In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) caused an outbreak in Wuhan, China, and soon spread to other parts of the world. It was believed that 2019-nCoV was transmitted through respiratory tract and then induced pneumonia, thus molecular diagnosis based on oral swabs was used for confirmation of this disease. Likewise, patient will be released upon two times of negative detection from oral swabs. However, many coronaviruses can also be transmitted through oral–fecal route by...

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) caused an outbreak in Wuhan, China, and soon spread to other parts of the world. It was believed that 2019-nCoV was transmitted through respiratory tract and then induced pneumonia, thus molecular diagnosis based on oral swabs was used for confirmation of this disease. Likewise, patient will be released upon two times of negative detection from oral swabs. However, many coronaviruses can also be transmitted through oral–fecal route by...

CRISPR-based typing was performed to subtype isolates of S. Typhimurium and its monophasic variant Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- from humans and animals between 2009 and 2017 in China. CRISPR typing classified all isolates into two lineages and four sub-lineages. All isolates from Lineage II and Lineage IB-1 were Salmonella Typhimurium. All of Salmonella 4,[5],12:i: – isolates were distributed in Lineage IA and Lineage IB-2, which all belonged to ST34 by MLST typing. Only Lineage IB-2 contained ST34...

CRISPR-based typing was performed to subtype isolates of S. Typhimurium and its monophasic variant Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- from humans and animals between 2009 and 2017 in China. CRISPR typing classified all isolates into two lineages and four sub-lineages. All isolates from Lineage II and Lineage IB-1 were Salmonella Typhimurium. All of Salmonella 4,[5],12:i: – isolates were distributed in Lineage IA and Lineage IB-2, which all belonged to ST34 by MLST typing. Only Lineage IB-2 contained ST34...

Acinetobacter baumannii has become a major healthcare threat that causes nosocomial infections, especially in critically ill patients. The spread of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) strains has long been a clinical concern. It is important to study the epidemiology and virulence characteristics of different CRAB isolates in order to tailor infection prevention and antibiotic prescribing. In this study, a total of 71 CRAB isolates were collected in the hospital, and clinical characteristics of infections were analyzed....

Melanoma is considered as the most frequent primary malignancy occurring in skin. Accumulating studies have suggested that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical parts in multiple cancers. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism of ZBED3 antisense RNA 1 (ZBED3-AS1) in melanoma. We observed that ZBED3-AS1 expression was remarkably up-regulated in melanoma tissues, and high ZBED3-AS1 level was linked to unsatisfactory survival of melanoma patients. Then, we discovered that ZBED3-AS1 was overexpressed in melanoma...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is responsible for a variety of human life-threatening diseases, which include liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) . Computational study of protein-protein interactions between human and HCV could boost the findings of antiviral drugs in HCV therapy and might optimize the treatment procedures for HCV infections. In this analysis, we constructed a prediction model for protein-protein interactions between HCV and human by incorporating the features generated by pseudo...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is responsible for a variety of human life-threatening diseases, which include liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) . Computational study of protein-protein interactions between human and HCV could boost the findings of antiviral drugs in HCV therapy and might optimize the treatment procedures for HCV infections. In this analysis, we constructed a prediction model for protein-protein interactions between HCV and human by incorporating the features generated by pseudo...

The S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase (Sah1) plays a crucial role in methylation and lipid metabolism in yeast and mammals, yet its function remains elusive in filamentous fungi. In this study, we characterized Sah1 in the phytopathogenic fungus F. graminearum by generating knockout and knockout-complemented strains of FgSAH1. We found that the FgSah1-GFP fusion protein was localized to the cytoplasm, and that deletion of FgSAH1 resulted in defects in vegetative growth, asexual and sexual reproduction, stress responses, virulence,...

The S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase (Sah1) plays a crucial role in methylation and lipid metabolism in yeast and mammals, yet its function remains elusive in filamentous fungi. In this study, we characterized Sah1 in the phytopathogenic fungus F. graminearum by generating knockout and knockout-complemented strains of FgSAH1. We found that the FgSah1-GFP fusion protein was localized to the cytoplasm, and that deletion of FgSAH1 resulted in defects in vegetative growth, asexual and sexual reproduction, stress responses, virulence,...

New SARS-CoV-2 mutants have been continuously indentified with enhanced transmission ever since its outbreak in early 2020. As an RNA virus, SARS-CoV-2 has a high mutation rate due to the low fidelity of RNA polymerase. To study the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, 158 SNPs with high confidence were identified by deep meta-transcriptomic sequencing, and the most common SNP type was C > T. Analyses of intra-host population diversity revealed that intra-host quasispecies’...

This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms through which succinic acid and fluconazole stimulate Monascus pigment biosynthesis under liquid fermentation conditions. The pigment yield was significantly improved by adding 0.35 g·L−1 succinic acid or 1.5 g·L−1 fluconazole. Transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR confirmation were performed to reveal transcriptome changes. The results indicated that the addition of succinic acid significantly decreased mRNA expression of genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis while increasing expression of genes involved...

Osteosarcoma (OS), the most prevalent bone malignancy, mainly affects children and adolescents. Despite recent advances in multimodal therapy, the overall survival rate for OS patients remains poor. Chinese herb medicine (CHM) is an alternative therapeutic option for multifaceted diseases such as malignant tumors. For centuries in China, polygonum cuspidatum, a classic CHM, has been used to treat several diseases, nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects have not been fully elucidated. Through network pharmacology and...

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) exert important regulatory roles in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of lncRNA ADORA2A antisense RNA 1 (ADORA2A-AS1) in CML. We found that the expression of ADORA2A-AS1 was upregulated in CML. Further, knockdown of ADORA2A-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, induced apoptosis, arrested cell cycle, and enhanced imatinib sensitivity in CML cells. Besides, ADORA2A-AS1 promoted the expression of transforming growth factor-beta receptor...

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) exert important regulatory roles in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of lncRNA ADORA2A antisense RNA 1 (ADORA2A-AS1) in CML. We found that the expression of ADORA2A-AS1 was upregulated in CML. Further, knockdown of ADORA2A-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, induced apoptosis, arrested cell cycle, and enhanced imatinib sensitivity in CML cells. Besides, ADORA2A-AS1 promoted the expression of transforming growth factor-beta receptor...

The evolution of the Tethys is one of the key issues in revealing the global ocean-continent transition tectonic process. The East Kunlun Orogenic Belt (E-KOB) in the northern Tibetan Plateau witnessed the subduction-accretion process of the Proto- and Palaeo-Tethyan Oceans formed a trench-arc-back arc basin system. Thus, this back arc basin is a window for exploring the tectonic evolution of the Tethys. In this study, the Adatan garnet amphibolites and the host paragneiss were investigated...

Esophageal cancer (EC) is one type of aggressive gastrointestinal cancers. The treatment of EC is challenging. Effective therapeutic targets require development. Long non-coding RNA TRPM2 antisense RNA (LncRNA TRPM2-AS) is considering a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for various types of cancer. However, the role of lncRNA TRPM2-AS in EC remains unknown. This study aimed to illustrate effects of LncRNA TRPM2-AS on EC growth and metastasis and potential underlying molecular mechanisms. LncRNA TRPM2-AS expression was...

Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) causes a severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and non-human primates with high morbidity and mortality. EBOV infection is dependent on its structural glycoprotein (GP), but high levels of GP expression also trigger cell rounding, detachment, and downregulation of many surface molecules that is thought to contribute to its high pathogenicity. Thus, EBOV has evolved an RNA editing mechanism to reduce its GP expression and increase its fitness. We now report that the...

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial drivers in the progression of human diseases such as myocardial infarction (MI). However, the impact of lncRNA MCM3AP antisense RNA 1 (MCM3AP-AS1) on MI remains unknown. This research was determined to explore the effect of MCM3AP-AS1 modulating microRNA-24-3p (miR-24-3p) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma 2 (EIF4G2) on MI. The rat MI models were constructed and, respectively, treated with altered MCM3AP-AS1, miR-24-3p or/and EIF4G2. Subsequently, the cardiac function,...

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial drivers in the progression of human diseases such as myocardial infarction (MI). However, the impact of lncRNA MCM3AP antisense RNA 1 (MCM3AP-AS1) on MI remains unknown. This research was determined to explore the effect of MCM3AP-AS1 modulating microRNA-24-3p (miR-24-3p) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma 2 (EIF4G2) on MI. The rat MI models were constructed and, respectively, treated with altered MCM3AP-AS1, miR-24-3p or/and EIF4G2. Subsequently, the cardiac function,...

The late Paleozoic tectonic evolution of the Lhasa terrane and subduction of Sumdo Paleo-Tethys ocean remains controversial due to limited data and variable Permian magmatism in central and southern Lhasa. We report new zircon U–Pb ages and Hf-isotope ratios as well as whole-rock major element, trace element, and Sr–Nd isotope data from middle Permian (266 ~ 257 Ma) arc-related magmatism, including high-Mg quartz diorite and trondhjemite in the Tangjia-Sumdo area. The quartz diorite has high...

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are considered one of the most critical stromal cells that interact with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and promote tumor growth, metastasis, and treatment resistance. Previous studies illustrated macroautophagy/autophagy contributes to CAF activation during tumor progression. Here in our study, we found that autophagy deficiency in CAFs impedes CAF activation by inhibiting proline biosynthesis and collagen production. Furthermore, we uncovered that autophagy promotes proline biosynthesis through mitophagy-mediated regulation of NADK2 (NAD kinase 2,...

We introduce a pair of Shiny web applications that allow users to visualize random forest prediction intervals alongside those produced by linear regression models. The apps are designed to help undergraduate students deepen their understanding of the role that assumptions play in statistical modeling by comparing and contrasting intervals produced by regression models with those produced by more flexible algorithmic techniques. We describe the mechanics of each approach, illustrate the features of the apps, provide...

We introduce a pair of Shiny web applications that allow users to visualize random forest prediction intervals alongside those produced by linear regression models. The apps are designed to help undergraduate students deepen their understanding of the role that assumptions play in statistical modeling by comparing and contrasting intervals produced by regression models with those produced by more flexible algorithmic techniques. We describe the mechanics of each approach, illustrate the features of the apps, provide...

Increasing uranium (U) content in soils due to anthropogenic U contamination causes accumulation of U in plants, which greatly increases human health risks. This review identified the diverse sources of soil U contamination and their significant spatial variations in surface soils globally based on 789 soil sampling sites collected from 76 studies. The relationships between U biogeochemical transformation and its bioavailability in soil are significantly affected by soil redox potential, pH, metal (hydr)oxides, organic matter,...