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The enteric nervous system (ENS) is recognized as a second brain because of its complexity and its largely autonomic control of bowel function. Recent progress in studying the interactions between the ENS and the central nervous system (CNS) has implicated alterations of the gut/brain axis as a possible mechanism in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other human CNS disorders, whereas the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown because of the lack of good model systems. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have the ability to proliferate indefinitely and differentiate into cells of all three germ layers, thus making iPSCs an ideal source of cells for disease modelling and cell therapy. Here, hiPSCs were induced to differentiate into neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) efficiently. When co-cultured with smooth muscle layers of ganglionic gut tissue, the NCSCs differentiated into different subtypes of mature enteric-like neurons expressing nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) or calretinin with typical electrophysiological characteristics of functional neurons. Furthermore, when they were transplanted into aneural or aganglionic chick, mouse or human gut tissues in ovo, in vitro or in vivo, hiPSC-derived NCSCs showed extensive migration and neural differentiation capacity, generating neurons and glial cells that expressed phenotypic markers characteristic of the enteric nervous system. Our results indicate that enteric NCSCs derived from hiPSCs supply a powerful tool for studying the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders and brain/gut dysfunction and represent a potentially ideal cell source for enteric neural transplantation treatments.

SummaryYin Yang 1 (YY1) regulates early embryogenesis and adult tissue formation. However, the role of YY1 in stem cell regulation remains unclear. YY1 has a Polycomb group (PcG) protein-dependent role in mammalian cells. The PcG-independent functions of YY1 are also reported, although their underlying mechanism is still undefined. This paper reports the role of YY1 and BAF complex in the OCT4-mediated pluripotency network in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). The interaction between YY1 and BAF complex promotes mESC proliferation and pluripotency. Knockdown of Yy1 or Smarca4, the core component of the BAF complex, downregulates pluripotency markers and upregulates several differentiation markers. Moreover, YY1 enriches at both promoter and super-enhancer regions to stimulate transcription. Thus, this study elucidates the role of YY1 in regulating pluripotency through its interaction with OCT4 and the BAF complex and the role of BAF complex in integrating YY1 into the core pluripotency network.

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Observations of atmospheric conditions and processes in cities are fundamental to understanding the interactions between the urban surface and weather/climate, improving the performance of urban weather, air quality, and climate models, and providing key information for city end users (e.g., decision makers, stakeholders, public). In this paper, Shanghai’s Urban Integrated Meteorological Observation Network (SUIMON) and some examples of intended applications are introduced. Its characteristics include being multipurpose (e.g., forecast, research, service), multifunction (e.g., high-impact weather, city climate, special end users), multiscale (e.g., macro/meso, urban, neighborhood, street canyon), multivariable (e.g., thermal, dynamic, chemical, biometeorological, ecological), and multiplatform (e.g., radar, wind profiler, ground based, satellite based, in situ observation/sampling). Underlying SUIMON is a data management system to facilitate exchange of data and information. The overall aim of the network is to improve coordination strategies and instruments, to identify data gaps based on science- and user-driven requirements, and to intelligently combine observations from a variety of platforms by using a data assimilation system that is tuned to produce the best estimate of the current state of the urban atmosphere.

This study was conducted to address some of the issues concerning the possible significance of Tibet in the origin and evolution of cultivated barley. A total of 1757 barley accessions from Tibet, including 1496 entries of Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare (HV), 229 entries of the six-rowed wild barley H. vulgare ssp. agriocrithon (HA), and 32 entries of the two-rowed wild barley H. vulgare ssp. spontaneum (HS), were assayed for allozymes at four esterase loci. A subsample of 491 accessions was surveyed for spacer-length polymorphism at two ribosomal DNA loci. Genetic variation is extensive in these barley groups, and the amount of genetic diversity in cultivated barley of this region is comparable with that of cultivated barley worldwide. The level of genetic variation of HA is significantly lower than the other two barley groups, and there is also substantial heterogeneity in the level of polymorphism among different agrigeographical subregions. However, little genetic differentiation was detected among the three barley groups (HV, HA, and HS), as well as among different agrigeographical subregions. Comparison of the results from this and previous studies indicated a strong differentiation between Oriental and Occidental barley, thus favoring the hypothesis of a diphyletic origin of cultivated barley.

Coptidis Rhizoma binds to the membrane receptors on hPDLSC/CMC, and the active ingredient Berberine (BER) that can be extracted from it may promote the proliferation and osteogenesis of periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSC). The membrane receptor that binds with BER on the cell surface of hPDLSC, the mechanism of direct interaction between BER and hPDLSC, and the related signal pathway are not yet clear. In this research, EGFR was screened as the affinity membrane receptor between BER and hPDLSC, through retention on CMC, competition with BER and by using a molecular docking simulation score. At the same time, the MAPK PCR Array was selected to screen the target genes that changed when hPDLSC was simulated by BER. In conclusion, BER may bind to EGFR on the cell membrane of hPDLSC so the intracellular ERK signalling pathways activate, and nuclear-related genes of FOS change, resulting in the effect of osteogenesis on PDLSC.

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