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1.
Ecol Lett ; 27(6): e14447, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38844351

ABSTRACT

Host specialization plays a critical role in the ecology and evolution of plant-microbe symbiosis. Theory predicts that host specialization is associated with microbial genome streamlining and is influenced by the abundance of host species, both of which can vary across latitudes, leading to a latitudinal gradient in host specificity. Here, we quantified the host specificity and composition of plant-bacteria symbioses on leaves across 329 tree species spanning a latitudinal gradient. Our analysis revealed a predominance of host-specialized leaf bacteria. The degree of host specificity was negatively correlated with bacterial genome size and the local abundance of host plants. Additionally, we found an increased host specificity at lower latitudes, aligning with the high prevalence of small bacterial genomes and rare host species in the tropics. These findings underscore the importance of genome streamlining and host abundance in the evolution of host specificity in plant-associated bacteria along the latitudinal gradient.


Subject(s)
Genome Size , Host Specificity , Plant Leaves , Symbiosis , Plant Leaves/microbiology , Bacteria/genetics , Bacteria/classification , Genome, Bacterial , Trees/microbiology
2.
Oecologia ; 2024 Jun 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38824461

ABSTRACT

Understanding how different mechanisms act and interact in shaping communities and ecosystems is essential to better predict their future with global change. Disturbance legacy, abiotic conditions, and biotic interactions can simultaneously influence tree growth, but it remains unclear what are their relative contributions and whether they have additive or interactive effects. We examined the separate and joint effects of disturbance intensity, soil conditions, and neighborhood crowding on tree growth in 10 temperate forests in northeast China. We found that disturbance was the strongest driver of tree growth, followed by neighbors and soil. Specifically, trees grew slower with decreasing initial disturbance intensity, but with increasing neighborhood crowding, soil pH and soil total phosphorus. Interestingly, the decrease in tree growth with increasing soil pH and soil phosphorus was steeper with high initial disturbance intensity. Testing the role of species traits, we showed that fast-growing species exhibited greater maximum tree size, but lower wood density and specific leaf area. Species with lower wood density grew faster with increasing initial disturbance intensity, while species with higher specific leaf area suffered less from neighbors in areas with high initial disturbance intensity. Our study suggests that accounting for both individual and interactive effects of multiple drivers is crucial to better predict forest dynamics.

3.
Chem Commun (Camb) ; 60(44): 5743-5746, 2024 May 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38743417

ABSTRACT

Two anionic tetrahedral cages were self-assembled as the only observable products in weakly basic water via imine condensation. The success of the high-yielding formation of the cages in water relies on (i) multivalency enhancing the stability of the imine bond and affording these cages water compatibility and (ii) a guest template with a complementary size and geometry that provides a hydrophobic driving force by occupying the corresponding cage cavity. When all four precursors, namely two trisaldehydes and two trisamines, were combined in water, narcissistic self-sorting occurred when both guest templates were present. In organic media where the hydrophobic effect is absent, narcissistic self-sorting did not occur in the analogous cage systems, confirming the importance of guest templates.

4.
J Fungi (Basel) ; 10(5)2024 Apr 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38786665

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the effects of forest aging on ectomycorrhizal (EcM) fungal community and foraging behavior and their interactions with plant-soil attributes. We explored EcM fungal communities and hyphal exploration types via rDNA sequencing and investigated their associations with plant-soil traits by comparing younger (~120 years) and older (~250 years) temperate forest stands in Northeast China. The results revealed increases in the EcM fungal richness and abundance with forest aging, paralleled by plant-soil feedback shifting from explorative to conservative nutrient use strategies. In the younger stands, Tomentella species were prevalent and showed positive correlations with nutrient availability in both the soil and leaves, alongside rapid increases in woody productivity. However, the older stands were marked by the dominance of the genera Inocybe, Hymenogaster, and Otidea which were significantly and positively correlated with soil nutrient contents and plant structural attributes such as the community-weighted mean height and standing biomass. Notably, the ratios of longer-to-shorter distance EcM fungal exploration types tended to decrease along with forest aging. Our findings underscore the integral role of EcM fungi in the aging processes of temperate forests, highlighting the EcM symbiont-mediated mechanisms adapting to nutrient scarcity and promoting sustainability in plant-soil consortia.

5.
J Leukoc Biol ; 2024 May 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38700080

ABSTRACT

Precise synapse elimination is essential for the establishment of a fully developed neural circuit during brain development and higher function in adult brain. Beyond immune and nutrition support, recent groundbreaking studies have revealed that phagocytic microglia and astrocytes can actively and selectively eliminate synapses in normal and diseased brains, thereby mediating synapse loss and maintaining circuit homeostasis. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that the mechanisms of synapse elimination by phagocytic glia are not universal but rather depend on specific contexts and detailed neuron-glia interactions. The mechanism of synapse elimination by phagocytic glia is dependent on neuron-intrinsic factors, many innate immune and local apoptosis related molecules. During development, microglial synapse engulfment in the visual thalamus is primarily influenced by the classic complement pathway, whereas in the barrel cortex, the fractalkine pathway is dominant. In Alzheimer's disease, microglia employ complement-dependent mechanisms for synapse engulfment in tauopathy and early ß-amyloid pathology. But microglia are not involved in synapse loss at late ß-amyloid stages. Phagocytic microglia also engulfment synapses in complement dependent way in schizophrenia, anxiety and stress. Besides, phagocytic astrocytes engulf synapses in a MEGF10 dependent way during visual development, memory and stroke. Furthermore, the mechanism of a phenomenon that phagocytes selectively eliminating excitatory and inhibitory synapses is also emphasized in this review. We hypothesize that elucidating context-dependent synapse elimination by phagocytic microglia and astrocytes may reveal the molecular basis of synapse loss in neural disorders and provide a rationale for developing novel candidate therapies that target synapse loss and circuit homeostasis.

6.
Cancer Res Treat ; 2024 May 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38726508

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Molecular residual disease (MRD) is a promising biomarker in colorectal cancer (CRC) for prognosis and guiding treatment, while the whole-exome sequencing (WES) based tumor-informed assay is standard for evaluating MRD based on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). In this study, we assessed the feasibility of a fixed-panel for evaluating MRD in CRC. Materials and Methods: 75 patients with resectable stage I-III CRC were enrolled. Tumor tissues obtained by surgery, and pre-operative and post-operative day 7 blood samples were collected. The ctDNA was evaluated using the tumor-agnostic and tumor-informed fixed assays, as well as the WES-based and panel-based personalized assays in randomly selected patients. Results: The tumor-informed fixed assay had a higher pre-operative positive rate than the tumor-agnostic assay (73.3% vs 57.3%). The pre-op ctDNA status failed to predict disease-free survival (DFS) in either of the fixed assays, while the tumor-informed fixed assay-determined post-op ctDNA positivity was significantly associated with worse DFS (HR, 20.74, 95%CI 7.19-59.83; p<0.001), which was an independent predictor by multivariable analysis (HR, 28.57, 95%CI 7.10-114.9; p<0.001). Sub-cohort analysis indicated the WES-based personalized assay had the highest pre-operative positive rate (95.1%). The two personalized assays and the tumor-informed fixed assay demonstrated same results in post-op landmark (HR, 26.34, 95%CI, 6.01-115.57; p<0.001), outperforming the tumor-agnostic fixed panel (HR, 3.04, 95%CI, 0.94-9.89; p=0.052). Conclusion: Our study confirmed the prognostic value of the ctDNA positivity at post-op day 7 by the tumor-informed fixed panel. The tumor-informed fixed panel may be a cost-effective method to evaluate MRD, which warrants further studies in future.

7.
J Neuroinflammation ; 21(1): 111, 2024 Apr 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38685040

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: It is well known that high-fat diet (HFD)-induced metabolic syndrome plays a crucial role in cognitive decline and brain-blood barrier (BBB) breakdown. However, whether the bone-brain axis participates in this pathological process remains unknown. Here, we report that platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) secretion by preosteoclasts in the bone accelerates neuroinflammation. The expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), a nonspecific transcytosis marker, was upregulated during HFD challenge. MAIN BODY: Preosteoclast-specific Pdgfb transgenic mice with high PDGF-BB concentrations in the circulation recapitulated the HFD-induced neuroinflammation and transcytosis shift. Preosteoclast-specific Pdgfb knockout mice were partially rescued from hippocampal neuroinflammation and transcytosis shifts in HFD-challenged mice. HFD-induced PDGF-BB elevation aggravated microglia-associated neuroinflammation and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) secretion, which increased ALPL expression and transcytosis shift through enhancing protein 1 (SP1) translocation in endothelial cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm the role of bone-secreted PDGF-BB in neuroinflammation and the transcytosis shift in the hippocampal region during HFD challenge and identify a novel mechanism of microglia-endothelial crosstalk in HFD-induced metabolic syndrome.


Subject(s)
Becaplermin , Diet, High-Fat , Endothelial Cells , Hippocampus , Metabolic Syndrome , Microglia , Transcytosis , Animals , Mice , Becaplermin/metabolism , Hippocampus/metabolism , Hippocampus/pathology , Transcytosis/physiology , Metabolic Syndrome/metabolism , Metabolic Syndrome/pathology , Microglia/metabolism , Microglia/pathology , Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects , Endothelial Cells/metabolism , Endothelial Cells/pathology , Mice, Transgenic , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Male , Bone and Bones/metabolism , Bone and Bones/pathology
8.
Biomed Opt Express ; 15(4): 2433-2450, 2024 Apr 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38633075

ABSTRACT

In recent years, imaging photoplethysmograph (iPPG) pulse signals have been widely used in the research of non-contact blood pressure (BP) estimation, in which BP estimation based on pulse features is the main research direction. Pulse features are directly related to the shape of pulse signals while iPPG pulse signals are easily disturbed during the extraction process. To mitigate the impact of pulse feature distortion on BP estimation, it is necessary to eliminate interference while retaining valuable shape details in the iPPG pulse signal. Contact photoplethysmograph (cPPG) pulse signals measured at rest can be considered as the undisturbed reference signal. Transforming the iPPG pulse signal to the corresponding cPPG pulse signal is a method to ensure the effectiveness of shape details. However, achieving the required shape accuracy through direct transformation from iPPG to the corresponding cPPG pulse signals is challenging. We propose a method to mitigate this challenge by replacing the reference signal with an average cardiac cycle (ACC) signal, which can approximately represent the shape information of all cardiac cycles in a short time. A neural network using multi-scale convolution and self-attention mechanisms is developed for this transformation. Our method demonstrates a significant improvement in the maximal information coefficient (MIC) between pulse features and BP values, indicating a stronger correlation. Moreover, pulse signals transformed by our method exhibit enhanced performance in BP estimation using different model types. Experiments are conducted on a real-world database with 491 subjects in the hospital, averaging 60 years of age.

10.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(4)2024 Feb 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38396963

ABSTRACT

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder with a prolonged prodromal phase. Higher urinary bis(monoacylglycerol)phosphate (BMP) levels associate with LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) and GBA1 (glucocerebrosidase) mutations, and are considered as potential noninvasive biomarkers for predicting those mutations and PD progression. However, their reliability has been questioned, with inadequately investigated genetics, cohorts, and population. In this study, multiple statistical hypothesis tests were employed on urinary BMP levels and sequences of 90 PD-risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from Parkinson's Progression Markers Institution (PPMI) participants. Those SNPs were categorized into four groups based on their impact on BMP levels in various cohorts. Variants rs34637584 G/A and rs34637584 A/A (LRRK2 G2019S) were identified as the most relevant on increasing urinary BMP levels in the PD cohort. Meanwhile, rs76763715 T/T (GBA1) was the primary factor elevating BMP levels in the prodromal cohort compared to its T/C and C/C variants (N370S) and the PD cohort. Proteomics analysis indicated the changed transport pathways may be the reasons for elevated BMP levels in prodromal patients. Our findings demonstrated that higher urinary BMP levels alone were not reliable biomarkers for PD progression or gene mutations but might serve as supplementary indicators for early diagnosis and treatment.


Subject(s)
Lysophospholipids , Monoglycerides , Parkinson Disease , Humans , Parkinson Disease/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Reproducibility of Results , Mutation , Biomarkers
11.
Int J Genomics ; 2024: 2277956, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38410787

ABSTRACT

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare X-linked recessive genetic disease characterized by clinical symptoms such as eczema, thrombocytopenia with small platelets, immune deficiency, prone to autoimmune diseases, and malignant tumors. This disease is caused by mutations of the WAS gene encoding WASprotein (WASP). The locus and type of mutations of the WAS gene and the expression quantity of WASP were strongly correlated with the clinical manifestations of patients. We found a novel mutation in the WAS gene (c.931 + 5G > C), which affected splicing to produce three abnormal mRNA, resulting in an abnormally truncated WASP. This mutation led to a reduction but not the elimination of the normal WASP population, resulting in causes X-linked thrombocytopenia (XLT) with mild clinical manifestations. Our findings revealed the pathogenic mechanism of this mutation.

12.
Theranostics ; 14(4): 1683-1700, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38389839

ABSTRACT

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an insidious, rapidly progressing malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to its dense fibrous stroma and complex tumor microenvironment, neither of which is sensitive to radiotherapy, pancreatic adenocarcinoma is one of the malignancies with the poorest prognosis. Therefore, detailed elucidation of the inhibitory microenvironment of PDAC is essential for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Methods: We analyzed the association between cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and resistance to ferroptosis in PDAC using conditioned CAF medium and co-culture of pancreatic cancer cells. Abnormal cysteine metabolism was observed in CAFs using non-targeted metabolomics analysis with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The regulatory effects of cysteine were investigated in PDAC cells through measurement of cell cloning, cell death, cell function, and EdU assays. The effects of exogenous cysteine intake were examined in a mouse xenograft model and the effects of the cysteine pathway on ferroptosis in PDAC were investigated by western blotting, measurement of glutathione and reactive oxygen species levels, among others. Results: It was found that CAFs played a critical role in PDAC metabolism by secreting cysteine, which could increase tumor resistance to ferroptosis. A previously unrecognized function of the sulfur transfer pathway in CAFs was identified, which increased the extracellular supply of cysteine to support glutathione synthesis and thus inducing ferroptosis resistance. Cysteine secretion by CAFs was found to be mediated by the TGF-ß/SMAD3/ATF4 signaling axis. Conclusion: Taken together, the findings demonstrate a novel metabolic relationship between CAFs and cancer cells, in which cysteine generated by CAFs acts as a substrate in the prevention of oxidative damage in PDAC and thus suggests new therapeutic targets for PDAC.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma , Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal , Ferroptosis , Pancreatic Neoplasms , Humans , Mice , Animals , Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology , Cysteine/metabolism , Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts/metabolism , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Chromatography, Liquid , Tandem Mass Spectrometry , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/pathology , Glutathione/metabolism , Tumor Microenvironment
13.
Aging (Albany NY) ; 16(5): 4423-4444, 2024 Feb 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38412319

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: SLC20A1, a prominent biomarker in several cancers, has been understudied in its predictive role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze HNSCC prognosis, SLC20A1 overexpression, and clinical characteristics. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis confirmed SLC20A1 expression in HNSCC tissues. Cellular behaviors such as invasion, migration and proliferation were assessed using Transwell, wound healing and colony formation assays. Immune system data were obtained from the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and CIBERSORT databases. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were used to explore biological parameters and pathways associated with SLC20A1 overexpression in HNSCC. RESULTS: In 499 HNSCC samples, SLC20A1 mRNA and protein expression were significantly higher than in 44 normal counterparts, confirmed by 24 paired samples. Patients were categorized based on SLC20A1 levels, survival status and overall survival. High SLC20A1 expression correlated with advanced T stage, increased risk scores and decreased survival. Stage, age and SLC20A1 expression emerged as independent predictive factors for HNSCC in univariate and multivariate analyses. SLC20A1 overexpression, which is associated with poor prognosis, may influence cell proliferation, migration, invasion, chemotherapy response, and the immune milieu. CONCLUSIONS: SLC20A1 overexpression in HNSCC, characterized by increased cellular invasion, migration and proliferation, is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic response indicator.


Subject(s)
Head and Neck Neoplasms , Humans , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/genetics , Prognosis , Head and Neck Neoplasms/genetics , Prospective Studies , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Sodium-Phosphate Cotransporter Proteins, Type III
14.
Gene ; 896: 148038, 2024 Feb 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38036077

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hemophilia A is caused by a deficiency of coagulation factor VIII in the body due to a defect in the F8 gene. The emergence of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology will make it possible to alter the expression of the F8 gene in hemophiliacs, while achieving a potential cure for the disease. METHODS: Initially, we identified high-activity variants of FVIII and constructed donor plasmids using enzymatic digestion and ligation techniques. Subsequently, the donor plasmids were co-transfected with sgRNA-Cas9 protein into mouse Neuro-2a cells, followed by flow cytometry-based cell sorting and puromycin selection. Finally, BDD-hF8 targeted to knock-in the mROSA26 genomic locus was identified and validated for FVIII expression. RESULTS: We identified the p18T-BDD-F8-V3 variant with high FVIII activity and detected the strongest pX458-mROSA26-int1-sgRNA1 targeted cleavage ability and no cleavage events were found at potential off-target sites. Targeted knock-in of BDD-hF8 cDNA at the mROSA26 locus was achieved based on both HDR/NHEJ gene repair approaches, and high level and stable FVIII expression was obtained, successfully realizing gene editing in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Knock-in of exogenous genes based on the CRISPR/Cas9 system targeting genomic loci is promising for the research and treatment of a variety of single-gene diseases.


Subject(s)
CRISPR-Cas Systems , Factor VIII , Hemophilia A , Animals , Mice , CRISPR-Associated Protein 9/genetics , Gene Editing/methods , Hemophilia A/genetics , Hemophilia A/therapy , RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems , Factor VIII/biosynthesis , Factor VIII/genetics
15.
Neurosci Res ; 199: 48-56, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37595875

ABSTRACT

The central neuropeptide GLP-1 is synthesized by preproglucagon (PPG) neurons in the brain. GLP-1 receptors are widely distributed in central nervous system. Hippocampus is a key component of the limbic system which is involved in learning, memory, and cognition. Previous studies have shown that overexpression of GLP-1 receptors in the hippocampus could improve the process of learning and memory. However, up to now, the direct electrophysiological effects and possible molecular mechanisms of GLP-1 in hippocampal CAl neurons remain unexplored. The present study aims to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of GLP-1 on the spontaneous firing activity of hippocampal CAl neurons. Employing multibarrel single-unit extracellular recordings, the present study showed that micro-pressure administration of GLP-1 receptor agonist, exendin-4, significantly increased the spontaneous firing rate of hippocampal CA1 neurons in rats. Furthermore, application of the specific GLP-1 receptor antagonist, exendin(9-39), alone significantly decreased the firing rate of CA1 neurons, suggesting that endogenous GLP-1 modulates the firing activity of CA1 neurons. Co-application of exendin(9-39) completely blocked exendin-4-induced excitation of hippocampal CA1 neurons. Finally, the present study demonstrated for the first time that the transient receptor potential canonical 4 (TRPC4)/TRPC5 channels may be involved in exendin-4-induced excitation. The present studies may provide a rationale for further investigation of the modulation of GLP-1 on learning and memory as well as its possible involvement in Alzheimer's disease.


Subject(s)
Hippocampus , Neuropeptides , Rats , Animals , Exenatide/pharmacology , Neurons/physiology , Glucagon-Like Peptide 1/pharmacology
16.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr ; 117: 105223, 2024 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37832465

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Multiple limitations often co-occur and accumulate, leading to subsequent function decline. However, there is a scarcity of longitudinal studies examining the progression of physical function among the general population of older adults in China. This study aimed to define typical physical function status and its change, which were characterized by the coexistence and accumulation of diverse limitations targeting a Chinese sample of older adults. METHODS: This study used the three recent public data waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey during a 6-year follow-up period. 9765 individuals who were over 65 and participated in the 2011 survey were included. Latent transition analysis was used to identify the latent physical function status and explore the transition of older adults among different latent statuses. RESULTS: Seven latent statuses of physical function were identified, with visual impairment and related limitations being particularly prevalent among older adults. Upper limb mobility appeared to be a differentiated indicator of physical functional status. Physical function decline mainly started with the limitations in squatting, carrying weights and walking, then to the status with intact upper limb mobility and hearing function only, or converted directly into the latter, then to complete dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest some indicative limitations and critical steps in the process of functional decline among older adults. These results may provide insight for researchers and policymakers to develop tailored preventive and rehabilitation care and provide support for physically limited elderly according to their latent status and course of functional decline.


Subject(s)
Asian People , Longevity , Humans , Aged , Longitudinal Studies , Walking , Physical Examination , China/epidemiology
17.
Zhongguo Shi Yan Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi ; 31(6): 1890-1893, 2023 Dec.
Article in Chinese | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38071078

ABSTRACT

Hemophilia A(HA) is an X-linked recessive bleeding disorder caused by mutations in coagulation factor VIII. Nowadays, exogenous coagulation factor replacement therapy is the main treatment. With the continuous development of gene therapy, new research directions have been provided for the treatment of hemophilia A. CRISPR-Cas9 technology was applied to select suitable target sites, and mediate the targeted knock-in and efficient expression of exogenous B-domain-deleted FⅧ variant gene through corresponding vectors for the treatment of hemophilia A.CRISPR-Cas9 technology is an emerging gene editing tool with great efficiency, safety and effectiveness, and has been widely used in hemophilia gene therapy research. This paper reviews the vector selection, construction of therapeutic genes, gene editing technology and selection of expression target sites for hemophilia A gene therapy at this stage.


Subject(s)
Hemophilia A , Hemophilia B , Humans , Hemophilia A/genetics , Hemophilia A/therapy , CRISPR-Cas Systems , Hemophilia B/genetics , Hemophilia B/therapy , Gene Editing , Genetic Therapy , Genetic Vectors
18.
Int J Equity Health ; 22(1): 235, 2023 11 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37950244

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive understanding of subgroups of community-dwelling older adults and their long-term care (LTC) utilization can help to promote equality in the long-term services and support system. Dependency and household characteristics were found to affect the LTC utilization of homebound older adults. However, few studies considered the typologies of dependency of older populations according to co-occurring limitations, and little is known about differences in LTC use among elderly of typologies of dependency under distinct household conditions. METHODS: We aimed to identify typologies of dependency of older adults living at home and explore the disparities in formal care and informal care use among typologies of dependency by income and living situation. In this cross-sectional study, we used the public long-term care insurance (LTCI) database of Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, China, and included 1675 individuals aged ≥ 60 years living at home. Cluster analysis was conducted to determine typologies of dependency among older adults. A two-step multilevel analysis was used to examine disparities in formal and informal care use related to household income and living status among typologies of dependency. RESULTS: Seven dependency clusters were identified. Pro-wealthy inequalities in both formal and informal care use were found in the least dependent cluster and the limited-locomotion cluster. Pro-poor inequalities in formal care use were found in the fully dependent cluster without impaired vision and the cluster with intact continence and vision. Living with family members was positively associated with receiving formal care for the fully dependent cluster. Older adults in most clusters were more likely to use informal care when living with family members, except for the least dependent cluster and the limited-locomotion cluster. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that household inequalities in LTC use varied among typologies of dependency of older adults, which may provide insights for researchers and policymakers to develop tailored LTC and targeted LTCI programs for older adults living at home and their family caregivers, considering both typologies of dependency and household characteristics.


Subject(s)
Home Care Services , Aged , Humans , Insurance, Long-Term Care , Independent Living , Cross-Sectional Studies , Caregivers , Patient Care , Long-Term Care
19.
Plants (Basel) ; 12(22)2023 Nov 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38005751

ABSTRACT

As a vital component of biodiversity, phyllosphere bacteria in forest canopy play a critical role in maintaining plant health and influencing the global biogeochemical cycle. There is limited research on the community structure of phyllosphere bacteria in natural forests, which creates a gap in our understanding of whether and/or how phyllosphere bacteria are connected to leaf traits of their host. In this study, we investigated the bacterial diversity and composition of the canopy leaves of six dominant tree species in deciduous broad-leaved forests in northeastern China, using high-throughput sequencing. We then compare the differences in phyllosphere bacterial community structure and functional genes of dominant tree species. Fourteen key leaf functional traits of their host trees were also measured according to standard protocols to investigate the relationships between bacterial community composition and leaf functional traits. Our result suggested that tree species with closer evolutionary distances had similar phyllosphere microbial alpha diversity. The dominant phyla of phyllosphere bacteria were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. For these six tree species, the functional genes of phyllosphere bacteria were mainly involved in amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism processes. The redundancy and envfit analysis results showed that the functional traits relating to plant nutrient acquisition and resistance to diseases and pests (such as leaf area, isotope carbon content, and copper content) were the main factors influencing the community structure of phyllosphere bacteria. This study highlights the key role of plant interspecific genetic relationships and plant attributes in shaping phyllosphere bacterial diversity.

20.
Mol Plant ; 16(11): 1832-1846, 2023 11 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37798878

ABSTRACT

Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most important diseases of rice. Utilization of blast-resistance genes is the most economical, effective, and environmentally friendly way to control the disease. However, genetic resources with broad-spectrum resistance (BSR) that is effective throughout the rice growth period are rare. In this work, using a genome-wide association study, we identify a new blast-resistance gene, Pijx, which encodes a typical CC-NBS-LRR protein. Pijx is derived from a wild rice species and confers BSR to M. oryzae at both the seedling and panicle stages. The functions of the resistant haplotypes of Pijx are confirmed by gene knockout and overexpression experiments. Mechanistically, the LRR domain in Pijx interacts with and promotes the degradation of the ATP synthase ß subunit (ATPb) via the 26S proteasome pathway. ATPb acts as a negative regulator of Pijx-mediated panicle blast resistance, and interacts with OsRbohC to promote its degradation. Consistently, loss of ATPb function causes an increase in NAPDH content and ROS burst. Remarkably, when Pijx is introgressed into two japonica rice varieties, the introgression lines show BSR and increased yields that are approximately 51.59% and 79.31% higher compared with those of their parents in a natural blast disease nursery. In addition, we generate PPLPijx Pigm and PPLPijx Piz-t pyramided lines and these lines also have higher BSR to panicle blast compared with Pigm- or Piz-t-containing rice plants. Collectively, this study demonstrates that Pijx not only confers BSR to M. oryzae but also maintains high and stable rice yield, providing new genetic resources and molecular targets for breeding rice varieties with broad-spectrum blast resistance.


Subject(s)
Magnaporthe , Oryza , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Proteins/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Seedlings/genetics , Seedlings/metabolism , Disease Resistance/genetics , Genome-Wide Association Study , Plant Breeding , Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Oryza/metabolism , Plant Diseases/genetics , Plant Diseases/microbiology , Magnaporthe/genetics
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