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Insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) participates in reproduction; however, the location and expression of IRS2 in the reproductive system of female mice is not clear. We used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot and immunohistochemical staining to investigate the expression of IRS2 in the ovary, oviduct and uterus of female mice during the estrous cycle. We found that IRS2 was expressed in all reproductive organs of mouse and that the expression level changed with the estrous phases. The expression of IRS2 in reproductive organs was greatest during estrus.

Due to developing production methods and increasing consumption levels, improvement of fruit quality has become a focus of research. Cytokinins are important hormones that affect fruit quality. In ...

ObjectivesIn the early stage of sepsis, identifying high-risk paediatric patients with a poor prognosis and providing timely and adequate treatment are critical. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of average body temperature within 24 hours of admission on the short-term prognosis of paediatric patients with sepsis.DesignA retrospective cohort study.SettingA single-centre, tertiary care hospital in China, containing patient data from 2010 to 2018.Participants1144 patients with sepsis were included.InterventionNone.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe main outcome measure was in-hospital mortality, which was defined as death from any cause during hospitalisation. The secondary outcome was the length of hospital stay.ResultsThe LOWESS method showed a roughly ‘U’-shaped relationship between body temperature on the first day and in-hospital mortality. Multivariate logistic regression showed that severe hypothermia (OR 14.72, 95% CI 4.84 to 44.75), mild hypothermia (OR 3.71, 95% CI 1.26 to 10.90), mild hyperthermia (OR 3.41, 95% CI 1.17 to 9.90) and severe hyperthermia (OR 5.15, 95% CI 1.84 to 14.43) were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Compared with other variables, the Wald χ2value of temperature on the first day minus the degree of freedom was the highest.ConclusionsWhether hypothermic or hyperthermic, the more abnormal the temperature on the first day is, the higher the risk of in-hospital death in children with sepsis.

To investigate the effects of red and blue light on potato growth and yield, potato plantlets were transplanted under white (W), red (R), blue (B), and red + blue (RB; 50%R + 50%B) light in growth chambers. Plants under W had a significantly lower tuber yield per plant than the other treatments, although their shoot dry weights were the highest among all treatments. Potato plants under R had the highest tuber yield per plant among all treatments. The distribution of tuber yield under R showed a lower ratio of 2–20 g tubers and a higher ratio of > 20 g tubers, compared to tubers under W. Plants under R had greater leaf dry weight and slowly decreasing total leaf area compared to other treatments in the late stage of potato growth, thereby extending active tuber bulking under R. Although plants under B and RB did not significantly differ in tuber yield per plant, tuber bulking under B and RB occurred in different ways. Plants under RB advanced tuberization in the seedling stage, while tubers under B rapidly accumulated biomass in the medium stage. Plants under B had higher sucrose transport from leaves to sinks and stronger tuberization signals in tubers than those under W. Tubers under B had significantly increased levels of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and sucrose synthase to promote starch biosynthesis, compared to tubers under W. Overall, red light increased tuber biomass accumulation, while blue light rapidly promoted tuber bulking.

The light spectrum has a strong effect on potato tuber development. To investigate the effect of varying the spectrum on potato tuber growth and yield, potato plantlets were transplanted under red/white light (RW; red light: 200 μmol m−2 s−1; white light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1), blue/white light (BW; blue light: 200 μmol m−2 s−1; white light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1), and white/red/blue light (WRB; white light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1; red light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1; blue light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1) with a 11/13-h (light/dark) photoperiod. Potato plants grown under RW had the highest mean fresh tuber weight and total yield among all treatments. Plants under RW resulted in the highest shoot dry weight at 30 d and 45 d among all treatments, providing a photosynthetic source for the tubers. Furthermore, the photosynthetic leaves under RW had a significantly higher total chlorophyll content than other treatments at 90 d. Plants under RW significantly increased tuber fresh weight per plant by 57.7% from 60 to 90 d. The spectrum of BW benefited potato bulking. Plants under BW at 40 d resulted in significant sucrose and starch changes between day and night compared with those at 20 d. BW had a positive effect on the activities of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase at 40 d and sucrose synthase at 60 d compared with RW and WRB during the day. Thus, the ratio of tuber (fresh weight of tuber ≥2.0 g) under BW was significantly higher than that under RW and WRB. The total yield of tubers under WRB was the lowest among all treatments.

Although cytokinins (CKs) regulate fruit development, no direct genetic evidence supports the role of endogenous CKs in pericarp growth or development or fruit size. Here, we report that the reduction in levels of endogenous active CKs via overexpression of the CK-inactivating enzyme gene AtCKX2 specifically in fruit tissues resulted in reduced pericarp thickness and smaller fruit size compared with wild-type control fruits. Pericarp thickness and single fruit weight in transgenic plants were significantly reduced. Analysis of paraffin sections showed that the reduced pericarp thickness was due largely to a decreased number of cells, and thus decreased cell division. Transcriptome profiling showed that the expression of cell division- and expansion-related genes was reduced in AtCKX2-overexpressing fruits. In addition, the expression of auxin-signaling and gibberellin-biosynthetic genes was repressed, whereas that of gibberellin-inactivating genes was enhanced, in AtCKX2-overexpressing fruits. These results demonstrate that endogenous CKs regulate pericarp cell division and subsequently fruit size. They also suggest that CKs interact with auxin and gibberellins in regulating tomato pericarp thickness and fruit size.

BackgroundThere is no clear evidence for the target value of blood pressure control after Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, our study was designed to explore the relationship between blood pressure after PCI and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during 3-year follow-up.MethodsThis study is a prospective study. We included the patients who were diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome and underwent PCI stent implantation operation. The study initially collected information of 552 patients. The start and end times of the study are from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. The independent variables of this study are the average systolic blood pressure and the average diastolic blood pressure after PCI. The dependent variable is the occurrence of MACE events in patients within 3 years after PCI. MACE is defined as acute myocardial infarction, recurring chest pain, heart failure, stroke, revascularization and cardiac death.ResultsA total of 514 subjects met the inclusion criteria. The average age of the study subjects is 61.92 ± 9.49 years old, of which 67.12% are male. 94 subjects had a MACE event within 3 years, and the occurrence rate was 18.29%. There is no significant non-linear or linear relationship between diastolic blood pressure and MACE events. There is a curvilinear relationship between the average systolic blood pressure of patients after PCI and MACE events within 3 years and the inflection point is 121. On the left side of the inflection point, the effect size and 95% CI are 1.09 and 1.01–1.18, respectively (P = 0.029). The impact size and 95% CI at the right inflection point were 1.00 and 0.98–1.02(P = 0.604), respectively.ConclusionThere is a curvilinear relationship between systolic blood pressure and prognosis of patients after PCI. Under the premise of ensuring the safety of patients, maintaining lower blood pressure after surgery is beneficial to improve the prognosis of patients.

&gamma, Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a widely distributed non-protein amino acid mediated the regulation of nitrate uptake and Al3+ tolerance in plants. However, there are few reports about the involvement of GABA in the regulation of iron (Fe) acquisition and translocation. Here, we show that GABA regulates Fe homeostasis in rice seedlings. Exogenous GABA decreased the chlorophyll concentration in leaves, with or without Fe supply. Over-expression of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) gene, coding a crucial enzyme of GABA production, elevated endogenous GABA content and caused more leaf chlorosis than wild type (Nipponbare). GABA inhibited Fe transportation from roots to shoots and GABA application elevated the expression levels of Fe deficiency (FD)-related genes under conditions of Fe-sufficiency (FS), suggesting that GABA is a regulator of Fe translocation. Using Perls&rsquo, blue staining, we found that more ferric iron (Fe3+) was deposited in the epidermal cells of roots treated with GABA compared with control roots. Anatomic section analysis showed that GABA treatment induced more aerenchyma formation compared with the control. Aerenchyma facilitated the oxidization of soluble ferrous iron (Fe2+) into insoluble Fe3+, resulted in Fe precipitation in the epidermis, and inhibited the transportation of Fe from roots to shoots.

Although differential expression of genes is apparent during the adipogenic/osteogenic differentiation of marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), it is not known whether this is associated with changes in chromosomal structure. In this study, we used ATAC-sequencing technology to observe variations in chromatin assembly during the early stages of MSC differentiation. This showed significant changes in the number and distribution of chromosome accessibility at different time points of adipogenic/osteogenic differentiation. Sequencing of differential peaks indicated alterations in transcription factor motifs involved in MSC differentiation. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analysis indicated that changes in biological function resulted from the alterations in chromatin accessibility. We then integrated ATAC-seq and RNA-seq and found that only a small proportion of the overlapped genes were screened out from ATAC-seq and RNA-seq overlapping. Through GO and pathway analysis of these overlapped genes, we not only observed some known biological functions related to adipogenic/osteogenic differentiation but also noticed some unusual biological clustering during MSC differentiation. In summary, our work not only presents the landscape of chromatin accessibility of MSC during differentiation but also helps to further our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of gene expression in these processes.

Background: There is no clear evidence for the target value of blood pressure control within 24 hours after Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, our study was designed to explore the relationship between blood pressure within 24 hours after PCI and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during 3-year follow-up. Methods: This study is a prospective study. The study initially collected information of 552 patients. The start and end times of the study are from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020. The independent variables of this study are the average systolic blood pressure and the average diastolic blood pressure within 24 hours after PCI. The dependent variable is the occurrence of MACE events in patients within 3 years after PCI. Results: A total of 514 subjects met the inclusion criteria. The average age of the study subjects is 61.92 ± 9.49 years old, of which 67.12% are male. 94 subjects had a MACE event within 3 years, and the occurrence rate was 18.29%. There is no significant non-linear or linear relationship between diastolic blood pressure and MACE events. There is a curvilinear relationship between the average systolic blood pressure within 24 hours of patients after PCI and MACE events within 3 years and the inflection point is 134. On the left side of the inflection point, the effect size and 95% CI are 1.22 and 1.04-1.43, respectively (P=0.017). The impact size and 95% CI at the right inflection point were 0.96 and 0.83-1.11, respectively (P=0.604). Conclusion: There is a non-linear relationship between systolic blood pressure and the occurrence of MACE events in 3 years, and its inflection point is 134mmHg. In the case of ensuring patient safety, we should control the patient's systolic blood pressure within 24 hours after surgery.

To investigate the effect of varying the light intensity on the photosynthate distribution, cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seedlings were grown under different light intensities. It was fo...

Danon disease is a rare X-linked dominant genetic disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 gene. Progression of Danon disease is unknown because of its rare incidence in a diverse ethnic population. We report longitudinal data from two patients who were diagnosed with Danon disease by a genetic test. The evaluation protocol included electrocardiographic monitoring, echocardiography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Progression of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy to dilated cardiomyopathy was observed in the first patient. He died from sudden cardiac arrest. The second patient is currently suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Development of the hypertrophic phase progressing into the dilated phase in Danon disease may provide useful information for early identification and clinical decisions in patients with this disease.

Novel daidzein napsylates (DD4 and DD5) were synthesized by microwave irradiation, according to structural modification of daidzein (DAI) using the principle of pharmacokinetic transformation. The pharmacological properties of DD4 and DD5 were evaluated via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and calculated based on the drug design software ChemAxon16.1.18. The cell uptake changes of DD4 and DD5 were investigated to analyse the structure–property relationship. The metabolisms of DD4 and DD5 were analysed by HPLC-mass spectrometry in human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs) and their possible metabolic pathways were inferredin vivo. The results showed that the solubility of DD4 and DD5 was increased by 2.79 × 105and 2.16 × 105times compared to that of DAI, separately, in ethyl acetate. The maximum absorption rates of DD4 and DD5 were enhanced by 4.3–4.5 times relative to DAI. Preliminary studies on metabolites of DD4 and DD5 in HAVSMCs showed that DD4 and DD5 were hydrolysed into DAI under the action of intracellular hydrolase in two ways, ester hydrolysis or ether hydrolysis. Then, DAI was combined with glucuronic acid to form daidzein monoglucuronate under the action of uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucuronidase. Meanwhile, it was also found that metabolite M5 of DD5 could undergo glucuronidation under the action of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and competitive sulphation under the action of sulphotransferase to produce its sulfate conjugate M7. Analysis of structure–property relationships indicated that the absorption and utilization of drugs is closely relative to the physical properties and could be improved by adjusting the liposolubility. The pharmaceutical properties were optimized comprehensively after DAI was modified by naphthalene sulphonate esterification. This indicates that this kind of derivatives may have relatively good absorption and transport characteristics and biological activitiesin vivo. The research on biological activities of the new derivatives (DD4 and DD5) is ongoing in our laboratory.

Danon disease is a rare X-linked dominant disorder caused by the lysosome- associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2) gene. It is characterized by the triad of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), myopathy, and intellectual disability. Genetic analysis was performed to confirm LAMP2 gene mutation in a family with Danon disease. We collected the clinical data included electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) in a family with Danon disease to reveal the clinical phenotype. Genetic analysis showed that LAMP2 gene deletion mutation (c.257_258delCC) in this family. The proband and his 13-year-old cousin developed HCM with a typical Wolff-Parkinson -White (WPW) pre-excitation pattern. cMRI with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) further confirms the myocardial fibrosis. The clinical expression of Danon disease is different in different genders. Conclusions: Genetic and pharmaceutical approaches to upregulate LAMP2 gene expression may provide a novel therapy for patients with Danon disease.

We explored how tabersonine (Tab) protected against dexamethasone (Dex)-induced osteoporosis. Osteoblasts were treated with Dex (100 µM) with or without Table (5 or 10 µM). We measured cell viability, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and mitochondrial superoxide and reactive oxygen species levels. We used flow cytometry to explore the effects of Tab on mitochondrial membrane potential and osteoblast apoptosis. We used RT-PCR and western blotting to examine the effect of Tab on protein expression. We evaluated the effects of Tab on bone histopathology and bone mineral density in rats with Dex-induced osteoporosis. Tab increased cell viability and ALP activity, and reduced the mitochondrial superoxide, reactive oxygen species and matrix metalloproteinase levels and osteoblast apoptosis. Tab significantly reduced the levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), haem oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1. Moreover, it increased the levels of mRNAs encoding runt-related transcription factor 2, bone morphogenetic protein-2 and osterix. These data suggest that Tab ameliorates Dex-induced osteoporosis by regulating the Nrf2 signalling pathway.

Arabidopsis, tobacco, tomato and rice with merA / merB expressed reduced mercury concentration of leaves, fruits or grains. These mercury-breathing plants produce agricultural products with acceptable levels of mercury from contaminated soil. Mercury contamination in plant food products can cause serious health risks to consumers. Transgenic approaches to enhance mercury phytoremediation have been accomplished with expression of bacterial merA and merB genes to convert toxic organic mercury to less toxic elemental mercury. However, little is known whether these genes can be used to produce safe foods from plants grown on mercury-contaminated land. We have used Arabidopsis and tobacco as model plants for leafy vegetables, and tomato and rice as representative fruit and grain crops to investigate whether merA and merB expression allows for production of safe foods from mercury-contaminated soils. Our results show that grown on heavily contaminated land with mercury, merA and merB expressing transgenic plants can produce vegetables, fruits and grains safe for human and animal consumption, while the wild-type plants cannot. The merA and merB transgenic plants can also efficiently remove mercury from soil. With increasing mercury contamination problems for the agricultural land worldwide, the use of the merA and merB genes can help produce safe food from mercury-polluted land and also remediate contaminated soils.

Novel daidzein napsylates (DD4 and DD5) were synthesized by microwave irradiation, according to structural modification of daidzein (DAI) using the principle of pharmacokinetic transformation. The pharmacological properties of DD4 and DD5 were evaluated via HPLC and calculated based on the drug design software ChemAxon 16.1.18. The cell uptake changes of DD4 and DD5 were investigated to analyse the structure–property relationship. The metabolisms of DD4 and DD5 were analysed by HPLC-MS in human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs) and their possible metabolic pathways were inferred in vivo. The results showed that the solubility of DD4 and DD5 was increased by 2.79 × 105 and 2.16 × 105 times compared to that of DAI, separately, in ethyl acetate. The maximum absorption rates of DD4 and DD5 were enhanced by 4.3–4.5 times relative to DAI. Preliminary studies on metabolites of DD4 and DD5 in HAVSMCs showed that DD4 and DD5 were hydrolysed into DAI under the action of intracellular hydrolase in two ways, ester hydrolysis or ether hydrolysis. Then, DAI was combined with glucuronic acid to form daidzein monoglucuronate under the action of UDP-glucuronidase. Meanwhile, it was also found that metabolite M5 of DD5 could undergo glucuronidation under the action of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and competitive sulphation under the action of sulphotransferase to produce its sulfate conjugate M7. Analysis of structure–property relationships indicated that the absorption and utilization of drugs is closely relative to the physical properties and could be improved by adjusting the liposolubility. The pharmaceutical properties were optimized comprehensively after DAI was modified by naphthalene sulphonate esterification. This indicates that this kind of derivatives may have relatively good absorption and transport characteristics and biological activities in vivo. The research on biological activities of the new derivatives (DD4 and DD5) is ongoing in our laboratory.

Novel daidzein napsylates (DD4 and DD5) were synthesized by microwave irradiation, according to structural modification of daidzein (DAI) using the principle of pharmacokinetic transformation. The pharmacological properties of DD4 and DD5 were evaluated via HPLC and calculated based on the drug design software ChemAxon 16.1.18. The cell uptake changes of DD4 and DD5 were investigated to analyse the structure–property relationship. The metabolisms of DD4 and DD5 were analysed by HPLC-MS in human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs) and their possible metabolic pathways were inferred in vivo. The results showed that the solubility of DD4 and DD5 was increased by 2.79 × 105 and 2.16 × 105 times compared to that of DAI, separately, in ethyl acetate. The maximum absorption rates of DD4 and DD5 were enhanced by 4.3–4.5 times relative to DAI. Preliminary studies on metabolites of DD4 and DD5 in HAVSMCs showed that DD4 and DD5 were hydrolysed into DAI under the action of intracellular hydrolase in two ways, ester hydrolysis or ether hydrolysis. Then, DAI was combined with glucuronic acid to form daidzein monoglucuronate under the action of UDP-glucuronidase. Meanwhile, it was also found that metabolite M5 of DD5 could undergo glucuronidation under the action of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase and competitive sulphation under the action of sulphotransferase to produce its sulfate conjugate M7. Analysis of structure–property relationships indicated that the absorption and utilization of drugs is closely relative to the physical properties and could be improved by adjusting the liposolubility. The pharmaceutical properties were optimized comprehensively after DAI was modified by naphthalene sulphonate esterification. This indicates that this kind of derivatives may have relatively good absorption and transport characteristics and biological activities in vivo. The research on biological activities of the new derivatives (DD4 and DD5) is ongoing in our laboratory.

In recent years, osteosarcoma survival rates have failed to improve significantly with conventional treatment modalities because of the development of chemotherapeutic resistance. The human breast cancer resistance protein/ATP binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (BCRP/ABCG2), a member of the ATP-binding cassette family, uses ATP hydrolysis to expel xenobiotics and chemotherapeutics from cells. CCN family member 2 (CCN2) is a secreted protein that modulates the biological function of cancer cells, enhanced ABCG2 protein expression and activation in this study via the α6β1 integrin receptor and increased osteosarcoma cell viability. CCN2 treatment downregulated miR-519d expression, which promoted ABCG2 expression. In a mouse xenograft model, knockdown of CCN2 expression increased the therapeutic effect of doxorubicin, which was reversed by ABCG2 overexpression. Our data show that CCN2 increases ABCG2 expression and promotes drug resistance through the α6β1 integrin receptor, whereas CCN2 downregulates miR-519d. CCN2 inhibition may represent a new therapeutic concept in osteosarcoma.

Hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) susceptibility of the welded X100 pipeline steel was evaluated in NACE “A” solution at room temperature according to the NACE TM0284-2011 standard. Both the kinetic parameters of the permeability ( J ∞ L ) , the apparent diffusivity (Dapp) and the concentration of reversible and irreversible hydrogen in the base metal and welded joint of X100 pipeline steel were quantitatively investigated by hydrogen permeation test. The results showed that the welded joint with an inhomogeneous microstructure had a higher trap density and more susceptible to HIC due to two orders of magnitude larger in the concentration of irreversible hydrogen than that of base metal, though all presenting poor HIC resistance for both base metal and the welded joint. The HIC cracks initiated from the inclusions enriching in Al, Ca, Si, Mn. The cracks are primarily transgranular, accompanying with limited intergranular ones.

Strawberry is one of the most economically important fruit crops in the world. Cytokinins (CKs) play a critical role in plant growth and development, as well as the stress response, and the level of CKs in plants is regulated by synthesis and degradation pathways. The key synthetic enzymes of CKs are isopentenyl transferases (IPTs) and LONELY GUYS (LOGs). We surveyed the strawberry genome and identified seven FvIPT genes and nine FvLOG genes. We analyzed gene structures, conserved domains, and their phylogenetic relationships with rice and Arabidopsis. The isoelectric points and glycosylation sites of the proteins were predicted. We also analyzed tissue- or organ-specific expression patterns of the FvIPT and FvLOG genes. The FvIPT and FvLOG genes showed different expression profiles in different organs. Most FvIPT and FvLOG genes were down-regulated in response to osmotic stress, high-temperature treatment, and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) application, suggesting possible roles of these genes in the plants’ resistance to abiotic stresses. In addition, we found that the results of bioinformatics analyses to identify cis-regulatory elements may not be consistent with experimental expression data; thus, computer-predicted putative cis-elements need to be confirmed by experiments. Our systematic analyses of the FvIPT and FvLOG families provide a foundation for characterizing the function of these genes in the regulation of growth, development, and stress tolerance in Fragaria vesca, as well as a reference for improving stress tolerance by manipulating CK content.

Salt stress is a main abiotic stress that limits agricultural productivity in many parts of the world. To investigate whether poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) can alleviate the negative effects of salt stress on wheat, a foliar application of 400 mg/L γ-PGA was applied to wheat seedlings, which were then subjected to 150 mM NaCl. Our results showed that after application of γ-PGA, the plant height, the plant weight, and the antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase were significantly increased compared with the treatment of 150 mM NaCl alone. Meanwhile, γ-PGA application also resulted in high accumulation of K+ and decreased storage of Na+ in wheat leaves. These results suggest that γ-PGA treatment may improve salt tolerance of wheat by diminishing ionic imbalances and enhancing antioxidant capacity. Our results indicate that exogenous γ-PGA could alleviate the damage caused by salt stress.

The possible molecular mechanisms regulating strawberry fruit ripening were revealed by plant hormone quantification, exogenous hormone application, and RNA-sequencing. Fruit ripening involves a complex interplay among plant hormones. Strawberry is a model for studies on non-climacteric fruit ripening. However, the knowledge on how plant hormones are involved in strawberry ripening is still limited. To understand hormonal actions in the ripening process, we performed genome-wide transcriptome and hormonal analysis for the five major hormones (abscisic acid and catabolites, auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, and ethylene) in achenes and receptacles (flesh) at different ripening stages of the woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca. Our results demonstrate that the pre-turning stage (a stage with white flesh and red achenes defined in this study) is the transition stage from immature to ripe fruits. The combinatorial analyses of hormone content, transcriptome data, and exogenous hormone treatment indicate that auxin is synthesized predominantly in achenes, while abscisic acid (ABA), bioactive free base cytokinins, gibberellins, and ethylene are mainly produced in receptacles. Furthermore, gibberellin may delay ripening, while ethylene and cytokinin are likely involved at later stages of the ripening process. Our results also provide additional evidence that ABA promotes ripening, while auxin delays it. Although our hormone analysis demonstrates that the total auxin in receptacles remains relatively low and unchanged during ripening, our experimental evidence further indicates that ABA likely enhances expression of the endoplasmic reticulum-localized auxin efflux carrier PIN-LIKES, which may subsequently reduce the auxin level in nucleus. This study provides a global picture for hormonal regulation of non-climacteric strawberry fruit ripening and also evidence for a possible mechanism of ABA and auxin interaction in the ripening process.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the most frequently encountered progressive lung disease in clinical practice. This study sought to determine the predictive ability of the tumor biomarker cancer antigen-125 (CA-125) in the identification of COPD in a cohort of 284 patients with COPD living at high altitude (with an average elevation of over 2500 m). Patients were classified by pleural effusion volumes into 4 categories and serum CA-125 concentrations were measured in each category. The analyses revealed that CA-125 concentrations were positively and significantly correlated with pleural effusion volume. CA-125 concentrations were also positively correlated with pulmonary heart disease and acute exacerbations of COPD, and negatively correlated with pulmonary hypertension. The study evidence suggests that serum CA-125 concentrations are positively correlated with the risk of pleural effusions among patients with COPD living in high-altitude areas, and that CA-125 concentrations are also correlated with pulmonary heart disease, acute exacerbations, and pulmonary hypertension.

Light triggered the initiation of amaranthin biosynthesis in cotyledons of Amaranthus mangostanus L. seedlings. Cytokinin induced amaranthin synthesis in the dark and increased the accumulation of amaranthin under light irradiation. No studies have explored whether indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) can affect kinetin-induced amaranthin accumulation in seedlings of A. mangostanus L. In this study, we found that IAA inhibited both the kinetin- and light-induced synthesis of amaranthin. In the dark, 10.0 mg l−1 IAA caused a 68% reduction in amaranthin production after induction by 5.0 mg l−1 kinetin. In the presence of light, 10.0 mg l−1 IAA resulted in a 50% decrease in amaranthin synthesis following induction by 5.0 mg l−1 kinetin. In addition, IAA could reverse kinetin-induced amaranthin accumulation under red, blue, or far-red light conditions. Our results suggest that IAA had an antagonistic effect on the light-induced or cytokinin-stimulated accumulation of amaranthin in the cotyledons of A. mangostan...

Although light is essential to photosynthesis, few studies have examined the effects of different LED spectra on photosynthate distribution in potato plants. Therefore, we exposed tuberising potato plants to white (W), red (R), blue (B) and green (G) LED treatments and compared tuber development and carbohydrate partitioning among the plants. R-treated plants had greater photosynthetic leaf area during tuber development compared with those under other treatments, thus enhancing assimilation. Although R-treated plants had higher 13C assimilation in the leaves, stems and roots than those under B treatment, there was no difference in partitioning of 13C assimilation and yield in the tubers of each plant between R and B treatments. For the tuber size, R-treated plants had a higher ratio of large tubers (>20 g) and a lower ratio of small (2–20 g) and medium-sized (10–20 g) tubers than those under W. B-treated plants had more medium-sized and large tubers than those under W. The reason may be that plants under R treatment distributed more assimilated 13C in their first tuber than those under other treatments. By contrast, plants under B balanced photosynthate distribution among their tubers. Leaves under G treatment had lower photosynthetic efficiency and ΦPSII than those under W, R or B treatment, which resulted in lower 13C photosynthate allocation in organs and lower tuber yield per plant than in R and B treatments. Overall, R treatment promoted 13C assimilation and led to more large tubers than other treatments. B-treated plants distributed more photosynthates into tubers rather than other organs and showed balanced tuber development.

The expression of ubiquitin specific peptidase 22 (USP22) is upregulated in several types of cancer, and has been implicated in tumorigenesis. Pirarubicin (THP), an anthracycline antineoplastic drug, can induce apoptosis of several types of cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of THP remain to be elucidated. In the current study, treatment with THP induced HeLa cell apoptosis and decreased USP22 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. THP reduced the USP22 promoter-regulated luciferase activity, regardless of the mutation of transcriptional activator MYB or E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase SP1 binding sequences; however, this effect was abrogated by the mutation of cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) binding sequence in HeLa cells. Furthermore, the inhibition on the USP22 promoter activity by THP was not affected by overexpression of CREB-1 in HeLa cells. Additionally, treatment with THP significantly decreased the phosphorylation of CREB-1 at ser133 in HeLa cells. Quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that THP significantly inhibited the binding of CREB-1 to the USP22 promoter in HeLa cells. The present study demonstrated that THP decreased USP22 expression and promoted HeLa cell apoptosis partially by inhibiting the phosphorylation of CREB-1. The current results may provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the pharmacological effect of THP on cancer cell apoptosis.

Propagation of vegetative cuttings is the most efficient and cost-effective method for producing homogeneous horticultural plants and forest trees when apomictic seed is unavailable. This method depends on the formation of adventitious roots (ARs) in stem or leaf cuttings. Improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate AR development could enhance the application of this technique. In this article, we review the physiological and developmental processes that regulate AR formation. We map gene function in lateral root development to transcriptomic analyses of the stages of AR formation to reveal potential gene function controlling this important process. We then synthesize a model of the regulatory network controlling AR formation that includes the unique aspects of AR formation in woody plants. Finally, we provide a perspective and suggest future directions for elucidation of molecular processes that regulate AR development.

We used auxin-signalling mutants, auxin transport mutants, and auxin-related marker lines to show that exogenously applied GA enhances auxin-induced root inhibition by affecting auxin signalling and transport. Variation in root elongation is valuable when studying the interactions of phytohormones. Auxins influence the biosynthesis and signalling of gibberellins (GAs), but the influence of GAs on auxins in root elongation is poorly understood. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of GA3 on Arabidopsis root elongation in the presence of auxin. Root elongation was inhibited in roots treated with both IAA and GA3, compared to IAA alone, and the effect was dose dependent. Further experiments showed that GA3 could modulate auxin signalling based on root elongation in auxin-signalling mutants and the expression of auxin-responsive reporters. The GA3-enhanced inhibition of root elongation observed in the wild type was not found in the auxin-signalling mutants tir1-1 and axr1-3. GA3 increased DR5::GUS expression in the root meristem and elongation zones, and IAA2::GUS in the columella. The DR5rev::GFP signal was enhanced in columella cells of the root caps and in the elongation zone in GA3-treated seedling roots. A reduction was observed in the stele of PAC-treated roots. We also examined the effect of GA3 on auxin transport. The enhanced responsiveness caused by GA3 was not observed in the auxin influx mutant aux1-7 or the efflux mutant eir1-1. Additional molecular data demonstrated that GA3 could promote auxin transport via AUX1 and PIN proteins. However, GA3-induced PIN gene expression did not fully explain GA-enhanced PIN protein accumulation. These results suggest that GA3 is involved in auxin-mediated primary root elongation by modulating auxin signalling and transport, and thus enhances root responsiveness to exogenous IAA.

Flooding is one of the most important abiotic constraints on rice yields in rain-fed lowlands. During the submergence period, ethylene accumulates rapidly to a physiologically active level in the tissues of submerged plants. Also, iron and manganese plaque formation on roots is an adaptation that allows rice-like plant species to survive in their natural aquatic habitats. This study provides evidence of a time-dependent increase in the iron and manganese plaque content of rice root surfaces during 96 h of complete submergence (CS), accompanied by the increased expression in roots of genes in the OsACS (OsACS1, OsACS2, OsACS4 and OsACS5) and OsACO (OsACO1, OsACO2, OsACO3 and OsACO7) families. To further investigate ethylene action in root plaque formation, rice seedlings were completely submerged in Kimura B nutrient solutions containing different concentrations of Fe2+ or Mn2+. Under these conditions, root plaques were induced dramatically in an almost dose-dependent manner. Iron and manganese plaque formation was promoted by the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid and blocked by the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor aminoethoxyvinyl glycine (AVG) in seedlings grown on media supplemented or not with Fe2+ or Mn2+. Furthermore, submergence-induced iron and manganese root plaque formation was decreased by pretreatment with 5 μM AVG for 12 h. Our findings suggest that ethylene signaling is involved in CS-induced iron and manganese root plaque formation in rice.

Mercury contamination in food can pose serious health risks to consumers and coal-fired power plants have been identified as the major source of mercury emissions. To assess the current state of mercury pollution in food crops grown near coal-fired power plants, we measured the total mercury concentration in vegetables and grain crops collected from farms located near two coal-fired power plants. We found that 79% of vegetable samples and 67% of grain samples exceeded the PTWI’s food safety standards. The mercury concentrations of soil samples were negatively correlated with distances from the studied coal-fired power plants, and the mercury contents in lettuce, amaranth, water spinach, cowpea and rice samples were correlated with the mercury contents in soil samples, respectively. Also, the mercury concentrations in vegetable leaves were much higher than those in roots and the mercury content of vegetable leaves decreased significantly after water rinses. Our calculation suggests that probable weekly intake of mercury for local residents, assuming all of their vegetables and grains are from their own farmland, may exceed the toxicologically tolerable values allowed, and therefore long-term consumptions of these contaminated vegetables and grains may pose serious health risks.

Gibberellins (GAs) play a crucial role in growth and development of the tomato fruit. Previously published studies focusing on the effect of GAs on tomato fruits used chemical treatments, constitutive overexpression or silencing of GA biosynthetic and catabolic genes globally throughout the plant. Fruit-specific overexpression of GA catabolic enzyme genes GA2-oxidases (GA2oxs), however, may provide an alternative method to study the role of endogenous GAs on the fruit development. In this study, we have identified 11 SlGA2ox proteins in tomato that are classified into three subgroups. Motif analysis and multiple sequence alignments have demonstrated that all SlGA2oxs, except SlGA2ox10, have similar motif compositions and high-sequence conservation. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis has showed that SlGA2oxs exhibit differential expression patterns in tomato fruits at different developmental stages. When the fruit-specific promoter TFM7 was used to control the expression of SlGA2ox1, we observed no changes in growth and development of vegetative organs. However, fruit weight, seed number and germination rate were significantly affected. We also treated tomato fruits with GA biosynthesis inhibitor and observed phenotypes similar to those of the transgenic fruits. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that expression of cell expansion and GA responsive genes were downregulated in transgenic tomato fruits, supporting that overexpression of the SlGA2ox1 leads to reduction in endogenous GAs. This study provides additional evidence that endogenous GAs and the SlGA2ox1 gene play an important role in controlling on fruit weight, seed development and germination in tomato plant.