[Clinical effects of retrograde anterolateral thigh flaps in repairing anterior knee joint wounds under the concept of precise flap surgery]

Objective: To introduce the methods of retrograde anterolateral thigh flaps in repairing anterior knee joint wounds under the concept of precise flap surgery and to explore the clinical effects. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From August 2014 to March 2022, 7 patients with anterior knee joint wounds were treated with retrograde anterolateral thigh flap under the guidance of the concept of precise flap surgery in the 920th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA. Among them, 6 were males and 1 was female, aged 36 to 66 years. The sizes of wounds were 7 cm×5 cm to 15 cm×11 cm after debridement. All the patients were performed with computed tomography angiography (CTA), the donor and recipient sites were evaluated according to the precise flap surgery method, and the optimal pedicle, perforator, and pivot of flaps were chosen. The flap sizes were 10 cm×6 cm to 20 cm×9 cm, and all the donor sites of flaps were sutured directly. The consistency of the intraoperative exploration with preoperative CTA was observed. The flap survival and occurrence of complications were observed after surgery. The color, appearance, texture, and occurrence of complications were followed up. At the last follow-up, the blood supply of flaps was evaluated using the blood circulation evaluation indicators of Chinese Medical Association Hand Surgery Branch's trial criteria for digital replantation function evaluation, and the function of knee joint was evaluated using knee joint scoring system of hospital for special surgery. Results: The flap condition of the intraoperative exploration was completely consistent with that of preoperative CTA. The flaps survived completely after surgery in 6 patients, while necrosis at the edge of the flap occurred in 1 patient, which healed after dressing change. All the flaps were hyperperfused after surgery, and the color of the flaps gradually became normal after 1 week. Follow-up of 7 to 44 months showed that the color, appearance, and texture were well in all the patients, while local osteomyelitis at the proximal tibia occurred in 1 patient. At the last follow-up, all the 7 patients had excellent blood circulation; the function score of knee joint was 69 to 91, which was evaluated as excellent in 3 cases, good in 3 cases, and fair in 1 case. Conclusions: The retrograde anterolateral thigh flap has large variations, and the application of precise flap surgery method can accurately understand the variations before surgery, guide the design and cutting of the flaps, thus achieving precise repair of anterior knee joint wounds, with good repair outcome.

[Current application and limitations of augmented reality in the stomatology]

Computer-assisted technology are gradually integrated into dental education and clinical treatment. As a cutting-edge technology in computer-aided medicine, augmented reality can not only be used as an aid to dental education by presenting three-dimensional scenes for teaching demonstration and experimental skills training, but also can superimpose virtual image information of patients onto real lesion areas for real-time feedback and intraoperative navigation. This review explores the current applications and limitations of augmented reality in dentistry to provide a reference for future research.

Combined de novo transcriptomic and physiological analyses reveal RyALS3-mediated aluminum tolerance in Rhododendron yunnanense Franch

Rhododendron (Ericaceae) not only has ornamental value, but also has great medicinal and edible values. Many Rhododendron species are native to acid soils where aluminum (Al) toxicity limits plant productivity and species distribution. However, it remains unknown how Rhododendron adapts to acid soils. Here, we investigated the physiological and molecular mechanisms of Al tolerance in Rhododendron yunnanense Franch. We found that the shoots of R. yunnanense Franch did not accumulate Al after exposure of seedlings to 50 μM Al for 7 days but predominantly accumulated in roots, suggesting that root Al immobilization contributes to its high Al tolerance. Whole-genome de novo transcriptome analysis was carried out for R. yunnanense Franch root apex in response to 6 h of 50 μM Al stress. A total of 443,639 unigenes were identified, among which 1,354 and 3,413 were up- and down-regulated, respectively, by 6 h of 50 μM Al treatment. Both Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses revealed that genes involved in "ribosome" and "cytoskeleton" are overrepresented. Additionally, we identified Al-tolerance homologous genes including a tonoplast-localized ABC transporter RyALS3; 1. Overexpression of RyALS3; 1 in tobacco plants confers transgenic plants higher Al tolerance. However, root Al content was not different between wild-type plants and transgenic plants, suggesting that RyALS3; 1 is responsible for Al compartmentalization within vacuoles. Taken together, integrative transcriptome, physiological, and molecular analyses revealed that high Al tolerance in R. yunnanense Franch is associated with ALS3; 1-mediated Al immobilization in roots.

Integrated transcriptome and amino acid profile analyses reveal novel insights into differential accumulation of theanine in green and yellow tea cultivars

Tea cultivars with yellow- or white-leaf variations have a high economic value due to their high amino acid (especially theanine) concentration. However, the dynamic changes of amino acid components (especially theanine) and related gene expression during new shoot development in these cultivars are still unclear. In this study, 264 tea samples from four representative varieties picked during the harvest period in spring were analyzed for their amino acid profiles. The dynamic change rules of ethylamine and 19 amino acids were summarized in normal green and yellow cultivars during new shoot development. Interestingly, the theanine concentration in the yellow cultivar was significantly higher than that in the green cultivar, and increased gradually as the leaves matured until they reached a maximum in the one bud and three leaves stage. The amino acid concentration in the leaves of the yellow cultivar increased significantly with leaf position, which was generally in contrast to the normal green cultivar. Transcriptome and correlation analyses revealed that CsGS1, CsPDX2, CsGGP5, CsHEMA3 and CsCLH4 might be the key genes potentially responsible for the differential accumulation of theanine in green and yellow tea cultivars. These results provide further information for the utilization and improvement of tea plants.

[Effect of the Connexin 43 Coupling to the Biobehavior of Multiple Myeloma Cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) combined by connexin43 (Cx43) and its signal to the biobehavior of multiple myeloma (MM) cells, and its possible mechanism.

METHODS

The mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) cells were isolated and cultured from patients with MM and normal donors. The expression of connexin43 (Cx43) in MSC cells from different sources was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. The side population (SP) cells were sorted by flow cytometry (FCM). The effect of MSC cells from different sources to the cell cycle, Cx43 expression, colony formation in vitro, stem cell related genes expression, cytokines secretion and chemoresistance in MM SP cells as well as with or without Cx43 inhibitor 18α-glycyrrhetinic acid (18α-GA) was observed.

RESULTS

There was no significantly difference between the MSC isolated from normal donor and MM patients. Western blot showed that Cx43 expression in SP cells was up-regulated when the cells were incubated with MSC, and medium containing 18α-GA could partially inhibit it, moreover, it was more significant in MSC cells of MM patients. The ability of colony formation of SP cells in vitro was higher than those of MM cells and MM-MSC could promote the colony formation in a co-culture manner. The effect of MM-MSC to SP cells was down-regulated after 18α-GA was added. RT-PCR showed that there was several important stem cell-related genes including c-myc, Oct-4 Klf-4, and Sox-2 were found in RPMI 8226 cells, but those cells were up-regulated in SP cells (P<0.001). Meanwhile, MM-MSC could up-regulate the expression of c-myc, Klf-4 and Sox-2 (P<0.001), but down-regulate Oct-4 gene in the SP cells. The expression of those genes decreased after 18α-GA was added, but showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Cytometry bead array assays showed that MM-MSCs could secrete high level of IL-6, but the levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β increased significantly when the MM-MSCs were co-cultured with SP cells (P<0.05), especially the levels of IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly higher than cultured alone. There was no significant change in the levels of bFGF and IL-17 before and after co-cultured. The levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TGF-β in supernatant decreased significantly after GJ inhibitor 18α-GA was added. PI/Annexin V assay showed that MM cells were sensitive to bortezomib (BTZ)-induced apoptosis, but the sensitivity for SP cells was weaker. The ratio of cell apoptosis was 75.2%±0.77% and 8.12%±0.86% (P<0.001), respectively. MM-MSC could down-regulate the cell apoptosis induced by BTZ, while the sensitivity of MM cells to BTZ could be partially recovered after GJ inhibitor was added.

CONCLUSION

MSC derived from MM patients can enhance GJIC to maintain its "hematopoiesis" by up-regulating the expression of Cx43 in MM cells, and at the same time promote cell proliferation and drug recistance by secreting multiple cytokines, which finally contributes to the relapse of MM.

Modification of Enteromorpha prolifera with dielectric barrier discharge plasma to enhance malachite green adsorption

Dyes, a kind of visible chemical, have severe deleterious effects on human health and ecological environment. In this work, batch biosorption experiments were carried out under various experimental conditions such as pH value and agitation time to optimize the potentiality of Enteromorpha prolifera for the removal of malachite green (MG) dye from aqueous solution (70·7%). Then, the algal biomass was treated with a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in helium for 4 and 10 min to enhance MG removal efficiency (84·7 and 96·6%). In addition, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in combination with scanning electron microscopy was employed to monitor the chemical and physical changes of algal cells treated by DBD. This study illustrates that DBD may serve as an effective tool to activate the functional groups on the cell wall surface for dye binding, and it even offers an alternative new technique to improve the adsorption properties of native biosorbents for the removal of toxic dyes from wastewater.

[Preparation of a novel tri-specific T cell engager targeting CD19 antigen and its anti-leukemia effect exploration]

Objective: To prepare a novel tri-specific T cell engager (19TriTE) targeting CD19 antigen, and to investigate its immunotherapeutic effect on CD19-positive hematological malignancies. Methods: 19TriTE was constructed by molecular cloning technology and successfully expressed through the eukaryotic expressing system. The effects of 19TriTE on the proliferation and activation of T cells, as well as the specific cytotoxicity against CD19 positive tumor cell lines were verified. Results: ①19TriTE expressing plasmid was constructed and successfully expressed through the eukaryotic expressing system. ②19TriTE can specifically bind to T cells and Nalm6 cells, with equilibrium dissociation constants of 19.21 nmol/L and 11.67 nmol/L, respectively. ③The expression rates of CD69 positive T cells and CD25 positive T cells were 35.4% and 49.8% respectively, when 2 nmol/L 19TriTE were added in the co-culture system, which were significantly higher than those in the control group. ④19TriTE can significantly promote the proliferation of T cells. The absolute count of T cells expanded from the initial one million to 74 million with an 74 fold increase at the concentration of 1 nmol/L on day 12. ⑤19TriTE can significantly mediate T cells killing of CD19 positive target cells in a dose-dependent manner. At the concentration of 10 nmol/L, the target cells lysis reached 50%. ⑥Degranulation experiment verified that 19TriTE can activate T cells in the presence of CD19 positive target cells, and the activation of T cells positively correlated with the dose of 19TriTE. ⑦When 19TriTE fusion protein co-cultured with T cells and target cells overexpression RFP and luciferase genes respectively, 19TriTE can notably mediate T cells killing of CD19 positive target cells through fluorescent microscope or bioluminescence imaging technology. Conclusion: In this study, we successfully constructed and expressed 19TriTE fusion protein and verified that it can effectively activate T cells and promote their proliferation in vitro. At the same time, it can bind to CD19 positive target cells and T cells, as well as enhance T cells anti-leukemia effect in vitro, providing the foundation for further clinical research.

[CD19 antigen loss after treatment of Bispecific T-cell Engager and effective response to salvage bispecific CAR-T therapy in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a case report and literature review]

Objective: To analyze the influence of CD19 isoforms to the efficacy of CD19/CD3 Bispecific T-cell Engager (BiTE) antibody, and explore the resistance mechanism of BiTE immunotherapy. Methods: Semi-quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of CD19 mRNA isoforms before and after BiTE treatment in a patient with CD19(+) B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) . CD19 isoforms were analyzed by Sanger sequencing. Flow cytometry and transcriptome sequencing were performed to analyze the expression of cell lineage specific molecules before and after BiTE treatment. Results: The expression of CD19 isoform with exon 2 deletion was identified at diagnosis. After relapsed and treatment of BiTE antibody, the patient did not achieve remission and CD19 antigen on leukemic cells turned negative detected by flow cytometry after BiTE treatment. However the expression ratio of CD19 isoform with exon 2 deletion was not increased. Flow cytometry phenotype and transcriptome sequencing confirmed that no linage switching developed, which suggested the expression of CD19 isoform caused by exon alternative splicing and lineage switching was not related to CD19 epitope loss in this patient. This patient achieved complete remission by sequential administration of self-developed CD22 CAR-T and CD19 CAR-T after disease progression. Conclusion: Targeting or combining an alternative antigen specific CAR-T may be a promising treatment option after losing CD19 expression in relapsed ALL.

[Comparative analysis of the clinical application of two femtosecond laser-assisted cataract operation platforms]

Objective: To evaluate the operability and clinical application effects of femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery systems of LenSx and LenSAR. Methods: This was a randomized controlled study. A total of 86 patients (90 eyes) who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery in Wuhan Aier Eye Hospital from April 2018 to November 2018 were enrolled and divided into two groups randomly, including 44 patients (45 eyes) in the LenSx group and 42 patients (45 eyes) in the LenSAR group. During the operation, the following observation indexes were obtained. Operational indicators included the number of docking attempts, anterior capsulotomy time, nucleus pre-treatment time, total femtosecond laser emission time, and total vacuum suction duration. Clinical outcome indicators included changes in the patient's intraocular pressure during femtosecond laser surgery, the rate of subconjunctival hemorrhage, capsulotomy integrity (yes/no), roundness and centricity of the anterior capsule opening (yes/no), the rate of anterior capsule opening tear, and the rate of posterior capsule rupture. The t-test, rank-sum test or chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results: There were no significant differences between groups in the age and the lens density (both P>0.05). The number of docking attempts in the LenSx group was 1 (1 to 4) and in the LenSAR group was 1 (1 to 2); there was statistically significant difference (Z =-2.23, P<0.05). The difference in the anterior capsulotomy time between the two groups was statistically significant [13.00 (10.00 to 22.00) s compared with 3.00 (1.00 to 3.00) s, Z=-8.71, P<0.05]. The femtosecond laser pre-nucleation time and total femtosecond laser emission time of the LenSx group were (16.67±3.36) s and (30.49±3.53) s, and those of the LenSAR group were (12.38±4.36) s and (15.36±4.29) s, respectively; the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t=-5.23, -18.26; both P<0.05). The total vacuum suction duration in the LenSx group was (97.23±19.96) s, shorter than that in the LenSAR group [(123.76±16.81) s] (t=6.82, P<0.05). The intraocular pressure after femtosecond laser surgery in both groups was higher than that before surgery. The increase of intraocular pressure in the LenSAR group was (5.64±5.42) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), higher than that in the LenSx group [(2.99±4.66) mmHg] (t=-2.49, P<0.05). The rate of subconjunctival hemorrhage in the LenSx group was 33.3% (15/45), while it was 8.9% (4/45) in the LenSAR group; the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (χ²=6.67, P<0.05). There were no significant differences between groups in capsulotomy integrity, roundness and centricity of the anterior capsule opening, the rate of anterior capsule opening tear, and the rate of posterior capsule rupture (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The docking process of the LenSAR system is convenient, and there is less subconjunctival hemorrhage; the total vacuum suction duration of LenSx is short, and the increase of intraocular pressure is low. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56: 530-535).

[Construction of a new anti-CD123 chimeric antigen receptor T cells and effect of anti-acute myeloid leukemia]

目的

构建一种新的靶向CD123的嵌合抗原受体T细胞(CAR-T细胞)，为CD123阳性白血病的免疫治疗提供实验参考。

方法

通过单克隆筛选技术获得能稳定分泌CD123抗体的杂交瘤细胞株6E11，将杂交瘤细胞扩增后腹腔注射至Balb/c小鼠腹腔内，收集腹水并处理、纯化得到单克隆抗体，测定抗体效价并对其特异性进行验证；RT-PCR法获得轻链和重链可变区序列，并以此为基础利用分子克隆技术构建一种新的靶向CD123嵌合抗原受体，包装病毒后感染T细胞制备CD123CAR-T细胞，通过功能实验初步探讨6E11CAR-T细胞体外抗白血病的能力。

结果

①获得1株稳定分泌抗人CD123抗体的杂交瘤细胞株6E11并获得其可变区序列。②6E11单克隆抗体对CD123蛋白亲和性高，解离常数(K_d值)为2.10nmol/L，特异性识别CD123阳性细胞且与CD123阴性细胞无交叉反应。 ③成功构建了CD123CAR慢病毒载体，感染T细胞后获得了靶向CD123的CAR-T细胞(6E11CAR-T)，感染效率大于60％。 ④6E11CAR-T能明显杀伤CD123阳性靶细胞MV4-11，效靶比1∶1时6E11CAR-T细胞对MV4-11细胞的杀伤比例明显高于 Vecor-T细胞[(98.60±1.20)％对(20.28±6.74)％，P<0.001]，但对CD123阴性靶细胞K562没有明显杀伤作用。 ⑤MV4-11细胞可以显著激活6E11CAR-T，但对Vecor-T细胞无明显激活作用[(26.33±3.30)％对(1.17±0.06)％，P<0.001]。⑥6E11CAR-T与MV4-11细胞共培养上清中细胞因子水平均显著高于Vecor-T组[IL-2：(92.90±1.51)pg/ml对(6.05±3.41)pg/ml，P<0.001；TNF-α：(1 407.20±91.95)pg/ml对(7.86±0.85)pg/ml，P<0.001；IFN-γ：(5 614.60±170.17)pg/ml对(8.42±2.70)pg/ml，P<0.001]但与 K562细胞共培养后，两组各细胞因子水平差异无统计学意义。 ⑦6E11CAR-T在与CD123阳性髓系白血病(AML)原代细胞共培养过程中被显著激活，且能有效杀伤原代 AML细胞。

结论

杂交瘤细胞株6E11能稳定分泌高效特异的抗人CD123单克隆抗体，可用于检测表达人CD123的细胞，也能应用在靶向人CD123蛋白的肿瘤免疫治疗中，以 6E11Ig可变区序列为抗原识别区的CD123CAR-T细胞，具有明确的体外抗白血病活性，为进一步的临床研究奠定了基础。

[Epidemiological analysis of allergic diseases in primary and middle school students of Foshan]

Objective:To investigate the prevalence and state of allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczema, allergic conjunctivitis, and food allergy of students in primary and middle schools of Foshan, and to analyze the characteristics of each disease and correlation of the five diseases, in order to provide epidemiology evidence for management of allergic diseases. Method:Ten primary schools and 10 junior middle schools were sampled from 5 districts of Foshan, then students in grade one and grade seven from sampled schools were investigated by electronic questionnaire method formulated by the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood and the Europrevall Project Commission. Students and their parents answered and uploaded electronic questionnaires with the consent of parents, and then team members collected and analyzed uploaded data. Result:Four thousand one hundred and sixty-six effective questionnaires were collected, and the response rate was 95.77％. During the five districts, 13.97%, 2.01%, 29.29%, 5.19%, and 7.28% of the respondents in grade one had previously diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczema, allergic conjunctivitis, and food allergy respectively, and the correspondent rates in grade seven were 15.99%, 2.89%, 16.73%, 2.46%, and 6.97%. The prevalence rates of the five diseases in boys were higher than that in girls in both two grades. 67.27% students with asthma kept coughing and wheezing in the last 12 months, and 24.85% non-asthma students had the same respiratory symptoms. The most common allergenic food were shrimp and crabs, followed by milk and milk products, eggs, and shellfish. Cutaneous symptoms and oral allergy symptoms were predominant clinical manifestations in all students with food allergy. The prevalence of the above allergic diseases of children with atopic family history was higher than that of children without family history, and the prevalence of the 5 diseases of children living in city was higher than that of children living in rural areas. The prevalence rate of asthma of children with allergic rhinitis in both grades was higher than that of children without allergic rhinitis, and the same happened to children with eczema, allergic conjunctivitis, and food allergy. Conclusion:Prevalence rates of allergic rhinitis and asthma in primary and middle school students of Foshan increased as children grew, while the prevalence rates of eczema, allergic conjunctivitis and food allergy decreased with age. The most common allergenic food were shrimp and crabs, milk and milk products, and eggs. 67.27% students with asthma had poor respiratory control in the last 12 months. The prevalence of allergic diseases of children living in city and with atopic family history was higher than that of children living in rural areas and without family history. Students with allergic conjunctivitis, food allergy, allergic rhinitis and eczema had high risk of asthma.

[Survey on the quadrivalent influenza vaccine intention and related factors of health care workers in the Pearl River Delta region from 2015 to 2017]

Objective: To analyze the quadrivalent influenza vaccine intention of 718 health care workers (HCWs) in the Pearl River Delta region from 2015 to 2017. Method: In May 2018, 718 HCWs from the department related to the diagnosis and treatment of influenza in 17 hospitals (6 tertiary hospitals, 5 secondary hospitals and 6 primary hospitals) from Guangzhou, Jiangmen, Zhuhai and Dongguan were selected by using stratified sampling method. Questionnaire survey and face-to-face interview were used to collect the information of influenza vaccination, the intention of the quadrivalent influenza vaccine, the acceptance of free and required vaccination policies, and recommendations for increasing influenza vaccination intentions from 2015 to 2017. The multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze factors associated with the vaccination intention. Results: A total of 718 HCWs were surveyed and 147 of them were interviewed face to face. Among them, the vaccination rate of primary hospitals [17.39%(40/230)] was higher than that of other hospitals (χ(2)=15.80, P<0.05). If the vaccine could be free, 84.82% (609/718) of HCWs would like to be vaccinated. The multivariate logistic regression showed that the factors, HCWs who were aged ≥50 years (OR=3.44, 95%CI:1.43-8.28), worked in department of prevention and health care (OR=2.35, 95%CI:1.16-4.75), learned about the quadrivalent influenza vaccine (OR=2.94, 95%CI:2.08-4.18), knowed that HCWs are priority (OR=2.33, 95%CI:1.56-3.48), and had a history of trivalent influenza vaccination from 2015 to 2017 (OR=4.70, 95%CI:3.08-7.15), were associated with the vaccination intention. Conclusion: HCWs in the Pearl River Delta region had weak inclination of getting quadrivalent influenza vaccine. HCWs who were age (≥50 years old), worked in department of prevention and health care, learned about the quadrivalent influenza vaccine, knowed that HCWs are priority, and had a history of trivalent influenza vaccination from 2015 to 2017 were factors positively associated with the vaccination intention.

The complete chloroplast genome of an albino tea, Camellia sinensis cultivar 'Baiye 1'

For obtaining the sequence and phylogenetic position of Camellia sinensis cultivar 'Baiye1', the complete chloroplast genome was determined. This chloroplast genome is 156,691 bp in length with overall GC content of 37.3%. It was comprised of a large single-copy (LSC) region of 86,585bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,276bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 26,083 bp. It contains 87 protein-coding, 8 rRNA, and 35 tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed 'Baiye1' and C. sinensis cv. 'Longjing43' were clustered into a group. These results may contribute to the further understanding of the albino phenotype and genetic evolution.

Isolation and Characterization of CsWRKY7, a Subgroup IId WRKY Transcription Factor from Camellia sinensis, Linked to Development in Arabidopsis

WRKY transcription factors (TFs) containing one or two WRKY domains are a class of plant TFs that respond to diverse abiotic stresses and are associated with developmental processes. However, little has been known about the function of WRKY gene in tea plant. In this study, a subgroup IId WRKY gene CsWRKY7 was isolated from Camellia sinensis, which displayed amino acid sequence homology with Arabidopsis AtWRKY7 and AtWRKY15. Subcellular localization prediction indicated that CsWRKY7 localized to nucleus. Cis-acting elements detected in the promotor region of CsWRKY7 are mainly involved in plant response to environmental stress and growth. Consistently, expression analysis showed that CsWRKY7 transcripts responded to NaCl, mannitol, PEG, and diverse hormones treatments. Additionally, CsWRKY7 exhibited a higher accumulation both in old leaves and roots compared to bud. Seed germination and root growth assay indicated that overexpressed CsWRKY7 in transgenic Arabidopsis was not sensitive to NaCl, mannitol, PEG, and low concentration of ABA treatments. CsWRKY7 overexpressing Arabidopsis showed a late-flowering phenotype under normal conditions compared to wild type. Furthermore, gene expression analysis showed that the transcription levels of the flowering time integrator gene FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and the floral meristem identity genes APETALA1 (AP1) and LEAFY (LFY) were lower in WRKY7-OE than in the WT. Taken together, these findings indicate that CsWRKY7 TF may participate in plant growth. This study provides a potential strategy to breed late-blooming tea cultivar.

Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Development of a SCAR Marker for Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Cultivars in Zhejiang Province: The Most Famous Green Tea-Producing Area in China

Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze is one of the most important non-alcoholic beverage crops in Asian and African countries. In recent years, many green tea cultivars have been released and played an important role in improving the production and quality of tea trees. The objectives of this study were to assess the genetic diversity of the eighteen main green tea cultivars in Zhejiang Province-the most famous green tea-producing area of China-using start codon-targeted (SCoT) markers and to develop a specific sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker for application in cultivar diagnosis. Thirty-one SCoT primers produced 264 loci, 226 of which were polymorphic. The genetic similarity coefficients among these green tea cultivars ranged from 0.587 to 0.814, indicating that a high level of genetic diversity was present. Both a UPGMA dendrogram and a PCoA plot grouped the tea cultivars into three groups. The partitioning of groups in the UPGMA and PCoA was similar, and much of the clustering was highly consistent with the classification of tea cultivars according to their genetic backgrounds. A unique SCoT band, SCoT4-1649, specific to the tea cultivar 'Yingshuang,' was transformed into a SCAR marker. This SCAR marker is highly useful for the identification and germplasm conservation of green tea cultivars.

Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping for Theobromine and Caffeine Contents in Tea Plant ( Camellia sinensis)

Understanding the genetic basis of theobromine and caffeine accumulation in the tea plant is important due to their contribution to tea flavor. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses were carried out to identify genetic variants associated with theobromine and caffeine contents and ratio using a pseudo-testcross population derived from an intervarietal cross between two varieties of Camellia sinensis. A total of 10 QTL controlling caffeine content (CAF), theobromine content (TBR), sum of caffeine and theobromine (SCT), and caffeine-to-theobromine ratio (CTR) were identified over four measurement years. The major QTL controlling CAF, qCAF1, was mapped onto LG01 and validated across years, explaining an average of 20.1% of the phenotypic variance. The other QTL were detected in 1 or 2 years, and of them there were four, two, and three for TBR, SCT, and CTR, respectively. The present results provide valuable information for further fine mapping and cloning functional genes and for genetic improvement in tea plant.

A Novel F3' 5' H Allele with 14 bp Deletion Is Associated with High Catechin Index Trait of Wild Tea Plants and Has Potential Use in Enhancing Tea Quality

Catechins are important chemical components determining the quality of tea. The catechin index (CI, ratio of dihydroxylated catechin (DIC)/trihydroxylated catechin (TRIC)) in the green leaf has a major influence on the amounts of theaflavins in black tea. In this work, the major catechin profiles of wild tea plants originating from Guizhou Province with high CI trait were investigated. We identified a novel flavonoid 3',5' hydroxylase gene ( F3' 5' H) allele with a 14 bp deletion in the upstream regulation region and developed an insertion/deletion (InDel) marker accordingly. The 14 bp deletion in the novel  F3' 5' H allele was associated with low F3' 5' H mRNA expression, thereby resulting in low TRIC content and high CI value. The allelic variant in the novel F3' 5' H allele associated with high CI values and DIC contents was confirmed by the introgression lines derived from a distant cross population. The novel F3' 5' H allele in wild tea plants is a valuable gene resource, which could be applied to breeding improvement on tea quality.

[Comparison of the color difference between teeth underwent cold light whitening and two kinds of shade guides]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate which shade guide, Vitapan Classical or Vita Bleachedguide 3DMaster, is better matched with the color of teeth in judging whitening effect, by comparing the color difference between shade tabs and corresponding teeth underwent cold light tooth whitening.

METHODS

A total of 60 patients underwent Beyond cold light tooth whitening from May 2014 to April 2016. The patients were divided into two experimental groups according to the shade guide used. Vitapan Classical shade guide was used to judge whitening effect in one group, and Vita Bleachedguide 3DMaster shade guide was used in another. Shade matching was carried out before and after whitening in both the two groups, and the results were recorded by digital photographs. Shade matching procedures were carried out by two doctors independently. If they chose the same tab, it would be seen as the shade matching result; While if they chose different tabs, another doctor would be invited to make a decision. Photographs were taken in preset conditions: intraoral photos of the full dentition in the front, and the proportion of shooting was 1:3; aperture was F22; shutter speed was 1/200; intensity of flash was M/8; ISO value was 200. The photographs were analyzed by Photoshop software. Chromatic values were measured, and color difference values were calculated. Measuring of chromatic values was carried out by three doctors independently, and all the photos were measured twice by each doctor. Six measure results of each photo were recorded, and the maximum and the minimum were excluded, then the mean was seen as the final result. The color difference values were compared by independent-sample t test. Besides, changes of shade tabs after whitening in the two groups were recorded.

RESULTS

Color difference value was 5.06±1.71 in Vitapan Classical group, and 3.39±1.36 in Vita Bleachedguide 3D-Master group. There was statistically significant difference between the two groups (t=4.68,P<0.001). Change of shade tabs was 3.63±1.75 in Vitapan Classical group, and 2.23±1.01 in Vita Bleachedguide 3DMaster group.

CONCLUSION

Vita Bleachedguide 3D-Master is better matched with the color of teeth, so it is preferred in judging the effect of cold light tooth whitening.

Corrigendum: Proteome and Acetyl-Proteome Profiling of Camellia sinensis cv. 'Anji Baicha' during Periodic Albinism Reveals Alterations in Photosynthetic and Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Pathways

[This corrects the article on p. 2104 in vol. 8, PMID: 29312376.].

Proteome and Acetyl-Proteome Profiling of Camellia sinensis cv. 'Anjin Baicha' during Periodic Albinism Reveals Alterations in Photosynthetic and Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Pathways

Tea leaf color is not only important from an aesthetics standpoint but is also related to tea quality. To investigate the molecular mechanisms that determine tea leaf color, we examined Camellia sinensis cv. 'Anjin Baicha' (an albino tea cultivar) by tandem mass tag isobaric labeling to generate a high-resolution proteome and acetyl-proteome atlas of three leaf developmental stages. We identified a total of 7,637 proteins and quantified 6,256; of these, 3,232 were classified as differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs). We also identified 3,161 lysine acetylation sites in 1,752 proteins and quantified 2,869 in 1,612 proteins. The acetylation levels at 468 sites were significantly altered across the three developmental stages during periodic albinism; the corresponding proteins were associated with a variety of biological processes. Interestingly, a large number of DAPs and acetylated proteins with increased/decreased acetylation were related to photosynthesis and secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways, suggesting that the accumulation or acetylation level of these proteins regulates periodic albinism in 'Anjin Baicha.' Additionally, overlap between succinylome and acetylome among three 'Anjin Baicha' developmental stages were found. These data provide important insight into the mechanisms of leaf coloration in the tea plant. The mass spectrometry data have been deposited to Proteome X change via the PRIDE partner repository with the data set identifier PXD008134.

Effects of starvation on the carbohydrate metabolism in Harmonia axyridis (Pallas)

Trehalose plays an important role in energy storage, metabolism, and protection from extreme environmental conditions in insects. Trehalose is the main blood sugar in insects, and it can be rapidly used as an energy source in times of need. To elucidate the mechanisms of the starvation response, we observed the effects of starvation on trehalose and glycogen, trehalase activity, and the relative gene expression of genes in the trehalose and glycogen metabolic pathways in the invasive beetle Harmonia axyridis. Our results show that trehalose levels and the activities of two types of trehalases decreased significantly in the first 8 h of starvation, while the relative expression of HaTreh1-1 increased. While trehalose remained nearly constant at a relatively high level from 8 to 24 h, glycogen levels decreased significantly from 8 h to 24 h of starvation. Likewise, glycogen phosphorylase (HaGP) expression was significantly higher at 12 to 24 h starvation than the first 8 h, while the expression of glycogen synthase (HaGS) was relatively stable. Furthermore, trehalose decreased significantly from 24 h starvation to 72 h starvation, while trehalase activities and the relative expression of some HaTreh genes generally increased toward the end of the starvation period. The expression of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (HaTPS) increased significantly, supporting the increase in trehalose synthesis. These results show that trehalose plays a key role in the energy provided during the starvation process through the molecular and biochemical regulation of trehalose and glycogen metabolism.

Summary: Effects of starvation on the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of carbohydrate metabolism were regulated by trehalose and glycogen metabolism genes' expression changed in Harmonia axyridis (Pallas).

Quantitative Succinyl-Proteome Profiling of Camellia sinensis cv. 'Anji Baicha' During Periodic Albinism

Lysine succinylation is a novel dynamic and evolutionarily conserved post-translational modification (PTM) that regulates various biological processes. ‘Anji Baicha’ is an albino tea variety that exhibits temperature-based variability of leaf colour and amino acid concentrations. However, the mechanism underlying albinism in ‘Anji Baicha’ has not been investigated at the level of succinylation. Here, we identify 3530 lysine succinylation sites mapped to 2132 proteins in ‘Anji Baicha’, representing the first extensive data on the lysine succinylome in the tea plant. Eleven conserved succinylation motifs were enriched among the identified succinylated peptides. The protein-protein interaction maps were visualized using Cytoscape software. Comparison across three typical developmental stages of ‘Anji Baicha’ revealed that proteins exhibiting differential succinylation levels were primarily involved in photosynthesis, carbon fixation, biosynthesis of amino acids and porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, suggesting that these succinylated proteins are involved in ‘Anji Baicha’ leaf colour variability. These results not only deepen our understanding of the mechanism underlying ‘Anji Baicha’ albinism and the regulatory role of succinylation in the tea plant but also provide new insight into molecular breeding for leaf colour variety.

The small auxin-up RNA OsSAUR45 affects auxin synthesis and transport in rice

This research is the first to demonstrate that OsSAUR45 is involved in plant growth though affecting auxin synthesis and transport by repressing OsYUCCA and OsPIN gene expression in rice. Small auxin-up RNAs (SAURs) comprise a large multigene family and are rapidly activated as part of the primary auxin response in plants. However, little is known about the role of SAURs in plant growth and development, especially in monocots. Here, we report the biological function of OsSAUR45 in the model plant rice (Oryza sativa). OsSAUR45 is expressed in a tissue-specific pattern and is localized to the cytoplasm. Rice lines overexpressing OsSAUR45 displayed pleiotropic developmental defects including reduced plant height and primary root length, fewer adventitious roots, narrower leaves, and reduced seed setting. Auxin levels and transport were reduced in the OsSAUR45 overexpression lines, potentially because of decreased expression of Flavin-binding monooxygenase family proteins (OsYUCCAs) and PIN-FORMED family proteins (OsPINs). Exogenous auxin application rapidly induced OsSAUR45 expression and partially restored the phenotype of rice lines overexpressing OsSAUR45. These results demonstrate that OsSAUR45 is involved in plant growth by affecting auxin synthesis and transport through the repression of OsYUCCA and OsPIN gene expression in rice.

The role of follicular T helper cells in patients with malignant lymphoid disease

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the dynamic change of follicular T helper cells (T_FH) in patients with malignant lymphoid disease (MLD) and to explore its clinical significance.

METHODS

The dynamic change of T_FH cells, ICOS⁺- and PD-1⁺ T_FH cells at pretreatment and different treatment periods was determined by flow cytometry in 85 MLD patients. Concentration of interleukin 21 (IL-21) was evaluated by ELISA, and the correlation between clinical prognosis and the ratio of T_FH cells was analyzed.

RESULTS

Significantly increased ICOS⁺- and PD-1⁺ T_FH cells were found in MLD patients at pretreatment compared to healthy controls. Decreased or even close to normal levels of ICOS⁺- and PD-1⁺ T_FH cells were found at the end of treatment. However, in the patients with progressive disease, high levels of ICOS⁺- and PD-1⁺ T_FH cells were found. Moreover, a significantly increased plasma IL-21 level was found in MLD patients. Negative correlation was found between the level of ICOS⁺-, PD-1⁺ T_FH cells, as well as IL-21 and the prognosis of MLD.

CONCLUSIONS

Significantly increased T_FH cell ratios were found in patients with MLD, and decreased T_FH cells ratios could be expected in those treatment-effective patients, which could be used as the therapeutic efficacy index.

Small RNA and degradome profiling reveals important roles for microRNAs and their targets in tea plant response to drought stress

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is a popular beverage worldwide. Drought stress (DS) is a major constraint on the growth, yield and quality of tea plants. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in plant responses to DS. We constructed eight small RNA libraries from the drought-tolerant 'Ningzhou 2' (NZ2) and drought-susceptible 'Zhuyeqi' (ZYQ) cultivars during four stages [control (CK), the fourth day of DS, the eighth day of DS and after recovery (RC)]. A total of 268 conserved and 62 novel miRNAs were identified using small RNA sequencing. In total, 139 (52.9%) and 96 (36.0%) conserved miRNAs were differentially expressed during the four stages (P ≤ 0.05) in NZ2 and ZYQ, respectively. A total of 814 predicted target genes were identified as differentially regulated by 199 miRNAs through degradome sequencing. Among them, 201 and 218 genes were specific to the NZ2 and ZYQ cultivars, respectively, and 395 were common to both cultivars. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses revealed the biological roles of these targets and showed that some of the targets responded to DS in a stress- and cultivar-dependent manner. Correlated expression patterns between miRNA and their targets showed that specific miRNAs target the miRNA effector Argonaute 1 (AGO1), drought signaling-related receptors and enzymes, transcription factors, and other structural and functional proteins. The predicted regulatory networks provide insights into a potential miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanism. These results will contribute to the breeding of drought-tolerant tea plants and to elucidating miRNA regulation in response to drought.

Biochemical and transcriptomic analyses reveal different metabolite biosynthesis profiles among three color and developmental stages in 'Anji Baicha' (Camellia sinensis)

BACKGROUND

The new shoots of the albino tea cultivar 'Anji Baicha' are yellow or white at low temperatures and turn green as the environmental temperatures increase during the early spring. 'Anji Baicha' metabolite profiles exhibit considerable variability over three color and developmental stages, especially regarding the carotenoid, chlorophyll, and theanine concentrations. Previous studies focused on physiological characteristics, gene expression differences, and variations in metabolite abundances in albino tea plant leaves at specific growth stages. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating metabolite biosynthesis in various color and developmental stages in albino tea leaves have not been fully characterized.

RESULTS

We used RNA-sequencing to analyze 'Anji Baicha' leaves at the yellow-green, albescent, and re-greening stages. The leaf transcriptomes differed considerably among the three stages. Functional classifications based on Gene Ontology enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses revealed that differentially expressed unigenes were mainly related to metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms. Chemical analyses revealed higher β-carotene and theanine levels, but lower chlorophyll a levels, in the albescent stage than in the green stage. Furthermore, unigenes involved in carotenoid, chlorophyll, and theanine biosyntheses were identified, and the expression patterns of the differentially expressed unigenes in these biosynthesis pathways were characterized. Through co-expression analyses, we identified the key genes in these pathways. These genes may be responsible for the metabolite biosynthesis differences among the different leaf color and developmental stages of 'Anji Baicha' tea plants.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study presents the results of transcriptomic and biochemical analyses of 'Anji Baicha' tea plants at various stages. The distinct transcriptome profiles for each color and developmental stage enabled us to identify changes to biosynthesis pathways and revealed the contributions of such variations to the albino phenotype of tea plants. Furthermore, comparisons of the transcriptomes and related metabolites helped clarify the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the secondary metabolic pathways in different stages.

[Evaluation of the level of urinary cysteinyl leukotriene E4 in diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the correlation of urinary cysteinyl leukotriene E4 (CysLTE4) and diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants.

METHOD

One hundred and fifty-eight newborn infants were consecutively admitted to the neonatal intensive care units of First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from November 2014 to October 2015.The infants were divided into 3 groups according to the diagnosis on discharge.Sixty-one term infants were classified as having no pulmonary diseases, 52 premature infants were classified as without BPD, and 45 premature infants with BPD were diagnosed at 28 d after birth.Urinary CysLTE4 levels of newborns within 3 days after birth were measured in a blinded way by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay and were compared among 3 groups, and were evaluated for the diagnostic value and the correlation of gestational age and birth weight.Statistical analysis was performed using correlation analysis, one-way analysis of variance and χ(2) test etc.

RESULT

In infants with BPD, the mean urinary CysLTE4 level was (191.0±29.3) ng/L which significantly higher than the premature group without BPD ((164.1±22.7) ng/L) and term infant group ((151.6±41.9) ng/L, F=18.70, P<0.05). Urinary CysLTE4 level within 3 days of life in newborn inversely correlated with gestational age and birth weight (Pearson=-0.33, -0.38, P<0.01). The area under the curve was 0.78, 95%CI: 0.70-0.86, P<0.01, when cutoff was 187.7 ng/L, with Youden index 0.59, sensitivity 77.8% and specificity 81.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Urinary CysLTE4 level is up-regulated in BPD infants within early days of life which may be a useful biomarker of early diagnoses of BPD.

Temporal and spatial expression profiles of Frizzled 3 in the ovary during the estrous cycle

Frizzled 3 is an important receptor in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, a conserved signaling pathway that regulates gene expression and controls diverse developmental processes. However, the role of this protein during follicular development in the adult ovary is not known. The present study was designed to investigate the expression and localization of Frizzled 3 mRNA and protein during the estrous cycle in the mouse ovary through in situ hybridization (ISH), real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and western blot. ISH results showed that in proestrus, high expression of Frizzled 3 was found in the granulosa and stroma with weak levels in the corpus luteum. In estrus and diestrus, the stroma had high Frizzled 3 expression, but levels were low in granulosa cells and corpus luteum. In the metestrus, moderate expression of Frizzled 3 was found in the stroma but low to no expression was found in luteal cells and follicles. The mRNA and protein levels of Frizzled 3 were found to be the highest in proestrus and diestrus compared to estrus and metestrus (P < 0.05), confirming the ISH results. During estrus and diestrus, high Frizzled 3 expression was observed in the stroma and moderate levels in granulosa cells, and during estrus and proestrus, low expression was seen in the oocyte cell membrane. The western blot results further confirmed this change during the estrous cycle. Together, these results indicate that Frizzled 3 is involved in regulating follicular development and oocyte maturation during the estrous cycle.

Identification and expression profiling of the auxin response factors (ARFs) in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) under various abiotic stresses

Auxin response factor (ARF) proteins are a multigene family of regulators involved in various physiological and developmental processes in plants. However, their modes of action in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified 15 members of the tea ARF gene family, using the public information about C. sinensis, both in our laboratory, as well as in other laboratories, and analyzed their phylogenetic relationships, conserved domains and the compositions of the amino acids in the middle region. A comprehensive expression analysis in different tissues and organs revealed that many ARF genes were expressed in a tissue-specific manner, suggesting they have different functions in the growth and development processes of the tea plant. The expression analysis under three forms of auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, naphthylacetic acid) treatment showed that the majority of the ARF genes were down-regulated in the shoots and up-regulated in the roots, suggesting opposite action mechanisms of the ARF genes in the shoots and roots. The expression levels of most ARF genes were changed under various phytohormone and abiotic stresses, indicating the ARF gene family plays important roles in various phytohormone and abiotic stress signals and may mediate the crosstalk between phytohormones and abiotic stresses. The current study provides basic information for the ARF genes of the tea plant and will pave the way for deciphering the precise role of ARFs in tea developmental processes and breeding stress-tolerant tea varieties.

Analysis on value of CT and MRI clinical application in diagnosis of middle-aged patients with multiple cerebral infarction

OBJECTIVE

To compare the application of MRI and CT imageological examination in diagnosis of middle-aged patients with multiple cerebral infarction.

METHODS

218 cases of patients with multiple cerebral infarction were selected for CT and MRI examinations, and the clinical value of CT and MRI examinations in diagnosis and imaging of middle-aged patients with multiple cerebral infarction was compared and analyzed.

RESULTS

For the 218 cases of patients, the total detection rate of CT examination was 56.88% and that of MRI examination was 95.87%, indicating a statistically significant difference (x (2)=6.795, P=0.008). For the 85 patients in the group of less than 24 h, the detection rate of CT examination was 37.65% and that of MRI examination was 94.12%, and the comparative analysis between two groups suggested a statistically significant difference (x (2)=6.357, P=0.006); for the 70 cases in the group of 24~72 h, the detection rate of CT examination was 48.57%, and that of MRI examination was 97.14%, suggesting a statistically significant difference (x (2)=5.315, P=0.026); for the 63 cases in the group of greater than 72 h, the detection rate of CT and MRI examinations showed no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). This showed that the cerebral infarction detection rate of MRI examination was significantly higher than that of CT examination in the group of less than 24 h and the group of 24~72 h, while the difference in the cerebral infarction detection rate was not significant in the group of greater than 72 h. The number of lesions detected by MRI examination was significantly higher than that by CT examination (P<0.01); the capability of MRI examination to detect small lesions of cerebral infarction was significantly stronger than that of CT examination (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

MRI has significant advantages in diagnosis of middle-aged patients with multiple cerebral infarction when compared to CT.

Analysis on safety and value of CT-guided percutaneous chemical ablation in treatment of pelvic hypovascular metastasis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical efficacy of CT-guided percutaneous chemical ablation in treatment of pelvic hypovascular metastasis.

METHODS

Based on a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 78 patients with pelvic hypovascular metastasis, CT-guided percutaneous chemical ablation was used to directly puncture lesions. The emulsion consisting of ultra-liquid iodized oil, anhydrous ethanol and oxaliplatin in the proportion of 1:2:2 was slowly injected to the lesions, which should be filled to the greatest extent. The postoperative follow-up lasted for 2~51 months.

RESULTS

After surgery, 23 of these 78 cases were reported with merely residual fibrous cords or calcified shadow or complete recovery, and the lesion volume was reduced by ≥ 50% in 55 cases compared to that before surgery, indicating a total effective rate of 100% (78/78). The tumor size after treatment was significantly reduced compared to that before treatment [(4.5 ± 1.9) cm(2) vs (20.6 ± 10.1) cm(2)], and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.018). Of 34 patients suffering from pain in perineum, buttocks and/or legs and limited mobility of the lower extremities, eliminated pain were reported in 13 cases and relieved symptoms in 21 cases. No intraoperative and postoperative complications were observed.

CONCLUSION

In treatment of pelvic hypovascular metastasis, CT-guided percutaneous chemical ablation proves to be minimally invasive, effective and worthy of clinical promotion.

The auxin response factor, OsARF19, controls rice leaf angles through positively regulating OsGH3-5 and OsBRI1

Auxin and brassinosteroid (BR) are important phytohormones for controlling lamina inclination implicated in plant architecture and grain yield. But the molecular mechanism of auxin and BR crosstalk for regulating lamina inclination remains unknown. Auxin response factors (ARFs) control various aspects of plant growth and development. We here report that OsARF19-overexpression rice lines show an enlarged lamina inclination due to increase of its adaxial cell division. OsARF19 is expressed in various organs including lamina joint and strongly induced by auxin and BR. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and yeast one-hybrid assays demonstrate that OsARF19 binds to the promoter of OsGH3-5 and brassinosteroid insensitive 1 (OsBRI1) directing their expression. OsGH3-5-overexpression lines show a similar phenotype as OsARF19-O1. Free auxin contents in the lamina joint of OsGH3-5-O1 or OsARF19-O1 are reduced. OsGH3-5 is localized at the endoplasmic retieulum (ER) matching reduction of the free auxin contents in OsGH3-5-O1. osarf19-TDNA and osgh3-5-Tos17 mutants without erected leaves show a function redundancy with other members of their gene family. OsARF19-overexpression lines are sensitive to exogenous BR treatment and alter the expressions of genes related to BR signalling. These findings provide novel insights into auxin and BR signalling, and might have significant implications for improving plant architecture of monocot crops.

OsMOGS is required for N-glycan formation and auxin-mediated root development in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

N-glycosylation is a major modification of glycoproteins in eukaryotic cells. In Arabidopsis, great progress has been made in functional analysis of N-glycan production, however there are few studies in monocotyledons. Here, we characterized a rice (Oryza sativa L.) osmogs mutant with shortened roots and isolated a gene that coded a putative mannosyl-oligosaccharide glucosidase (OsMOGS), an ortholog of α-glucosidase I in Arabidopsis, which trims the terminal glucosyl residue of the oligosaccharide chain of nascent peptides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). OsMOGS is strongly expressed in rapidly cell-dividing tissues and OsMOGS protein is localized in the ER. Mutation of OsMOGS entirely blocked N-glycan maturation and inhibited high-mannose N-glycan formation. The osmogs mutant exhibited severe defects in root cell division and elongation, resulting in a short-root phenotype. In addition, osmogs plants had impaired root hair formation and elongation, and reduced root epidemic cell wall thickness due to decreased cellulose synthesis. Further analysis showed that auxin content and polar transport in osmogs roots were reduced due to incomplete N-glycosylation of the B subfamily of ATP-binding cassette transporter proteins (ABCBs). Our results demonstrate that involvement of OsMOGS in N-glycan formation is required for auxin-mediated root development in rice.

Alternative splicing, promoter methylation, and functional SNPs of sperm flagella 2 gene in testis and mature spermatozoa of Holstein bulls

The sperm flagella 2 (SPEF2) gene is essential for development of normal sperm tail and male fertility. In this study, we characterized first the splice variants, promoter and its methylation, and functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of theSPEF2gene in newborn and adult Holstein bulls. Four splice variants were identified in the testes, epididymis, sperm, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and liver tissues through RT-PCR, clone sequencing, and western blot analysis. Immunohistochemistry revealed that theSPEF2was specifically expressed in the primary spermatocytes, elongated spermatids, and round spermatids in the testes and epididymis.SPEF2-SV1was differentially expressed in the sperms of high-performance and low-performance adult bulls;SPEF2-SV2presents the highest expression in testis and epididymis;SPEF2-SV3was only detected in testis and epididymis. An SNP (c.2851G>T) in exon 20 ofSPEF2, located within a putative exonic splice enhancer, potentially producedSPEF2-SV3and was involved in semen deformity rate and post-thaw cryopreserved sperm motility. The luciferase reporter and bisulfite sequencing analysis suggested that the methylation pattern of the core promoter did not significantly differ between the full-sib bulls that presented hypomethylation in the ejaculated semen and testis. This finding indicates that sperm quality is unrelated toSPEF2methylation pattern. Our data suggest that alternative splicing, rather than methylation, is involved in the regulation ofSPEF2expression in the testes and sperm and is one of the determinants of sperm motility during bull spermatogenesis. The exonic SNP (c.2851G>T) produces aberrant splice variants, which can be used as a candidate marker for semen traits selection breeding of Holstein bulls.

Auxin response factor (OsARF12), a novel regulator for phosphate homeostasis in rice (Oryza sativa)

Phosphorus (P) is crucial nutrient element for crop growth and development. However, the network pathway regulating homeostasis of phosphate (Pi) in crops has many molecular breeding unknowns. Here, we report that an auxin response factor, OsARF12, functions in Pi homeostasis. Measurement of element content, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis and acid phosphatases (APases) activity assay showed that the osarf12 mutant and osarf12/25 double mutant with P-intoxicated phenotypes had higher P concentrations, up-regulation of the Pi transporter encoding genes and increased APase activity under Pi-sufficient/-deficient (+Pi/-Pi, 0.32/0 mM NaH2 PO4) conditions. Transcript analysis revealed that Pi-responsive genes--Phosphate starvation (OsIPS)1 and OsIPS2, SYG1/Pho81/XPR1(OsSPX1), Sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol 2 (OsSQD2), R2R3 MYB transcription factor (OsMYB2P-1) and Transport Inhibitor Response1 (OsTIR1)--were more abundant in the osarf12 and osarf12/25 mutants under +Pi/-Pi conditions. Knockout of OsARF12 also influenced the transcript abundances of the OsPHR2 gene and its downstream components, such as OsMiR399j, OsPHO2, OsMiR827, OsSPX-MFS1 and OsSPX-MFS2. Results from -Pi/1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) treatments, and auxin reporter DR5::GUS staining suggest that root system alteration and Pi-induced auxin response were at least partially controlled by OsARF12. These findings enrich our understanding of the biological functions of OsARF12, which also acts in regulating Pi homeostasis.

Existence and damping of dust acoustic solitary waves in a bounded geometry

The propagation of the solitary wave in a dusty plasma bounded in finite geometry has been investigated. By employing the reductive perturbation method, we obtain a quasi Korteweg-de Vries-type equation. It is noted that the larger the value of viscosity coefficient μ(0), the stronger the damping of the solitary wave. On the other hand, the larger the value of the radius of bounded geometry R, the weaker the damping of the solitary wave. It is also found that the quasisolitary wave exists. However, the solitary wave is a damping one, and it will disappear in the limited case of R→0 or μ(0)→+∞.

High efficient of females of B-type Bemisia tabaci as males in transmitting the whitefly-borne tomato yellow leaf curl virus to tomato plant with Q-PCR method confirmation

It has been previously reported that TYLCV can be transmitted from viruliferous males to non-viruliferous females and from viruliferous females to non-viruliferous males, but not between insects of the same sex; female whiteflies transmit TYLCV-Is with higher efficiency than males through symptoms recognition and viral DNA identification in tomato test plants (one insect per plant, with 48 h AAP and 48 h IAP). However, it remains unclear whether non-infected female and male could obtain same virus from TYLCV-infected tomato plants, and whether TYLCV-infected female and male could transmit same virus to non-viruliferous tomato plants. To address this issue, quantitative real-time PCR were applied to detect TYLCV content in adults or tomato plant. The acquisition and transmission experiments showed that both female and male can acquire and transmit the virus and no acquisition capability difference was observed between newly emerged female and male, however, female demonstrated superior transmission capability than male. Moreover, gene expressions profilings of GroEL and Hamiltonella in non-viruliferous and viruliferous female was all higher than that in male. These results further indicated that sex is an important factor affecting TYLCV transmission efficiency in B. tabaci.

Levels of effectiveness of gene therapies targeting survivin and its splice variants in human breast cancer cells

In order to develop an effective strategy of breast cancer therapy targeting survivin and its splice variants survivin-ΔEx3 and survivin-2B, the present study constructed four expression vectors by fusing the survivin antisense gene, the survivin (T34A) gene, the survivin-ΔEx3 antisense gene, and the survivin-2B gene with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene. Each of these vectors was transiently transfected into the B-Cap-37 human breast cancer cell line. The effects of these four vectors with diverse genes on the proliferation and apoptosis of B-Cap-37 breast cancer cells were examined and compared in vitro using MTT and flow cytometry assays. Results of the MTT assay indicated that all four gene therapy plasmids were most effective at inhibiting the proliferation of B-Cap-37 cells 72 h after transfection. However, the four gene therapies had different rates of cell inhibition. pcDNA3.1(+)-egfp-anti-survivin and pcDNA3.1(+)-survivin (T34A)-egfp had almost equivalent or better effectiveness at suppressing cell growth. pcDNA3.1(+)-egfp-anti-survivin-ΔEx3 moderately inhibited the growth of B-Cap-37 cells. In contrast, pcDNA3.1(+)-survivin-2B-egfp had limited inhibition of cell growth. Similar profile of effectiveness of four gene therapies in soliciting cell apoptosis was also observed. These results suggest the relative importance of targeting survivin and its splice variant survivin-ΔEx3 in breast cancer treatment.

OsARF12, a transcription activator on auxin response gene, regulates root elongation and affects iron accumulation in rice (Oryza sativa)

• Auxin has an important role in maintaining optimal root system architecture (RSA) that can cope with growth reductions of crops caused by water or nutrient shortages. However, the mechanism of controlling RSA remains largely unclear. Here, we found a limiting factor of RSA--OsARF12--an auxin response factor whose knockout led to decreased primary root length in rice (Oryza sativa). • OsARF12 as a transcription activator can facilitate the expression of the auxin response element DR5::GFP, and OsARF12 was inhibited by osa-miRNA167d by transient expression in tobacco and rice callus. • The root elongation zones of osarf12 and osarf12/25, which had lower auxin concentrations, were distinctly shorter than for the wild-type, possibly as a result of decreased expression of auxin synthesis genes OsYUCCAs and auxin efflux carriers OsPINs and OsPGPs. The knockout of OsARF12 also altered the abundance of mitochondrial iron-regulated (OsMIR), iron (Fe)-regulated transporter1 (OsIRT1) and short postembryonic root1 (OsSPR1) in roots of rice, and resulted in lower Fe content. • The data provide evidence for the biological function of OsARF12, which is implicated in regulating root elongation. Our investigation contributes a novel insight for uncovering regulation of RSA and the relationship between auxin response and Fe acquisition.

Adsorption of phenanthrene by quaternary ammonium surfactant modified peat and the mechanism involved

Removal of phenanthrene (PHE) from aqueous solution by adsorption onto quaternary ammonium surfactant modified peat was studied. The results show that surfactant modification enhanced the PHE adsorption capacity of peat. Low temperature and neutral pH favored PHE adsorption. Peat modified with long carbon chain surfactant performed better than peat modified with short carbon chain surfactant. The magnitude of PHE adsorption capacity followed the order of MP-HPB>MP-HTAB>MP-TBAB>RP, ranged from 924 to 1,228 μg g(-1). A negative trend between adsorption capacity (y) and (O+N)/C ratio of biosorbent (x) was observed (y = -1,369.6x + 2,176), which confirmed the negative effect of polarity on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) removal. The study provides a guide to modify raw materials to enhance adsorption of hydrophobic organics.

Analysis of subcellular localization of auxin carriers PIN, AUX/LAX and PGP in Sorghum bicolor

Auxin transport at least correlates to the three gene families: efflux carriers PIN-formed (PIN), p-glycoprotein (PGP), and influx carrier auxin resistant 1/like aux1(AUX/LAX) in Arabidopsis thaliana. In monocotyledon Sorghum bicolor, the biological function of these genes retains unclear. Our previous study reported that the member analysis, organ-specific expression and expression profiles of the auxin transporter PIN, PGP and AUX/LAX gene families in Sorghum bicolor under IAA, brassinosteroid, polar auxin transport inhibitors and abiotic stresses. Here we further supply the prediction of subcellular localization of SbPIN, SbLAX and SbPGP proteins and discuss the potential relationship between the subcellular localization and stress response. The predicted results showed that the most of SbPIN, SbLAX and SbPGP proteins are localized to the plasma membrane, except few localized to vacuolar membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. This data set provides novel information for investigation of auxin transporters in Sorghum bicolor.

Effect of thyroxine on synaptotagmin 1 and SNAP-25 expression in dorsal hippocampus of adult-onset hypothyroid rats

Adult-onset hypothyroidism causes cognitive dysfunctions of learning and memory, in which many synaptic proteins in hippocampus are involved. In our work, we studied the effect of adult-onset hypothyroidism on the expression of synaptotagmin 1 (syt 1) and SNAP-25 in dorsal hippocampus as well as its recovery by levothyroxine (L-T(4)) replacement therapy. Rats were divided into 4 groups: control, hypothyroidism, and hypothyroid rats treated with 5 μg T(4)/100 g body weight (BW) and 20 μg L-T(4)/100 g BW, respectively. Protein levels of syt 1 and SNAP-25 in dorsal hippocampus were determined by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The immunoblot analysis indicated that syt 1 was expressed at a significantly lower level in hypothyroid rats, while the level of SNAP-25 was much higher compared to controls. Furthermore, using immunostaining, we found that on the one hand, expression of syt 1 was significantly down-regulated in the examined layers of CA1 and CA3 subregions but not dentate gyrus (DG); however, on the other hand, expression of SNAP-25 was up-regulated in the layers of CA1, CA3, and DG. Two-week treatment with 20 μg LT(4)/ 100 g BW fully restored the levels of syt 1 and SNAP-25 to the normal level, which was more effective than 5 μg LT(4)/ 100 g BW that partially restored the levels of both proteins. These results suggest that adult-onset hypothyroidism caused down-regulation of syt 1 and up-regulation of SNAP- 25 level in dorsal hippocampus, which could be restored by L-T(4) treatment, and the recovery degree is related to the LT(4) dosage.

Evaluation of stem cell differentiation in diabetic rats transplanted with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

OBJECTIVE

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) transplantation has generated a great deal of excitement as a promising therapeutic strategy for diabetes mellitus. However, the exact mechanisms of reversing hyperglycemia remain elusive. Our objective was to investigate whether stem cell differentiation determined therapeutic efficacy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Wistar rats were rendered diabetic by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. BM-MSCs isolated from diabetic Wistar rats were analyzed for phenotype characteristics. Subsequently, BM-MSCs were transplanted into diabetic rats, followed by intravenous injection of recombinant lentiviruses encoding 2 different small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) for specific interference with neurogenin 3 (Ngn3). We measured blood glucose levels and insulin and performed histological analysis of the pancreas.

RESULTS

BM-MSCs lowered blood glucose by increasing beta-cell mass compared with sham-operated controls, but this effect was inhibited by interference with the Ngn3 gene.

CONCLUSION

Differentiation of stem cells, including BM-MSCs and endogenous pancreatic stem cells, plays a major role in the process of reversing hyperglycemia.

Expression of Frizzled 2 in the mouse ovary during oestrous cycle

The Wnt/beta-catenin pathway is a conserved signalling pathway that regulates gene expression and controls diverse developmental processes such as cell fate specification, cell proliferation and cell differentiation. To our knowledge, the potential role of this pathway in the adult ovary has been poorly addressed. To this end, we investigated the expression pattern of Frizzled 2 in the mouse ovary during oestrous cycle by real-time Q-PCR, in situ hybridization, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. In this study, we used uterine wet weight and H3.2 mRNA level as two markers for classification of mouse oestrous cycle. We found that both uterine wet weight and H3.2 mRNA are the highest in the proestrus and decrease from oestrus to diestrus. During oestrous cycle, Frizzled 2 mRNA and protein exhibited the highest level in the proestrus stage and rapidly reduced from oestrus to diestrus. In situ hybridization results showed that the positive signals for Frizzled 2 are highly detected in the oocyte and stroma in proestrus stage, while moderate or weak Frizzled 2 mRNAs are localized in the oocyte, granulosa cells, stroma and corpus luteum from oestrus to diestrus. The localization pattern of Frizzled 2 protein is mostly consistent with its mRNA, but stronger Frizzled 2 proteins are present in the granulosa cells and membrane of oocyte in oestrous cycle. Our data suggest that Frizzled 2 may be involved in regulating follicle growth, oocyte maturation and luteinization during oestrous cycle.

[Effect of Danxiongfang and its components on experimental liver injury models induced by CCl4 in mice]

OBJECTIVE

The study investigates the protective effect on liver of Danxionfang and its components.

METHOD

Mice are injected with CCl4 to establish liver injured model. ALT, AST, serum albumin, globulin in serum and SOD, MDA in liver and liver histological changes were measured to confirm the ability of protecting liver of Danxiongfang.

RESULT

The results show Danxiongfang can inhibit obviously the abnormal increase of ALT, AST in serum and MDA in liver, enhance SOD activity in liver, total protein, albumin, globulin in serum, and decrease liver pathological changes, which suggests Danxiongfang can protect injured liver induced by CCl4.

CONCLUSION

Danxiongfang showed powerful protective effect against liver damage induced by CCl4.

Characterization of two parvalbumin genes and their association with growth traits in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Parvalbumins are extremely abundant in fish muscle and play an important role in muscle relaxation. In this study, two parvalbumin genes (PVALB1 and PVALB2) were cloned from Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer). The cDNAs for PVALB1 and PVALB2 were 840 and 667 bp respectively. Both genes consisted of five exons and four introns, encoded 109 amino acids, and were of beta lineage. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, expression of PVALB1 was detected in all 10 tissues tested, with expression in brain, kidney, muscle and small intestine being 15- to 322-fold higher than in the other tissues. Expression of PVALB2 was detected only in muscle, brain and intestine, and was up to 10-fold lower than PVALB1 expression. A (CT)(17) microsatellite in the 3'-untranslated region of PVALB1 and three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the third intron of PVALB2 were identified. The microsatellite in PVALB1 was significantly associated with body weight and body length at 90 days post-hatch (P < 0.01), whereas the SNPs in PVALVB2 were not associated with these traits.

From Low-Dimensional Manganese(II) Azido Motifs to Higher-Dimensional Materials: Structure and Magnetic Properties

Four new inorganic-organic hybrid coordination polymers in which 1D or 2D manganese(II) azido inorganic motifs are interlinked into higher-dimensional networks have been synthesized by use of a series of bis(pyridyl)-type organic bridging ligands (linkers) with different side groups and/or different coordination orientations. The dimensionality and the topology of the manganese(II) azido motif and the whole structure are sensitive to the organic linkers used. Compounds 1 and 3 are 3D coordination polymers with pillared-layer architectures: in 1, 2D Mn(II) layers with alternate double end-on (EO) and single end-to-end (EE) azido bridges are pillared by zigzag organic linkers, and 3 is built from single EE azido-bridged Mn(II) layers and linear organic linkers. The 3D nets of 1, 3, and related compounds have been related to the specific length and coordination orientation of the organic pillars and the undulate shape of the manganese(II) azido layers. Consistent with their structures, both 1 and 3 exhibit weak ferromagnetism due to spin canting. Compound 1 is a weak ferromagnet with T(c) = 16 K, and 3 is a metamagnet with T(c) = 23 K. On the other hand, compounds 2 and 4 are 2D coordination networks in which 1D manganese(II) azido chains are interlinked by organic linkers: 2 is the first 2D network built from Mn(II) chains with alternate double EE and double EO azido bridges, which mediate antiferro- and ferromagnetic interactions, respectively; 4 is the first 2D network built from Mn(II) chains with only single EE azido bridges, which mediate antiferromagnetic interactions. The magnetic susceptibility of 4 exhibits a rapid rise at very low temperature, which may be attributed to paramagnetic impurities or spin canting.

Covalent immobilization of chitosan and heparin on PLGA surface

Chitosan and heparin were covalently immobilized onto a poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) surface using N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC), N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) in a 2-morpholinoethane sulfonic acid (MES) buffer system. The properties of the modified PLGA surface and the control were investigated by water contact angle measurement and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The water contact angle of the modified film was greatly decreased and the element content on the surface of the films changed correspondingly. Platelet adhesion assay showed that blood compatibility of the chitosan/heparin modified film was improved while hepatocyte culture indicated that the cell compatibility of the modified film was enhanced.

Changes in expression of AVT and AVT receptor (VT1) gene in hypothalamus and shell gland in relation to egg laying in white leghorn hen

Oviposition is a complex phenomenon involving various regulatory mechanisms at the neuroendocrine levels. Present study was designed to access the changes in arginine vasotocin (AVT) and its receptor (VT1) gene expression in relation to the time of egg laying of white leghorn hen. The expression of AVT gene (Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization) in the hypothalamus and localization of ir-AVT in the magnocellular neurons of paraventricular nuclei was studied 2 h before (-2 h), immediately after (0 h) and 2 h after (+2 h) egg laying. Simultaneous changes in the AVT and VT1 receptor gene in the shell gland, which finally responds to AVT for smooth muscle contraction and expulsion of egg, were also determined by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The findings indicated increased hypothalamic AVT gene expression immediately after egg laying (0 h) when compared to 2 h before and 2 h after egg laying. AVT receptor gene expression in the shell gland also followed the same pattern. However, AVT gene expression in the shell gland, unlike that of hypothalamus was higher at -2 h compared to 0 and +2 h of oviposition. While highly significant increase was noted in plasma AVT concentration at the time of egg laying, other parameters such as plasma osmolality and ionic concentration (Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), and Cl(-)) did not show any change. It is suggested that in addition to increased hypothalamic AVT transcript and peripheral release, local synthesis of AVT in the shell gland (paracrine release) may contribute to the contraction of shell gland smooth muscles during egg laying. Moreover, these findings clearly indicate temporal correlation of AVT and its receptor gene expression in different tissues during oviposition.