Transcriptome-Based Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis Reveals the Photosynthesis Pathway and Hub Genes Involved in Promoting Tiller Growth under Repeated Drought-Rewatering Cycles in Perennial Ryegrass.

Drought stress, which often occurs repeatedly across the world, can cause multiple and long-term effects on plant growth. However, the repeated drought-rewatering effects on plant growth remain uncertain. This study was conducted to determine the effects of drought-rewatering cycles on aboveground growth and explore the underlying mechanisms. Perennial ryegrass plants were subjected to three watering regimes: well-watered control (W), two cycles of drought-rewatering (D2R), and one cycle of drought-rewatering (D1R). The results indicated that the D2R treatment increased the tiller number by 40.9% and accumulated 28.3% more aboveground biomass compared with W; whereas the D1R treatment reduced the tiller number by 23.9% and biomass by 42.2% compared to the W treatment. A time-course transcriptome analysis was performed using crown tissues obtained from plants under D2R and W treatments at 14, 17, 30, and 33 days (d). A total number of 2272 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. In addition, an in-depth weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was carried out to investigate the relationship between RNA-seq data and tiller number. The results indicated that DEGs were enriched in photosynthesis-related pathways and were further supported by chlorophyll content measurements. Moreover, tiller-development-related hub genes were identified in the D2R treatment, including F-box/LRR-repeat MAX2 homolog (D3), homeobox-leucine zipper protein HOX12-like (HOX12), and putative laccase-17 (LAC17). The consistency of RNA-seq and qRT-PCR data were validated by high Pearson's correlation coefficients ranging from 0.899 to 0.998. This study can provide a new irrigation management strategy that might increase plant biomass with less water consumption. In addition, candidate photosynthesis and hub genes in regulating tiller growth may provide new insights for drought-resistant breeding.

Effects of microplastics on N2O production and reduction potential in crop soils of northern China.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution are found to be increasing in vegetable soils and potentially affecting N2O production and their associated pathways; however, its specific effects remain unclear. Here, we selected two common MPs, PE and PP at four different concentration levels of 0, 0.5, 1.5 and 3%, and conducted several incubation experiments aiming to explore soil bacterial and fungal N2O production. Results showed that the bacteria were the main contributors for the production of N2O, regardless of the absence or presence of MPs; and its contribution was decreased with increasing concentrations of PE and PP. The nosZ clade I and II genes were positively correlated with N2O reduction rates, indicating a combined regulation on soil N2O reduction. PE significantly inhibited the bacterial nitrification and denitrification, but did not affect the total N2O production rates; while PP significantly reduced both the bacterial and fungal N2O production rates. The resistance of fungal N2O production to MPs pollution was stronger than that of the bacterial N2O production. It highlights that the MPs pollution could reduce the potential of N2O production and reduction, and thus disturb soil nitrogen cycling system; while the inhibition on N2O production via bacteria and fungi varies with different types of MPs. This study is conducive to an improved and more comprehensive understanding of the ecological impacts of MPs within the agroecosystem.

Adverse childhood experiences and human immunodeficiency virus testing among adults with human immunodeficiency virus risk behaviours.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with poor HIV testing in adulthood yet, they have not been extensively described in those at increased risk for HIV. Cross-sectional analysis data (n = 204,231) on ACEs and HIV testing were obtained from the 2019-2020 Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. Weighted logistic regression models were used to access the association of ACEs exposure, ACEs score, and ACEs type with HIV testing among adults with HIV risk behaviours, and stratified analysis was also performed to examine gender differences. The results indicated the overall rate of HIV testing was 38.8% and was higher among those with HIV risk behaviours (64.6%) than those without (37.2%). In populations with HIV risk behaviours, the negative association of HIV testing with ACEs exposure, ACEs score, and ACEs type was identified. Relative to those without ACEs, adults who were exposed to ACEs might decrease the rate of HIV testing, participants with ≥4 ACEs scores were less likely to have HIV testing, and childhood exposure to sexual abuse had the greatest impact on HIV testing. For both males and females, childhood exposure to ACEs was associated with lower odds of HIV testing and ACEs score ≥4 had the most robust associations with HIV testing. For males, those who experienced witnessed domestic violence had the lowest odds of HIV testing but the odds of engaging in HIV testing for females were the lowest among those who experienced childhood sexual abuse.

Myasthenia gravis after the third dose of human papillomavirus 9-valent vaccine: A case report.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the main cause of cervical cancer. HPV vaccination is considered an effective way to prevent cervical cancer. Although the vast majority of people experience no obvious adverse reactions after being vaccinated with HPV vaccine, the continuous monitoring of adverse events following immunization is important. Herein, we report the case of a previously healthy young woman who developed unilateral extraocular muscle palsy after receiving the third dose of the Gardasil HPV 9-valent vaccine (9vHPV) and was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG). The patient developed swelling of the left eye on the 3rd day after vaccination and ptosis of the left eyelid on the 18th day after vaccination. She was treated with oral pyridostigmine and methylprednisolone. Her symptoms began to improve after 2 weeks of treatment and resolved completely after 3 weeks. After excluding other possible causes and considering the close temporal relationship between the timing of the 9vHPV vaccination and the onset of symptoms, 9vHPV appears to have triggered MG. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case report of 9vHPV-associated MG in China. Although ocular MG may be a rare adverse event after vaccination with 9vHPV, there is currently no direct evidence establishing a causal relationship; therefore, the safety of 9vHPV remains unquestioned.

In situ polymerized ionic liquids in polyester fiber composite membranes for detection of trace oil.

In situ trace detection on ultra-clean surfaces is an important technology. The polyester fiber (PF) was introduced to serve as the template, to which the ionic liquids were bonded by hydrogen bonding. Polymerized ionic liquids (PIL) in PF were formed by in situ polymerization with the azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and IL. The trace oil on metal surfaces was enriched by the composite membrane based on similar compatibility principle. The absolute recovery of the trace oil ranged from 91%-99% using this composite membrane. In the extraction samples, desirable linear correlations were obtained for trace oil in the range of 1.25-20 mg/mL. It has been proven that a 1 cm2 PIL-PF composite membrane can effectively extract as little as 1 mg of lubricating oil on an ultra-clean metal surface of 0.1 m2 with the LOD of 0.9 mg/mL, making it a promising material for in situ detection of trace oil on metal surfaces.

High soil carbon sequestration rates persist several decades in turfgrass systems: A meta-analysis.

Managed turfgrass is a common component of urban landscapes that is expanding under current land use trends. Previous studies have reported high rates of soil carbon sequestration in turfgrass, but no systematic review has summarized these rates nor evaluated how they change as turfgrass ages. Here we conducted a meta-analysis of soil carbon sequestration rates from 63 studies globally, comprised mostly of C3 grass species in the U.S., including 24 chronosequence studies that evaluated carbon changes over 75 years or longer. We showed that turfgrass established within the last ten years had a positive mean soil C sequestration rate of 5.3 Mg CO2 ha-1 yr-1 (95% CI = 3.7-6.2), which is higher than rates reported for several soil conservation practices. Areas converted to turfgrass from forests were an exception, sometimes lost soil carbon, and had a cross-study mean sequestration rate that did not differ from 0. In some locations, soil C accumulated linearly with turfgrass age over several decades, but the major trend was for soil C accumulation rates to decline through time, reaching a cross-study mean sequestration rate that was not different from 0 at 50 years. We show that fitting soil C timeseries with a mechanistically derived function rather than purely empirical functions did not alter these conclusions, nor did employing equivalent soil mass versus fixed-depth carbon stock accounting. We conducted a partial greenhouse gas budget that estimated emissions from mowing, N-fertilizer production, and soil N2O emissions. When N fertilizer was applied, average maintenance emissions offset 32% of C sequestration in recently established turfgrass. Potential emission removals by turfgrass can be maximized with reduced-input management. Management decisions that avoid losing accrued soil C-both when turfgrass is first established and when it is eventually replaced with other land-uses-will also help maximize turfgrass C sequestration potential.

Mining for salt-tolerant genes from halophyte Zoysia matrella using FOX system and functional analysis of ZmGnTL.

Zoysia matrella is a salt-tolerant turfgrass grown in areas with high soil salinity irrigated with effluent water. Previous studies focused on explaining the regulatory mechanism of Z. matrella salt-tolerance at phenotypic and physiological levels. However, the molecular mechanism associated with salt tolerance of Z. matrella remained unclear. In this study, a high-efficient method named FOX (full-length cDNA overexpression) hunting system was used to search for salt-tolerant genes in Z. matrella. Eleven candidate genes, including several known or novel salt-tolerant genes involved in different metabolism pathways, were identified. These genes exhibited inducible expression under salt stress condition. Furthermore, a novel salt-inducible candidate gene ZmGnTL was transformed into Arabidopsis for functional analysis. ZmGnTL improved salt-tolerance through regulating ion homeostasis, reactive oxygen species scavenging, and osmotic adjustment. In summary, we demonstrated that FOX is a reliable system for discovering novel genes relevant to salt tolerance and several candidate genes were identified from Z. matrella that can assist molecular breeding for plant salt-tolerance improvement.

Carbon Sequestration in Turfgrass-Soil Systems.

Plants are key components of the terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle. Atmospheric CO2 is assimilated through photosynthesis and stored in plant biomass and in the soil. The use of turfgrass is expanding due to the increasing human population and urbanization. In this review, we summarize recent carbon sequestration research in turfgrass and compare turfgrass systems to other plant systems. The soil organic carbon (SOC) stored in turfgrass systems is comparable to that in other natural and agricultural systems. Turfgrass systems are generally carbon-neutral or carbon sinks, with the exception of intensively managed areas, such as golf course greens and athletic fields. Turfgrass used in other areas, such as golf course fairways and roughs, parks, and home lawns, has the potential to contribute to carbon sequestration if proper management practices are implemented. High management inputs can increase the biomass productivity of turfgrass but do not guarantee higher SOC compared to low management inputs. Additionally, choosing the appropriate turfgrass species that are well adapted to the local climate and tolerant to stresses can maximize CO2 assimilation and biomass productivity, although other factors, such as soil respiration, can considerably affect SOC. Future research is needed to document the complete carbon footprint, as well as to identify best management practices and appropriate turfgrass species to enhance carbon sequestration in turfgrass systems.

Reallocation of Soluble Sugars and IAA Regulation in Association with Enhanced Stolon Growth by Elevated CO2 in Creeping Bentgrass.

Extensive stolon development and growth are superior traits for rapid establishment as well as post-stress regeneration in stoloniferous grass species. Despite the importance of those stoloniferous traits, the regulation mechanisms of stolon growth and development are largely unknown. The objectives of this research were to elucidate the effects of the reallocation of soluble sugars for energy reserves and endogenous hormone levels for cell differentiation and regeneration in regulating stolon growth of a perennial turfgrass species, creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.). Plants were grown in growth chambers with two CO2 concentrations: ambient CO2 concentration (400 ± 10 µmol mol-1) and elevated CO2 concentration (800 ± 10 µmol mol-1). Elevated CO2 enhanced stolon growth through increasing stolon internode number and internode length in creeping bentgrass, as manifested by the longer total stolon length and greater shoot biomass. The content of glucose, sucrose, and fructose as well as endogenous IAA were accumulated in stolon nodes and internodes but not in leaves or roots under elevated CO2 concentration. These results illustrated that the production and reallocation of soluble sugars to stolons as well as the increased level of IAA in stolon nodes and internodes could contribute to the enhancement of stolon growth under elevated CO2 in creeping bentgrass.

Tannic acid-polypyrrole multifunctional coating layer enhancing the interface effect and efficient Li-ion transport of a phosphorus anode.

Phosphorus has been considered a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries because of its high specific capacity of 2596 mA h g-1 and safe lithiation voltage of 0.7 V. However, the practical application of the phosphorus anode is challenged by its poor cyclability associated with the dissolution of phosphorus intermediates, the enormous volume expansion and the sluggish lithiation reaction kinetics during the cycling process. Herein, a multifunctional coating layer is designed and fabricated on the surface of a phosphorus-carbon nanotube (P-CNT) electrode via the facile in situ polymerization of plant-derived tannic acid (TA) and pyrrole (Py). This coating layer shows strong adsorption of phosphorus and its derivatives, buffers the volumetric expansion of phosphorus and facilitates efficient Li-ion transport, thus enhancing phosphorus utilization during the cycling process. As a result, the P-CNT@TA-PPy hybrid exhibits a stable coulombic efficiency of 99.0% at 520 mA g-1 after 100 cycles and a reduced volumetric expansion of 50% at 260 mA g-1, superior to P-CNT with its unstable coulombic efficiency and large electrode expansion of 329%. This study sheds light on the rational design of advanced phosphorus-based anodes for alkali metal-ion batteries.

Detection of meningoencephalitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes with ischemic stroke-like onset using metagenomics next-generation sequencing: A case report.

RATIONALE: Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a compatible intracellular bacterial pathogen that can invade different mammalian cells and reach the central nervous system (CNS), leading to meningoencephalitis and brain abscesses. In the diagnosis of L. monocytogenes meningoencephalitis (LMM), conventional tests are often reported as negative due to antibiotic therapy or low bacterial content in cerebrospinal fluid. To date, prompt diagnosis and accurate treatment remain a challenge for patients with Listeria infections. PATIENT CONCERNS: Here, we report a case of a 64-year-old male diagnosed with LMM by using metagenomics next-generation sequencing (mNGS). DIAGNOSIS: LMM was confirmed by mNGS analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with piperacillin and sensitive antibiotics. OUTCOMES: The patient could walk independently about 1 month after admission and was discharged from the hospital. LESSONS: This case highlights the value of mNGS in the diagnosis of LMM and emphasizes the inadequate sensitivity of conventional diagnostic methods for Listeria infection.

The Epichloë festucae Antifungal Protein Efe-AfpA Is also a Possible Effector Protein Required for the Interaction of the Fungus with Its Host Grass Festuca rubra subsp. rubra.

Strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra subsp. rubra) is a commercially important low-maintenance turfgrass and is often naturally infected with the fungal endophyte Epichloë festucae. Epichloë spp. are endophytes of several cool-season grass species, often conferring insect resistance to the grass hosts due to the production of toxic alkaloids. In addition to insect resistance, a unique feature of the strong creeping red fescue/E. festucae symbiosis is the endophyte-mediated disease resistance to the fungal pathogen Clarireedia jacksonii, the causal agent of dollar spot disease. Such disease resistance is not a general feature of other grass/ Epichloë interactions. E. festucae isolates infecting red fescue have an antifungal protein gene Efe-afpA, whereas most other Epichloë spp. do not have a similar gene. The uniqueness of this gene suggests it may, therefore, be a component of the unique disease resistance seen in endophyte-infected red fescue. Here, we report the generation of CRISPR-Cas9 Efe-afpA gene knockouts with the goal of determining if absence of the protein in endophyte-infected Festuca rubra leads to disease susceptibility. However, it was not possible to infect plants with the knockout isolates, although infection was possible with the wild type E. festucae and with complemented isolates. This raises the interesting possibility that, in addition to having antifungal activity, the protein is required for the symbiotic interaction. The antifungal protein is a small secreted protein with high expression in planta relative to its expression in culture, all characteristics consistent with effector proteins. If Efe-AfpA is an effector protein it must be specific to certain interactions, since most Epichloë spp. do not have such a gene in their genomes.

Relationship between Uric Acid Level and Severity of Acute Primary Cerebral Infarction: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Numerous studies have shown that uric acid (UA) is associated with cerebrovascular disease, but whether UA is a protective factor or worsens the risk of developing cerebrovascular disease remains controversial. This study investigated the relationship between UA levels detected at admission and the severity of acute primary cerebral infarction. This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with acute primary cerebral infarction (N = 238, 157 men). We designated the levels of serum UA measured at the time of admission as the independent variable and the degree of neurological impairment at admission as the dependent variable. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was used to assess the extent of neurological dysfunction: NIHSS ≤ 5, minor stroke; NIHSS > 5, moderate to severe stroke. There was a statistically significant difference in UA levels between patients with mild cerebral infarctions (NIHSS ≤ 5) and those with moderate or severe cerebral infarctions (NIHSS > 5) (P < 0.0001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the serum UA level was found to be nonlinearly related to NIHSS, and the inflection point was 372 µmol/L. The extent of the influence and confidence interval was 0.99 (0.98, 0.99) on the left side of the inflection point and 1.00 (1.00, 1.01) on the right side. There was a nonlinear relationship between the UA level measured on admission and the degree of neurological impairment in patients with acute primary cerebral infarction. When UA was <372 µmol/L, it was negatively correlated with the degree of neurological impairment in patients with acute cerebral infarction, but when UA was ≥372 µmol/L, the protective effect of UA disappeared.

Transcriptome Analysis of Choke Stroma and Asymptomatic Inflorescence Tissues Reveals Changes in Gene Expression in Both Epichloë festucae and Its Host Plant Festuca rubra subsp. rubra.

Many cool-season grasses have symbiotic relationships with Epichloë (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) fungal endophytes that inhabit the intercellular spaces of the above-ground parts of the host plants. The presence of the Epichloë endophytes is generally beneficial to the hosts due to enhanced tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses conferred by the endophytes. Many Epichloë spp. are asexual, and those infections always remain asymptomatic. However, some Epichloë spp. have a sexual stage and produce a macroscopic fruiting body, a stroma, that envelops the developing inflorescence causing a syndrome termed "choke disease". Here, we report a fungal and plant gene expression analysis of choke stroma tissue and asymptomatic inflorescence tissue of Epichloë festucae-infected strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra subsp. rubra). Hundreds of fungal genes and over 10% of the plant genes were differentially expressed when comparing the two tissue types. The differentially expressed fungal genes in the choke stroma tissue indicated a change in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, as well as a change in expression of numerous genes for candidate effector proteins. Plant stress-related genes were up-regulated in the stroma tissue, suggesting the plant host was responding to the epiphytic stage of E. festucae as a pathogen.

The Epichloë festucae antifungal protein has activity against the plant pathogen Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, the causal agent of dollar spot disease.

Epichloë spp. are naturally occurring fungal endophytic symbionts of many cool-season grasses. Infection by the fungal endophytes often confers biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to their hosts. Endophyte-mediated disease resistance is well-established in the fine fescue grass Festuca rubra subsp. rubra (strong creeping red fescue) infected with E. festucae. Resistance to fungal pathogens is not an established effect of endophyte infection of other grass species, and may therefore be unique to the fine fescues. The underlying mechanism of the disease resistance is unknown. E. festucae produces a secreted antifungal protein that is highly expressed in the infected plant tissues and may therefore be involved in the disease resistance. Most Epichloë spp. do not have a gene for a similar antifungal protein. Here we report the characterization of the E. festucae antifungal protein, designated Efe-AfpA. The antifungal protein partially purified from the apoplastic proteins of endophyte-infected plant tissue and the recombinant protein expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris was found to have activity against the important plant pathogen Sclerotinia homoeocarpa. Efe-AfpA may therefore be a component of the disease resistance seen in endophyte-infected strong creeping red fescue.

Development of a greenhouse-based inoculation protocol for the fungus Colletotrichum cereale pathogenic to annual bluegrass (Poa annua).

The fungus Colletotrichum cereale incites anthracnose disease on Poa annua (annual bluegrass) turfgrass. Anthracnose disease is geographically widespread throughout the world and highly destructive to cool-season turfgrasses, with infections by C. cereale resulting in extensive turf loss. Comprehensive research aimed at controlling turfgrass anthracnose has been performed in the field, but knowledge of the causal organism and its basic biology is still needed. In particular, the lack of a reliable greenhouse-based inoculation protocol performed under controlled environmental conditions is an obstacle to the study of C. cereale and anthracnose disease. Our objective was to develop a consistent and reproducible inoculation protocol for the two major genetic lineages of C. cereale. By adapting previously successful field-based protocols and combining with components of existing inoculation procedures, the method we developed consistently produced C. cereale infection on two susceptible P. annua biotypes. Approximately 7 to 10 days post-inoculation, plants exhibited chlorosis and thinning consistent with anthracnose disease symptomology. Morphological inspection of inoculated plants revealed visual signs of the fungus (appressoria and acervuli), although acervuli were not always present. After stringent surface sterilization of inoculated host tissue, C. cereale was consistently re-isolated from symptomatic tissue. Real-time PCR detection analysis based on the Apn2 marker confirmed the presence of the pathogen in host tissue, with both lineages of C. cereale detected from all inoculated plants. When a humidifier was not used, no infection developed for any biotypes or fungal isolates tested. The inoculation protocol described here marks significant progress for in planta studies of C. cereale, and will enable scientifically reproducible investigations of the biology, infectivity and lifestyle of this important grass pathogen.