Mapping and characterization of rust resistance genes Lr53 and Yr35 introgressed from Aegilops species

KEY MESSAGE

The rust resistance genes Lr53 and Yr35 were introgressed into bread wheat from Aegilops longissima or Aegilops sharonensis or their S-genome containing species and mapped to the telomeric region of chromosome arm 6BS. Wheat leaf and stripe rusts are damaging fungal diseases of wheat worldwide. Breeding for resistance is a sustainable approach to control these two foliar diseases. In this study, we used SNP analysis, sequence comparisons, and cytogenetic assays to determine that the chromosomal segment carrying Lr53 and Yr35 was originated from Ae.longissima or Ae. sharonensis or their derived species. In seedling tests, Lr53 conferred strong resistance against all five Chinese Pt races tested, and Yr35 showed effectiveness against Pst race CYR34 but susceptibility to race CYR32. Using a large population (3892 recombinant gametes) derived from plants homozygous for the ph1b mutation obtained from the cross 98M71 × CSph1b, both Lr53 and Yr35 were successfully mapped to a 6.03-Mb telomeric region of chromosome arm 6BS in the Chinese Spring reference genome v1.1. Co-segregation between Lr53 and Yr35 was observed within this large mapping population. Within the candidate region, several nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat genes and protein kinases were identified as candidate genes. Marker pku6B3127 was completely linked to both genes and accurately predicted the absence or presence of alien segment harboring Lr53 and Yr35 in 87 tetraploid and 149 hexaploid wheat genotypes tested. We developed a line with a smaller alien segment (< 6.03 Mb) to reduce any potential linkage drag and demonstrated that it conferred resistance levels similar to those of the original donor parent 98M71. The newly developed introgression line and closely linked PCR markers will accelerate the deployment of Lr53 and Yr35 in wheat breeding programs.

Adalimumab Dose Reduction and Withdrawal in Stable Non-Infectious Pediatric Uveitis: An Open-Label, Prospective, Pilot Study

PURPOSES

This study investigated the feasibility of adalimumab (ADA) dose reduction and withdrawal strategy in children with stable pediatric non-infectious uveitis (PNIU).

METHODS

This open-label prospective pilot trial recruited 18 stable PNIU patients (33 eyes) between two and eighteen years old who were treated with standard doses of ADA (20/40 mg every 2 weeks) plus oral methotrexate. The interval of ADA injection was extended to 4 weeks and followed up for 24 weeks. If the uveitis remained stable, ADA was discontinued and followed up for another 24 weeks. ADA was considered successfully stopped if no relapse occurred during this period. The relapse-free survival rate, best corrected visual acuity (BVCA), anterior chamber cell (ACC), vitritis, macular thickness (MT), and serum ADA levels were evaluated. Approval Number: 2021KYPJ201. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05155592.

RESULTS

The relapse-free survival rate was 22.2% (4/18) at 48 weeks. 33.3% (6/18) of patients relapsed when ADA was given every 4 weeks, while 44.5% of patients (8/18) relapsed after ADA was stopped. The four patients successfully withdrawn from ADA were all diagnosed with BD. No statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in BCVA and MT between baseline and final follow-up. The proportion of ACC and vitritis exhibited an upward trend (p < 0.05) during follow-up. Serum ADA gradually decreased to zero during follow-up in both non-recurrence and recurrence groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In PNIU children who reached remission for 6 months, ADA dose reduction and withdrawal were associated with a high risk of inflammation recurrence. Timely adjustment of ADA to the last effective dosage frequency can regain control of the inflammation. Detection of ADA serum levels in patients with recurrence may help find the appropriate interval of ADA use.

[Pathological features of early gastric cancer and its background mucosa after eradication of Helicobacter pylori and their implications for biopsy diagnosis]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological changes of early gastric cancer, especially its background mucosa, after the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), and to investigate the causes of underdiagnosis in preoperative biopsy pathology. Methods: Ninety cases of early gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication and 120 cases of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) specimens without H. pylori eradication and their corresponding biopsy specimens were collected from Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University during 2016-2021. The clinicopathological data of the patients were analyzed, and the histopathological characteristics and immunophenotypic results compared. Results: Compared with the early gastric cancer without H. pylori eradication history, the histopathological type of early gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication was differentiated adenocarcinoma, with staggered distribution of cancerous and non-cancerous epithelium in the tumor area. The morphologic characteristics of gastric mucosa in the background of early gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication, were distinctive, including widening of the opening of enterosylated glandular ducts, serrated change of luminal margin, eosinophilic and microvesicular cytoplasm of enterosylated epithelium. Low-grade atypia existed in gastric cancer epithelial cells after sterilization, which might lead to underdiagnosis or missed diagnosis in biopsy pathology. Conclusions: Early gastric cancer and its background mucosa after H. pylori eradication have unique morphological characteristics, which can be used as a clue for pathological diagnosis, improve the accuracy of biopsy pathology and reduce the underdiagnosis.

[Study on the development of public health and safety literacy assessment scale for university freshmen]

Objective: To develop a measurement scale for the public health and safety literacy of university freshmen. Methods: Item pooling was conducted through literature review and in-depth interview with public health experts, and a nominal group was organized to develop the initial items to form the questionnaire. A total of 250 freshmen were randomly selected to complete the questionnaire, and the assessment of psychometric properties were performed to carry out item reduction by using classical test theory and item response theory. Exploratory factor analysis method (EFA) was employed to calculate the item-factor loadings. The data collected from another 318 freshmen were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis method (CFA). Results: The scale contained 3 dimensions and 9 items with all content validity index ≥0.8. The difficulty coefficient of 9 items was 1.18-2.43. The discriminative validity analysis showed that the difficulty index was 0.41-0.78, and the discrimination index was 0.38-0.64. Each of the remaining items had a statistically significant difference in the score value between the top 27% and lowest 27% of respondents (t>3, P<0.05). The item's Cronbach's α was 0.72-0.77, corrected item-total correlation was 0.33-0.60 and the overall α of the scale was 0.77. EFA indicated all item-factor loading were higher than 0.680, and the accumulated variance contribution of the 3 factors was 62.484%. Results of CFA showed that the overall fitness index of the model reached the fitness standard except for the χ² value. There was no statistical significance in the total score of the scale and the scores of each item among groups with different demographic characteristics (P>0.05). Conclusions: The newly developed public health safety literacy scale had a good reliability,validity,stability and item constancy.It can be used in measurement of the public health and safety literacy of university freshmen.

[Adrenocortical oncocytic tumors: a clinicopathological analysis of 44 cases]

Objective: To study the clinicopathological features of adrenocortical oncocytic tumors (ACOT) and to compare the diagnostic values of Lin-Weiss-Bisceglia (LWB) score and Helsinki score. Methods: Forty-four cases of ACOT diagnosed at Beijing Friendship Hospital, China from March 2008 to July 2019 were histologically analyzed to evaluate their malignant potential (benign versus malignant) according to two scoring criteria. Immunohistochemical studies (EnVision method) were also used. Results: There were 23 males and 21 females with an average age of 46 years. Histologically, the tumor cells were arranged in trabecular, chrysanthemum-shaped, glandular and microcapsule structures, while clear cells were rare or absent. Most of the tumor cells were moderately atypical, and intranuclear inclusion bodies were conspicuous. Immunohistochemical staining showed that tumor cells were positive for Melan A, inhibin, Syn and calretinin. The average proliferation index was 3% in benign ACOT, about 5% in ACOT of malignant potential, and>20% in malignant ACOT. According to the LWB score, 61.4% (27/44) of the tumors were on the left side and had multiple lesions. The percentage of benign ACOT was 59.1% (26/44), malignant potential 6.8% (3/44), malignant 34.1% (15/44), respectively. Among the 15 malignant ACOT, the mitotic figures>5/50 HPF were found in 13 cases, necrosis in 11 cases and capsule invasion in 10 cases. According to the Helsinki score, 65.9% (29/44) of the tumors were benign, and 34.1% (15/44) were malignant. There was no significant difference between the two scoring standards (P>0.05). During the follow-up of 9 to 144 months, 31 patients survived without disease and 13 patients relapsed or had metastasis. Conclusions: ACOT more likely be benign than malignant. The left side is more common. Malignant tumors are prone to recurrence and metastasis. The morphological parameters (high mitotic index, necrosis, and capsular invasion) in the LWB scoring standards combined with immunohistochemical parameters (Ki-67) in the Helsinki score are helpful for the diagnosis of malignant ACOT and are important predictors of poor prognosis.

[Correlation analysis between serum ferritin level and liver damage in acute stage of dengue fever]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between serum ferritin (SF) level and liver damage in the acute stage of dengue fever. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze 171 cases diagnosed with dengue fever as dengue fever group and 130 healthy patients as control group in Hangzhou 3A grade hospital from July to December 2017. Clinical data, SF and liver function related indicators were collected from both groups: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL) to analyze the correlation between liver damage and SF in patients with dengue fever. Results: ALT, AST, and SF levels were significantly higher in the dengue fever group than those in the healthy control group (Z = 11.553, 15.054 and 15.163, P < 0.001). SF levels were higher in the dengue fever combined with liver damage group than those without the liver damage group (z = 6.930, P < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant differences in age, gender, peak body temperature, and history of liver disease (P > 0.05). In addition, Spearman's correlation analysis showed that SF was positively correlated with ALT, AST, and TBIL (r = 0.464, 0.531 and 0.315, P < 0.001). Among dengue patients with different SF levels, there were significant difference in ALT, AST levels and incidence of liver damage (H = 14.240 and 17.584, χ(2) = 49.547, P < 0.001). Patients with higher SF levels had higher ALT, AST levels and incidence of liver damage. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that hyperferritinemia (SF≥500 ng/ml) was the risk factor for dengue fever combined with liver damage (OR = 8.120, P < 0.001). Furthermore, ROC curve analysis showed that the AUC for SF to judge dengue fever combined liver damage was 0.846 (95% CI: 0.785-0.908), and the sensitivity and specificity when the SF cut-off value was 1 506 ng/ml were 74.8% and 83.3%. Conclusion: There is a certain correlation between the SF level and the degree of liver damage in acute stage of dengue fever patients, and hyperferritinemia is a risk factor for dengue fever combined with liver damage.

Highly efficient polarization-entangled photon-pair generation in lithium niobate waveguides based on bound states in continuum

Integrated optics provides a platform for the experimental implementation of highly complex and compact circuits for practical applications as well as for advances in the fundamental science of quantum optics. The lithium niobate (LN) waveguide is an important candidate for the construction of integrated optical circuits. Based on the bound state in the continuum (BIC) in a LN waveguide, we propose an efficient way to produce polarization-entangled photon pairs. The implementation of this method is simple and does not require the polarization process needed for periodically poled LN. The generation rate of the entangled photon pairs increases linearly with the length of the waveguide. For visible light, the generation efficiency can be improved by more than five orders of magnitude with waveguides having the length of only a few millimeters, compared with the corresponding case without BICs. The phenomena can appear in a very wide spectrum range from the visible to THz regions. This study is of great significance for the development of active integrated quantum chips in various wavelength ranges.

[Anti-PD-1 therapy in advanced malignant liver tumor-induced type-1 diabetes mellitus: a case report]

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) has been emerged as a major breakthrough in tumor immunotherapy, but its unique mechanism of action has also led to a number of immune-related adverse events (irAE). Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the rarest irAEs. This paper reports a case of advanced malignant liver tumor-induced T1DM who received second-line anti-PD-1 therapy and showed initial symptoms of hyperosmolar coma and hyperglycemia. In addition, the relevant literature at home and abroad was collected and reviewed, and the clinical characteristics of T1DM induced by anti-PD-1 therapy were summarized with a view to achieve early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

Mapping and characterization of major QTL for spike traits in common wheat

The spike traits of wheat can directly affect yield. F₂ and F_2:3 lines derived from the cross of the multi-spikelet female 10-A and the uni-spikelet male BE89 were used to detect QTLs for spike length (SL), total spikelet number per spike (TSS), kernel number per spike (KNS) and thousand-kernel weight (TKW) in four different environments. A total of 1098 SNP and 5 SSR were used to construct genetic map of 2398.1 cM with the average distance of 2.2 cM between markers. A total of 11 QTLs were identified for spike traits, including three QTLs for SL, five QTLs for TSS, two QTLs for KNS and one QTL for TKW. The QTLs mapped to chromosomes 2D, 4A, 6A, 7A and 7B explained 8.2-37.8% of the phenotypic variation in single environment. The major QTL confidence interval with distance of 0.5 cM was located on chromosome 4A and detected in multiple environments, which can explain more than 30% of the phenotypic variation for SL, TSS and KNS. Combining IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 and RNA-seq data for 10-A and BE89, we identified 16 genes expressed on spike or grain in four QTL regions. These findings provide insights into improving wheat yield through increasing spikletes in wheat, particularly through the use of the multi-spikelet female 10-A for breeding.

Fusarium graminearum FgCWM1 Encodes a Cell Wall Mannoprotein Conferring Sensitivity to Salicylic Acid and Virulence to Wheat

Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease of wheat. Salicylic acid (SA) is involved in the resistance of wheat to F. graminearum. Cell wall mannoprotein (CWM) is known to trigger defense responses in plants, but its role in the pathogenicity of F. graminearum remains unclear. Here, we characterized FgCWM1 (FG05_11315), encoding a CWM in F. graminearum. FgCWM1 was highly expressed in wheat spikes by 24 h after initial inoculation and was upregulated by SA. Disruption of FgCWM1 (ΔFgCWM1) reduced mannose and protein accumulation in the fungal cell wall, especially under SA treatment, and resulted in defective fungal cell walls, leading to increased fungal sensitivity to SA. The positive role of FgCWM1 in mannose and protein accumulation was confirmed by its expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Compared with wild type (WT), ΔFgCWM1 exhibited reduced pathogenicity toward wheat, but it produced the same amount of deoxynivalenol both in culture and in spikes. Complementation of ΔFgCWM1 with FgCWM1 restored the WT phenotype. Localization analyses revealed that FgCWM1 was distributed on the cell wall, consistent with its structural role. Thus, FgCWM1 encodes a CWM protein that plays an important role in the cell wall integrity and pathogenicity of F. graminearum.

Re-acquisition of the brittle rachis trait via a transposon insertion in domestication gene Q during wheat de-domestication

De-domestication is a unique evolutionary process during which crops re-acquire wild-like traits to survive and persist in agricultural fields without the need for human cultivation. The re-acquisition of seed dispersal mechanisms is crucial for crop de-domestication. Common wheat is an important cereal crop worldwide. Tibetan semi-wild wheat is a potential de-domesticated common wheat subspecies. However, the crucial genes responsible for its brittle rachis trait have not been identified. Genetic mapping, functional analyses and phylogenetic analyses were completed to identify the gene associated with Qbr.sau-5A, which is a major locus for the brittle rachis trait of Tibetan semi-wild wheat. The cloned Qbr.sau-5A gene is a new Q allele (Q^t ) with a 161-bp transposon insertion in exon 5. Although Q^t is expressed normally, its encoded peptide lacks some key features of the APETALA2 family. The abnormal functions of Q^t in developing wheat spikes result in brittle rachises. Phylogenetic and genotyping analyses confirmed that Q^t originated from Q in common wheat and is naturally distributed only in Tibetan semi-wild wheat populations. The identification of Q^t provides new evidence regarding the origin of Tibetan semi-wild wheat, and new insights into the re-acquisition of wild traits during crop de-domestication.

Strong terahertz magneto-optical phenomena based on quasi-bound states in the continuum and Fano resonances

We propose new ways to produce strong terahertz (THz) magneto-optical phenomena from monolayer graphene based on bound states in the continuum (BICs) and Fano resonances. The BICs and Fano resonances of radiation modes in the monolayer graphene are realized by designing the photonic crystal slab-graphene-slab structure. Based on them, the magnetic circular dichroism near 100% has been achieved. Importantly, such magneto-optical phenomena can be modulated in intensity and frequency using only electrostatic doping at a fixed magnetic field. Comparing two ways to produce magneto-optical phenomena, it is found that the way based on BICs exhibits some advantages such as good electrical tenability due to narrower resonance width, higher conversion efficiency and more stability with the change of incident angle. These phenomena can appear in a broad THz range by designing the nanostructures, which are very beneficial to polarization conversion and optoelectronic devices.

[Relationship of TLR2 and TLR4 expressions on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to small intestinal bacteria overgrowth in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate TLR2 and TLR4 expressional situation on the surface of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their relationship with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Methods: Flow cytometry was used to detect TLR2 and TLR4 expressional situation on the surface of PBMC in 78 cases with HCC, 56 cases with cirrhosis and 33 healthy controls. Furthermore, lactose hydrogen breath test (LHBT) was used to detect small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Results: Of the 78 cases with HCC, 56 cases (71.8%) were SIBO-positive, 23 cases (41.1%) were SIBO- positive in 56 cases with cirrhosis, and 1 (3.0%) was SIBO-positive in 33 healthy controls. The incidence of SIBO in HCC patients was higher than cirrhosis patients (χ(2) = 12.72, P < 0.05) and healthy controls (χ(2) = 41.18, P < 0.05). The expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 in HCC patients (100.55 ± 24.22, 42.76 ± 15.96) were significantly higher than cirrhosis (67.42 ± 18.36, 24.38 ± 8.68)and healthy control group (33.06 ± 11.72, 12.52 ± 4.46) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression levels of TLR2 and TLR4 in SIBO-positive patients (108.75 ± 20.40, 48.1 ± 14.98) were higher than SIBO-negative patients (79.67 ± 20.60, 28.62 ± 7.36) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The expression of TLR2 and TLR4 and the incidence of SIBO in HCC patients are significantly higher than cirrhosis and healthy control group. Moreover, the high expressions of TLR2 and TLR4 in SIBO-positive HCC patients may promote the development of HCC.

Transcriptional reference map of hormone responses in wheat spikes

Background

Phytohormones are key regulators of plant growth, development, and signalling networks involved in responses to diverse biotic and abiotic stresses. Transcriptional reference maps of hormone responses have been reported for several model plant species such as Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, and Brachypodium distachyon. However, because of species differences and the complexity of the wheat genome, these transcriptome data are not appropriate reference material for wheat studies.

Results

We comprehensively analysed the transcriptomic responses in wheat spikes to seven phytohormones, including indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene (ET), cytokinin (CK), salicylic acid (SA), and methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA). A total of 3386 genes were differentially expressed at 24 h after the hormone treatments. Furthermore, 22.7% of these genes exhibited overlapping transcriptional responses for at least two hormones, implying there is crosstalk among phytohormones. We subsequently identified genes with expression levels that were significantly and differentially induced by a specific phytohormone (i.e., hormone-specific responses). The data for these hormone-responsive genes were then compared with the transcriptome data for wheat spikes exposed to biotic (Fusarium head blight) and abiotic (water deficit) stresses.

Conclusion

Our data were used to develop a transcriptional reference map of hormone responses in wheat spikes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-5726-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

[A clinicopathological analysis of 21 cases of hepatolenticular degeneration]

Objective: To improve the diagnostic quality of hepatolenticular degeneration by summarizing the clinicopathological features. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 21 cases that were diagnosed as hepatolenticular degeneration with liver biopsy in our hospital from January 2013 to August 2018 was reviewed, and then their clinicopathologic features were analyzed. The pathomorphological differences between liver biopsy and liver biopsy after transplantation, and the relationship between histopathological patterns and biopsy types and clinical indicators were analyzed by Fisher's exact test. Results: Of the 21 patients with hepatolenticular degeneration, 10 patients had liver biopsy, and 11 patients underwent liver biopsy after liver transplantation. Among them, four cases were presented as simple fatty liver pattern (19.0%, 4/21), eight cases as steatohepatitis pattern (38.1%, 8/21), four cases as inflammatory necrosis without cirrhosis pattern (19.0%, 4/21), and five cases as inflammatory necrosis with cirrhosis pattern (23.9%, 5/21). Twelve cases had copper deposition in the liver (57.1%, 12/21), and the pattern of copper distribution in the liver was uneven. Conclusion: A clinicalpathological features of hepatolenticular degeneration mainly manifests in four patterns, but lack characteristic changes. Hence, comprehensive judgment should rely on clinical history, laboratory examination, genetic test results and liver histopathological changes.

[Advances in the research of effects of glutamine on immune function of burn patients]

Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in plasma and cells. It is the preferred fuel for enterocytes in the small intestine, macrophages, and lymphocytes. After serious burn, increased requirement of glutamine by the gastrointestinal tract, kidney and lymphocytes, and relatively insufficient self synthesis likely contribute to the rapid decline of glutamine in circulation and cells. Glutamine supplementation can not only protect intestinal mucosa, maintain normal intestinal barrier function, reduce bacterial translocation, and enhance the intestinal immune function, but also increase the number of lymphocytes, enhance the phagocytic function of macrophage, promote the synthesis of immunoglobulin, and reduce the body's inflammatory response, so as to enhance the immune function. Therefore, glutamine supplementation can improve and enhance the immune function, reduce complications and promote the prognosis of severely burned patients.

Alternative splicing results in a lack of starch synthase IIa-D in Chinese wheat landrace

We evaluated the SGP-1 protein composition of 368 Chinese wheat landraces using SDS-PAGE. The SGP-D1 null type was identified in three accessions (Xiaoqingmang, Pushanbamai, and P119). An 18-bp deletion and 9-bp variation were found at the junction region of the 7th intron and 8th exon, leading to deletion of the intron-exon junction recognition site AG when aligned the 8261-bp DNA sequence of TaSSIIa-D in Pushanbamai with that of Chinese Spring. Four cDNA types with mis-spliced isoforms were subsequently detected through amplification of TaSSIIa-D cDNAs. Among these, nine type II cDNAs with a 16-bp deletion in the 8th exon were detected, indicating that the major transcriptional pattern of TaSSIIa in Pushanbamai is type II. In the type IV cDNA, a 97-bp sequence remains undeleted in the end of the 5th exon. The amylose content in Pushanbamai was significantly higher than that in all control lines under field conditions, which suggested that deletion of SGP-D1 has an efficient impact on amylose content. As the TaSSIIa gene plays an important role in regulating the content of amylose, it is anticipated that these natural variants of TaSSIIa-D will provide useful resources for quality improvement in wheat.

First-line icotinib versus cisplatin/pemetrexed plus pemetrexed maintenance therapy for patients with advanced EGFR mutation-positive lung adenocarcinoma (CONVINCE): a phase 3, open-label, randomized study

BACKGROUND

Icotinib has been previously shown to be non-inferior to gefitinib in non-selected advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients when given as second- or further-line treatment. In this open-label, randomized, phase 3 CONVINCE trial, we assessed the efficacy and safety of first-line icotinib versus cisplatin/pemetrexed plus pemetrexed maintenance in lung adenocarcinoma patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible participants were adults with stage IIIB/IV lung adenocarcinoma and exon 19/21 EGFR mutations. Participants were randomly allocated (1 : 1) to receive oral icotinib or 3-week cycle of cisplatin plus pemetrexed for up to four cycles; non-progressive patients after four cycles were maintained with pemetrexed until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by independent response evaluation committee. Other end points included overall survival (OS) and safety.

RESULTS

Between January 2013 and August 2014, 296 patients were randomized, and 285 patients were treated (148 to icotinib, 137 to chemotherapy). Independent response evaluation committee-assessed PFS was significantly longer in the icotinib group (11.2 versus 7.9 months; hazard ratio, 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.43-0.87; P = 0.006). No significant difference for OS was observed between treatments in the overall population or in EGFR-mutated subgroups (exon 19 Del/21 L858R). The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) in the icotinib group were rash (14.8%) and diarrhea (7.4%), compared with nausea (45.9%), vomiting (29.2%), and neutropenia (10.9%) in the chemotherapy group. AEs (79.1% versus 94.2%; P < 0.001) and treatment-related AEs (54.1% versus 90.5%; P < 0.001) were significantly fewer in the icotinib group than in the chemotherapy group.

CONCLUSIONS

First-line icotinib significantly improves PFS of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutation with a tolerable and manageable safety profile. Icotinib should be considered as a first-line treatment for this patient population.

[Efficiency of FibroScan and FibroTouch in liver stiffness measurement and fat quantification: a comparative analysis]

Objective: To investigate the efficiency of FibroScan(FS)and FibroTouch(FT)in liver stiffness measurement(LSM)and fat quantification through a comparative analysis. Methods: The outpatients or hospitalized patients who underwent LSM and fat quantification using FS and FT were enrolled. The differences in success rate and detecting parameters between FS and FT were analyzed, as well as the correlation between FS and FT values. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and a one-way analysis of variance or the Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison between multiple groups. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups. Results: A total of 1621 patients were enrolled. The success rates of FT and FS were 100% and 94.96%, respectively, and the success rate of FS was influenced by sex, age, body mass index, and biochemical markers of liver function. FT has a significantly shorter duration of single detection and a significantly lower number of times of single detection than FS(duration of single detection: 190.21±38.78 s vs 220.89±68.36 s, P < 0.01; number of single detection times: 10.31±1.32 vs 11.81±3.76, P < 0.01), as well as a significantly lower ratio of interquartile range to median of fat quantification in the same patient(5.39%±4.81% vs 17.18%±14.07%, P < 0.01). The LSM and fat quantification of FS were significantly correlated with those of FT(r = 0.645 and 0.620, both Based on the duration and number of times of single detection, success rate, and stability of fat quantification, FT seems to have a better detection efficiency than FS. The detection values of FT and FS can be calculated with regression equations < 0.01). The equations of linear regression were LSM(FT)= 4.435+0.477×LSM(FS); CAP(FT)= 134.71+0.456×CAP(FS). Conclusion: Based on the duration and number of times of single detection, success rate, and stability of fat quantification, FT seems to have a better detection efficiency than FS. The detection values of FT and FS can be calculated with regression equations.

Identification of quantitative trait loci for seedling root traits from Tibetan semi-wild wheat (Triticum aestivum subsp. tibetanum)

As a primitive hexaploid wheat resource distributed only in Tibet, Tibetan semi-wild wheat (Triticum aestivum subsp. tibetanum Shao) possesses unique characteristics that could be exploited in wheat breeding programs. Its good root system could offer a stable platform for above-ground components. To detect possible excellent locus for root traits from Tibetan semi-wild wheat, we identified QTLs for root traits using a recombinant inbred line population derived from a cross between Tibetan semi-wild wheat Q1028 and Zhengmai 9023. A total of 15 QTLs on eight chromosomes were detected, including four major QTLs, QMrl.sau-7B, QTrl.sau-4B, QAd.sau-7A, and QSa.sau-4B. The phenotypic variation explained by each of these QTLs ranges from 5.67% to 16.68%. Positive alleles of six QTLs were derived from Q1028. Several novel QTLs for root traits were identified. In addition, significant correlations were detected amongst root traits and agronomic traits. Taken together, these results suggest that Tibetan semi-wild wheat and the newly identified novel QTLs could be useful in future breeding programs.

Transposon insertion resulted in the silencing of Wx-B1n in Chinese wheat landraces

A novel Wx-B1 allele was characterized; a transposon insertion resulted in the loss of its function, which is different from the previously reported gene silencing mechanisms at the Wx-B1 locus. The waxy protein composition of 53 Chinese wheat landraces was analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis; of these, 10 did not show the expression of Wx-A1 (four accession) or Wx-B1 (six accessions) protein. The results of molecular marker detection revealed that the Wx-B1 allele (Wx-B1n) showed normal expression, inconsistent with the findings of SDS-PAGE for the Xiaobaipi accession. Further cloning of the 9160-bp region covering the Wx-B1 coding region and 3'-downstream region revealed that a 2178-bp transposon fragment had been inserted at 2462 bp within the tenth exon of Wx-B1n ORF, leading to the absence of Wx-B1 protein. Sequence analysis indicated that the insertion possessed the structural features of invert repeat and target repeat elements, we deduced that it was a transposon. Further PCR analysis revealed that this fragment had moved, but not copied itself, from 3B chromosome to the current location in Wx-B1n. Therefore, the reason for the inactivation of Wx-B1n was considerably different from those for the inactivation of Wx-B1b, Wx-B1k, and Wx-B1m; to our knowledge, this kind of structural mutation has never been reported in Wx-B1 alleles. This novel allele is interesting, because it was not associated with the deletion of other quality-related genes included in the 67 kb region lost with the common null allele Wx-B1b. The null Wx-B1n might be useful for investigating gene inactivation and expression as well as for enriching the genetic resource pool for the modification of the amylose/amylopectin ratio, thereby improving wheat quality.

Characterization and expression analyses of the H⁺-pyrophosphatase gene in rye

The H⁺-pyrophosphatase (H⁺-PPase) gene plays an important role in maintaining intracellular proton gradients. Here, we characterized the full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) and DNA of the H⁺-PPase gene ScHP1 in rye (Secale cereale L. 'Qinling'). We determined the subcellular localization of this gene and predicted the corresponding protein structure. We analysed the evolutionary relationship between ScHP1 and H⁺-PPase genes in other species, and did real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to explore the expression patterns of ScHP1 in rye plants subjected to N, P and K deprivation and to cold, high-salt and drought stresses. ScHP1 cDNA included a 2289 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 762 amino acid residues with 14 transmembrane domains. The genomic ScHP1 DNA was 4354 bp and contained eight exons and seven introns. ScHP1 was highly homologous with other members of the H⁺-PPase gene family. When the full-length ORF was inserted into the expression vector pA7-YFP, the fluorescent microscopy revealed that ScHP1-YFP fusion protein was located in the plasma membrane. Rye plants that were subjected to N deprivation, cold and high-salt stresses, ScHP1 expression was higher in the leaves than roots. Conversely, plants subjected to P and K deprivation and drought stress, ScHP1 expression was higher in the roots than leaves. Under all the investigated stress conditions, expression of ScHP1 was lower in the stem than in the leaves and roots. Our results imply that ScHP1 functions under abiotic stress response.

[A serum lipidomic study of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease]

Objective: To investigate the serum lipidomic profile in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to analyze the lipid metabolism characteristics of NAFLD. Methods: The subjects were divided into control group (23 patients) and pathologically confirmed NAFLD group (42 patients), and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to measure serum lipidomic metabolites. The partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model was established to analyze the differences in lipid metabolism with reference to the univariate analysis. The t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 239 lipids were identified and qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed. The PLS-DA model (R2 = 0.753, Q2 = 0.456) and the univariate analysis showed that 77 lipids were metabolized differentially between the NAFLD group and the control group (VIP > 1, P < 0.05), including free fatty acid, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI), choline plasmalogen (PlsCho), ethanolamine plasmalogen (PlsEtn), ceramide (Cer), sphingomyelin, and triglyceride (TG). Compared with the control group, the NAFLD group had significant increases in monounsaturated fatty acids (increased by 39%, t = -3.954, P < 0.05) and TGs (increased by 36%, Z = -2.662, P < 0.05), mainly TGs with low numbers of carbon atoms and unsaturated bonds, while there were reductions in TGs with high numbers of carbon atoms and unsaturated bonds. In addition, compared with the control group, the NAFLD group had significant increases in the levels of LPI (increased by 223%, t = -3.858, P < 0.05) and Cer (increased by 21%, t = -2.481, P < 0.05) and significant reductions in PlsCho (reduced by 18%, t = 3.184, P < 0.05) and PlsEtn (reduced by 20%, t = 2.363, P < 0.05). Conclusion: There is a significant difference in lipid metabolism profile between NAFLD patients and healthy people, and a serum lipidomic analysis of NAFLD helps to further clarify the characteristics of lipid metabolism in patients with NAFLD.

[A clinical study of the association between hepatic controlled attenuation parameter and metabolic syndrome]

Objective: To investigate the association between hepatic controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the correlation of CAP and its changes with the incidence of MetS. Methods: A total of 2461 subjects who underwent physical examination from July 2013 to September 2015 were enrolled. Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation of CAP with the number of MetS components and each MetS component, and the chi-square test was used to investigate the prevalence rates of MetS and each component under different CAP levels. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the odds ratio (95% confidence interval (CI)) of MetS under different CAP levels. A total of 230 subjects without baseline MetS were selected; in a prospective cohort study, these subjects were divided into groups according to the baseline CAP, change in CAP, and percent change in CAP, and the chi-square test was performed to compare the incidence of MetS. The Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the values of baseline CAP, change in CAP, and percent change in CAP in predicting MetS. Results: CAP was positively correlated with the number of MetS components (r = 0.309, P < 0.01) and significantly correlated with all components. There were significant differences in the prevalence rates of MetS and its components under different CAP levels (< 238 dB/m, 238-258 dB/m, 259-291 dB/m, and ≥292 dB/m) (P < 0.05). After the adjustment for sex and age, with < 238 dB/m as a reference, the odds ratios (95% CI) of MetS in patients with CAP levels of 238-258 dB/m, 259-291 dB/m, and ≥292 dB/m were 1.784 (1.369-2.325), 2.936 (2.292-3.760), and 4.363 (3.435-5.543), respectively (all P < 0.05). Follow-up data showed that 28 patients (12.2%) developed MetS. After the adjustment for related factors, the hazard ratios (95% CI) of MetS in patients with baseline CAP > 238 dB/m, change in CAP > 30 dB/m, and percent change in CAP > 25.0% were 3.337 (1.163-9.569), 7.732 (2.453-24.366), and 11.656 (3.329-40.813), respectively (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: CAP is closely associated with MetS and its components. CAP and its change can be used to predict the risk of MetS.

Identification of QTLs associated with tissue culture response of mature wheat embryos

Mature embryo is an excellent explant for tissue culture as it is convenient to be obtained without limitation of growing seasons and development stages. However, regeneration ability of the calli from wheat mature embryos is limited, thus hindering its application. To identify genes associated with the tissue culture response (TCR) of wheat, QTLs for callus induction from mature embryos and callus regeneration were detected using a recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population derived from the cross between a synthetic hexaploid wheat genotype, SHW-L1 and a commercial cultivar Chuanmai 32. Three QTLs for callus rate were identified and they were located on chromosomes 1D, 5A, and 6D, respectively, with explained phenotypic variation ranging from 10.16 to 11.82 %. One QTL for differentiation rate was detected only with 10.96 % of the phenotypic variation explained. Two QTLs for emergence rate were identified and they were located on 3B and 4A, respectively, with 9.88 and 10.30 % of phenotypic variation. The results presented in this study with those reported previously indicated that group 1, 3, and 5 chromosomes are likely to play important roles in TCR of wheat.

Inheritance and Molecular Mapping of an All-Stage Stripe Rust Resistance Gene Derived from the Chinese Common Wheat Landrace "Yilongtuomai"

Yellow or stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is a devastating foliar disease that affects common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) around the world. In China, common wheat landraces are potential sources of disease and abiotic stress resistance genes for wheat improvement. Yilongtuomai (YL), a wheat landrace from Yilong County, Sichuan Province, shows high levels of resistance against most Chinese Pst races. In this study, the resistance of YL to stripe rust disease was examined in detail. Parent strains, YL and Taichung 29, a variety susceptible to Pst race CYR32, and their F1, F2, and F2:3 offspring, were inoculated with CYR32 during the seedling stage in the field or adult-plant stage in the greenhouse. Results indicated that resistance to CYR32 in YL is conferred by a single dominant gene, designated YrYL The segregating F2 population (352 plants), was analyzed in terms of its resistance locus using simple sequence repeats (SSRs), resistance gene analog polymorphisms (RGAPs), and sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP). A linkage group of 6 SSRs, 2 RGAPs, and 1 SRAP was constructed for the YrYL gene. Using the identified SSRs associated with physical mapping of RGAP using Chinese Spring nullisomic-tetrasomic stocks, the YrYL gene was localized to the short arm of chromosome 7D. The gene was flanked by 1 SSR marker, Xbarc92, and 1 RGAP marker, CLRRfor/Ptokin4, at genetic distances of 5.35 and 9.86 cM, respectively. The YrYL gene was compared to other stripe rust resistance genes reported on chromosome 7D by evaluating its reaction patterns to CYR32 and its pedigree relationship. Our results suggest that the YrYL gene is a new stripe rust resistance gene.

Structure and expression analysis of genes encoding ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase large subunit in wheat and its relatives

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGP), which consists of two large subunits (AGP-L) and two small subunits (AGP-S), controls the rate-limiting step in the starch biosynthetic pathway. In this study, a full-length open reading frame (ORF) of AGP-L gene (named as Agp2) in wheat and a series of Agp2 gene sequences in wheat relatives were isolated. The coding region of Agp2 contained 15 exons and 14 introns including a full-length ORF of 1566 nucleotides, and the deduced protein contained 522 amino acids (57.8 kDa). Generally, the phylogenetic tree of Agp2 indicated that sequences from A- and D-genome donor species were most similar to each other and sequences from B-genome donor species contained more variation. Starch accumulation and Agp2 expression in wheat grains reached their peak at 21 and 15 days post anthesis (DPA), respectively.

Characterization and expression analysis of WOX2 homeodomain transcription factor in Aegilops tauschii

The WUSCHEL (WUS)-related homeobox (WOX) gene family coordinates transcription during the early phases of embryogenesis. In this study, a putative WOX2 homolog was isolated and characterized from Aegilops tauschii, the donor of D genome of Triticum aestivum. The sequence consisted of 2045 bp, and contained an open reading frame (ORF), encoded 322 amino acids. The predicted protein sequence contained a highly conserved homeodomain and the WUS-box domain, which is present in some members of the WOX protein family. The full-length ORF was subcloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET-30a, and an approximately 34-kDa protein was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells with IPTG induction. The molecular mass of the expressed protein was identical to that predicted by the cDNA sequence. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Ae. tauschii WOX2 is closely related to the rice and maize orthologs. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that WOX2 from Ae. tauschii was primarily expressed in the seeds; transcription increased during seed development and declined after the embryos matured, suggesting that WOX2 is associated with embryo development in Ae. tauschii.

Effect of zinc-bearing zeolite clinoptilolite on growth performance, zinc accumulation, and gene expression of zinc transporters in broilers

This study investigated Zn-bearing zeolite clinoptilolite (Zn-ZCP) as a Zn supplement on performance, organ or tissue development, Zn accumulation in tissues, and gene expression of Zn transporters in the duodenum of broilers. A total of 300 1-d-old Arbor Acres chickens were randomly allocated to 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicate cages of 10 birds per treatment for a 21-d feeding period. The treatments comprised a basal corn–soybean meal diet without supplemental Zn (the control) or similar diets supplemented with 80 mg/kg Zn from ZnSO4 or 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn- ZCP, respectively. Supplementation of Zn-ZCP had a positive effect on G:F (linear, P < 0.05) and had tendency difference on ADG (linear, P < 0.1) of broilers during 1 to 21 d. Incremental Zn-ZCP inclusion in the diet increased the fresh weight of the pancreas (linear, P < 0.05) and tibia (linear, P < 0.05) in broilers on d 14. The same trend to the fresh weight of the tibia (linear, P < 0.05) and pancreas (linear, P < 0.05) was observed on d 21. Increasing Zn-ZCP level showed a linear response on Zn concentration in the liver (linear, P < 0.001), pancreas (linear, P < 0.05), and tibia (linear, P < 0.05) on d 14. The same trend of Zn concentrations in pancreas (linear, P < 0.05) and tibia (linear, P < 0.001) was observed on d 21. The mRNA levels of Zn transporter 2 (ZnT-2) and Zn transporter 5 (ZnT-5) in the duodenum of chicks fed the diet with 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn-ZCP did not differ from those of chicks fed the control diet, but both were lower (P < 0.05) than those of chicks fed ZnSO4 diet. Metallothionein (MT) mRNA levels of broilers fed the diet supplemented with 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn-ZCP or ZnSO4 was higher (P < 0.05) than that in the control group. Dietary treatments did not affect the mRNA expression of Zn transporter 1 (ZnT-1) or metal response element-binding transcription factor-1 (MTF-1). In conclusion, as a Zn supplement, Zn-ZCP was comparable to ZnSO4 for enhancing Zn accumulation and growth performance of broilers during 1 to 21 d. Broilers fed the diet with 80 mg/kg Zn from Zn-ZCP had different expressions of ZnT-2 and ZnT-5 in the duodenum compared with those fed the ZnSO4 diet.

Conserved structure and varied expression reveal key roles of phosphoglucan phosphatase gene starch excess 4 in barley

As one of the phosphoglucan phosphatases, starch excess 4 (SEX4) encoded by SEX4 gene has recently been intensively studied because of its vital role in the degradation of leaf starch. In this study, we isolated and chromosomally mapped barley SEX4, characterized its gene and protein structure, predicted the cis-elements of its promoter, and analysed its expression based on real-time quantitative PCR and publically available microarray data. The full length of barely SEX4 (HvSEX4) was 4,598 bp and it was mapped on the long arm of chromosome 4H (4HL). This gene contained 14 exons and 13 introns in all but two of the species analysed, Arabidopsis (13 exons and 12 introns) and Oryza brachyantha (12 exons and 11 introns). An exon-intron junction composed of intron 4 to intron 7 and exon 5 to exon 8 was highly conserved among the analysed species. SEX4 is characterized with conserved functional domains (dual specificity phosphatase domain and carbohydrate-binding module 48) and varied chloroplast transit peptide and C-terminal. Expression analyses indicated that: (1) SEX4 was mainly expressed in anthers of barley, young leaf and anthers of rice, and leaf of Arabidopsis; (2) it exhibited a diurnal pattern in barley, rice and Arabidopsis; (3) significant difference in the expression of SEX4 was not detected for either barley or rice under any of the investigated stresses; and (4) it was significantly down-regulated at middle stage and up-regulated at late stage under cold treatment, down-regulated at early stage under heat treatment, and up-regulated at late stage under salt treatment in Arabidopsis. The strong relationships detected in the current study between SEX4 and glucan, water dikinases (GWD) or phosphoglucan, water dikinases (PWD) were discussed. Collectively, our results provide insights into genetic manipulation of SEX4, especially in monocotyledon and uncovering the possible roles of SEX4 in plant development.

Effects of high thoracic epidural anesthesia on ischemic cardiomyopathy cardiac function and autonomic neural function

We aimed at observing the effects of high thoracic epidural anesthesia (HTEA) on cardiac structure and function, heart rate variability (HRV), and QT interval variation (QTV) in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients with chronic heart failure. We divided 30 ICM patients into HTEA (N = 16) and control (N = 14) groups.The control group was treated with medication, and the HTEA group was treated with HTEA and medication for 4 weeks. We measured the changes in the left-ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) and left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before and after treatment by using echocardiography and examined changes in HRV and QTV using ambulatory electrocardiogram. HTEA significantly narrowed the LVEDd, improved LVEF, significantly increased the HRV, and significantly reduced the QTV in the ICM group compared to the control group. HTEA significantly narrowed the ventricular chamber diameter size of ICM patients, enhanced myocardial contractility, increased myocardial electrical stability, and improved the cardiac structure and function.

Conditional QTL mapping for waterlogging tolerance in two RILs populations of wheat

Waterlogging is a widespread limiting factor for wheat production throughout the world, specially irrigated and high rainfall environments. Only few studies reported QTLs for waterlogging tolerance. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for waterlogging tolerance, root dry weight index (RDWI), shoot dry weight index (SDWI), total dry weight index (TDWI) were measured at seedling stage in two unrelated recombinant inbred lines (RILs) populations. These populations were International Triticeae Mapping Initiative (ITMI) population 'W7984 / Opata85', and 'SHW-L1 × Chuanmai 32' (SC) population. Conditional QTL mapping and unconditional QTL mapping were studied to dissect the genetic relationship between TDWI and its components of SDWI and TDWI. Total of 36 QTLs for waterlogging tolerance in ITMI population and 10 QTLs in SC population were identified in present study. Of them, 17 alleles from synthetic hexaploid wheat 'W7984' and 3 alleles from synthetic hexaploid wheat 'SHW-L1' contribute positively to waterlogging tolerance. Combinations of conditional and unconditional mapping methods indicate that SDWI showed tighter genetic correlation with TDWI than RDWI. This QTL identification study and dissection provide theoretical basis and application foundation to Marker-assisted selection (MAS) of waterlogging tolerance improvement in wheat.

Intensive insulin therapy in severe acute pancreatitis: a meta-analysis and systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of intensive insulin therapy on outcomes of patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

METHODS

Relevant literatures cited in these electronic databases: Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNK1) database, and Excerpta Medical database (Embase) were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which intensive insulin therapy was used in severe acute pancreatitis. Length of hospitalization, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score, incidence of complications, and adverse effects were recorded for statistical analysis. The methodological quality of the eligible studies was assessed by Jadad scale. The results were analysed by Revman 4.3 software.

RESULTS

Three studies, which included a total of 118 cases, were finally reviewed. The methodological quality of the trials varied substantially In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, intensive insulin therapy was associated with shorter length of hospitalization (weighted mean difference (WMD) = -12.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-15.48, 8.78], p > 0.00001) and lower APACHE II score after 72 hours treatment (WMD = -3.80, 95% CI [-4.88,2. 72], p > 0.00001). One study reported insulin-related adverse event.

CONCLUSION

In patients with severe acute pancreatitis, intensive insulin therapy could relieve the patient's condition earlier and shorten the length of hospitalization without serious adverse effect.

Compact optical microfiber phase modulator

A compact optical microfiber phase modulator with MHz bandwidth is presented. A micrometer-diameter microfiber is wound on a millimeter-diameter piezoelectric ceramic rod with two electrodes. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric ceramic, the rod is strained, leading to a phase change along the microfiber; because of the small size, the optical microfiber phase modulator can have as high as a few MHz bandwidth response.

Theoretical and experimental demonstrations of a microfiber-based flexural disc accelerometer

The proof-of-concept demonstration of a microfiber-based flexural disc accelerometer is presented. The reduced microfiber size and bending radii give rise to high device compactness and responsivity. A flexural disc accelerometer manufactured from a 10 mm long microfiber showed a performance of ~2.2 rad/g, with the responsivity expected to increase proportionally with the microfiber length.

Identification of novel α-gliadin genes

Ten novel α-gliadin genes (Gli-ta, Gli-turg1, Gli-turg2, Gli-turg3, Gli-turg4, Gli-turg5, Gli-turg6, Gli-cs1, Gli-cs2, and Gli-cs3) with unique characteristics were isolated from wheat (Triticum aestivumL.), among which Gli-cs1, Gli-cs2, Gli-cs3, and Gli-turg6 were pseudogenes. Gli-cs3 and nine other sequences were much larger and smaller, respectively, than the typical α-gliadins. This variation was caused by insertion or deletion of the unique domain I and a polyglutamine region, possibly the result of illegitimate recombination. Consequently, Gli-cs3 contained 10 cysteine residues, whereas there were 2 cysteine residues only in the other nine sequences. Gli-ta/Gli-ta-like α-gliadin genes are normally expressed during the development of seeds. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that in-vitro-expressed Gli-ta could form intermolecular disulphide bonds and could be chain extenders. A protein band similar in size to Gli-ta has been observed in seed extracts, and mass spectrometry results confirm that the band contains small molecular mass α-gliadins, which is a characteristic of the novel α-gliadins. Mass spectrometry results also indicated that the two cysteine residues of Gli-ta/Gli-ta-like proteins participated in the formation of intermolecular disulphide bonds in vivo.

The evolution pattern of rDNA ITS in Avena and phylogenetic relationship of the Avena species (Poaceae: Aveneae)

Ribosomal ITS sequences are commonly used for phylogenetic reconstruction because they are included in rDNA repeats, and these repeats often undergo rapid concerted evolution within and between arrays. Therefore, the rDNA ITS copies appear to be virtually identical and can sometimes be treated as a single gene. In this paper we examined ITS polymorphism within and among 13 diploid (A and C genomes), seven tetraploid (AB, AC and CC genomes) and four hexaploid (ACD genome) to infer the extent and direction of concerted evolution, and to reveal the phylogenetic and genome relationship among species of Avena. A total of 170 clones of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 fragment were sequenced to carry out haplotype and phylogenetic analysis. In addition, 111 Avena ITS sequences retrieved from GenBank were combined with 170 clones to construct a phylogeny and a network. We demonstrate the major divergence between the A and C genomes whereas the distinction among the A and B/D genomes was generally not possible. High affinity among the A(d) genome species A. damascena and the ACD genome species A. fatua was found, whereas the rest of the ACD genome hexaploids and the AACC tetraploids were highly affiliated with the A(l) genome diploid A. longiglumis. One of the AACC species A. murphyi showed the closest relationship with most of the hexaploid species. Both C(v) and C(p) genome species have been proposed as paternal donors of the C-genome carrying polyploids. Incomplete concerted evolution is responsible for the observed differences among different clones of a single Avena individual. The elimination of C-genome rRNA sequences and the resulting evolutionary inference of hexaploid species are discussed.

Genetic analysis and ecological association of Hina genes based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in wild barley, Hordeum spontaneum

Specific primers were designed to amplify the sequences of Hina genes from 121 wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) accessions belonging to 18 populations from Iran, Israel and Turkey. Forty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), nine indels, and 26 haplotypes were determined by sequence analysis. The genetic polymorphism (P), genetic diversity (He), and Shannon's information index (I) in the 18 populations were 0.486, 0.181 and 0.269, respectively. Approximately 2/3 genetic variations of Hina genes were presented within populations, while approximately 1/3 genetic variations were observed between populations. Broad gene flow (Nm= 3.31) and low genetic variation (Gst= 0.0702) were detected. However, the genetic differentiation between populations was independent of geographical distances according to the Mantel test (p = 0.478). The result of Spearman rank correlations (r(s)) showed that the genetic indices (P, He and I) of Hina were not significantly correlated with ecological factors. Only eight SNP positions correlated significantly with ecological factors. Of the eight SNP positions that positively correlated with ecological factors, only one SNP (769, T-C) was located in the coding region; however, it was not responsible for the amino acid change.

Top-down heating for low substrate temperature synthesis of carbon nanotubes

A top-down heating method to allow for low-temperature large area synthesis of carbon nanotubes using plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition is introduced in this paper. The approach utilizes top-down electromagnetic heating rather than conventional heating from a substrate heater under the electrode. A temperature gradient is created between the Ni catalyst surface and the substrate using a metal thermal control barrier layer, on which carbon nanotubes are grown as a function of the bias voltage, hydrocarbon concentrations and growth conditions. The heat during growth is provided by the plasma or energy coupling to the catalyst via top-down heating, which based on the coupled power density and the cooling of the substrate, in addition to the thermal 'barrier layer' properties will dictate the temperature of the growth surface. This unique approach of top-down heating with suitable cooling schemes, coupled with thermal barriers allows for the low substrate temperature synthesis of carbon nanotubes, scalable to large areas.

EST-SSR diversity correlated with ecological and genetic factors of wild emmer wheat in Israel

The differentiation of genetic diversity was estimated among 15 wild emmer wheat (Triticum dicoccoides) populations of the macrogeographic scale in Israel by 25 EST-SSR markers. A total of 92 EST-SSR alleles were detected, and the number of alleles ranged from 1 to 7 with an average of 3.68 per locus. Allele numbers and the polymorphic information content (PIC)value of EST-SSR loci on the B genome were higher than those on the A genome. The genetic similarity coefficient (GS)varied from 0.189 to 0.966, and all genotypes were clustered into four major groups. The population Mt. Gerizim had the highest genetic variations, whereas the population Beit-Oren had the lowest genetic variations. Most of genetic variance existed within populations was observed based on the coefficient of gene differentiation (F(ST)=0.355). The value of genetic distance (D) between the populations varied from 0.112 to 0.672 with an average of 0.406, and the results of Mantel test(r=0.104, p=0.809) showed that the estimates of genetic distance were geographically independent. The values of Nei's gene diversity (He) and Shannon's information index (I) correlated negatively with the temperature factor: mean January temperature (Tj), whereas they correlated positively with another factor: mean number of Sharav days (Sh). The correlation matrix between He in the EST-SSRs and climatic variables contained 37 significant (pB0.05) correlations. The present study established that T. dicoccoides in Israel had a considerable amount of genetic variations at EST-SSR loci at least partly correlated with ecological factors. These results suggested that EST-SSR diversity is adaptive by natural selection and influenced by both internal and external factors and their interactions.

Ultraviolet upconversion fluorescence in rare-earth-ion-doped Y2O3 induced by infrared diode laser excitation

Room-temperature ultraviolet emission of Tm(3+) ions at 298 ((1)I(6)-->(3)H(6)), 364 ((1)D(2)-->(3)H(6)), and 391 nm ((1)I(6)-->(3)H(5)) was obtained in Y(2)O(3):Yb(3+)-Tm(3+) by continuous-wave diode laser excitation of 980 nm. Power dependence analysis demonstrates that five- and six-photon upconversion processes populate the (1)D(2) and (1)I(6) states, respectively. We believe that the (1)D(2) population originates from the cross relaxation (1)G(4)+(3)F(4)-->(3)H(4)+(1)D(2) of the Tm(3+) ions, while subsequent energy transfer from Yb(3+) to Tm(3+) excites the (1)D(2) state to the upper (1)I(6) state. High multiphoton-induced ultraviolet emission is also expected for other trivalent rare-earth ions similar to Tm(3+).