Combining slow-release fertilizer and plastic film mulching reduced the carbon footprint and enhanced maize yield on the Loess Plateau.

Agricultural practices significantly contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, necessitating cleaner production technologies to reduce environmental pressure and achieve sustainable maize production. Plastic film mulching is commonly used in the Loess Plateau region. Incorporating slow-release fertilizers as a replacement for urea within this practice can reduce nitrogen losses and enhance crop productivity. Combining these techniques represents a novel agricultural approach in semi-arid areas. However, the impact of this integration on soil carbon storage (SOCS), carbon footprint (CF), and economic benefits has received limited research attention. Therefore, we conducted an eight-year study (2015-2022) in the semi-arid northwestern region to quantify the effects of four treatments [urea supplied without plastic film mulching (CK-U), slow-release fertilizer supplied without plastic film mulching (CK-S), urea supplied with plastic film mulching (PM-U), and slow-release fertilizer supplied with plastic film mulching (PM-S)] on soil fertility, economic and environmental benefits. The results revealed that nitrogen fertilizer was the primary contributor to total GHG emissions (≥71.97%). Compared to other treatments, PM-S increased average grain yield by 12.01%-37.89%, water use efficiency by 9.19%-23.33%, nitrogen accumulation by 27.07%-66.19%, and net return by 6.21%-29.57%. Furthermore, PM-S decreased CF by 12.87%-44.31% and CF per net return by 14.25%-41.16%. After eight years, PM-S increased SOCS (0-40 cm) by 2.46%, while PM-U decreased it by 7.09%. These findings highlight the positive effects of PM-S on surface soil fertility, economic gains, and environmental benefits in spring maize production on the Loess Plateau, underscoring its potential for widespread adoption and application.

Synergy of gut microbiota and host genome in driving heterosis expression of chickens.

Heterosis has been widely utilized in agricultural production. Despite over a century of extensive research, the underlying mechanisms of heterosis remain elusive. Most hypotheses and research have focused on the genetic basis of heterosis. However, the potential role of gut microbiota in heterosis has been largely ignored. Here, we carefully design a crossbreeding experiment with two distinct broiler breeds and conduct 16S rRNA amplicon and transcriptome sequencing to investigate the synergistic role of gut microbiota and host genes in driving heterosis. We find that the breast muscle weight of the hybrids exhibits a high heterosis, 6.28% higher than mid-parent value. A notable difference is observed in the composition and potential function of cecal microbiota between hybrids and their parents. Over 90% of the differentially colonized microbiota and differentially expressed genes exhibit nonadditive patterns. Integrative analyses uncover associations between nonadditive genes and nonadditive microbiota, including a connection between the expression of cellular signaling pathway and metabolism-related genes and the abundance of Odoribacter, Oscillibacter, and Alistipes in hybrids. Moreover, higher abundances of these microbiota are related to better meat yield. In summary, these findings highlight the importance of gut microbiota in heterosis, serving as crucial factors that modulate heterosis expression in chickens.

Transcriptomic and epigenomic landscapes of muscle growth during the postnatal period of broilers.

BACKGROUND: Broilers stand out as one of the fastest-growing livestock globally, making a substantial contribution to animal meat production. However, the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the rapid growth and development of broiler chickens are still unclear. This study aims to explore muscle development patterns and regulatory networks during the postnatal rapid growth phase of fast-growing broilers. We measured the growth performance of Cornish (CC) and White Plymouth Rock (RR) over a 42-d period. Pectoral muscle samples from both CC and RR were randomly collected at day 21 after hatching (D21) and D42 for RNA-seq and ATAC-seq library construction. RESULTS: The consistent increase in body weight and pectoral muscle weight across both breeds was observed as they matured, with CC outpacing RR in terms of weight at each stage of development. Differential expression analysis identified 398 and 1,129 genes in the two dimensions of breeds and ages, respectively. A total of 75,149 ATAC-seq peaks were annotated in promoter, exon, intron and intergenic regions, with a higher number of peaks in the promoter and intronic regions. The age-biased genes and breed-biased genes of RNA-seq were combined with the ATAC-seq data for subsequent analysis. The results spotlighted the upregulation of ACTC1 and FDPS at D21, which were primarily associated with muscle structure development by gene cluster enrichment. Additionally, a noteworthy upregulation of MUSTN1, FOS and TGFB3 was spotted in broiler chickens at D42, which were involved in cell differentiation and muscle regeneration after injury, suggesting a regulatory role of muscle growth and repair. CONCLUSIONS: This work provided a regulatory network of postnatal broiler chickens and revealed ACTC1 and MUSTN1 as the key responsible for muscle development and regeneration. Our findings highlight that rapid growth in broiler chickens triggers ongoing muscle damage and subsequent regeneration. These findings provide a foundation for future research to investigate the functional aspects of muscle development.

Diagnostic performance of machine-learning algorithms for sepsis prediction: An updated meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Early identification of sepsis has been shown to significantly improve patient prognosis. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis is to systematically evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of machine-learning algorithms for sepsis prediction. METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases, covering literature up to December 2023. The keywords included machine learning, sepsis and prediction. After screening, data were extracted and analysed from studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Key evaluation metrics included sensitivity, specificity and the area under the curve (AUC) for diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included a total of 21 studies with a data sample size of 4,158,941. Overall, the pooled sensitivity was 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70-0.90; P< 0.001; I2=99.7%), the specificity was 0.91 (95% CI = 0.86-0.94; P< 0.001; I2= 99.9%), and the AUC was 0.94 (95% CI = 0.91-0.96). The subgroup analysis revealed that in the emergency department setting (6 studies), the pooled sensitivity was 0.79 (95% CI = 0.68-0.87; P< 0.001; I2= 99.6%), the specificity was 0.94 (95% CI 0.90-0.97; P< 0.001; I2= 99.9%), and the AUC was 0.94 (95% CI = 0.92-0.96). In the Intensive Care Unit setting (11 studies), the sensitivity was 0.91 (95% CI = 0.75-0.97; P< 0.001; I2= 98.3%), the specificity was 0.85 (95% CI = 0.75-0.92; P< 0.001; I2= 99.9%), and the AUC was 0.93 (95% CI = 0.91-0.95). Due to the limited number of studies in the in-hospital and mixed settings (n< 3), no pooled analysis was performed. CONCLUSION: Machine-learning algorithms have demonstrated excellent diagnostic accuracy in predicting the occurrence of sepsis, showing potential for clinical application.

Human cytomegalovirus infection impairs neural differentiation via repressing sterol regulatory element binding protein 2-mediated cholesterol biosynthesis.

Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a major cause of abnormalities and disorders in the central nervous system (CNS) and/or the peripheral nervous system (PNS). However, the complete pathogenesis of neural differentiation disorders caused by HCMV infection remains to be fully elucidated. Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with a high proliferation and neurogenic differentiation capacity. Since SHEDs originate from the neural crest of the early embryonic ectoderm, SHEDs were hypothesized to serve as a promising cell line for investigating the pathogenesis of neural differentiation disorders in the PNS caused by congenital HCMV infection. In this work, SHEDs were demonstrated to be fully permissive to HCMV infection and the virus was able to complete its life cycle in SHEDs. Under neurogenic inductive conditions, HCMV infection of SHEDs caused an abnormal neural morphology. The expression of stem/neural cell markers was also disturbed by HCMV infection. The impairment of neural differentiation was mainly due to a reduction of intracellular cholesterol levels caused by HCMV infection. Sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP2) is a critical transcription regulator that guides cholesterol synthesis. HCMV infection was shown to hinder the migration of SREBP2 into nucleus and resulted in perinuclear aggregations of SREBP2 during neural differentiation. Our findings provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of nervous system diseases caused by congenital HCMV infection.

MiR398b Targets Superoxide Dismutase Genes in Soybean in Defense Against Heterodera glycines via Modulating ROS Homeostasis.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in plant defense responses. However, the underlying mechanism by which miR398b contributes to soybean responses to soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) remains elusive. In this study, by using Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of soybean hairy roots, we observed that miR398b and target genes GmCCS and GmCSD1b played vital functions in soybean-H. glycines interaction. The study revealed that the abundance of miR398b was down-regulated by H. glycines infection, and overexpression miR398b enhanced susceptibility of soybean to H. glycines. Conversely, silencing of miR398b improved soybean resistance to H. glycines. Detection assays revealed that miR398b rapidly senses stress-induced ROS, leading to the repression of target genes GmCCS and GmCSD1b, and regulating the accumulation of plant defense genes against nematodes infection. Moreover, exogenous synthetic ds-miR398b enhanced soybean sensitivity to H. glycines by modulating H2O2 and O2- levels. Functional analysis demonstrated that overexpression GmCCS and GmCSD1b in soybean enhanced resistance to H. glycines. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated repression of GmCCS and GmCSD1b in soybean increased susceptibility to H. glycines. RNA-sequencing revealed that a majority of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in overexpression GmCCS were associated with oxidative stress. Overall, the results indicate that miR398b targets superoxide dismutase genes, which negatively regulate soybean resistance to H. glycines via modulating ROS levels and defense signal.

All-RNA-mediated targeted gene integration in mammalian cells with rationally engineered R2 retrotransposons.

All-RNA-mediated targeted gene integration methods, rendering reduced immunogenicity, effective deliverability with non-viral vehicles, and a low risk of random mutagenesis, are urgently needed for next-generation gene addition technologies. Naturally occurring R2 retrotransposons hold promise in this context due to their site-specific integration profile. Here, we systematically analyzed the biodiversity of R2 elements and screened several R2 orthologs capable of full-length gene insertion in mammalian cells. Robust R2 system gene integration efficiency was attained using combined donor RNA and protein engineering. Importantly, the all-RNA-delivered engineered R2 system showed effective integration activity, with efficiency over 60% in mouse embryos. Unbiased high-throughput sequencing demonstrated that the engineered R2 system exhibited high on-target integration specificity (99%). In conclusion, our study provides engineered R2 tools for applications based on hit-and-run targeted DNA integration and insights for further optimization of retrotransposon systems.

Global research and scientific publications on PND between 1969 and 2022: A bibliometric analysis.

Objectives: We hope to offer a comprehensive understanding of the advancements and patterns in research on PND. Methods: We performed a thorough search on the Web of Science Core Collection to locate relevant studies published from 1969 to 2022 and utilized four distinct tools, namely VOSviewer (J Data Inf Sci, 2017, 2, 1; J Am Soc Inf Sci, 1973, 24, 265; Amer Doc, 1963, 14, 10 and Scientometrics, 2010, 82, 581), CiteSpace (Scientometrics, 2010, 84, 523), Scimago Graphica, and R-bibliometrix which allowed us to examine various aspects. Results: We included a total of 6787 articles and reviews for analysis which described PND research, the sources, and the subfields; highlighted the significant developments in this field; identified three main directions in PND.Conclusion: This study highlights the rapid growth of research on PND in recent years and provided an overview of previous studies in the field of PND, thereby establishing the overall landscape of PND research and identifying potential avenues for future investigations. Methods: We performed a thorough search on the Web of Science Core Collection to locate relevant studies published from 1969 to 2022. To perform bibliometric analysis and network visualization, we utilized four distinct tools, namely VOSviewer (J Data Inf Sci, 2017, 2, 1; J Am Soc Inf Sci, 1973, 24, 265; Amer Doc, 1963, 14, 10 and Scientometrics, 2010, 82, 581), CiteSpace (Scientometrics, 2010, 84, 523), Scimago Graphica, and R-bibliometrix. These tools allowed us to examine various aspects, including the yearly publication output, the contribution of different countries or regions, the involvement of active journals, co-citation analysis, publication status, keywords, and terms, as well as scientific categories. We hope to offer a comprehensive understanding of the advancements and patterns in research on PND. The insights gained from this study can assist researchers and clinicians in enhancing the management and implementation of their work in this field. Results: In this study, we included a total of 6787 articles and reviews for analysis. First, publication trends and contribution by country analysis described PND research. Second, a historical analysis described PND research, the sources, and the subfields. Third, an analysis of keywords highlighted the significant developments in this field. Fourth, an analysis of research themes identified three main directions in PND. Conclusion: In summary, the research volume exhibits exponential growth over time. Furthermore, the majority of contributions originate from Western countries and China. The interdisciplinary nature of the field is evident, with its roots in biology and medicine and further branching into psychology and social sciences. POCD, delirium-predominant associated clinical management were major research themes about PND.

Molecular mechanisms of spinal cord injury repair across vertebrates: A comparative review.

In humans and other adult mammals, axon regeneration is difficult in axotomized neurons. Therefore, spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating event that can lead to permanent loss of locomotor and sensory functions. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms of axon regeneration in vertebrates are not very well understood, and currently, no effective treatment is available for SCI. In striking contrast to adult mammals, many nonmammalian vertebrates such as reptiles, amphibians, bony fishes and lampreys can spontaneously resume locomotion even after complete SCI. In recent years, rapid progress in the development of next-generation sequencing technologies has offered valuable information on SCI. In this review, we aimed to provide a comparison of axon regeneration process across classical model organisms, focusing on crucial genes and signalling pathways that play significant roles in the regeneration of individually identifiable descending neurons after SCI. Considering the special evolutionary location and powerful regenerative ability of lamprey and zebrafish, they will be the key model organisms for ongoing studies on spinal cord regeneration. Detailed study of SCI in these model organisms will help in the elucidation of molecular mechanisms of neuron regeneration across species.

Case report: Pyrotinib in the treatment of advanced scrotal EMPD combined with sweat gland carcinoma.

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare cutaneous intraepithelial adenocarcinoma, which is mostly distributed in areas with sweat gland cells and mainly occurs in the anogenital skin of women. The male genital tract involvement is extremely rare and often occurs with other malignant tumors. Paget's disease in the scrotum with sweat gland carcinoma is even rarer. In the first report of scrotal endocrine sweat gland carcinoma associated with Paget disease by Saidi et al. in 1997, no more than 50 cases have been reported in the relevant research worldwide. Early EMPD combined with sweat gland carcinoma is mainly surgical treatment, and there is no standard treatment plan for advanced EMPD with sweat gland carcinoma. Previous article has reported that chemotherapy such as paclitaxel, fluorouracil, platinum, and vinblastine and molecular targeted therapy based on the genetic test results of patients have certain efficacy. Here, we report a 79-year-old male case diagnosed with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) overexpression, which was effectively controlled by chemotherapy and anti-HER-2 treatment such as pyrotinib.

Bottom-up construction of low-dimensional perovskite thick films for high-performance X-ray detection and imaging.

Quasi-two-dimensional (Q-2D) perovskite exhibits exceptional photoelectric properties and demonstrates reduced ion migration compared to 3D perovskite, making it a promising material for the fabrication of highly sensitive and stable X-ray detectors. However, achieving high-quality perovskite films with sufficient thickness for efficient X-ray absorption remains challenging. Herein, we present a novel approach to regulate the growth of Q-2D perovskite crystals in a mixed atmosphere comprising methylamine (CH3NH2, MA) and ammonia (NH3), resulting in the successful fabrication of high-quality films with a thickness of hundreds of micrometers. Subsequently, we build a heterojunction X-ray detector by incorporating the perovskite layer with titanium dioxide (TiO2). The precise regulation of perovskite crystal growth and the meticulous design of the device structure synergistically enhance the resistivity and carrier transport properties of the X-ray detector, resulting in an ultrahigh sensitivity (29721.4 µC Gyair-1 cm-2) for low-dimensional perovskite X-ray detectors and a low detection limit of 20.9 nGyair s-1. We have further demonstrated a flat panel X-ray imager (FPXI) showing a high spatial resolution of 3.6 lp mm-1 and outstanding X-ray imaging capability under low X-ray doses. This work presents an effective methodology for achieving high-performance Q-2D perovskite FPXIs that holds great promise for various applications in imaging technology.

YOLOC-tiny: a generalized lightweight real-time detection model for multiripeness fruits of large non-green-ripe citrus in unstructured environments.

This study addresses the challenges of low detection precision and limited generalization across various ripeness levels and varieties for large non-green-ripe citrus fruits in complex scenarios. We present a high-precision and lightweight model, YOLOC-tiny, built upon YOLOv7, which utilizes EfficientNet-B0 as the feature extraction backbone network. To augment sensing capabilities and improve detection accuracy, we embed a spatial and channel composite attention mechanism, the convolutional block attention module (CBAM), into the head's efficient aggregation network. Additionally, we introduce an adaptive and complete intersection over union regression loss function, designed by integrating the phenotypic features of large non-green-ripe citrus, to mitigate the impact of data noise and efficiently calculate detection loss. Finally, a layer-based adaptive magnitude pruning strategy is employed to further eliminate redundant connections and parameters in the model. Targeting three types of citrus widely planted in Sichuan Province-navel orange, Ehime Jelly orange, and Harumi tangerine-YOLOC-tiny achieves an impressive mean average precision (mAP) of 83.0%, surpassing most other state-of-the-art (SOTA) detectors in the same class. Compared with YOLOv7 and YOLOv8x, its mAP improved by 1.7% and 1.9%, respectively, with a parameter count of only 4.2M. In picking robot deployment applications, YOLOC-tiny attains an accuracy of 92.8% at a rate of 59 frames per second. This study provides a theoretical foundation and technical reference for upgrading and optimizing low-computing-power ground-based robots, such as those used for fruit picking and orchard inspection.

A Propeller-Like Ligand-Directed Construction of a Tetranuclear Cerium-Organic Framework for Single-Step Ethylene Purification from Ternary C2 Mixtures.

The efficient single-step purification of ethylene from ternary C2 mixtures containing ethane and acetylene is challenging and demanding. Herein, we introduce a novel cerium-based metal-organic framework (MOF) of Ce-NTB-rtk synthesized via a ligand-conformer strategy. The Ce-NTB-rtk features a rare tetranuclear cerium cluster and 2D kgd layers pillared by a 3D rtl framework concomitant with an extraordinary (3,3,12)-c network. The compound encompasses microporous cavities replete with a nonpolar microenvironment. Gas sorption and breakthrough experiments demonstrate its superior affinity for C2H6 and C2H2 over C2H4, enabling effective single-step ethylene purification. Computational simulations reveal that preferential adsorptions are facilitated by different interaction strengths of C-H···O hydrogen bonds. The performance of Ce-NTB-rtk in separation selectivity and regeneration capacity makes it a promising candidate for sustainable and cost-effective ethylene purification, showcasing the potential of MOFs in advanced gas separation applications.

AC-ModNet: Molecular Reverse Design Network Based on Attribute Classification.

Deep generative models are becoming a tool of choice for exploring the molecular space. One important application area of deep generative models is the reverse design of drug compounds for given attributes (solubility, ease of synthesis, etc.). Although there are many generative models, these models cannot generate specific intervals of attributes. This paper proposes a AC-ModNet model that effectively combines VAE with AC-GAN to generate molecular structures in specific attribute intervals. The AC-ModNet is trained and evaluated using the open 250K ZINC dataset. In comparison with related models, our method performs best in the FCD and Frag model evaluation indicators. Moreover, we prove the AC-ModNet created molecules have potential application value in drug design by comparing and analyzing them with medical records in the PubChem database. The results of this paper will provide a new method for machine learning drug reverse design.

Distinct patterns of feed intake and their association with growth performance in broilers.

Improving feed utilization is a vital strategy to meet the growing global demand for meat and promote sustainable food production. Over the past few decades, significant improvements in the feed intake (FI) and feed utilization efficiency of broilers have been achieved through advanced breeding procedures, although dynamic changes in FI and their effects on the feed conversion ratio (FCR) have remained unclear. In this study, we measured individual weekly FI and body weight of 274 male broilers to characterize the dynamic FI patterns and investigate their relationship with growth performance. The broilers were from 2 purebred lines and their crossbreed and measurements were collected from 4 to 6 wk of age. Overall, a continuous increase in the weekly FI occurred from 4 to 6 wk of age, whereas the body weight gain (BWG) reached an inflection point in wk 5. The dynamic change in weekly FI was observed to follow 3 distinct FI patterns: pattern 1, a continuous weekly increase in FI; pattern 2, an increase followed by a plateau; pattern 3, an increase followed by a decrease. The prevalence of these patterns was similar in the purebred and crossbred populations: pattern 2 was most frequent, followed by a moderate proportion of pattern 1, and the lowest proportion of pattern 3. Broilers following pattern 1 displayed significantly better growth performance and feed utilization efficiency than those following pattern 3, emphasizing the importance of maintaining good appetite in the last stage of broiler production. In summary, this study has characterized the dynamic patterns of FI and their association with growth performance. Our results offer a new foundation for improving feed utilization efficiency and investigating feeding regulation in broilers.

Variations in seminal microbiota and their functional implications in chickens adapted to high-altitude environments.

Seminal fluid, once believed to be sterile, is now recognized as constituting a complex and dynamic environment inhabited by a diverse community of micro-organisms. However, research on the seminal microbiota in chickens is limited, and microbiota variations among different chicken breeds remain largely unexplored. In this study, we collected semen samples from Beijing You Chicken (BYC) and Tibetan Chicken (TC) and explored the characteristics of the microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, we collected cloacal samples from the TC to control for environmental contamination. The results revealed that the microbial communities in the semen were significantly different from those in the cloaca. Firmicutes and Actinobacteriota were the predominant phyla in BYC and TC semen, respectively, with Lactobacillus and Phyllobacterium being the dominant genera in each group. Additionally, the seminal microbiota of BYC exhibited greater richness and evenness than that of TC. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) indicated significant intergroup differences between the seminal microbiotas of BYC and TC. Subsequently, by combining linear discriminant analysis effect size and random forest analyses, we identified Lactobacillus as the predominant microorganism in BYC semen, whereas Phyllobacterium dominated in TC semen. Furthermore, co-occurrence network analysis revealed a more intricate network in the BYC group than in the TC group. Additionally, unique microbial functional characteristics were observed in each breed, with TC exhibiting metabolic features potentially associated with their ability to adapt to high-altitude environments. The results of this study emphasized the unique microbiota present in chicken semen, which may be influenced by genetics and evolutionary history. Significant variations were observed between low-altitude and high-altitude breeds, highlighting the breed-specific implications of the seminal microbiota for reproduction and high-altitude adaptation.

Straw returning and nitrogen reduction: Strategies for sustainable maize production in the dryland.

Implementing continue straw returning practices and optimizing nitrogen application can mitigate nitrogen losses and enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in dryland. 15N-labeled technique offers a robust approach for tracking fertilizer nitrogen fate and assessing nitrogen use efficiency. Based on the continue (>6 yr) experiment, we conducted a two-year experiment (2020 and 2021) to evaluate the effects of straw returning and nitrogen management under plastic film mulching on 15N recovery rates, N2O emissions and maize yield with three treatments: no straw returning with 225 kg N·ha-1 under plastic film mulching (RP-N225), straw returning with 225 kg N·ha-1 under plastic film mulching (RPS-N225), and straw returning with 20% nitrogen reduction (180 kg N·ha-1) under plastic film mulching (RPS-N180). After six years, both continue straw returning with plastic film mulching increased uptake of fertilizer nitrogen, had higher 15N recovery rates than RP-N225, leading to increased 15N accumulation in grain and aboveground biomass, ultimately enhancing yield. The RPS-N225 treatment exhibited the highest spring maize yield and nitrogen harvest index. The RPS-N180 treatment significantly increased maize yield more than RP-N225 and had the highest NUE, partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer, and nitrogen uptake efficiency, with improvements ranging from 1.7 to 2.4%, 19.3-29.6%, and 17.3-27.5%, respectively, compared to the other treatments. Moreover, RPS-N225 resulted in significantly higher cumulative N2O emissions and yield-scaled N2O emissions than the other treatments, whereas the RPS-N180 treatment significantly decreased yield-scaled N2O emissions compared to RP-N225. Hence, combining continue straw returning with appropriate nitrogen reduction can effectively increase maize yield and yield-scaled N2O emissions. By offering insights into optimizing nitrogen fertilizer management after continue maize straw return, this study is contributed to widespread adoption of straw return practices and sustainable agricultural development in semi-arid areas.

The RNA helicase DHX35 functions as a co-sensor for RIG-I-mediated innate immunity.

RNA helicases are involved in the innate immune response against pathogens, including bacteria and viruses; however, their mechanism in the human airway epithelial cells is still not fully understood. Here, we demonstrated that DEAH (Asp-Glu-Ala-His) box polypeptide 35 (DHX35), a member of the DExD/H (Asp-Glu-x-Asp/His)-box helicase family, boosts antiviral innate immunity in human airway epithelial cells. DHX35 knockdown attenuated the production of interferon-ß (IFN-ß), IL6, and CXCL10, whereas DHX35 overexpression increased their production. Upon stimulation, DHX35 was constitutively expressed, but it translocated from the nucleus into the cytosol, where it recognized cytosolic poly(I:C) and poly(dA:dT) via its HELICc domain. Mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS) acted as an adaptor for DHX35 and interacted with the HELICc domain of DHX35 using amino acids 360-510. Interestingly, DHX35 interacted with retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I), enhanced the binding affinity of RIG-I with poly(I:C) and poly(dA:dT), and formed a signalsome with MAVS to activate interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), NF-κB-p65, and MAPK signaling pathways. These results indicate that DHX35 not only acted as a cytosolic nucleic acid sensor but also synergized with RIG-I to enhance antiviral immunity in human airway epithelial cells. Our results demonstrate a novel molecular mechanism for DHX35 in RIG-I-mediated innate immunity and provide a novel candidate for drug and vaccine design to control viral infections in the human airway.

Identification and validation of a novel Parkinson-Glioma feature gene signature in glioma and Parkinson's disease.

Introduction: The prognosis for glioma is generally poor, and the 5-year survival rate for patients with this disease has not shown significant improvement over the past few decades. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent movement disorder, ranking as the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Although Parkinson's disease and glioma are distinct diseases, they may share certain underlying biological pathways that contribute to their development. Objective: This study aims to investigate the involvement of genes associated with Parkinson's disease in the development and prognosis of glioma. Methods: We obtained datasets from the TCGA, CGGA, and GEO databases, which included RNA sequencing data and clinical information of glioma and Parkinson's patients. Eight machine learning algorithms were used to identify Parkinson-Glioma feature genes (PGFGs). PGFGs associated with glioma prognosis were identified through univariate Cox analysis. A risk signature was constructed based on PGFGs using Cox regression analysis and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) method. We subsequently validated its predictive ability using various methods, including ROC curves, calibration curves, KM survival analysis, C-index, DCA, independent prognostic analysis, and stratified analysis. To validate the reproducibility of the results, similar work was performed on three external test datasets. Additionally, a meta-analysis was employed to observe the heterogeneity and consistency of the signature across different datasets. We also compared the differences in genomic variations, functional enrichment, immune infiltration, and drug sensitivity analysis based on risk scores. This exploration aimed to uncover potential mechanisms of glioma occurrence and prognosis. Results: We identified 30 PGFGs, of which 25 were found to be significantly associated with glioma survival. The prognostic signature, consisting of 19 genes, demonstrated excellent predictive performance for 1-, 2-, and 3-year overall survival (OS) of glioma. The signature emerged as an independent prognostic factor for glioma overall survival (OS), surpassing the predictive performance of traditional clinical variables. Notably, we observed differences in the tumor microenvironment (TME), levels of immune cell infiltration, immune gene expression, and drug resistance analysis among distinct risk groups. These findings may have significant implications for the clinical treatment of glioma patients. Conclusion: The expression of genes related to Parkinson's disease is closely associated with the immune status and prognosis of glioma patients, potentially regulating glioma pathogenesis through multiple mechanisms. The interaction between genes associated with Parkinson's disease and the immune system during glioma development provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms and targeted therapies for glioma.

Pan-immune-inflammation value: a new prognostic index in operative laryngeal and pharyngeal carcinomas.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to further evaluate the potential value of Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value (PIV) as a prognostic marker in patients with laryngeal and pharyngeal tumors. METHODS: A total of 545 patients with laryngeal and pharyngeal tumors who underwent surgery at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University were included. We determined the optimal cutoff of PIV and divided the patients into two groups. The relationship between PIV and clinicopathological features was explored by the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between PIV and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). We also compared the prognostic predictive value of PIV with other inflammation-related markers. Finally, we developed a simple scoring prediction model based on several independent prognostic parameters. RESULTS: We found that PIV was statistically associated with clinicopathological features such as tumor stage (p < 0.001), node stage (p = 0.001), postoperative chemotherapy (p = 0.026), and vascular thrombosis (p = 0.027). Survival analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between elevated PIV and reduced OS and DFS (p < 0.0001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis further confirmed PIV as a prognostic indicator (HR 2.507; 95% CI 1.343-4.681; p = 0.004), which is superior to SII, NLR, MLR and PLR. Three of the independent prognostic factors screened by multivariate Cox regression analysis were selected to be used to create a scoring system with a concordance index of 0.756. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PIV is associated with poor prognosis in patients with laryngeal and pharyngeal tumors, suggesting that PIV may be an important adjunctive indicator for assessing patient prognosis. REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Registration number: KYLL-202307-001, date: July 2023.