Genome-wide association study of pre-harvest sprouting resistance and grain color in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Background: Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) is a serious problem in wheat production globally. Grain color (GC) has a notable impact on PHS resistance, red grains typically show higher resistance compared to white grains. To understand the genetic factors influencing PHS and GC, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on a natural population of 235 wheat cultivars using a 90 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays.

Long-Term Outcomes of BAV-0 Patients Compared With BAV-1 and TAV Patients After TAVR.

Background: Differences in long-term clinical outcomes following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in different anatomical subtypes of aortic valve stenosis (AS), specifically tricuspid aortic valves (TAV) and bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) of types 0 (BAV-0) and 1 (BAV-1), are not well understood.

Objectives: The authors sought to report and compare the long-term clinical outcomes among patients with different anatomical subtypes of AS undergoing TAVR.

Methods: We conducted an international retrospective cohort study involving patients who underwent TAVR for severe AS at 3 large, high-volume heart centers in China, Germany, and Denmark before October 2018.

Age-associated methionine sulfoxide reductase A protects against valvular interstitial cell senescence and valvular calcification.

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a cardiovascular disease prevalent in the aging population, resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying CAVD remain unclear. We initially conducted an RNA sequencing analysis of aortic valve leaflets from rats of different ages to identify key genes involved in valvular aging and calcification.

Thrombospondin-1 Silencing Ameliorates Osteoblastic Differentiation of Aortic Valve Interstitial Cells via Inhibiting Nuclear Factor-B Pathway.

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is a progressive cardiovascular condition driven by the osteogenic differentiation of valve interstitial cells (VICs), with no effective drug therapies currently available. Hence, our objective is to investigate the impact of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) silencing on CAVD progression. In vitro experiments were employed using human primary VICs with TSP-1 knockdown, cultured in osteogenic induction medium, and followed by analyses including western blot, alkaline phosphatase staining, alizarin red staining, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry.

Emerging Gene Therapy Based on Nanocarriers: A Promising Therapeutic Alternative for Cardiovascular Diseases and a Novel Strategy in Valvular Heart Disease.

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of global mortality, with many unresolved issues in current clinical treatment strategies despite years of extensive research. Due to the great progress in nanotechnology and gene therapy in recent years, the emerging gene therapy based on nanocarriers has provided a promising therapeutic alternative for cardiovascular diseases. This review outlines the status of nanocarriers as vectors in gene therapy for cardiovascular diseases, including coronary heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, hypertension, and valvular heart disease.

Association of handgrip strength with aortic stenosis among adults aged 60 years and older: evidence from the 157097 UK Biobank participants.

Objective: To examine the association of handgrip strength with aortic stenosis incidence among adults aged 60 years and older.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study using the UK Biobank data to assess the relationship between handgrip strength and incident aortic stenosis in individuals aged 60 years and older. Handgrip strength was measured using a Jamar J00105 hydraulic hand dynamometer.

Dynamic atlas of histone modifications and gene regulatory networks in endosperm of bread wheat.

Dissecting the genetic basis of seed traits in wheat is impeded by limited genetic polymorphisms and significant variations caused by environmental conditions and seed position in a spikelet. Seed performance is largely determined by endosperm development controlled by spatiotemporal variation in gene activities, which is greatly affected by chromatin status. Here, we map genome-wide dynamic distributions of H3K27me3, H3K4me3 and H3K9ac modifications and profile gene transcription across wheat endosperm development.

Sex differences in the relationship of intraindividual difference in estimated glomerular filtration rate by cystatin C and creatinine and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults in China.

Background: The estimated glomerular filtration rate based on cystatin C (eGFRcys) and creatinine (eGFRcr) may differ substantially within an individual. The clinical implications of these differences (eGFRdiff) for depressive symptoms risk are unknown and whether it differed by sex are also unknown.

Methods: The prospective cohort study enrolled 3443 participants aged ≥45 years from the 2011-2020 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Intracellular and extracellular synergistic therapy for restoring macrophage functions via anti-CD47 antibody-conjugated bifunctional nanoparticles in atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a significant contributor to global cardiovascular disease. Reducing the formation of atherosclerotic plaque effectively can lead to a decrease in cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, controlling macrophage function is crucial.

act redundantly with to control spike development and their elite haplotypes may improve wheat grain yield.

Wheat is a staple crop for the world's population, and there is constant pressure to improve grain yield, which is largely determined by plant architecture. SQUAMOSA promotor-binding protein-like (SPL) genes have been widely studied in rice, including their effects on plant architecture, grain development, and grain yield. However, the function of homologous genes in wheat has not been well investigated.

Unraveling genomic regions and candidate genes for multiple disease resistance in upland cotton using meta-QTL analysis.

Verticillium wilt (VW), Fusarium wilt (FW) and Root-knot nematode (RKN) are the main diseases affecting cotton production. However, many reported quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for cotton resistance have not been used for agricultural practices because of inconsistencies in the cotton genetic background. The integration of existing cotton genetic resources can facilitate the discovery of important genomic regions and candidate genes involved in disease resistance.

A genome-wide association study revealed the genetic variation and candidate genes for grain copper content in bread wheat ( L.).

As an essential microelement, copper plays a crucial role in the human body. However, the grains of bread wheat, a major crop food, contain a low copper content. Here, a diversity panel of 443 wheat accessions cultivated in four environments was used to analyse grain copper content by ICAP-7000, and the genetic variation in grain copper content was examined using a 660 K single nucleotide polymorphism chip.

CTRP9 Enhances Efferocytosis in Macrophages via MAPK/Drp1-Mediated Mitochondrial Fission and AdipoR1-Induced Immunometabolism.

Background: Clearance of apoptotic cells (ACs) by phagocytes (efferocytosis) suppresses post-apoptotic necrosis and alleviates inflammation. Defective efferocytosis induces diseases that include atherosclerosis and autoimmune diseases. C1q/TNF-related protein 9 (CTRP9), a novel adipokine, has been reported to protect against various cardiovascular disease; however, the effect of CTRP9 on efferocytosis has not been elucidated.

CTRP9 alleviates foam cells apoptosis by enhancing cholesterol efflux.

The apoptosis of foam cells leads to instability of atherosclerotic plaques. This study was designed to explore the protective role of CTRP9 in foam cell apoptosis. In our experiment, CTRP9 alleviated foam cell apoptosis.

Genome-wide association study reveals the genetic basis of fiber quality traits in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

Background: Fiber quality is an important economic trait of cotton, and its improvement is a major goal of cotton breeding. To better understand the genetic mechanisms responsible for fiber quality traits, we conducted a genome-wide association study to identify and mine fiber-quality-related quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and genes.

Results: In total, 42 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 31 QTLs were identified as being significantly associated with five fiber quality traits.

CTRP9 induces macrophages polarization into M1 phenotype through activating JNK pathway and enhances VSMCs apoptosis in macrophages and VSMCs co-culture system.

Inflammation plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis (AS), which has been identified as a major predisposing factor for stroke. Macrophages and VSMCs are associated with plaque formation and progression. Macrophages can dynamically change into two main functional phenotypes, namely M1 and M2, they can produce either pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory factors which may affect the outcome of inflammation.

Globular CTRP9 protects cardiomyocytes from palmitic acid-induced oxidative stress by enhancing autophagic flux.

Background: Oxidative stress in cardiac myocytes is an important pathogenesis of cardiac lipotoxicity. Autophagy is a cellular self-digestion process that can selectively remove damaged organelles under oxidative stress, and thus presents a potential therapeutic target against cardiac lipotoxicity. Globular CTRP9 (gCTRP9) is a newly identified adiponectin paralog with established metabolic regulatory properties.

CTRP9 knockout exaggerates lipotoxicity in cardiac myocytes and high-fat diet-induced cardiac hypertrophy through inhibiting the LKB1/AMPK pathway.

CTRP9 has been reported to regulate lipid metabolism and exert cardioprotective effects, yet its role in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced cardiac lipotoxicity and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the current study, we established HFD-induced obesity model in wild-type (WT) or CTRP9 knockout (CTRP9-KO) mice and palmitate-induced lipotoxicity model in neonatal rat cardiac myocytes (NRCMs) to investigate the effects of CTRP9 on cardiac lipotoxicity. Our results demonstrated that the HFD-fed CTRP9-KO mice accentuated cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-initiated apoptosis and oxidative stress compared with the HFD-fed WT mice.

CTRP9 induces iNOS expression through JAK2/STAT3 pathway in Raw 264.7 and peritoneal macrophages.

The C1q tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related proteins 9 (CTRP9), an adipocyte-derived cytokine, affects a number of physiological processes, including immune function and inflammation. We investigated whether CTRP9 affects the expression of inflammation-related genes in Raw 264.7 and peritoneal macrophages.