Publications by authors named "Sijia Lu"

Unlabelled: The transition from vegetative to reproductive growth is a vital step for the reproductive success of plants. In , LEAFY (LFY) plays crucial roles in inflorescence primordium and floral organ development, but little is known about the roles of its homologs in crop plants such as soybean (). Here, we investigated the expression patterns and functions of the two genes ( and ) in soybean.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is an essential tool for selecting embryos free of genetic abnormalities. However, current PGT methods often require separate platforms for aneuploidy (PGT-A), monogenic disorders (PGT-M), and structural rearrangements (PGT-SR), leading to increased costs and operational complexity when multiple PGT tests are needed for a single embryo. Here, we present KaryoSeq, a low-pass whole-genome sequencing-based comprehensive PGT approach that integrates PGT-A, PGT-M, and PGT-SR into a single platform.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy and for chromosomal structural rearrangement (PGT-A/-SR) can improve clinical pregnancy rates and live birth rates, and shorten the time to pregnancy. The large-scale statistics on their efficacy and accuracy across different centres, as well as the frequency of abnormalities for each chromosome, will provide a valuable supplement to previous research.

Methods: Patients who had PGT-A or -SR procedures at five reproductive centres from 2018 to 2022 were recruited based on PGT-A/-SR indications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic protozoan parasite-born disease, equally significant in both animals and humans, especially affecting immunocompromised individuals (e.g., AIDS patients) and neonates.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Salt stress is a major abiotic stress that interferes with plant growth and affects crop production. Dehydrin (DHN), a member of the late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein family, was considered to be a stress protein involved in the protective reaction of plant dehydration. Our previous research has shown that overexpression of the gene enhances tolerance to salt stress in tobacco.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Quantifying the lipid composition of cellular lipid droplets (LDs) in situ is challenging but crucial for understanding lipid metabolic diseases. Here, we propose a fluorescence lifetime imaging method based on a polarity-sensitive probe (LD660) for analyzing the lipid composition of the LDs. The probe emits strong fluorescence at 660 nm only in apolar LD environments, with dielectric constants of 2-4, and outperforms Nile red in LD imaging.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Chinese herbal medicines are relatively inexpensive and have fewer side effects, making them an effective option for improving health and treating diseases. As a result, they have gained more attention in recent years. The weaning period is a critical stage in the life of yaks, often inducing stress in calves.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the utility of polygenic risk scores (PRS) in women with early menopause (EM) and to investigate the clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with EM based on genetic risk.

Study Design: Genotyping data and clinical data from women with EM and women with normal age of menopause retrieved from UK Biobank were used for early menopause risk prediction model establishment. Subsequently, 99 women diagnosed with EM and 1027 control women underwent PGT-M were recruited for model validation from across eight hospitals in China.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Chromosome abnormalities are a leading cause of conception failure and pregnancy loss. While traditional cytogenetics technologies like karyotyping have been helpful in identifying structural variations (SVs), they face challenges in detecting complex rearrangements and cryptic structures. In this study, we developed a new method called chromosome conformation based karyotyping (C-MoKa) to comprehensively detect different types of chromosomal abnormalities in patients with conception failure and pregnancy loss.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Promoting adipose thermogenesis is considered as a promising therapeutic intervention in obesity. However, endeavors to develop anti-obesity medications by targeting the canonical thermogenesis regulatory pathway, particularly β3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR)-dependent mechanism, have failed due to the off-target effects of β3-AR agonists, exacerbating the risk of cardiovascular disease. Hyperforin (HPF), a natural compound extracted from the traditional herbal St.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Jiani yak is a nationally renowned species that is known for its meat which is rich in various minerals, amino acids, and proteins. The rumen microbiota plays a critical role in gastrointestinal health and feed degradation, contributing proteins, lipids, and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) essential for milk and meat production. However, there is limited knowledge about the microbiota of free-ranging Jiani yaks, especially those with 15 ribs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study examines how the photoperiod influences soybean development, particularly focusing on flowering time and its effects on pod formation.
  • - Findings reveal that long-day conditions prolong the flowering-to-pod formation interval and result in flower drop, while short-day conditions affect pistil morphology, aiding pollen interaction and pod timing.
  • - The research also identifies photoperiod-insensitive mutants that show no change in pod formation timing, suggesting that hormones, ROS signals, and sucrose application may play roles in flower drop.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The precise control of flowering time is of utmost importance for crop adaptation to varying environmental conditions and consequently determines grain yield and plant fitness. Soybean , the homolog of Arabidopsis , is a major locus contributing to high-latitude adaptation and is involved in photoperiod sensitivity. However, due to major effects of , additional genetic loci controlling soybean flowering and adaptation have historically been masked and difficult to identify.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Legumes, characterized by their ability to form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, play crucial roles in agriculture, ecology and human nutrition. Phosphatidylethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBPs) are the key genetic players that contribute to the diverse biological functions of legumes. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of important roles of PEBP genes in legumes, including flowering, inflorescence architecture, seed development and nodulation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Study Question: In addition to chromosomal euploidy, can the transcriptome of blastocysts be used as a novel predictor of embryo implantation potential?

Summary Answer: This retrospective analysis showed that based on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between euploid blastocysts which resulted and did not result in a clinical pregnancy, machine learning models could help improve implantation rates by blastocyst optimization.

What Is Known Already: Embryo implantation is a multifaceted process, with implantation loss and pregnancy failure related not only to blastocyst euploidy but also to the intricate dialog between blastocyst and endometrium. Although in vitro studies have revealed the characteristics of trophectoderm (TE) differentiation in implanted blastocysts and the function of TE placentation at the implantation site, the precise molecular mechanisms of embryo implantation and their clinical application remain to be fully elucidated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious complication of diabetes linked to issues in glucose metabolism, and the study focuses on the role of Dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase (DLAT) in this condition.
  • Researchers found that DLAT levels are reduced in the kidneys of diabetic patients and in mouse models, leading to increased kidney damage and fibrosis under DKD conditions.
  • The study shows that DLAT helps protect against DKD by activating a cellular repair pathway (AMPK), and highlights Hyperforin (HPF) as a promising treatment that may enhance DLAT and AMPK activity to improve kidney health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The analysis of microRNA (miRNA) levels is critical for noninvasive early diagnosis of colorectal cancer, but detecting these miRNAs is difficult due to their low levels and genetic similarities.* -
  • A new diagnostic approach was developed using rolling circle transcription (RCT) combined with the CRISPR/Cas12a system to specifically and sensitively detect four key miRNAs associated with colorectal cancer.* -
  • This innovative biosensor can effectively differentiate between normal colon cells and cancerous cells, as well as between cancerous and paracancerous tissues, making it a promising tool for clinical applications in cancer diagnostics.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ecdysis is a well-known developmental feature among arthropods. Because the aggregate and synchronous molting of first-instar scorpions is markedly different from the common independent molting behavior of older scorpions and most arthropods, knowledge on the biological benefits of the unusual behavior of first-instar scorpions remain limited. Before the molting of newborn scorpions, their mothers exhibited a remarkable ability to efficiently locate the fallen offspring and help them climb onto their back, which was supported by strong maternal behavior because they climbed more swiftly than the 7-day postpartum scorpions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The misuse of antibiotics in veterinary medicine presents significant challenges, highlighting the need for alternative therapeutic approaches such as antibody drugs. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the application of antibody drugs in veterinary settings to reduce economic losses and health risks. This study focused on targeting the F4ac subtype of the FaeG protein, a key adhesion factor in enterotoxigenic (ETEC) infections in piglets.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: In clinical practice, the success of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases (PGT-M) for thalassemia was hindered by the absence of probands, incomplete family members, or failure in detecting embryonic gene mutation sites. This study aimed to address these issues.

Methods: This retrospective study included 342 couples undergoing PGT-M for α- or β-thalassemia at three reproductive medicine centers from 2019 to 2022.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Yaks are crucial food animals in China but are commonly affected by bacterial diarrheal diseases with limited treatment options.
  • This study tested the effectiveness of a probiotic and berberine treatment on yak calves, revealing that treated calves showed better weight gain and lower diarrhea scores compared to those infected without treatment.
  • The research also highlighted changes in gut microbiota, showing that the treatment improved the overall gut health of yaks by increasing beneficial bacteria and reducing harmful ones, suggesting potential new therapies for ruminant diarrhea.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Non-invasive chromosome screening (NICS) and trophectoderm biopsy preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (TE-PGT) can potentially improve cumulative live birth rates (CLBR) for women aged 35-40 compared to intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
  • A study with 384 couples found CLBRs of 44.9% for NICS and 51.0% for TE-PGT, both significantly higher than the 27.9% for ICSI.
  • NICS and TE-PGT also led to lower pregnancy loss rates, suggesting NICS may be a safe, non-invasive alternative for detecting healthy embryos in older women.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers identified a flowering locus called Time of flower 4b (Tof4b), which plays a key role in delaying flowering by repressing certain genes involved in this process.
  • * This study suggests that three homologous genes (like Tof4b) contribute to fine-tuning flowering time and adapt soybeans for growth in high-latitude regions, while also providing insights for future molecular breeding strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The Baihe River, located in Northern Sichuan, is rich in natural resources but the effects of livestock on its water microbiome haven't been studied.
  • Water samples from areas with yaks and sheep were collected and analyzed, revealing significantly lower diversity and functionality in microbial communities compared to the river's water.
  • The presence of harmful microorganisms and antibiotic-resistant bacteria was much higher near livestock areas, indicating that livestock activities negatively impact water quality and microbial health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: fopen(/var/lib/php/sessions/ci_sessionjvh6ih492qoa9hsshrv05901vc0856ce): Failed to open stream: No space left on device

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 177

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_start(): Failed to read session data: user (path: /var/lib/php/sessions)

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 137

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once