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Plants use extracellular vesicles (EVs) to transport small RNAs (sRNAs) into their fungal pathogens and silence fungal virulence-related genes through a phenomenon called ‘cross-kingdom RNAi’. It remains unknown, however, how sRNAs are selectively loaded into EVs. Here, we identified several RNA-binding proteins in Arabidopsis , including Argonaute 1 (AGO1), RNA helicases (RHs) and annexins (ANNs), which are secreted by exosome-like EVs. AGO1, RH11 and RH37 selectively bind to EV-enriched sRNAs but not to non-EV-associated sRNAs, suggesting that they contribute to the selective loading of sRNAs into EVs. Conversely, ANN1 and ANN2 bind to sRNAs non-specifically. The ago1, rh11   rh37 and ann1   ann2 mutants showed reduced secretion of sRNAs in EVs, demonstrating that these RNA-binding proteins play an important role in sRNA loading and/or stabilization in EVs. Furthermore, rh11   rh37 and ann1   ann2 showed increased susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea , suggesting that RH11, RH37, ANN1 and ANN2 positively regulate plant immunity against B. cinerea . Plants use extracellular vesicles to deliver small RNAs that could silence fungal virulence genes to their fungal pathogens. In this study, the authors profile the components of these extracellular vesicles and investigate regulators contributing to the specific RNA loading and stabilization.

Communication between plants and interacting microorganisms requires functional molecule trafficking, which is essential for host defense and pathogen virulence. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are single membrane-bound spheres that carry complex cargos, including lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. They mediate cell-to-cell communication via the transfer of molecules between cells. Plant EVs have been isolated from many plant species and play a prominent role in immune system modulation and plant defense response. Recent studies have shown that plant EVs are emerging players in cross-kingdom regulation and contribute to plant immunity by mediating the trafficking of regulatory small RNA into pathogens, leading to the silencing of pathogen virulence-related genes. This review summarizes the current understanding of plant EV isolation technologies, the role of plant EVs in plant immunity, and the mechanism of plant EV biogenesis, as well as approaches for how these findings can be developed into innovative strategies for crop protection.

In order to increase the security and robustness of quantum images, this study combined the quantum DNA codec with quantum Hilbert scrambling to offer an enhanced quantum image encryption technique. Initially, to accomplish pixel-level diffusion and create enough key space for the picture, a quantum DNA codec was created to encode and decode the pixel color information of the quantum image using its special biological properties. Second, we used quantum Hilbert scrambling to muddle the image position data in order to double the encryption effect. In order to enhance the encryption effect, the altered picture was then employed as a key matrix in a quantum XOR operation with the original image. The inverse transformation of the encryption procedure may be used to decrypt the picture since all the quantum operations employed in this research are reversible. The two-dimensional optical image encryption technique presented in this study may significantly strengthen the anti-attack of quantum picture, according to experimental simulation and result analysis. The correlation chart demonstrates that the average information entropy of the RGB three channels is more than 7.999, the average NPCR and UACI are respectively 99.61% and 33.42%, and the peak value of the ciphertext picture histogram is uniform. It offers more security and robustness than earlier algorithms and can withstand statistical analysis and differential assaults.

Myeloid lineage cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), targeted by HIV-1, are important vehicles for virus dissemination through the body as well as viral reservoirs. Compared to activated lymphocytes, myeloid cells are collectively more resistant to HIV-1 infection. Here we report that NRP-1, encoding transmembrane protein neuropilin-1, is highly expressed in macrophages and DCs but not CD4⁺ T cells, serving as an anti-HIV factor to inhibit the infectivity of HIV-1 progeny virions. Silencing NRP-1 enhanced the transmission of HIV-1 in macrophages and DCs significantly and increased the infectivity of the virions produced by these cells. We further demonstrated that NRP-1 was packaged into the progeny virions to inhibit their ability to attach to target cells, thus reducing the infectivity of the virions. These data indicate that NRP-1 is a newly identified antiviral protein highly produced in both macrophages and DCs that inhibit HIV-1 infectivity; thus, NRP-1 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.

The potato blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans secretes effector proteins that are delivered inside (cytoplasmic) or can act outside (apoplastic) plant cells to neutralize host immunity. Little is known about how and where effectors are secreted during infection, yet such knowledge is essential to understand and combat crop disease. We used transient Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated in planta expression, transformation of P. infestans with fluorescent protein fusions and confocal microscopy to investigate delivery of effectors to plant cells during infection. The cytoplasmic effector Pi04314, expressed as a monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) fusion protein with a signal peptide to secrete it from plant cells, did not passively reenter the cells upon secretion. However, Pi04314-mRFP expressed in P. infestans was translocated from haustoria, which form intimate interactions with plant cells, to accumulate at its sites of action in the host nucleus. The well-characterized apoplastic effector EPIC1, a cysteine protease inhibitor, was also secreted from haustoria. EPIC1 secretion was inhibited by brefeldin A (BFA), demonstrating that it is delivered by conventional Golgi-mediated secretion. By contrast, Pi04314 secretion was insensitive to BFA treatment, indicating that the cytoplasmic effector follows an alternative route for delivery into plant cells. Phytophthora infestans haustoria are thus sites for delivery of both apoplastic and cytoplasmic effectors during infection, following distinct secretion pathways.

With the climate change, high temperature (HT) stress will have more serious impacts on maize production. Photosynthesis is the basis of maize yield, which is also sensitive to HT. HT effects are not only occurred during the stress periods, but also lasted after the stress is removed, but with few attention. To explore the maize photosynthesis after HT removal, two maize varieties with different heat sensitivity (Jinhai 5 (JH) in 2021; JH and Xianyu 335 (XY) in 2022) were exposed to HT using the pot experiment in environment-controlled greenhouses. Photosynthesis and relevant physiological parameters were measured during stress periods and at the recovery phase. Results showed that at the ending of HT, maize photosynthesis were all significantly inhibited of the two maize varieties in the two years. At the recovery phase, photosynthesis of JH was not recovery at 2 d and 3 d after HT removal in 2021 and 2022, which was 23.8% and 14.7% lower than control. For XY, the photosynthesis was 11.2% lower than control at 5 d after HT removal in 2022. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were significantly changed during HT periods. The lasting effects on chlorophyll fluorescence were not showed in JH, but occurred in XY. Malondialdehyde (MDA), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased by 49.5%, 21.6% and 36.8% under HT, and accumulation were also found at the 2 d after HT removal, with much higher for POD and SOD (38.3% and 40.1%). Meanwhile, the arrangement and morphology of chloroplasts in mesophyll cells significantly changed, and even could not recover at 4 d after HT removal. Finally, HT stress caused significant yield penalty on maize.

To assess the effect of metformin intake on cancer incidence and mortality. Original articles in English published until June 15, 2012 were searched for in electronic databases (MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science and EMBASE databases) and relevant reviews were examined. Meta-analysis was applied to calculate the summary relative risk (SRR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness of the pooled estimator. The risk of publication bias was assessed by the Egger regression asymmetry test. According to the eligibility criteria, 37 studies comprising 1,535,636 participants, were selected in terms of intervention and data of cancer incidence or mortality. Among metformin users compared with non-users, the SRR for overall-cancer incidence was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.64–0.83) and that for mortality was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.76–0.89). The risk reductions for liver, pancreatic, colorectal and breast cancer incidence were 78%, 46%, 23% and 6%, respectively. Also, metformin can reduce the mortality of liver cancer (SRR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.09–0.60) and breast cancer (SRR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.40–0.99). No statistically significant association between metformin and prostate cancer incidence was found. Metformin can reduce the incidence of overall cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer as well as the mortality of overall cancer, liver cancer and breast cancer. No beneficial effect on prostate cancer incidence was found for meformin intake in the meta-analysis.

Thromboelostograms (TEG) are indicators that reflect the dynamic changes in blood coagulation objectively. Compared with traditional coagulation tests, TEG are easy to perform; imparting a head start in determining patients'coagulation status. The aim of this study was to explore the role of thromboelastography as an early predictor of disease severity and as a prognostic factor in patients with haemorrhagic fever of renal syndrome (HFRS). This was a retrospective study in which we collected clinical data from 342 patients with HFRS who were hospitalized from January 2017 to January 2021. The predictive value of laboratory parameters for HFRS criticalization was assessed via receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. After that, a model of criticalization was developed using stepwise analysis, subsequently, the model was evaluated and validated internally as well as externally. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hospital. The study population was categorized into critical and noncritical groups according to their condition during hospitalization, with a median age of 52.00 (39.00-61.50) years for the critical group and 39.00 (16.00-53.25) years for the noncritical group. Both groups had a large proportion of male patients (65.3% and 72.3%, respectively). The median duration of hospitalization was 15.00 (3.50-25.00) days in the critical group and 13.00 (10.00-17.25) days in noncritical group. In the critical group 40.8% of patients died. The incidence of bleeding was greater in critical patients (51.0%) than in noncritical patients (15.1%). The coagulation indices: CI, K, MA, R and angle were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). Critical patients had higher levels of K and R and lower levels of CI, MA and angle. Multivariate analysis revealed that K, ALB, CK, SCR, angle, WBC and LYM were independently associated with disease severity in patients with HFRS. ROC curve analysis revealed that the criticality model equation had an AUC of 0.9058, a sensitivity of 88.9% and a specificity of 80.2%, which were better than that of any single parameter in predicting the patient's outcome. The internal validation C index was 0.866, the GOF P value was 0.825, and the external validation AUC was 0.762, with a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 74.2%. The results of the calibration plots indicated that there was some agreement between the model-estimated HFRS critical illness rates and the final observed critical illness rates in the study population. Decision curve analysis indicated that the model had significant clinical utility and comparable net benefit over a range of threshold probabilities. Critical HFRS have significantly abnormal coagulation function and high incidence of bleeding associated with poor outcome. A criticalization prediction model constructed on the basis of thromboelastography indices in early stages of the disease has a good predictive ability and may be helpful in the early identification of critically ill patients for timely clinical intervention and treatment.

Emerging evidences have linked the gut microbiota to poultry physiology. Gut microbiota composition in Shaoxing ducks were profiled under different rearing conditions: raised on the litter floor and the plastic mesh floor. A total of 46 and 39 luminal content samples from the duodenum, ileum, and cecum of the ducks reared under the two conditions were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis. Proteobacteria (48.66%), Proteobacteria (33.38%), and Bacteroidetes (55.35%) were the dominant phyla in the duodenum, ileum, and cecum of the ducks reared on the litter floor respectively, while Firmicutes (30.80%), Firmicutes (66.62%) and Bacteroidetes (47.15%) were the topmost phyla in the duodenum, ileum, and cecum of the ducks reared on the plastic mesh floor. Physiologically, the height of villi and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the ileum and duodenum were significantly greater in the ducks reared on plastic mesh floor. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that the gut microbiota was significantly associated with the duck phenotypes, such as chest depth and serum estradiol levels (p < 0.05), which were altered by the different rearing conditions. Collectively, our results showed that the rearing floor types have an important effect on the gastrointestinal microbial composition of ducks.

HIV-1 primarily targets two groups of cells in vivo : CD4 + T lymphocytes and myeloid lineage cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells. Although myeloid cells are more resistant to HIV-1 infection than CD4 + T cells, some cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-6, promote myeloid cell infection. Gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2) is particularly relevant in the field of auditory science. Here, we identified GJB2 as a novel antiviral factor by demonstrating that IL-4-mediated reduction in GJB2 levels enhanced HIV-1 infection in myeloid cells. Interestingly, GJB2 expression was regulated by IL-4 but not by interferons. The reduction in GJB2 levels was inversely correlated with increased HIV-1 infection levels, suggesting the potential of GJB2 for combating HIV/AIDS.