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Microglia play a crucial role in the activation of immune defense mechanism as the resident macrophages in the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia can eliminate damaged neurons, plaques, and other infectious agents. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cell-2 (TREM-2) speculates to be beneficial in preventing inflammation-induced bystander damage of neurons. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of TREM-2 on neurons are not clarified. We cultured PC12 cells with conditioned medium which was the supernatant of LPS-treated BV2 cells and six groups of PC12 cells (control group, LPS group, TREM-2 WT + LPS group, TREM-2 over-expression + LPS group, siRNA control + LPS group, and siRNA TREM-2 + LPS group) were investigated. The mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators: Nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and Arginase-1(Arg-1) were quantified by using RT-PCR. Assessment of apoptosis in PC12 cells mediated by BV2 microglia was analyzed using TUNEL assays. The result showed that LPS stimulation significantly enhanced inducible iNOS (M1) production in BV2 cells (P < 0.01), and increased PC12 cells apoptosis (P < 0.01), while reduced the production of Arg-1 (M2) in BV2 cells (P < 0.01). These effects were attenuated by TREM-2 over-expression, but enhanced by TREM-2 silencing. It indicated that TREM-2 inhibited LPS-mediated neuronal apoptosis by down-regulating iNOS and up-regulating the expression of Arg-1 in BV2 microglia. Therefore, our findings may provide new insights in the regulation of TREM-2 on neuronal apoptosis via BV2 microglial M1/M2 modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Clinical data with respect to the impact of meconium on the prognosis of neonatal bacterial meningitis are scarce. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine whether meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) represents a risk factor for poor prognosis of neonatal bacterial meningitis in a confirmed case population.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 256 neonates diagnosed with bacterial meningitis hospitalized at one of three hospitals in Shantou, China, between October 2013 and September 2018. Clinical manifestation, laboratory test results and treatment were compared between the two groups, with outcomes dichotomized into 'good' or 'poor' prognosis. Multivariate analysis and follow-up logistic regression analysis were used to identify predictive factors of a poor outcome.Results: Of the 256 neonates with BM, 95 (37.1%) had a good prognosis at discharge and 161 (62.9%) had a poor prognosis. In the poor prognosis group, 131/161 (79.4%) neonates had a permanent neurological sequelae and 19 (11.8%) had ≥2 sequelae. Of note, 11 neonates died. The rate of poor prognosis of BM was significantly higher among neonates with than without MSAF (26.1% vs. 12.6%, respectively; p < 0.05). A logistic multivariate analysis to evaluate the prognostic effect of MSAF to BM showed that neonatal with MSAF is more likely to have a worse prognosis of BM [unadjusted odds ratio (OR), 2.44, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-5.10; adjusted OR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.09-5.17].Conclusion: MSAF is significantly associated with poor prognosis of neonatal bacterial meningitis. Therefore, in case of MSAF, more attention should be paid to neonatal bacterial meningitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution not only decreases crop yield and quality, but also affects human health via the food chain. Ubiquitination‐dependent protein degradation is involved in plant growth, development, and environmental interaction, but the functions of ubiquitin‐ligase (E3) genes are largely unknown in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Here, we functionally characterized a RING E3 ligase gene, SlRING1, which positively regulates cadmium (Cd) tolerance in tomato plants. An in vitro ubiquitination experiment shows that SlRING1 has E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. The determination of the subcellular localization reveals that SlRING1 is localized at both the plasma membrane and the nucleus. Overexpression of SlRING1 in tomato increased the chlorophyll content, the net photosynthetic rate, and the maximal photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), but reduced the levels of reactive oxygen species and relative electrolyte leakage under Cd stress. Moreover, SlRING1 overexpression increased the transcript levels of CATALASE (CAT), DEHYDROASCORBATE REDUCTASE (DHAR), MONODEHYDROASCORBATE REDUCTASE (MDHAR), GLUTATHIONE (GSH1), and PHYTOCHELATIN SYNTHASE (PCS), which contribute to the antioxidant and detoxification system. Crucially, SlRING1 overexpression also reduced the concentrations of Cd in both shoots and roots. Thus, SlRING1‐overexpression‐induced enhanced tolerance to Cd is ascribed to reduced Cd accumulation and alleviated oxidative stress. Our findings suggest that SlRING1 is a positive regulator of Cd tolerance, which can be a potential breeding target for improving heavy metal tolerance in horticultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was initially identified in China and currently worldwide dispersed, resulting in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Notably, COVID-19 is characterized by systemic inflammation. However, the potential mechanisms of the "cytokine storm" of COVID-19 are still limited. In this study, fourteen peripheral blood samples from COVID-19 patients (n = 10) and healthy donors (n = 4) were collected to perform the whole-transcriptome sequencing. Lung tissues of COVID-19 patients (70%) presenting with ground-glass opacity. Also, the leukocytes and lymphocytes were significantly decreased in COVID-19 compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In total, 25,482 differentially expressed messenger RNAs (DE mRNA), 23 differentially expressed microRNAs (DE miRNA), and 410 differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs (DE lncRNAs) were identified in the COVID-19 samples compared to the healthy controls. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the upregulated DE mRNAs were mainly involved in antigen processing and presentation of endogenous antigen, positive regulation of T cell mediated cytotoxicity, and positive regulation of gamma-delta T cell activation. The downregulated DE mRNAs were mainly concentrated in the glycogen biosynthetic process. We also established the protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of up/downregulated DE mRNAs and identified 4 modules. Functional enrichment analyses indicated that these module targets were associated with positive regulation of cytokine production, cytokine-mediated signaling pathway, leukocyte differentiation, and migration. A total of 6 hub genes were selected in the PPI module networks including AKT1, TNFRSF1B, FCGR2A, CXCL8, STAT3, and TLR2. Moreover, a competing endogenous RNA network showed the interactions between lncRNAs, mRNAs, and miRNAs. Our results highlight the potential pathogenesis of excessive cytokine production such as MSTRG.119845.30/hsa-miR-20a-5p/TNFRSF1B, MSTRG.119845.30/hsa-miR-29b-2-5p/FCGR2A, and MSTRG.106112.2/hsa-miR-6501-5p/STAT3 axis, which may also play an important role in the development of ground-glass opacity in COVID-19 patients. This study gives new insights into inflammation regulatory mechanisms of coding and noncoding RNAs in COVID-19, which may provide novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic avenues for COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ba 0.70 Ca 0.30 Ti 1- x (Nb 0.5 Fe 0.5) x O 3 lead-free ceramics (abbreviated as BCTNF x , x = 0–0.12) were prepared by solid-state reaction method. The influence of B-site (Fe 0.5 Nb 0.5)4+ substitution on phase structure, microstructure, dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of Ba 0.70 Ca 0.30 TiO 3 ceramics were systematically studied. The BCTNF x ceramics consist of diphasic tetragonal (T) and orthorhombic (O) phases at x = 0–0.04, pseudocubic (PC) and O phases at x = 0.05–0.08, cubic (C) and O phases at 0.08 < x ≤ 0.12. Increase of (Fe 0.5 Nb 0.5)4+ doping improves sinterability, depresses the ferroelectric - paraelectric phase transition temperature (T m) monotonically from 128 °C at x = 0 to -86 °C at x = 0.12, induces enhanced relaxor behavior and weakens piezoelectric properties. The room temperature relative dielectric constant (ε r) and dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) increase with increasing x and reach the maximum values of 4869 and 0.06 respectively at x = 0.06. Whereas the average grain size (abbreviated as AGS), ferroelectric properties and electric field induced strain increase significantly by introducing 2.0 mol% B-site complex cations (Fe 0.5 Nb 0.5)4+ into Ba 0.70 Ca 0.30 TiO 3 ceramics. The BCTNF0.02 ceramics achieve optimal electrical properties with ε r = 1268, tan δ = 0.03, T m = 102 °C, P max = 12.8 μC/cm2, P r = 6.1 μC/cm2, E C = 6.0 kV/cm, d 33 = 117 pC/N, k p % = 0.18%, Q m = 236, bipolar S max % = 0.20%, unipolar S max % = 0.16% and d 33 ∗ = 314 pm/V. The variation of electrical properties of BCTNF x ceramics is attributed to the combined action of grain size effect, phase transition, weakness of octahedral distortion, clamping effects of the internal bias electric field E i on domain wall motion induced by B-site cations (Fe 0.5 Nb 0.5)4+ displacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to determine the influence of superfine grinding on the physicochemical properties of bulbs of Fritillaria unibracteata Hsiao et K.C. Hsia (BFU) powder. For this purpose, fine powder (FP) and two superfine powders (SPs) were obtained via superfine and conventional grinding methods. The properties of different powders were studied and compared. Compared with FP, SPs exhibited higher values in terms of the angle of repose, swelling capacity, ethanol extraction yield, total alkaloid content, and imperialine content, while lower values in terms of particle size and bulk density. Especially, the total alkaloid content of SP‐I increased by 66.7%. Proper grinding is more conducive to reduce particle size and improve alkaloid content. FTIR analysis indicates that no new functional groups produced after superfine grinding. XRD analysis suggests that grinding treatment lead to decreases in the crystallinity. Therefore, superfine grinding displays immense potential in the BFU application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolites are the final products of cellular regulation processes, their level is the ultimate response of biological systems to environmental and genetic changes. Therefore, the identification of key metabolites is required for the diagnosis and therapy of diseases. In this study, atherosclerosis-related gene expression profile information was extracted from ArrayExpress database (GEOD-57691), and analyzed with limma package. Furthermore, we constructed an intricate multi-omics network involved in genes, phenotypes, metabolites and their associations. To identify the prioritization of atherosclerosis-related metabolites, the relation score of each metabolite in the composite network was computed with the random walk with restart (RWR) method. The top 50 metabolites and top 100 genes were chosen based on the score in the weighted composite network. Consequently, several key metabolites that were ranked in the top 5 of relation score or degree greater than 70 were confirmed. Particularly, metabolites Tretinoin and Estraderm not only have high relation scores, but also contain more degrees. Moreover, we obtained 24 co-expression genes that may be regarded as the targets of atherosclerosis therapy. Therefore, identification of metabolite prioritizations by the composite network integrated the information of genes, phenotypes and metabolites may be available to diagnose atherosclerosis, and can provide the potential therapeutic strategies for atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium ions significantly promote plant growth, but the mechanism is still unclear. Cut flowers are ideal materials for the study of plant growth and senescence. In this study, freshly cut Gerbera jamesonii were used to study the effects of titanium ions (8 mg/L) on the flower longevity. Flowering observation showed that the gerbera vase life was significantly prolonged in the presence of titanium ions. Plate colony counts showed that the amounts of bacteria in the vase solution of the control group were approximately 1700 times more than that of titanium ion treatment group. High-throughput sequencing was used to determine the sequences of 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 variable regions of the vase solutions to analyze bacterial species, their average proportions, and absolute abundance. The results showed that the titanium ions reduced the entire bacterial counts as well as altered the absolute abundance of different bacterial species in the vase solution. The most prevalent bacteria were mainly Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas veronii, Pseudomonas sp., Delftia sp., Agrobacterium sp., Sphingobacterium multivorum, Acinetobacter johnsonii, and Clostridiaceae. In combination with plate colony counts, we demonstrated that all the bacterial growths were significantly inhibited by titanium ions, regardless of their average proportions increased or decreased. These results showed that titanium ions could extend effectively the longevity of gerberas and possess the broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. This study provides a basis for further mechanism exploration of titanium ions action and its applications in cut flower preservation and agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Chronic pancreatitis is characterized by pancreatic fibrosis, associated with excessive activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and increased expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Recently, our studies have shown that autophagy inhibitor could inhibit PSCs activation and reduce collagen secretion. Saikosaponin d (SSd), the major active component of bupleurum falcatum (a medicinal plant), has anti-fibrosis effects in liver. However, it is unclear whether SSd has a role in pancreatic fibrosis. This study aimed to investigate the effect of SSd on the autophagy and activation of PSCs in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, a rat chronic pancreatitis model was induced by intravenous injection of dibutyltin dichloride. SSd was administered at a dose of 2.0 mg/kg body weight per day by gavage. After 4 weeks, the pancreas was collected for histological and molecular analysis. In vitro, PSCs were isolated and cultured for treatment with different dosages of SSd. The results showed that SSd inhibited PSCs autophagy and activation while also reducing extracellular matrix (ECM) formation and pancreatic damage. SSd inhibited autophagy through activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. SSd also promoted degradation of ECM with an increasing ratio of MMPs/TIMPs and suppressed the TGF-β1/Smads pathway. From these results, we concluded that SSd prevents pancreatic fibrosis by reducing autophagy of PSCs through PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, which has crosstalk with the TGF-β1/Smads pathway. Highlights • Saikosaponin d improved pancreatic damage induced by DBTC in rat model. • Saikosaponin d inhibited PSCs activation and ECM formation in pancreas. • Saikosaponin d inhibited PSCs activation through reducing autophagy of PSCs. • Saikosaponin d repressed autophagy through activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway in PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Autophagy is an intracellular metabolic process that degrades and recycles own constituents to maintain homeostasis and supply substrates. Disruption of collagen degradation is one of the pathogenesis of pancreatic fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the effects of inhibiting autophagy on the collagen degradation of PSCs. Main methods Rats were injected dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC) to induce chronic pancreatitis (CP) model. The expression of LC3B was measured by western blotting. Rat PSCs were isolated from pancreas tissues, and the experiments used the primary PSCs. Autophagosome was confirmed by transmission electron microscope. Immunofluorescence for LC3B and α-SMA were applied to assess autophagy and activated PSCs. The effects of autophagy inhibition of 3-MA on the expressions of LC3B, Atg5, and Beclin-1 were investigated by real-time PCR and Western blotting, as well as the α-SMA, TGF-β1, ColI, Col III, FN, MMP-2, MMP-13, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Meanwhile, the secretion of ColI, Col III and FN were investigated by ELISA. Key findings The LC3-II/I ratio was increased in rat CP model. Autophagosomes and an increased autophagic level were observed during PSCs activation. Inhibiting autophagy could down-regulate the expressions of α-SMA, TGF-β1, FN, ColI, Col III, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2, while the expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-13 were increased. Significance This study confirmed that autophagic level is increased during PSCs activation in vivo and in vitro. Inhibiting autophagy prevents the activation of PSCs, and suppresses fibrosis through promoting extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation by decreasing the expression of TGF-β1 and increasing MMPs/TIMPs ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field resistances/susceptibilities against Albugo candida race 2V were determined for 29 Indian Brassica juncea varieties and compared with resistant varieties from China (6) and Australia (7). 'Basanti' (AUDPC incidence 46.7; AUDPC severity 29.2) represents the first high-level resistance to race 2V in Indian varieties. Several others showed lower but still useful levels of resistance, including Narendra Ageti Rai-4 (AUDPC incidence 150.6; AUDPC severity 66.8) and JM1 (AUDPC incidence 167.1; AUDPC severity 83.7). Highly susceptible Indian varieties had AUDPC incidence values >200 and severity >100. 'Basanti' had least stagheads/plant (0.32), while Narendra Ageti Rai-4 had lowest % plants with stagheads (2.48). In contrast, almost half of Indian varieties had stagheads/plant >1 and % plants with stagheads >4, and >26 for 'Kranti'. The resistance in 'Basanti' paves the way forward towards significantly improved white rust management in mustard in India. JM06011, JM06021, JR049 from Australia and CJB-003 from China had zero leaf incidence. There were significant (P < 0.001) relationships between disease incidence with severity (R2 0.92), stagheads/plant (R2 0.69) and also % plants with stagheads (R2 0.60); between disease severity with stagheads/plant (R2 0.68) and also % plants with stagheads (R2 0.69); and between stagheads/plant with % plants with stagheads (R2 0.59). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain single-source short tandem repeat (STR) profiles in trace female/male blood mixture samples, we combined florescence in situ hybridization (FISH), laser microdissection, and low volume PCR (LV-PCR) to isolate male/female cells and improve sensitivity. The results showed that isolation of as few as 10 leukocytes was sufficient to yield full STR profiles in fresh female or male blood samples for 32 independent tests with a low additional alleles rate (3.91 %) and drop-out alleles rate (5.01 %). Moreover, this procedure was tested in two fresh blood mixture series at three ratios (1:5, 1:10, and 1:20), two mock female/male blood mixture casework samples, and one practical casework sample. Male and female STR profiles were successfully detected in all of these samples, showing that this procedure could be used in forensic casework in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autophagy is of importance in the regulation of cell differentiation and senescence in podocytes. It is possible that derangement of autophagy under different pathological conditions activates or enhances Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in podocytes, resulting in glomerular sclerosis. To test this hypothesis, the present study produced lysosome dysfunction by inhibition of the vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) to test whether deficiency of autophagic flux leads to enhancement of EMT in podocytes. Methods and Results: By Western blot and confocal analysis, lysosome inhibition using a V-ATPase inhibitor or its siRNA was found to markedly decreases the epithelial markers (P-cadherin and ZO-1) and increases the mesenchymal markers (FSP-1 and α-SMA). This enhancement was accompanied by deficient autophagic flux, as demonstrated by marked increases in LC3B-II and p62/Sequestosome 1. However, inhibition of autophagosome formation using spaudin-1 significantly attenuated both enhancement of EMT and deficiency of autophagic flux. To explore the mechanisms by which deficient autophagic flux enhances EMT, we tested the role of accumulated p62 as a signal hub in this process. Neither the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear kappa-light-chain-enhancer pathways of p62 contributed to enhanced EMT. However, inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) activity reduced the phosphorylation of p62 and enhanced EMT in podocytes similar to lysosome dysfunction. Conclusion: The lack of phosphorylated p62 leads to a faster exit from cell mitosis, enhanced EMT associated with lysosome dysfunction may be attributed to accumulation of p62 and associated reduction of p62 phosphorylation. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The effects of Mn doping on structures, electric, magnetic, and magnetocapacitive properties of the 0.33Ba0.70Ca0.30TiO3–0.67BiFeO3 + x wt%MnO2 (BCT-67BF:Mn100x, x =0–0.6) ceramics have been intensively investigated. [•] The BCT-67BF:Mn100x ceramics with x =0–0.6 have diphasic tetragonal–rhombohedral phases. Mn doping improves the densification and significantly decreases the grain size. [•] As x increases, the relaxor degree increases, the ferroelectricity and piezoelectricity weaken monotonically, while the magnetism enhances firstly, reaching the maximum near x =0.5, and then decreases. [•] The room temperature relative dielectric constant shows an obvious increase with increasing applied magnetic fields (H), the magnetocapacitive coefficient (ε r(H)− ε r(0))/ε r(0) decreases with increasing Mn content, from 2.96% for x =0 – 0.86% for x =0.6 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structures, Curie temperature, dielectric relaxor behaviors, ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, and magnetocapacitance of the (1− x) Ba0.70 Ca0.30 TiO3- x BiFeO3 [(1− x) BCT- x BF, x = 0-0.90] solid solutions have been systematically investigated. The ceramics have coexisted tetragonal (T) and orthorhombic (O) phases when x ≤ 0.06, coexisted pseudocubic (PC) and O phases when x = 0.065, coexisted cubic and O phases when 0.07 ≤ x ≤ 0.12, PC phase when 0.21 ≤ x ≤ 0.42, coexisted T and rhombohedral (R) phases when 0.52 ≤ x ≤ 0.70, and R phase when x ≥ 0.75. Significantly, composition-dependent microstructures and Curie temperature are observed, the average grain size increases from 1.9 μm for x = 0, reaches 12.0 μm for x = 0.67, and then decreases to 1.3 μm for x = 0.90. At room temperature, the ceramics with x = 0.42-0.70 show piezoelectric properties and multiferroic behaviors, characterized by the polarization-electric field, polarization current intensity-electric field, and magnetization-magnetic field curves, the composition with x = 0.67 has maximum polarization, remnant polarization, maximum magnetization, and remnant magnetization of 15.0 μC/cm2, 9.1 μC/cm2, 0.33 emu/g, and 0.14 emu/g, respectively. In addition, the magnetocapacitance is evidenced by the increased relative dielectric constant with increasing the applied magnetic field ( H). With Δ H = 8 kOe, the composition with x = 0.67 shows the largest values of (εr( H) − εr(0))/εr(0) = 2.96% at room temperature. The structure-property relationship is discussed intensively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The adsorption of silane at CeO2 surfaces in solutions are studied by MD simulation. [•] Both single adsorbed silane as well as multiple adsorbed silanes are modeled. [•] The adsorption energy and RDFs were calculated for the adsorption process. [•] The solvent polarity affects the orientation and alignment of silane at CeO2 surface. [•] The number of adsorbed silanes within layer depends on the polarity of the solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics of Ba0.70Ca0.30Ti1−x Fe x O3 (x=0–0.03) have been synthesized by a conventional solid state reaction method. The influence of Fe content on the microstructure, phase transition, dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric properties is investigated systematically. The ceramics with x≤0.02 are diphasic composites of tetragonal Ba0.80Ca0.20TiO3:Fe and orthorhombic Ba0.07Ca0.93TiO3:Fe solid solutions. The tetragonal phase is gradually suppressed as x increases, the ceramic with x=0.03 is found to have diphasic pseudocubic and orthorhombic phases. And the grain size is dependent on Fe content significantly. Introduction of Fe at B-sites improves the densification and decreases the sintering temperature. As x increases from 0 to 0.03, the room temperature relative dielectric permittivity enhances, dielectric loss decreases, and the Curie temperature decreases monotonically from 128°C to 58°C. However, the ferroelectricity enhances slightly and reaches the maximum near x=0.005, and then weakens with increasing x. On the other hand, the piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) and the electromechanical coupling coefficient (k p ) decrease simultaneously with increasing x, whereas the mechanical quality factor (Q m ) increases significantly. The structure–electrical properties relationship is discussed intensively to give more information on (Ba,Ca)TiO3-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] VHL up-regulates SOD2 expression on mRNA and protein levels. [•] HIF-1α contributes to the transcriptional suppression of SOD2 expression in the pVHL deficient cells. [•] HIF-1α directly binds the hypoxia-responsive element of SOD2 promoter. [•] The expression of HIF-1α negatively correlates with SOD2 expression in pVHL deficient renal clear cell carcinoma tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of sintering temperature and poling conditions on the electrical properties of tetragonal and orthorhombic diphasic Ba0.70Ca0.30TiO3 (BCT) lead-free ceramics have been systematically investigated. On the one hand, with increasing sintering temperature from 1270°C to 1400°C, the bulk density increases monotonically and the Curie temperature keeps almost constant with the value of ∼120°C, whereas the grain size, the maximum relative dielectric constant, room temperature polarization reach the maximum values for samples sintered at 1340°C. On the other hand, it is found that the piezoelectric property depends on poling electric field and poling temperature significantly. An enhanced piezoelectric behavior of d 33=126pC/N, k p =0.29, and Q m =588 is obtained for the BCT ceramics poled at 100°C with 30kV/cm field for 20min. The aging behavior of the piezoelectric property is also investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lead-free piezoelectric ceramics of (1 − x) Ba0.70 Ca0.30 TiO3- x BiFeO3 [(1 − x) BCT- x BF, x = 0-0.065] have been prepared and investigated. The ceramics with x ≤ 0.06 have diphasic tetragonal and orthorhombic crystal structures, whereas tetragonal phase is suppressed by the introduction of BF. As a result, the composition with x = 0.065 is found to have diphasic pseudocubic and orthorhombic phases. Significantly composition-dependent grain size is observed. With increasing x from 0 to 0.065, the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition temperature decreases monotonically from 128°C to 50°C, accompanied by enhanced ferroelectric relaxor behavior, as indicated by the widened diffused phase transition temperature. The room temperature polarization-electric field ( P-E) hysteresis loops and strain-electric field ( S-E) curves indicate that the ferroelectricity enhances slightly and reaches the maximum near x = 0.05, and then weakens with increasing x. On the other hand, the piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33) and electromechanical coupling coefficient ( kp) decrease simultaneously with increasing x, whereas the mechanical quality factor ( Qm) reaches the maximum near x = 0.05. The structure-property relationship is discussed intensively. Our results may be helpful for further understanding and designing BaTiO3-related lead-free ferroelectric/piezoelectric materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a powerful alternative to short tandem repeat (STR) profiling, we have developed a novel panel of 47 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for DNA profiling and ABO genotyping. We selected 42 of the 47 SNPs from a panel of 86 markers that were previously validated as universal individual identification markers and identified five additional SNPs including one gender marker and four ABO loci. Match probability of the 42 validated SNPs was found to be 9.5 × 10−18 in Han Chinese. SNP analysis correctly assessed a panel of historical cases, including both paternity identifications in trios and individual identifications. In addition, while STR profiling of degraded DNA provided information for 11 loci of 16 potential markers with low peak intensities, SNPstream® genotyping was sufficient to identify all 47 SNPs. In summary, SNP analysis is equally effective as STR profiling, but appears more suited for individual identification than STR profiling in cases where DNA may be degraded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is an important pathogenic mechanism mediating glomerular injury or sclerosis in a variety of renal and systemic diseases such as hyperhomocysteinemia (hHcys). The present study was designed to test whether Hcys-induced EMT in podocytes is reversed by growth hormone (GH), a hormone regulating cell differentiation and growth and to explore the cellular and molecular mechanism mediating its action. It was found that Hcys induced significant EMT in podocytes, as shown by marked decreases in slit diaphragm-associated protein P-cadherin and zonula occludens-1 as epithelial markers and by dramatic increases in the expression of mesenchymal markers, fibroblast specific protein-1 and α-smooth muscle actin, which were detected by all examinations via immunocytochemistry, real time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. When podocytes were treated with GH at 25 ng/mL, however, Hcys failed to induce podocyte EMT. Using electromagnetic spin resonance spectrometry, Hcys-induced superoxide (O2.-) production via NADPH oxidase was found to be significantly inhibited by GH (66%). Functionally, GH was shown to substantially inhibit Hcys-induced increases in the permeability of podocyte monolayers and to block the decrease in podocin expression in these cells. In addition, NADPH oxidase subunit, gp91phox and GH receptors aggregated in membrane raft clusters, which produced O2.- in response to Hcys and could be blocked by GH, membrane raft disruptors filipin and MCD or NADPH oxidase inhibitor, apocynin. It is concluded that Hcys-induced podocyte EMT is associated with transmembrane membrane raft-redox signaling and that GH reverses this Hcys-induced EMT protecting podocytes from functional disturbance. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NLRP3 inflammasome activation plays an important role in the development of pancreatic fibrosis. However, it is unclear whether the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome is directly involved in the activation of Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the activation of PSCs. In vivo, a rat model of chronic pancreatitis (CP) was induced by intravenous injection of dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC). In vitro, rat primary PSCs were isolated from pancreatic tissues and incubated with the NLRP3 inflammasome activator LPS, the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950, or NLRP3 siRNA. The results showed that the expression of NLRP3, pro-Caspase-1, Caspase-1 and IL-18 was increased in the rat model of CP and during PSCs activation. LPS increased the protein levels of NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 accompanied by the upregulation of α-SMA, Col I and FN expression. Moreover, MCC950 or NLPR3 siRNA decreased the expression of α-SMA, Col I, FN, TGF-β1 and p-Smad3. Furthermore, MCC950 reversed the LPS-induced upregulation of α-SMA, FN and Col Ⅰ expression in PSCs. This study revealed that the NLRP3 inflammasome is directly involved in the activation of PSCs in vivo and in vitro. Inhibiting NLRP3 suppresses the activation of PSCs through the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway. Proposed role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation involved in PSCs activation. The current study applied LPS stimulation to show the involvement of NLRP3 inflammasome pathway in the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18 from PSCs contributed to the activation and ECM deposition by TGF-β1-Smad3 pathway, suggesting that blockage of the NLRP3 inflammasome axis represents a potential therapeutic approach to pancreatic fibrosis. [Display omitted] • NLRP3 inflammasome was activated with the extension of activation time of PSCs. • LPS triggered PSCs activation through activating NLRP3 Inflammasome. • Inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome mitigates the activation of PSCs. • NLRP3 inflammasome activates the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway in PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study used astragalus membranaceus (AM) to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) model mice during pregnancy, aiming to explore the role of AM in Helper T cell 17 (Th17) differentiation and SLE during pregnancy. Methods: We used lipopolysaccharide to constructed the SLE mouse model. AM decoction given by intragastric administration lasted from the eighth week of the mouse age until the mouse was killed. We estimated the messenger RNA levels of IL‐17a and Rorc, counted the Th17 cell number and examined the levels of cytokines including interleukin (IL)‐12, tumor necrosis factor α, interferon gamma, IL‐17A in mouse serum. Periodic acid‐Schiff staining and renal glomerular/tubulointerstitial (TI) score were used to evaluate the progression of lupus nephritis (LN). Results: AM treatment improved the conception rate and increased the number and average weight of fetuses in SLE mice. It significantly decreased the urinary albumin/creatinine ratios and reduced the glomerular scores and TI scores in the pregnant SLE mice. AM gavage significantly decreased the weight of spleen, mesenteric lymph node, total splenocytes and T cells, and the expression of proinflammatory factors. Furthermore, AM treatment reduced the ratio of Th17 cells and the expression levels of RORγt and IL‐17A. Conclusion: AM significantly improved pregnancy outcomes and inhibited lupus nephritis during pregnancy in SLE mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1′,4′-trans-diol-ABA is a key precursor of the biosynthesis of abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis in fungi. We successfully obtained the pure compound from a mutant of Botrytis cinerea and explored its function and possible mechanism on plants by spraying 2 mg/L 1′,4′-trans-diol-ABA on tobacco leaves. Our results showed that this compound enhanced the drought tolerance of tobacco seedlings. A comparative transcriptome analysis showed that a large number of genes responded to the compound, exhibiting 1523 genes that were differentially expressed at 12 h, which increased to 1993 at 24 h and 3074 at 48 h, respectively. The enrichment analysis demonstrated that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were primarily enriched in pathways related to hormones and resistance. The DEGs of transcription factors were generally up-regulated and included the bHLH, bZIP, ERF, MYB, NAC, WRKY and HSF families. Moreover, the levels of expression of PYL/PYR, PP2C, SnRK2, and ABF at the ABA signaling pathway responded positively to exogenous 1′,4′-trans-diol-ABA. Among them, seven ABF transcripts that were detected were significantly up-regulated. In addition, the genes involved in salicylic acid, ethylene and jasmonic acid pathways, reactive oxygen species scavenging system, and other resistance related genes were primarily induced by 1′,4′-trans-diol-ABA. These findings indicated that treatment with 1′,4′-trans-diol-ABA could improve tolerance to plant abiotic stress and potential biotic resistance by regulating gene expression, similar to the effects of exogenous ABA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We request that the following corrections be made in our article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba), a short-day annual legume plant, is an economically important industrial crop with richness in high valuable guar gum. The photoperiod limits guar's cultivated region, however, the mechanism of photoperiod effects on guar remains ambiguous. Based on Illumina RNA-seq, PacBio Iso-seq and UPLC-MS for analysis, the current study used different photoperiods to cultivate guar to illustrate the mechanism. The results showed that numerous genes responded to photoperiods differentially, involved in rhythm, flowering, biosynthesis and metabolism pathways. As processing time increased, the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) increased from 2518 to 5708. The genes of rhythm, flowering and key transcription factors phyA , GI, ELF3 , TOC1 , NF-Y and GATA positively responded to short-day, Whereas PRR , FLC , SVP , COL16 and B3 responded negatively to short-day, but positively to long-day. Additionally, the long-day inhibited the expression of genes related to phytohormones metabolism, such as GA synthetic correlation genes GA20ox and GA3ox , and JA synthesis genes AOS and ACX. As a result, the levels of GA and JA reduced, indicating their essential regulatory function in guar flowering. Furthermore, the expressions of the galactomannan synthesis genes were not influenced by photoperiod. In short, the phyA , GI, ELF3 , TOC1 , NF-Y , GATA, GA20ox and GA3ox were selected as candidate genes for flowering-promotion, while the PRR , FLC , SVP , COL16 and B3 for flowering-repression. This study provides several vital candidate genes for further genetic improvement for obtaining insensitive guar to photoperiod. • Reported mechanisms for the photoperiodic response in guar. • Revealed genes responsible for inhibition of guar flowering. • Provided insights for further breeding stable gum yield guar variety adapted to long-day or insensitive to photoperiod. • Constructed the first guar reference transcript dataset by third-generation transcriptome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Sacubitril/valsartan is a commonly used medicine for treating heart failure (HF) patients, but the treatment effects significantly vary. Neprilysin (NEP) and carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) play an important role in the efficacy of sacubitril/valsartan. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between NEP and CES1 gene polymorphisms and the efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan treatment in HF patients. Methods: Genotyping of 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NEP and CES1 genes in 116 HF patients was performed by the Sequenom MassARRAY method, and logistic regression and haplotype analysis were used to evaluate the associations between SNPs and the clinical efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan in HF patients. Results: A total of 116 Chinese patients with HF completed the whole trial, and T variations in rs701109 in NEP gene were an independent risk factor (P = 0.013, OR = 3.292, 95% CI:1.287–8.422) for the clinical efficacy of sacubitril/valsartan. Furthermore, haplotype analysis of 6 NEP SNPs (including rs701109) was performed and showed that the CGTACC and TGTACC haplotypes were significantly associated with clinical efficacy (OR = 0.095, 95%CI: 0.012–0.723, P = 0.003; OR = 5.586, 95% CI: 1.621–19.248, P = 0.005). Moreover, no association was found between SNPs of other selected genes in terms of efficacy in HF patients, and no association was observed between SNPs and symptomatic hypotension. Conclusion: Our results suggest an association between rs701109 and sacubitril/valsartan response in HF patients. Symptomatic hypotension is not associated with the presence of NEP polymorphisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To investigate the impact of operation timing on post-operative infections in a cohort of patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. Methods We prospectively analysed surgical outcomes in patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, from January to December in 2014. In this non-randomized trial, patients were divided into three groups according to the surgery start time: CT1 (07:00 to 12:00 h), CT2 (12:01 to 18:00 h), and CT3 (18:01 h to midnight). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients developing infections within 4 weeks of the surgical procedure. Results Out of 756 patients that were enrolled in the study, 118 developed post-operative infections. The results from blood and pus culture showed 97.1% specimen as being pathogen-free. The overall incidence of post-operative infection was 14.5% (38 of 262), 15.3% (46 of 300) and 17.5% (34 of 194) in the CT1, CT2 and CT3 group, respectively, with no significant inter-group differences. However, white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein and glucose levels at 24 h after the surgical procedure showed significant differences between the three groups (one-way ANOVA, P < 0.05). Conclusion The occurrence of post-operative infection in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery was not associated with operation timing. The expression of several inflammatory markers, such as white blood cell counts, C-reactive protein and blood glucose levels tended to correlate with the surgery start time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both selenium (Se) and melatonin reduce cadmium (Cd) uptake and mitigate Cd toxicity in plants. However, the relationship between Se and melatonin in Cd detoxification remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the influence of three forms of Se (selenocysteine, sodium selenite, and sodium selenate) on the biosynthesis of melatonin and the tolerance against Cd in tomato plants. Pretreatment with different forms of Se significantly induced the biosynthesis of melatonin and its precursors (tryptophan, tryptamine, and serotonin); selenocysteine had the most marked effect on melatonin biosynthesis. Furthermore, Se and melatonin supplements significantly increased plant Cd tolerance as evidenced by decreased growth inhibition, photoinhibition, and electrolyte leakage ( EL). Se-induced Cd tolerance was compromised in melatonin-deficient plants following tryptophan decarboxylase ( TDC) gene silencing. Se treatment increased the levels of glutathione ( GSH) and phytochelatins ( PCs), as well as the expression of GSH and PC biosynthetic genes in nonsilenced plants, but the effects of Se were compromised in TDC-silenced plants under Cd stress. In addition, Se and melatonin supplements reduced Cd content in leaves of nonsilenced plants, but Se-induced reduction in Cd content was compromised in leaves of TDC-silenced plants. Taken together, our results indicate that melatonin is involved in Se-induced Cd tolerance via the regulation of Cd detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a sensitive and widely used technique for quantifying gene expression levels, and its accuracy depends on the reference genes used for data normalization. To date, no reference gene has been reported in the nutritious and functional vegetable okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). Herein, 11 candidates of reference genes were selected and evaluated for their expression stability in okra in different tissues at different developmental stages by using three software algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper) and a web-based tool (RefFinder). Among them, eukaryotic initiation factor 4 alpha (eIF4A) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) showed the highest stability, while TUA5 had the lowest stability. The combined usage of these two most stable reference genes was sufficient to normalize gene expression in okra. Then, the above results were further validated by normalizing the expression of the cellulose synthase gene CesA4. This work provides appropriate reference genes for transcript normalization in okra, which will facilitate subsequent functional gene research on this vegetable crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.), an annual leguminous crop, with wide and important industrial applications. Its seeds contain large amounts of guar gum, main ingredient is galactomannan, have multiple application values. To reveal the genome resource of guar, this study describes the assembly of C. tetragonoloba chromosome-level genome CteV1.0. There were 18.35 Gb high accuracy HiFi data with the more than 40× sequencing depth were generated by the PacBio platform with average length 22.61 kb. Finally, the assembled size of C. tetragonoloba genome was 482.45 Mb with a 62.64 Mb scaffold N50. Then with Hi-C assembly and adjustment, the 99.07% (477.96 Mb/482.45 Mb) of genome data was assigned to 7 pseudochromosomes. A total of 31,251 genes (31251/31867, 98.07%) were successfully annotated, and 309 gene families contracted, 559 gene families expanded in C. tetragonoloba. This genome of guar provides fundamental biological information of the industrial benefits, biophysiological functions and unique evolutionary relationship. The comparison between guar and other related short-day and long-day species characterized the photoperiodic differences in genomic scale. The construction of genome assembly, gene function and photoperiod adaption in C. tetragonoloba may reveal the basic theoretical fundament of the special traits in C. tetragonoloba. This available high-quality genomic resource in this study will facilitate future research in guar field. [Display omitted] • The first available chromosome-level guar reference genome. • Genome size 482.45 Mb, scaffold N50 62.64 Mb, LAI 11.09, BUSCO score 98.45%, CEGMA score 99.34%. • Guar is similar to short-day leguminous species in gene families and gene copy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficacy of osthol, a natural coumarin compound, in controlling powdery mildew was evaluated in 2004-2005 in Anhui and Hebei Provinces of China. In both years, the treatments (osthol 15.0 and 18.0 g ai ha- 1) showed a stable control efficiency of 75.42, 81.24% and 76.36, 84.84%, respectively, at the Institutes of Plant Protection of Hebei Academy of Agricultural Sciences. In field experiments, osthol was as effective as difenoconazole in controlling powdery mildew and was more effective than triadimefon against Sphaerotheca fuliginea. Protection was expressed as a significant reduction (up to 87% compared with the control) in the mildewed leaf area in young pumpkin plants. Osthol strongly inhibited spore germination and mycelial growth of S. fuliginea in vitro, damaged the cell wall and the organelles of the pathogen. At 48 h after incubation, 50 μg ml- 1 osthol could completely inhibit spore germination. These findings suggested that the effect of osthol on powdery mildew may be associated with the direct fungitoxic property against the pathogen. We conclude that osthol would be an attractive natural compound for practical agronomic use against powdery mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cadmium (Cd) stress induced oxidative stress and reduced photosynthesis in tomato. • E3 ubiquitin ligase gene SlRING1 highly expressed in roots in response to Cd stress. • Silencing SlRING1 aggravated Cd phytotoxicity, H 2 O 2 content and oxidative damage. • SlRING1 deficiency reduced Cd-induced expression of CAT , DHAR , MDHAR , GSH , and PCS. • Suppression of SlRING1 expression increased Cd accumulation in shoots and roots. The E3 ubiquitin ligases participate in the degradation of plant proteins and play a regulatory role in stress response. However, the role of tomato E3 ubiquitin ligase genes in plant response to heavy metal stress remains elusive. Here, we identified 17 tomato E3 ubiquitin ligase genes using blast analysis of highly expressed E3 ubiquitin ligase genes of Arabidopsis thaliana. Through organ expression analysis, three E3 ubiquitin ligase genes with higher expression levels in roots were further screened out, and they were named Sl1 , SlRHE1, and SlRING1. Among these three genes, SlRING1 expression was the highest in response to cadmium (Cd) stress. Silencing SlRING1 significantly decreased chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm, photosynthetic rate, and biomass accumulation under Cd stress. The levels of H 2 O 2 , electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde significantly increased in SlRING1 –silenced plants under Cd stress compared with that in non-silenced tomato plants. Cd stress-induced increases in the transcript levels of antioxidant and detoxification genes such as CAT, DHAR, MDHAR, GSH, and PCS were compromised by SlRING1 silencing. Moreover, Cd accumulation in shoots and roots significantly increased in SlRING1 -silenced plants compared with non-silenced tomato plants. These findings suggest that SlRING1 plays a positive role in plant tolerance to Cd stress in tomato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Given the important roles that seed‐borne endophytes can play on their plant hosts, comprehensive studies of the bacterial and fungal communities of seeds are of great importance. In this study, we assessed the seed endophytes of three gramineous (Avena sativa, Elymus sibiricus and Elymus dahuricus) and four leguminous (Vicia villosa, Trifolium repens, Trifolium pretense and Medicago sativa) forages using high‐throughput sequencing. In total, 1013 distinct bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 922 fungal OTUs were detected, with bacteria and fungi per sample ranging from 240 to 425 and 261 to 463 respectively. These seven forages shared a high number of potentially beneficial taxa, including Bacillus, Pantoea, Candida and Helotiales, but the relative proportion of these taxa was different in each seed. Fungal communities were clustered more distinctively by host genotypes than bacterial. Some bacterial taxa may be involved in the recruitment of genera from the same phylum. Three Pantoea sp. and five Bacillus sp. were isolated from seeds, and all showed positive effects on Medicago sativa germination rate under salt stress, and of these, Bacillus subtilis Es‐1 and Pantoea agglomerans Ed‐3 performed best, but their influence was affected by the seed's microbiome. Rather than simply promoting host plant growth directly, some taxa may also participate in organizing the assembly of plant microbiomes which will influence seed response to biological factors. This study uses a new, high‐throughput sequencing based strategy to identify beneficial strains and analyse the interactions between microorganisms and plants to maximize microbial functions in long‐term agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The non-coding small RNA tRFs (tRNA-derived fragments) and phasiRNAs (plant-specific) exert important roles in plant growth, development and stress resistances. However, whether the tRFs and phasiRNAs respond to the plant important stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA) remain enigma. Results: Here, the RNA-sequencing was implemented to decipher the landscape of tRFs and phasiRNAs in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves and their responses when foliar spraying exogenous ABA after 24 h. In total, 733 tRFs and 137 phasiRNAs were detected. The tRFs were mainly derived from the tRNAAla transporting alanine, which tended to be cleaved at the 5'terminal guanine site and D loop uracil site to produce tRFAla with length of 20 nt. Most of phasiRNAs originated from NBS-LRR resistance genes. Expression analysis revealed that 156 tRFs and 68 phasiRNAs expressed differentially, respectively. Generally, exogenous ABA mainly inhibited the expression of tRFs and phasiRNAs. Furthermore, integrating analysis of target gene prediction and transcriptome data presented that ABA significantly downregulated the abundance of phsaiRNAs associated with biological and abiotic resistances. Correspondingly, their target genes such as AP2/ERF, WRKY and NBS-LRR, STK and RLK, were mainly up-regulated. Conclusions: Combined with the previous analysis of ABA-response miRNAs, it was speculated that ABA can improve the plant resistances to various stresses by regulating the expression and interaction of small RNAs (such as miRNAs, tRFs, phasiRNAs) and their target genes. This study enriches the plant tRFs and phasiRNAs, providing a vital basis for further investigating ABA response-tRFs and phasiRNAs and their functions in biotic and abiotic stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inferring an unknown DNA's ancestry using a set of ancestry-informative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in forensic science is useful to provide investigative leads. This is especially true when there is no DNA database match or specified suspect. Thus, a set of SNPs with highly robust and balanced differential power is strongly demanded in forensic science. In addition, it is also necessary to build a genotyping database for estimating the ancestry of an individual or an unknown DNA. For the differentiation of Africans, Europeans, East Asians, Native Americans, and Oceanians, the Global Nano set that includes just 31 SNPs was developed by de la Puente et al. Its ability for differentiation and balance was evaluated using the genotype data of the 1000 Genomes Phase III project and the Stanford University HGDP-CEPH. Just 402 samples were genotyped and analyzed as a reference set based on statistical methods. To validate the differentiating capacity using more samples, we developed a single-tube 28-plex SNP assay in which the SNPs were chosen from the 31 allelic loci of the Global AIMs Nano set. Three tri-allelic SNPs used to differentiate mixed-source DNA contribute little to population differentiation and were excluded here. Then, 998 individuals from 21 populations were typed, and these genotypes were combined with the genotype data obtained from 1000 Genomes Phase III and the Stanford University HGDP-CEPH (3090 total samples,43 populations) to estimate the power of this multiplex assay and build a database for the further inference of an individual or an unknown DNA sample in forensic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identification of high-risk localised renal cell carcinoma is key for the selection of patients for adjuvant treatment who are at truly higher risk of reccurrence. We developed a classifier based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to improve the predictive accuracy for renal cell carcinoma recurrence and investigated whether intratumour heterogeneity affected the precision of the classifier.Methods: In this retrospective analysis and multicentre validation study, we used paraffin-embedded specimens from the training set of 227 patients from Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, Guangdong, China) with localised clear cell renal cell carcinoma to examine 44 potential recurrence-associated SNPs, which were identified by exploratory bioinformatics analyses of a genome-wide association study from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC) dataset (n=114, 906 600 SNPs). We developed a six-SNP-based classifier by use of LASSO Cox regression, based on the association between SNP status and patients' recurrence-free survival. Intratumour heterogeneity was investigated from two other regions within the same tumours in the training set. The six-SNP-based classifier was validated in the internal testing set (n=226), the independent validation set (Chinese multicentre study; 428 patients treated between Jan 1, 2004 and Dec 31, 2012, at three hospitals in China), and TCGA set (441 retrospectively identified patients who underwent resection between 1998 and 2010 for localised clear cell renal cell carcinoma in the USA). The main outcome was recurrence-free survival; the secondary outcome was overall survival.Findings: Although intratumour heterogeneity was found in 48 (23%) of 206 cases in the internal testing set with complete SNP information, the predictive accuracy of the six-SNP-based classifier was similar in the three different regions of the training set (areas under the curve [AUC] at 5 years: 0·749 [95% CI 0·660-0·826] in region 1, 0·734 [0·651-0·814] in region 2, and 0·736 [0·649-0·824] in region 3). The six-SNP-based classifier precisely predicted recurrence-free survival of patients in three validation sets (hazard ratio [HR] 5·32 [95% CI 2·81-10·07] in the internal testing set, 5·39 [3·38-8·59] in the independent validation set, and 4·62 [2·48-8·61] in the TCGA set; all p<0·0001), independently of patient age or sex and tumour stage, grade, or necrosis. The classifier and the clinicopathological risk factors (tumour stage, grade, and necrosis) were combined to construct a nomogram, which had a predictive accuracy significantly higher than that of each variable alone (AUC at 5 years 0·811 [95% CI 0·756-0·861]).Interpretation: Our six-SNP-based classifier could be a practical and reliable predictor that can complement the existing staging system for prediction of localised renal cell carcinoma recurrence after surgery, which might enable physicians to make more informed treatment decisions about adjuvant therapy. Intratumour heterogeneity does not seem to hamper the accuracy of the six-SNP-based classifier as a reliable predictor of recurrence. The classifier has the potential to guide treatment decisions for patients at differing risks of recurrence.Funding: National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Foundation of China, and Guangzhou Science and Technology Foundation of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective The inhibition of Aluminum (Al)-induced root tip cell elongation is a major cause of plant root elongation suppression. The inhibition of root tip cell elongation is caused by a disruption of cell wall component metabolism, growth signaling, or cellular damage. The aim of this study was to identify the proteins involved in the metabolism of the root cell wall components under Al stress in the Al-tolerant wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar ET8. Methods Differentially expressed proteins of Al-tolerant wheat roots were screened via isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). Furthermore, their expression changes were detected via RT-PCR analysis. The contents of major components of the cell wall and their changes in metabolic enzyme activities were also investigated. Results A total of 97 differentially expressed proteins from Al-tolerant wheat roots were screened and nine of these 97 proteins were root cell wall component related. The known nucleic acid sequences of proteins were 14-3-3 protein, the plasm membrane (PM) H+-ATPase, phospholipase D, peroxidase, and glycosyltransferase. For 14-3-3 protein, phospholipase D and peroxidase, the protein expression and mRNA expression were consistent with Al-treatment; however, for PM H+-ATPase and glycosyltransferase, the protein expression and mRNA expression were inconsistent under Al-stress. Furthermore, both cellulase activity and callase activity were down-regulated by Al stress, while the phenylalanineammonialyase (PAL), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), and peroxidase (POD) activities were up-regulated. Furthermore, the PM H+-ATPase activity was decreased in response to Al stress. In addition, the contents of callose, cellulose, lignin, and H 2 O 2 varied significantly. Conclusions The cell wall components, relative metabolism enzymes activity, and gene expression also changed followed by protein expression changed in response to Al stress. The results suggest that Al stress leads to marked variations in metabolic enzyme activity, carbohydrate content, followed by changes of root cell components in wheat roots. Highlights • Differently expressed proteins related to root cell wall components metabolism under Al stress were screened by iTRAQ. • Al stress leads to marked variations in root cell wall metabolic enzyme activity. • Root cell wall components was changed by Al stress [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The long noncoding RNA HOTAIR (HOX transcript antisense intergenic RNA) has been reported to be a biomarker for various malignant tumors; however, its involvement in breast cancer is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects involved with long noncoding RNA HOTAIR and EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homologue 2) on the processes of proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of breast cancer cells.Materials and Methods: The expressions of HOTAIR and EZH2 in both normal human mammary epithelial cell (HBL-100) and breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SKBR-3) were detected by means of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The MCF-7 cells that exhibited the highest HOTAIR expressions were selected for further studies and divided into the control, negative control, and small interfering RNA-HOTAIR groups. The proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of breast cancer cells were evaluated by MTT assay, Scratch test, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. The combination of HOTAIR with EZH2 and PTEN was predicted by bioinformation, with a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay providing further verification.Results: Initially, lower expressions of HOTAIR and EZH2 in the normal human mammary epithelial cells, while higher expressions in the breast cancer cells of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and SKBR-3 were detected. In addition, the downregulation of HOTAIR or silencing of EZH2 was revealed to repress the proliferation, invasion, and migration, while acting to promote the apoptosis of the breast cancer cells. Furthermore, HOTAIR could bind specifically to EZH2 and PTEN, highlighting the capability of HOTAIR to inhibit the expression of PTEN by recruiting EZH2 in breast cancer, while the TCGA database demonstrated the expressions of PTEN were lower in breast cancer cells.Conclusions: The study suggests the higher expressions of HOTAIR and EZH2 among three breast cancer cells. Furthermore, the downregulation of HOTAIR or silencing of EZH2 was noted to inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and migration of breast cancer cells, while promoting their apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Zn-Ni composite coatings with different Ni contents were deposited on low-carbon steel using Low pressure cold spray (LPCS) method. The morphology, element distribution and phase compositions of powders and as-sprayed coatings were analyzed by using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometer and X-ray diffraction respectively. The corrosion protection mechanism of these composite coatings were investigated using electrochemical technique and their corrosion morphologies. The results show that Zn-Ni composite coatings exhibited a better sacrificial anodic protection and physical shielding effect, where the corrosion resistance of the coating with 10 wt% Ni in the feedstock was best. The corrosion products were mainly composed of Zinc hydroxide Zn(OH) 2 , basic zinc chloride hydrate ZnCl 2 ·4Zn(OH) 2 ·H 2 O, basic zinc carbonate hydrate Zn 4 ·CO 3 (OH) 6 ·H 2 O and the corrosion products is not mixed with alumina. The corrosion process mainly includes active dissolution of zinc, zinc cathodic protection, physical shielding caused by corrosion products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have successfully developed an integrated microsystem that combines two plastic microchips for DNA extraction and PCR amplification with a glass capillary array electrophoresis chip together in a compact control and detection instrument for automated forensic short tandem repeat (STR) analysis. DNA extraction followed by an “in situ PCR” was conducted in a single reaction chamber of the microchip based on a filter paper-based extraction methodology. PCR products were then mixed with sizing standards by an injection electrode and injected into the electrophoresis chip for four-color confocal fluorescence detection. The entire STR analysis can be completed in about two hours without any human intervention. Since the 15-plex STR system has a more stringent requirement for PCR efficiency, we optimized the structure of the plastic DNA extraction and amplification chip, in which the reaction chamber was formed by sandwiching a hollow structure layer with two blank cover layers, to reduce the adsorption of PCR reagents to the surfaces. In addition, PCR additives, bovine serum albumin, poly(ethylene glycol), and more magnesium chloride were included into the on-chip multiplex STR system. The limit-of-detection study demonstrated that our microsystem was able to produce full 15-plex STR profiles from 3.75 ng standard K562 DNA. Buccal swab and whole blood samples were also successfully typed by our system, validating the feasibility of performing rapid DNA typing in a “sample-in-answer-out” manner for on-site forensic human identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we developed and validated a multiplex assay of 27 ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) for analyzing African (AFR), European (EUR), and East Asian (EAS) ancestry components. In this study, we typed and collectively analyzed a large Uyghur sample of 979 individuals to estimate the genetic coefficients of the 27 AIMs and investigate differentiation parameters between Uyghur and Han. The Uyghur allele frequencies ranged from 0.243 to 0.952, and heterozygosities ranged from 0.091 to 0.500. Values of F3 and I3 for EUR, Uyghur, and EAS ranged from 0.028 to 0.550 and 0.0002 to 0.345, respectively. The Uyghur population displays a substantial ancestry contribution of 50.3:49.7 (EUR:EAS) and was efficiently discriminated from Han Chinese with an accuracy of 99.285 %. All populations were clustered into AFR, EUR, EAS, and admixture groups of these three ancestries. Central Asian was obviously stratified from the other admixture populations of South Asians, North Asians, and the Americans. The 27 SNPs yield a circle with an average distance of 0.936 from the center (0, 0) in PCA analysis. Using this set, Chinese Uyghur and Han populations achieved accurate differentiation, and our updated genotype database (by citing 1000 Genomes data) of 43 worldwide populations is a useful resource for forensic applications and disease association studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fully integrated and automated microsystem consisting of low-cost, disposable plastic chips for DNA extraction and PCR amplification combined with a reusable glass capillary array electrophoresis chip in a modular-based format was successfully developed for warfarin pharmacogenetic testing. DNA extraction was performed by adopting a filter paper-based method, followed by “in situ” PCR that was carried out directly in the same reaction chamber of the chip without elution. PCR products were then co-injected with sizing standards into separation channels for detection using a novel injection electrode. The entire process was automatically conducted on a custom-made compact control and detection instrument. The limit of detection of the microsystem for the singleplex amplification of amelogenin was determined to be 0.625 ng of standard K562 DNA and 0.3 μL of human whole blood. A two-color multiplex allele-specific PCR assay for detecting the warfarin-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) 6853 (–1639G＞A) and 6484 (1173C＞T) in the VKORC1 gene and the *3 SNP (1075A＞C) in the CYP2C9 gene was developed and used for validation studies. The fully automated genetic analysis was completed in two hours with a minimum requirement of 0.5 μL of input blood. Samples from patients with different genotypes were all accurately analyzed. In addition, both dried bloodstains and oral swabs were successfully processed by the microsystem with a simple modification to the DNA extraction and amplification chip. The successful development and operation of this microsystem establish the feasibility of rapid warfarin pharmacogenetic testing in routine clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-tube multiplex assay of a small set of ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) for effectively estimating individual ancestry and admixture is an ideal forensic tool to trace the population origin of an unknown DNA sample. We present a newly developed 27-plex single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel with highly robust and balanced differential power to perfectly assign individuals to African, European, and East Asian ancestries. Evaluating 968 previously described intercontinental AIMs from three HapMap population genotyping datasets (Yoruban in Ibadan, Nigeria (YRI); Utah residents with Northern and Western European ancestry from the Centre de'Etude du Polymorphism Humain (CEPH) collection (CEU); and Han Chinese in Beijing, China (CHB)), the best set of markers was selected on the basis of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium ( p > 0.00001), population-specific allele frequency (two of three δ values >0.5), according to linkage disequilibrium ( r < 0.2), and capable of being multiplexed in one tube and detected by capillary electrophoresis. The 27-SNP panel was first validated by assigning the ancestry of the 11 populations in the HapMap project. Then, we tested the 27-plex SNP assay with 1164 individuals from 17 additional populations. The results demonstrated that the SNP panel was successful for ancestry inference of individuals with African, European, and East Asian ancestry. Furthermore, the system performed well when inferring the admixture of Eurasians (EUR/EAS) after analyzing admixed populations from Xinjiang (Central Asian) as follows: Tajik (68:27), Uyghur (49:46), Kirgiz (40:57), and Kazak (36:60). For individual analyses, we interpreted each sample with a three-ancestry component percentage and a population match probability sequence. This multiplex assay is a convenient and cost-effective tool to assist in criminal investigations, as well as to correct for the effects of population stratification for case-control studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forensic genetic analyses, mixtures of various biological materials are common samples. Micromanipulation, which is performed based on differences in cellular morphology, is an effective method for the isolation of cells from mixtures. In this study, mucosal cell was isolated from somatic cellular mixtures (blood and saliva) based on micromanipulation and a low volume- PCR ( LV- PCR) platform. One hundred and twenty-six parallel LV- PCR processes were performed using an Identifiler® kit, with 107 reactions yielding single-source DNA profiles. Among them, 54 full profiles (50%) and 37 partial profiles (13-15 loci) were obtained. Based on the above method, we obtained a single-source DNA profile from a cigarette butt contaminated by two victims' blood in a murder case. The generated genotype was used to query a DNA database, and a perfect match was found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in reducing Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) side effects while keeping intact its therapeutic efficacy. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of Sclerotia of Polyporus umbellatus FRIES (Zhuling) and its main ingredient Polyporus Polysaccharide (PPS) to attenuate side effects of BCG therapy in vivo. The results show that bladder cancer development in model rats exhibited significantly reduced cancer invasiveness with Zhuling PPS combined with BCG. Flow cytometric (FCM) analysis showed expression of costimulatory molecules CD86, CD40, and TLR4/CD14 significantly increased with Zhuling PPS in combination with BCG. Similarly, immunohistochemical analysis revealed stronger CD86 and CD40 staining. Our findings show Zhuling PPS strongly reduced side effects and displayed synergistic effects during BCG instillation in rat bladder cancer models. The findings also suggest that the attenuation effect may result from direct activation of dendritic cell (DC) TLR4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A plastic microfluidic device that integrates a filter disc as a DNA capture phase was successfully developed for low-cost, rapid and automated DNA extraction and PCR amplification from various raw samples. The microdevice was constructed by sandwiching a piece of Fusion 5 filter, as well as a PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) membrane, between two PMMA (poly(methyl methacrylate)) layers. An automated DNA extraction from 1 μL of human whole blood can be finished on the chip in 7 minutes by sequentially aspirating NaOH, HCl, and water through the filter. The filter disc containing extracted DNA was then taken out directly for PCR. On-chip DNA purification from 0.25–1 μL of human whole blood yielded 8.1–21.8 ng of DNA, higher than those obtained using QIAamp® DNA Micro kits. To realize DNA extraction from raw samples, an additional sample loading chamber containing a filter net with an 80 μm mesh size was designed in front of the extraction chamber to accommodate sample materials. Real-world samples, including whole blood, dried blood stains on Whatman® 903 paper, dried blood stains on FTA™ cards, buccal swabs, saliva, and cigarette butts, can all be processed in the system in 8 minutes. In addition, multiplex amplification of 15 STR (short tandem repeat) loci and Sanger-based DNA sequencing of the 520 bp GJB2 gene were accomplished from the filters that contained extracted DNA from blood. To further prove the feasibility of integrating this extraction method with downstream analyses, “in situ” PCR amplifications were successfully performed in the DNA extraction chamber following DNA purification from blood and blood stains without DNA elution. Using a modified protocol to bond the PDMS and PMMA, our plastic PDMS devices withstood the PCR process without any leakage. This study represents a significant step towards the practical application of on-chip DNA extraction methods, as well as the development of fully integrated genetic analytical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental study about pre-desliming flotation was made for the difficult-to-float coal slime from Tonghua, which is characterized by high content of clay mineral and high-ash fine fraction. The efficient desliming process was explored by small taper angle hydrocyclone, the particle size and mineral composition of cyclone products were analyzed, and underflow products were studied through progressive release flotation. The results show that (f)150 mm hydrocyclone is chosen as the main desliming equipment. In the process of ф150 mm and ф75 mm hydraulic cyclone series connection, the whole desliming efficiency of fine particles <0. 045 mm is up to 67. 73%, the ash content is 50. 10%,and the minerals of Kaolinite and illite are got enriched in overflow. The two kinds of underflow can be used as feed of the flotation alone or mixed,and compared with the direct flotation of the raw coal slime, both the combustible material recovery and clean coal production rate are improved by 2-3 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caixia Li stated on behalf of all co-authors that they do not agree to this retraction. We requested supporting documentation from the authors, including the application form submitted to the ethics committee and evidence of ethics approval. [Extracted from the article]