence of the thermomechanical behavior evolution on the training load was established. Moreover, a numerical analysis method for the SMA beam actuator based on a 3-D constitutive model with tension-compression asymmetry considered was detailed, followed by the calibration of material parameters. A forward design method for the SMA beam actuator was proposed with the shape and actuation performance evolution during training under various training loads fully considered in the design process. The proposed design method was applied for a design case and the accuracy of the design results demonstrated its feasibility.