The grain aphid (Sitobion avenae F.) is a major agricultural pest which causes significant yield losses of wheat in China, Europe and North America annually. Transcriptome profiling of the grain aphid alimentary canal after feeding on wheat plants could provide comprehensive gene expression information involved in feeding, ingestion and digestion. Furthermore, selection of aphid-specific RNAi target genes would be essential for utilizing a plant-mediated RNAi strategy to control aphids via a non-toxic mode of action. However, due to the tiny size of the alimentary canal and lack of genomic information on grain aphid as a whole, selection of the RNAi targets is a challenging task that as far as we are aware, has never been documented previously.

White matter (WM) neuroimaging studies have shown varied findings at different stages of schizophrenia (SZ). Understanding these variations may elucidate distinct markers of genetic vulnerability and conversion to psychosis. To examine the similarities and differences in WM connectivity between those at-risk for and in early stages of SZ, a cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging study of 48 individuals diagnosed with first-episode SZ (FE-SZ), 37 nonpsychotic individuals at a high genetic risk of SZ (GHR-SZ), and 67 healthy controls (HC) was conducted. Decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) in the corpus callosum (CC), anterior cingulum (AC), and uncinate fasciculus (UF) was observed in both the GHR-SZ and FE-SZ groups, while decreased FAs in the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) and the fornix were only seen in the FE-SZ participants. Additionally, both GHR-SZ and FE-SZ showed worse executive performance than HC. The left SLF III FA was significantly positively correlated with hallucinations, and right SLF II was positively correlated with thought disorder. The presence of shared WM deficits in both FE-SZ and GHR-SZ individuals may reflect the genetic liability to SZ, while the disparate FA changes in the FE-SZ group may represent symptom-generating circuitry that mediates perceptual and cognitive disturbances of SZ and ultimately culminates in the onset of psychotic episodes.

The vascular adventitia contains numerous cell types including fibroblasts, adipocytes, inflammatory cells, and progenitors embedded within a complex extracellular matrix (ECM) network. In response to vascular injury, adventitial progenitors and fibroblasts become activated and exhibit increased proliferative capacity and differentiate into contractile cells that remodel the ECM. These processes can lead to vascular fibrosis and disease progression. Our previous work established that the ECM protein aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein (ACLP) promotes fibrotic remodeling in the lung and is activated by vascular injury. It is currently unknown what controls vascular adventitial cell differentiation and if ACLP has a role in this process. Using purified mouse aortic adventitia Sca1+ progenitors, ACLP repressed stem cell markers (CD34, KLF4) and upregulated smooth muscle actin (SMA) and collagen I expression. ACLP enhanced myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTFA) activity in adventitial cells by promoting MRTFA nuclear translocation. Sca1 cells from MRTFA-null mice exhibited reduced SMA and collagen expression induced by ACLP, indicating Sca1 cell differentiation is regulated in part by the ACLP-MRTFA axis. We determined that ACLP induced vessel contraction and increased adventitial collagen in an explant model. Collectively these studies identified ACLP as a mediator of adventitial cellular differentiation, which may result in pathological vessel remodeling.

Suicidal ideation (SI) is one of the most serious consequences of major depressive disorder (MDD). Understanding the unique mechanism of MDD with SI (MDD + S) is crucial for treatment development. While abundant research has studied MDD, past studies have not reached a consensus on the mechanism of MDD + S. The study aimed to investigate the abnormalities of the gray matter volumes (GMVs) and plasma IL-6 level in MDD + S to further reveal the mechanism of MDD + S.

High-risk forms of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remain a therapeutic challenge. Leukemia-initiating cells (LICs) self-renew and spark relapse and therefore have been the subject of intensive investigation; however, the properties of LICs in high-risk B-ALL are not well understood. Here, we use single-cell transcriptomics and quantitative xenotransplantation to understand LICs in MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) B-ALL. Compared with reported LIC frequencies in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), engraftable LICs in MLL-r B-ALL are abundant. Although we find that multipotent, self-renewing LICs are enriched among phenotypically undifferentiated B-ALL cells, LICs with the capacity to replenish the leukemic cellular diversity can emerge from more mature fractions. While inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation blunts blast proliferation, this intervention promotes LIC emergence. Conversely, inhibiting hypoxia and glycolysis impairs MLL-r B-ALL LICs, providing a therapeutic benefit in xenotransplantation systems. These findings provide insight into the aggressive nature of MLL-r B-ALL and provide a rationale for therapeutic targeting of hypoxia and glycolysis.

Grain aphid (Sitobion avenae F) and pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) are two agriculturally important pest species, which cause significant yield losses to crop plants each year by inflicting damage both through the direct effects of feeding and by vectoring debilitating plant viruses. Although a close phylogenetic relationship between grain aphid and pea aphid was proposed, the biological variations between these two aphid species are obvious. While the host ranges of grain aphid is restricted to cereal crops and in particular wheat, that of pea aphid is wider, mainly colonizing leguminous plant species. Until now, the genetic factors underlying the divergence between grain aphid and pea aphid still remain unclear due to the limited genomic data of grain aphid available in public databases.

Hematopoiesis changes over life to meet the demands of maturation and aging. Here, we find that the definitive hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) compartment is remodeled from gestation into adulthood, a process regulated by the heterochronic Lin28b/let-7 axis. Native fetal and neonatal HSPCs distribute with a pro-lymphoid/erythroid bias with a shift toward myeloid output in adulthood. By mining transcriptomic data comparing juvenile and adult HSPCs and reconstructing coordinately activated gene regulatory networks, we uncover the Polycomb repressor complex 1 (PRC1) component Cbx2 as an effector of Lin28b/let-7's control of hematopoietic maturation. We find that juvenile Cbx2-/- hematopoietic tissues show impairment of B-lymphopoiesis, a precocious adult-like myeloid bias, and that Cbx2/PRC1 regulates developmental timing of expression of key hematopoietic transcription factors. These findings define a mechanism of regulation of HSPC output via chromatin modification as a function of age with potential impact on age-biased pediatric and adult blood disorders.

Vortioxetine hydrobromide is a common clinical medication for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, it remains unclear whether vortioxetine hydrobromide acts by affecting the structure and composition of gut microbiota. Here, we analyzed fecal samples from 28 healthy controls (HCs) and 26 patients with MDD before treatment with vortioxetine hydrobromide, at 4 weeks after treatment, and at 8 weeks after treatment. High-throughput pyrosequencing showed that, according to the Chao1 and Shannon indices, fecal bacterial α-diversity was higher in the patients with MDD than in the HCs (p < 0.05), but no significant differences were observed after vortioxetine hydrobromide treatment (p > 0.05). PCoA results revealed that the gut microbiota composition was significantly different between the MDD groups and HCs. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were strongly increased, whereas Firmicutes were significantly reduced in the MDD group compared with the HCs. After treatment with vortioxetine hydrobromide, Firmicutes were significantly increased, and the proportion of Bacteroidetes decreased. Most notably, Lachnospira, Roseburia, and Faecalibacterium were negatively correlated with the severity of depressive symptoms. Taken together, our data indicate changes in the fecal microbiota composition in MDD patients compared with HCs, and vortioxetine hydrobromide may treat MDD through regulation of the gut microflora.

Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to summarize the prevalence and risk factors of mental health problems among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We applied an optimized search strategy across the PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO, and four Chinese databases, with hand searching supplemented to identify relevant surveys. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they were published in peer-reviewed literature and used a validated method to assess the prevalence and risk factors of mental health problems among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heterogeneity was quantified using Q statistics and the I 2 statistics. The potential causes of heterogeneity were investigated using subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the robustness of the results. Results: We pooled and analyzed data from 20 studies comprising 10,886 healthcare workers. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress symptoms, phobia, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and somatization symptoms was 24.1, 28.6, 44.1, 25.6, 35.0, 16.2, and 10.7%, respectively. Female and nurses had a high prevalence of depression and anxiety. Frontline healthcare workers had a higher prevalence of anxiety and a lower prevalence of depression than the those in the second-line. Furthermore, the proportion of moderate-severe depression and anxiety is higher in the frontline. Additionally, four studies reported on risk factors of mental health problems. Conclusions: In this systematic review, healthcare workers have a relatively high prevalence of depression, anxiety, insomnia, post-traumatic stress symptoms, phobia, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and somatization symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, and focus should be on the healthcare workers at high risk of mental problems. Mental health problems in healthcare workers should be taken seriously, and timely screening and appropriate intervention for the high-risk group are highly recommended. Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020179189.