Cancer is the leading cause of death in China and depicting the cancer pattern of China would provide basic knowhows on how to tackle it more effectively. In this study we have reviewed several ...reports of cancer burden, including the Global cancer statistics 2018 and Cancer statistics in China, 2015, along with the GLOBCAN 2018 online database, to investigate the differences of cancer patterns between China, the United States (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK). An estimated 4.3 million new cancer cases and 2.9 million new cancer deaths occurred in China in 2018. Compared to the USA and UK, China has lower cancer incidence but a 30% and 40% higher cancer mortality than the UK and USA, among which 36.4% of the cancer‐related deaths were from the digestive tract cancers (stomach, liver, and esophagus cancer) and have relatively poorer prognoses. In comparison, the digestive cancer deaths only took up ≤ 5% of the total cancer deaths in either USA or UK. Other reasons for the higher mortality in China may be the low rate of early‐stage cancers at diagnosis and non‐uniformed clinical cancer treatment strategies performed by different regions. China is undergoing the cancer transition stage where the cancer spectrum is changing from developing country to developed country, with a rapidly increase cancer burden of colorectal, prostate, female breast cancers in addition to a high occurrence of infection‐related and digestive cancers. The incidence of westernized lifestyle‐related cancers in China (i.e. colorectal cancer, prostate, bladder cancer) has risen but the incidence of the digestive cancers has decreased from 2000 to 2011. An estimated 40% of the risk factors can be attributed to environmental and lifestyle factors either in China or other developed countries. Tobacco smoking is the single most important carcinogenic risk factor in China, contributing to ~ 24.5% of cancers in males. Chronic infection is another important preventable cancer contributor which is responsible for ~ 17% of cancers. Comprehensive prevention and control strategies in China should include effective tobacco‐control policy, recommendations for healthier lifestyles, along with enlarging the coverage of effective screening, educating, and vaccination programs to better sensitize greater awareness control to the general public.
The molecular mechanism of ABA‐promoted anthocyanin accumulation and fruit coloration is less known. Here, an apple bZIP transcription factor MdbZIP44 was identified to be a positive regulator in ...ABA‐promoted anthocyanin accumulation by interacting with MdMYB1 and enhancing its binding capacity to the promoters of downstream target genes. MdBT2 decreased ABA‐promoted anthocyanin accumulation by degrading MdbZIP44 protein.
Phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) induces anthocyanin biosynthesis; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is less known. In this study, we found that the apple MYB transcription factor MdMYB1 activated anthocyanin biosynthesis in response to ABA. Using a yeast screening technique, we isolated MdbZIP44, an ABA‐induced bZIP transcription factor in apple, as a co‐partner with MdMYB1. MdbZIP44 promoted anthocyanin accumulation in response to ABA by enhancing the binding of MdMYB1 to the promoters of downstream target genes. Furthermore, we identified MdBT2, a BTB protein, as an MdbZIP44‐interacting protein. A series of molecular, biochemical, and genetic analysis suggested that MdBT2 degraded MdbZIP44 protein through the Ubiquitin‐26S proteasome system, thus inhibiting MdbZIP44‐modulated anthocyanin biosynthesis. Taken together, we reveal a novel working mechanism of MdbZIP44‐mediated anthocyanin biosynthesis in response to ABA.
A considerable challenge in the conversion of carbon dioxide into useful fuels comes from the activation of CO2 to CO2.− or other intermediates, which often requires precious‐metal catalysts, high ...overpotentials, and/or electrolyte additives (e.g., ionic liquids). We report a microwave heating strategy for synthesizing a transition‐metal chalcogenide nanostructure that efficiently catalyzes CO2 electroreduction to carbon monoxide (CO). We found that the cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoneedle arrays exhibit an unprecedented current density of 212 mA cm−2 with 95.5±4.0 % CO Faraday efficiency at −1.2 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE; without iR correction). Experimental and computational studies show that the high‐curvature CdS nanostructured catalyst has a pronounced proximity effect which gives rise to large electric field enhancement, which can concentrate alkali‐metal cations resulting in the enhanced CO2 electroreduction efficiency.
The needle has landed: CdS nanostructures with sharp tips can generate large electric fields that lead to increased CO2 concentrations for CO2‐to‐CO conversion. The localized electric fields are significantly enhanced when two nanoneedles are in close proximity. These advantages result in CO2 electrocatalytic reduction with a 95.5±4.0 % CO Faraday efficiency.
SUMMARY
Jasmonate (JA) induces the biosynthesis of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin. MdMYB9 is essential for modulating the accumulation of both anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin in apple, but the ...molecular mechanism for induction of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthesis by JA is unclear. In this study, we discovered an apple telomere‐binding protein (MdTRB1) to be the interacting protein of MdMYB9. A series of biological assays showed that MdTRB1 acted as a positive modulator of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin accumulation, and is dependent on MdMYB9. MdTRB1 interacted with MdMYB9 and enhanced the activation activity of MdMYB9 to its downstream genes. In addition, we found that the JA signaling repressor MdJAZ1 interacted with MdTRB1 and interfered with the interaction between MdTRB1 and MdMYB9, therefore negatively modulating MdTRB1‐promoted biosynthesis of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin. These results show that the JAZ1–TRB1–MYB9 module dynamically modulates JA‐mediated accumulation of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin. Taken together, our data further expand the functional study of TRB1 and provide insights for further studies of the modulation of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthesis by JA.
Significance Statement
The apple telomere‐binding protein MdTRB1 positively modulates JA‐mediated accumulation of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin by interacting with MdMYB9 and enhancing the activation activity of MdMYB9 to MdANS and MdANR. The JA signaling repressor MdJAZ1 interacted with MdTRB1 and interfered with the interaction between MdTRB1 and MdMYB9, therefore negatively modulating MdTRB1‐promoted biosynthesis of anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin.
It is known that ethylene signaling is involved in the regulation of the salt stress response. However, the molecular mechanism of ethylene‐regulated salt stress tolerance remains largely unclear. In ...this study, an apple NAM ATAF CUC transcription factor, MdNAC047, was isolated and functionally characterized to be involved in ethylene‐modulated salt tolerance. MdNAC047 gene was significantly induced by salt treatment and its overexpression conferred increased tolerance to salt stress and facilitated the release of ethylene. Quantitative real‐time‐PCR analysis demonstrated that overexpression of MdNAC047 increased the expression of ethylene‐responsive genes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay, yeast one‐hybrid and dual‐luciferase assays suggested that MdNAC047 directly binds to the MdERF3 (ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR) promoter and activates its transcription. In addition, genetic analysis assays indicated that MdNAC047 regulates ethylene production at least partially in an MdERF3‐dependent pathway. Overall, we found a novel ‘MdNAC047‐MdERF3‐ethylene‐salt tolerance’ regulatory pathway, which provide new insight into the link between ethylene and salt stress.
The changeable molecular dynamics of flexible polar cations in the variable confined space between inorganic chains brings about a new type of two‐step nonlinear optical (NLO) switch with genuine ...“off–on–off” second harmonic generation (SHG) conversion between one NLO‐active state and two NLO‐inactive states.
Wounding stress leads to leaf senescence. However, the underlying molecular mechanism has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of the MdVQ10-MdWRKY75 module in wound-induced ...leaf senescence. MdWRKY75 was identified as a key positive modulator of wound-induced leaf senescence by activating the expression of the senescence-associated genes MdSAG12 and MdSAG18. MdVQ10 interacted with MdWRKY75 to enhance MdWRKY75-activated transcription of MdSAG12 and MdSAG18, thereby promoting leaf senescence triggered by wounding. In addition, the calmodulin-like protein MdCML15 promoted MdVQ10-mediated leaf senescence by stimulating the interaction between MdVQ10 and MdWRKY75. Moreover, the jasmonic acid signaling repressors MdJAZ12 and MdJAZ14 antagonized MdVQ10-mediated leaf senescence by weakening the MdVQ10-MdWRKY75 interaction. Our results demonstrate that the MdVQ10-MdWRKY75 module is a key modulator of wound-induced leaf senescence, and provides insights into the mechanism of leaf senescence caused by wounding.
Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 18 years ago, a large number of SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoVs) have been discovered in their natural reservoir host, bats
. ...Previous studies have shown that some bat SARSr-CoVs have the potential to infect humans
. Here we report the identification and characterization of a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which caused an epidemic of acute respiratory syndrome in humans in Wuhan, China. The epidemic, which started on 12 December 2019, had caused 2,794 laboratory-confirmed infections including 80 deaths by 26 January 2020. Full-length genome sequences were obtained from five patients at an early stage of the outbreak. The sequences are almost identical and share 79.6% sequence identity to SARS-CoV. Furthermore, we show that 2019-nCoV is 96% identical at the whole-genome level to a bat coronavirus. Pairwise protein sequence analysis of seven conserved non-structural proteins domains show that this virus belongs to the species of SARSr-CoV. In addition, 2019-nCoV virus isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of a critically ill patient could be neutralized by sera from several patients. Notably, we confirmed that 2019-nCoV uses the same cell entry receptor-angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2)-as SARS-CoV.
Transition‐metal phosphides have stimulated great interest as catalysts to drive the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but their use as bifunctional catalytic electrodes that enable efficient ...neutral‐pH water splitting has rarely been achieved. Herein, we report the synthesis of ternary Ni0.1Co0.9P porous nanosheets onto conductive carbon fiber paper that can efficiently and robustly catalyze both the HER and water oxidation in 1 m phosphate buffer (PBS; pH 7) electrolyte under ambient conditions. A water electrolysis cell comprising the Ni0.1Co0.9P electrodes demonstrates remarkable activity and stability for the electrochemical splitting of neutral‐pH water. We attribute this performance to the new ternary Ni0.1Co0.9P structure with porous surfaces and favorable electronic states resulting from the synergistic interplay between nickel and cobalt. Ternary metal phosphides hold promise as efficient and low‐cost catalysts for neutral‐pH water splitting devices.
Sheets and paper: Ternary Ni0.1Co0.9P porous nanosheets anchored onto conductive carbon fiber paper, can be used as a bifunctional catalytic material for driving both water reduction and oxidation reactions efficiently in neutral‐pH electrolyte under ambient conditions.
COVID-19 has spread worldwide since 2019 and is now a severe threat to public health. We previously identified the causative agent as a novel SARS-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that uses human ...angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) as the entry receptor. Here, we successfully developed a SARS-CoV-2 hACE2 transgenic mouse (HFH4-hACE2 in C3B6 mice) infection model. The infected mice generated typical interstitial pneumonia and pathology that were similar to those of COVID-19 patients. Viral quantification revealed the lungs as the major site of infection, although viral RNA could also be found in the eye, heart, and brain in some mice. Virus identical to SARS-CoV-2 in full-genome sequences was isolated from the infected lung and brain tissues. Last, we showed that pre-exposure to SARS-CoV-2 could protect mice from severe pneumonia. Our results show that the hACE2 mouse would be a valuable tool for testing potential vaccines and therapeutics.
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•SARS-CoV-2 could infect HFH4-hACE2 mice and cause death•SARS-CoV-2 infection localizes to lungs of mice and causes typical interstitial pneumonia•Pre-exposure to SARS-CoV-2 protects mice from lethal challenge
A SARS-CoV-2 hACE2 transgenic mouse infection model recapitulates a number of infection symptoms and pathology in COVID-19 patients. Pre-exposure to SARS-CoV-2 was able to protect mice from severe pneumonia.
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