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Kai-Yi Tao,1 Xian-Xing Li,2 Wei-Zhen Xu,3 Yin Wang,4 Shuang-Mei Zhu,5 Hua-Xia Xie,3 Wen-Hua Luo,6 Yan-Jun Xu,7 Xiao-Ling Xu3,7 1Department of Thoracic Surgery, 2Department of Radiology, 3Key Laboratory on Diagnosis and Treatment Technology on Thoracic Cancer, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital (Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute), 4Physical Examination Center, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou, 5Department of Radio-Chemotherapy Oncology, Lishui People’s Hospital, Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 6Department of Radio-Chemotherapy Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 7Department of Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China Background: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms in apoptosis-related genes have been shown to play a role in the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy and may influence clinical outcomes. Our study aimed to evaluate the correlations of four functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms – FAS −670 A>G, FAS ligand −844 T>C, survivin −31 G>C, and survivin 9386 C>T – with drug response and clinical outcomes in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy. Materials and methods: Polymorphisms were evaluated using the polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment-length polymorphism technique.Results: Patients with the CC genotype of FAS −670 A>G had worse overall survival (OS) than those with the CT or TT genotype (P=0.044), with median OS values of 20.1 months, 22.8 months, and 26.0 months, respectively. Furthermore, progression-free survival was associated with the FAS −670 A>G polymorphism (P=0.032). In addition, patients with the TC and CC genotypes of survivin 9386 C>T experienced improved survival compared with patients with the TT genotype (median OS 31.4 months and 22.8 months, respectively).Conclusion: The functional FAS −670 A>G and survivin 9386 C>T polymorphisms are potential independent prognostic factors in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Keywords: lung cancer, FAS −670 A>G, survivin 9386 C>T, polymorphism, chemotherapy response

Introduction: Phosphodiesterase 9 (PDE9) has been demonstrated as a potential target for neurological disorders and cardiovascular diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and heart failure. For the last few years, a series of PDE9 inhibitors with structural diversities have been developed and patented by researchers and pharmaceutical companies, providing insights into first-in-class therapies of PDE9 drug candidates., Area Covered: This review provides an overview of PDE9 inhibitors in patents from 2018 to the present., Expert Opinion: Only a few of the current PDE9 inhibitors are highly selective over other PDEs, which limits their application in pharmacological and clinical research. The design and development of highly selective PDE9 inhibitors remain the top priority in future research. The advantages of targeting PDE9 rather than other PDEs in treating neurodegenerative diseases need to be explained thoroughly. Besides, application of PDE9 inhibitor-based combination therapies sheds light on treating diabetes and refractory heart diseases. Finally, PDE9 inhibitors should be further explored in clinical indications beyond neurological disorders and cardiovascular diseases.

The chemical composition of Ganoderma lucidum ethanol extracts was systematically analyzed and identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS). The fragmentation pattern of the representative chemical compounds was summarized, and the potential anti-liver fibrosis active compounds of G. lucidum acting on the farnesoid X receptor(FXR) target were studied to elucidate its pharmacodynamic substance basis. Preliminarily, 95 chemical constituents of G. lucidum ethanol extracts were identified, including 24 ganoderic acids, 9 ganoderenic acids, 13 lucidenic acids, 3 ganolucidic acids, 1 ganoderma lactone, 40 other triterpenoids, 4 fatty acids, and 1 other constituent. In addition, the fragmentation patterns of the representative compounds were also analyzed. The structural characteristics of ganoderic acids and ganoderenic acids were the C30 skeleton, containing free-COOH and-OH groups, which could easily lose H_2O and CO_2 to form fragment ions. The D-ring was mostly a five-membered ring, which was prone to breakage. Lucidenic acids were the lanosterolane-type of the C27 skeleton, and the side-chain structure became shorter and contained the same free-COOH and-OH compared with ganoderic acids, which had been reduced from 8 to 5 cartons and prone to lose H_2O and CO_2. Then, six reported FXR receptor agonists were selected to form a training set for establishing a pharmacophore model based on FXR ligands. The 95 identified chemical constituents of G. lucidum were matched with the pharmacophore, and the optimal pharmacophore model 02(sensitivity=0.750 00, specificity=0.555 56, ROC=0.750) was selected for the virtual screening of the G. lucidum compound library through the validation of the test set. Finally, 31 potential G. lucidum active constituents were screened and chosen to activate the FXRs. The ADMET results showed that ganoderic acid H and lucidenic acid J had less than 90% plasma protein binding rate and no hepatotoxicity, which could be used as FXR activators for developing clinical drugs for the treatment of liver fibrosis, either alone or in combination.

Peptidomics was employed to systematically analyze the characteristic peptides in Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum and its adulterants and establish a method for distinguishing Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum from its adulterants, including the gizzard membranes from ducks, geese, and pigeons. UPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap-MS was combined with multivariate statistical analysis to analyze the peptides in Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum and its adulterants. The structures of peptides were identified by pNovo combined with manual recognition of spectra, and synthetic peptide standards were used for validation. LC-MS/MS was used to optimize the sample pre-processing conditions, including the extraction procedure, extraction time, extraction solvents, and solvent volumes, for the characteristic peptide LESY in Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum. Multiple reaction monitoring(MRM) in the ESI~+ mode with m/z 511.24→269.11 and 511.24→243.13 as detection ions was employed for qualitative and quantitative analyses. The established UPLC-MS/MS method demonstrated good specificity, stability, and durability. The content of LESY in 16 batches of Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum samples ranged from 55.03 to 113.36 μg·g~(-1). Additionally, a qualitative detection method for the common peptide RDPVLVSR in adulterants was established with m/z 471.28→785.45 and 471.28→670.41 as the detection ions. This study established a convenient, rapid, and accurate detection method for the characteristic peptides in Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum and its adulterants. The method possesses good specificity, stability, and durability, providing a valuable reference for the identification and quality control of Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum and other traditional Chinese medicines derived from animal sources.

Filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus are prodigious producers of alkaloids, particularly prenylated indole alkaloids, that often exhibit structurally diversified skeletons and potent biological activities. In this study, five prenylated indole alkaloids possessing a bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane core ring system, including a novel derivative, namely aspertaichamide A (1), as well as four known compounds, (+)-stephacidin A (2), sclerotiamide (3), (-)-versicolamide B (4), and (+)-versicolamide B (5), were isolated and identified from A. taichungensis 299, an endophytic fungus obtained from the marine red alga Gelidium amansii. The chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated by comprehensive NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic analyses. In addition to the previously reported prenylated indole alkaloids, aspertaichamide A (1) was characterized as having an unusual ring structure with the fusion of a 3-pyrrolidone dimethylbenzopyran to the bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane moiety, which was rare in these kinds of compounds. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by TDDFT-ECD calculations. In vitro cytotoxic assays revealed that the novel compound 1 possessed selective cytotoxic activity against five human tumor cell lines (A549, HeLa, HepG2, HCT-116, and AGS), with IC 50 values of 1.7-48.5 μM. Most importantly, compound 1 decreased the viability of AGS cells in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC 50 value of 1.7 μM. Further studies indicated that 1 may induce AGS cells programmed cell death via the apoptotic pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of marsupialization treatment for odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) and unicystic ameloblastoma (UA) based on the three-dimensional volumetric change over time, and to determine the difference between OKC and UA in terms of the absolute volume reduction (AVR) and absolute shrinkage speed (ASS), and whether they are correlated with the preoperative volume, time after marsupialization (time between marsupialization and second treatment), and patient age. This was a retrospective cohort study with a sample size of 60 patients: 29 with OKC and 31 with UA. Pre- and post-marsupialization cone beam computed tomography images were analysed using Mimics software. The volume reduction and shrinkage speed were analysed and correlated with the preoperative volume, time after marsupialization, and demographic data. Descriptive univariable and multivariable statistics were computed; significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. The mean percentage volume reduction after marsupialization was 67.6 ± 9.6% for OKC and 63.3 ± 20.1% for UA. There was no significant difference in AVR or ASS between the OKC and UA groups. For OKC and UA, the preoperative volume (both P < 0.001) and time after marsupialization (P = 0.024 and P < 0.001, respectively) were associated with AVR. Moreover, for OKC and UA, the preoperative volume and time after marsupialization were also significantly associated with the ASS (all P < 0.001). For both lesions, patient age was not significantly related to AVR or ASS. Marsupialization appears to be a viable option to decrease the volume of OKC and UA. Age was found not to be associated with the volume reduction of either UA or OKC., Competing Interests: Competing interests None., (Copyright © 2022 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study surveyed 114 Taiwanese and 57 Thai workers in a tape manufacturing factory in Taiwan and evaluated their symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) and associated risk factors by using the revised Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Task-appropriate biomechanical and body load assessment tools were also employed to examine biomechanical and body load during four specified daily tasks. The results indicated that the prevalence of discomfort symptoms in any body part within one year was 81.6% for the Taiwanese workers and 72.3% for the Thai workers. The body part in which the Taiwanese workers most frequently experienced discomfort was the shoulders (57.0%), followed by the lower back (47.4%), the neck (43.9%), and the knees (36.8%); where the Thai workers most frequently experienced discomfort was the hands or wrists (42.1%), followed by the shoulders (36.8%) and the buttocks or thighs (31.6%). These locations of discomfort were associated with task characteristics. Heavy-material handling (>20 kg) more than 20 times per day was the most significant risk factor for WMSDs for both groups, and this task must thus be urgently improved. We also suggest that providing wrist braces for Thai workers may assist in alleviating their hand and wrist discomfort. The biomechanical assessment results indicated that the compression forces acting on the workers' lower backs exceeded the Action Limit standard; administrative controls must thus be instituted for two heavy-material handling tasks. In the factory, some tasks and workers' movements when completing these tasks must be assessed and improved immediately by using appropriate tools. Although the Thai workers were engaged in more physically demanding tasks, their WMSDs were milder than those of the Taiwanese workers. The results of the study can serve as references for the prevention and reduction of WMSDs in local and foreign workers in similar industries.

Background: Understanding the spatial distribution of active compounds can effectively evaluate the quality of decoction pieces of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Traditional methods are economical and practical but lack chemical information on the original distribution. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), with the advantage of non-destructive detection of samples, can directly analyze the distribution of chemical compounds on the surface of various samples., Methods: In this study, TOF-SIMS image analysis technology was used to detect TCM for the first time. Taking Coptis rhizome (CR) as an example, a commonly used TCM, the distribution of the compounds in the cross-section of CR was studied. Meanwhile, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLCQQQ-MS/MS) was used to verify the results of TOF-SIMS., Results: The distribution of nine active compounds: berberine, epiberberine, coptisine, palmatine, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, tetrahydricheilanthifolinium, and oxyberberine, was well imaged in the cross-section of CR by TOF-SIMS. The content of berberine and epiberberine was the highest; Palmatine distribution in the pith was more than that in other parts; Oxyberberine was mainly concentrated in the cork and xylem rays. Normalization analysis showed contents of these compounds increased along with the growth years. The result was consistent with UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS., Conclusion: The TOF-SIMS method can display the spatial distribution status of the active compounds of herbs, providing a basis for selecting the medicine site with non-destructive and fast detection., Competing Interests: Authors Wen-Hui Luo, Dong-Mei Sun and Mei Wei were employed by the company Guangdong Yifang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 He, Huang, Dai, Qu, Lu, Lao, Luo, Sun, Wei, Xiao, Xie, Liu and Zhou.)

With the progress of imaging technology and the popularization of healthy examination, the detection rate of pancreatic cystic neoplasm(PCN) has increased significantly. PCN has complex disease spectrum, strong heterogeneity, and diverse surgical treatment strategies. Surgical timing and methods directly affect patients' prognosis. Therefore, how to identify malignant tumors and formulate reasonable treatment strategies are the keys to treat PCN. Many guidelines for clinical diagnosis and treatment of PCN have been released, but there are still many disputes about its surgical indications. Hence, fully assessing the surgical indications is of great significance to improve the PCN patients' prognosis. This paper deeply discusses on the surgical indications of PCN by reviewing the current clinical diagnosis, treatment and research progress of PCN, in order to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of PCN.

Objectives: Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between the severity of frailty and the long-term care (LTC) needs of older adults from Chinese communities., Design: A cross-sectional study., Setting: Three Chinese community health centres. All data were collected by trained researchers through face-to-face collection., Participants: We surveyed a total of 540 older residents who aged 60 or older from community in Guangzhou, China., Measures: The Chinese version of the Tilburg frailty indicator was used to assess the frailty status of participants. LTC needs was evaluated by Integrated Home Care Services Questionnaire. Using non-adjusted and multivariate adjusted logistic regression analysis to evaluate frailty and LTC needs, then smoothed plots, threshold effect analysis and P for trend were used to further investigate the relationship between them., Results: The prevalence of frailty was 45.2% among the 540 older adults enrolled (aged 70.4±8.3 years; 65.7% females). 27% had higher LTC needs, which increased to 65.1% for individuals with frailty. Logistic regression analysis showed that frailty was strongly associated with LTC needs (OR 3.06, 95% CI 2.06 to 4.55, p<0.01). In the multivariate model, after adjusting for demographic characteristics, economic situation, activities of daily living and comorbidities, frailty remained significantly associated with LTC needs (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.88, p<0.01). The smoothed plots showed a nearly linear relationship between frailty and LTC needs. Threshold effect analysis showed that every point increase in frailty, the score of LTC needs increased 1.3 points. The IQR to regroup individuals with frailty. Compared with the first quartile (scores ≤2), the incidence of LTC needs increased with the frailty status (p value for trend <0.01)., Conclusion: There is a linear relationship between frailty and LTC needs. With the increasing degree of frailty, the LTC needs of older adults dramatically increases., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The mitochondrial DNA G-quadruplex (mtDNA G4) is a potential regulatory element for the regulation of mitochondrial functions; however, its relevance and specific roles in diseases remain largely unknown. Here, we engineered a set of chemical probes, including MitoISCH , an mtDNA G4-specific fluorescent probe, together with MitoPDS , a mitochondria-targeted G4-stabilizing agent, to thoroughly investigate mtDNA G4s. Using MitoISCH to monitor previously intractable dynamics of mtDNA G4s, we surprisingly found that their formation was prevalent only in endothelial and cancer cells that rely on glycolysis for energy production. Consistent with this, promotion of mtDNA G4 folding by MitoPDS in turn caused glycolysis-related gene activation and glycolysis enhancement. Remarkably, this close relationship among mtDNA G4s, glycolysis, and cancer cells further allowed MitoISCH to accumulate in tumors and label them in vivo. Our work reveals an unprecedented link between mtDNA G4s and cell glycolysis, suggesting that mtDNA G4s may be a novel cancer biomarker and therapeutic target deserving further exploration.

Effects of water limiting and nitrogen reduction on yield, nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen apparent balance of wheat were investigated to explore whether it would be feasible to restrict water and reduce nitrogen in wheat production of the Guanzhong Plain and thus to provide scientific supports for yield-stable, high-efficiency, and environment-friendly developments in the irrigated production of winter wheat. Following a split-plot design with two water regimes as the main plots and four N addition rates as sub-plot factors, a field experiment (2017-2019) was conducted in Yangling, Shaanxi. The two water regimes were conventionally irrigating at the rate of 60 mm during the overwinter period and at the jointing stage, respectively (W 2 , a conventional practice) and irrigating at a rate of 60 mm during the overwintering period (W 1 , a restrictive irrigation practice). The four nitrogen addition rates were 300 kg·hm -2 (N 300 , a conventional N rate), 225 kg·hm -2 (N 225 , a nitrogen rate of 25% less than the convention), 150 kg·hm -2 (N 150 , a nitrogen rate 50% of less than the convention), and 0 kg·hm -2 (N 0 , no nitrogen applied). The decreased irrigation rate and nitrogen rate significantly increased nitrogen content in the plants and grains, yield, N output, nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen harvest index, nitrogen recovery efficiency, and nitrogen agronomic efficiency, reduced nitrate leaching and N surpluses, and maintained nitrogen balance. With both W 1 and N 150 adopted, the increased irrigation rate and nitrogen rate did not affect yield and N output of winter wheat in 2017-2019. Plant nitrogen content with both W 1 and N 150 adopted increased by 0.1%-25.5% and 14.0%-31.6% and the grain nitrogen content increased by 0.1% and 4.6%, compared with those with both W 2 and N 300 adopted in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, respectively. Nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen harvest index, nitrogen recovery efficiency, and nitrogen agronomic efficiency were averagely increased by 95.3%, 4.2%, 81.7% and 33.0% respectively. The N surplus was decreased by 97.2% and 95.1%, which effectively alleviated soil nitrate leaching. Considering all the indicators, irrigating at 600 m 3 ·hm -2 during the overwintering period plus applying nitrogen at 150 kg·hm -2 could achieve high yield, high efficiency, and environment friendly development of winter wheat in the Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi.

Phenolic bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids (PBS) represent a rare class of natural products with diverse biological activities. In this study, chemical investigations of the fungus Aspergillus flavipes 297 resulted in the isolation and identification of seven PBS, including a pair of new enantiomers (+)-1a and (-)-1b, a new derivative 2, and five previously reported ones 3-7. The chemical structures of the isolated PBS were determined by extensive NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of the separated enantiomers (+)-1a and (-)-1b were solved by comparison of the experimental ECD spectra with those of the TDDFT-ECD calculated spectra. The new compounds 1 and 2 represent rare cases of PBS bearing a methylsulfinyl group, which was distinct from the commonly-observed PBS structurally. All the isolated compounds 1-7 were evaluated their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. As a result, the tested compounds showed selective antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic bacteria and fungi with the MIC (minimum inhibiting concentrations) values ranging from 2 to 64 μg/mL. Moreover, enantiomers (+)-1a and (-)-1b, together with compound 2, exhibited promising cytotoxicity against MKN-45 and HepG2 cell lines, respectively, indicating that the methylsulfinyl substituent enhanced cytotoxicity to a certain degree., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To demonstrate whether KT is better than placebo taping, nonelastic taping, or no taping in reducing pain., Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched up to 20 October 2020 for randomized controlled studies that used KT to treat chronic knee pain according to PRISMA guidelines. We extracted the mean differences and SD in pretreatment and posttreatment for selected outcomes measured in the experimental and control groups for subsequent meta-analyses., Results: In total, 8 studies involving 416 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Our results indicated that KT is better than other tapings (placebo taping or nonelastic taping) in the early four weeks. The mean difference was -1.44 (95% CI: -2.04--0.84, I 2  = 49%, P ≤ 0.01). Treatment methods which were performed for more than six weeks (0.16 (95% CI: -0.35-0.68, I 2  = 0%, P =0.53)) show no significant difference in reducing pain. In studies in which visual analogue scale was measured, a positive effect was observed for KT combined with exercise program training (-3.27 (95% CI: -3.69-2.85, I 2  = 0%, P < 0.05))., Conclusion: KT exhibited significant but temporary pain reduction., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in preparing this article., (Copyright © 2021 Wen-hao Luo and Ye Li.)

In recent years, more and more attention has been paid on the role of neoadjuvant therapy in the comprehensive treatment of pancreatic cancer. There is increasing evidence indicates that neoadjuvant therapy improves the R0 resection rate and patient's prognosis. However, the indication, therapy selection and efficacy evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer are still controversial, thus its clinical application is not very mature. This article aims to analyze the clinical implementation dilemma of neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer, and discuss the scientific and reasonable neoadjuvant treatment mode for pancreatic cancer patients.

A novel nanocomposite poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) film with controlled in vitro release of iprodione (ID) was prepared. Chitosan (CS) was used as the reinforcement which enhances the water and oxygen permeability of films. ID loaded poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL) (IPP) micelles were used as the drug carrier which endows the films with antifungal and controlled release ability. IPP micelles with spherical shape and uniform size were obtained, and the maximum encapsulation efficacy (EE) was 91.17 ± 5.03% by well controlling the feeding amount of ID. Incorporation CS could improve the oxygen and moisture permeability of films, and the maximum oxygen permeability (OP) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) were 477.84 ± 13.03 cc/(m 2 ·d·0.1 MPa) and 8.60 ± 0.25 g m -2 d -1 , respectively. After loading IPP micelles, the films showed an improved antifungal ability and temperature-sensitive drug release behavior, and were found to enhance the quality of grapes by pre-harvest spraying., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the symptoms and characteristics of nervous system damage in severe/critically severe patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Sichuan province, with a view to providing basic references for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19., Methods: A total of 90 patients with severe/critically severe COVID-19 were included, who were diagnosed and treated in COVID-19 designated hospital of Sichuan province from 11 January 2020 to 20 March 2020. Clinical features, test results, treatment options and clinical outcomes were analyzed retrospectively., Results: Of 90 patients, there were 54 males and 36 females, with an average age of (53.90±16.92) years. In addition to the classic symptoms such as fever and/or respiratory symptoms, 53 patients also had various degrees of neurologic manifestations, including 33 cases of fatigue, 21 muscle soreness, 12 dizziness, 8 headaches, 3 mental disorders, and 1 consciousness disorders and 1 case of neck pain. Compared with the patients without neurologic manifestations, those with neurologic manifestations took a longer time from admission to diagnosis of COVID-19 ( P <0.05), and received more antifungal treatment ( P <0.05)., Conclusions: Neurological symptoms are not uncommon in severe/critically severe patients with COVID-19, and it's relatively difficult in the treatment. It should be paid attention in order to avoid misdiagnosis., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

To get a scientific pattern for nitrogen-reducing and efficiency-increasing production of spring maize in Weibei dryland, we conducted an in-situ field experiment of spring maize (Zhengdan 958 and Shaandan 8806) under dryland farming from 2016 to 2019 in Heyang County, located in Weibei dryland of Shaanxi. There were five nitrogen (N) treatments, including 360 kg·hm -2 (N 360 , a rate commonly adopted by local farm households), 270 kg·hm -2 (N 270 ), 150-180 kg·hm -2 (N 150-180 ), 75-90 kg·hm -2 (N 75-90 ) and 0 kg·hm -2 (N 0 ). We investigated the effects of reduced nitrogen application on maize yield, nitrogen uptake and utilization of spring maize and soil nitrate residue. The results showed that: 1) Maize yield of both varieties at N 150-180 was increased by 0.9%-7.1% and nitrogen uptake was decreased by 4.1%-4.6%, while average reco-very efficiency, partial-factor productivity and agronomic efficiency of N at N 150-180 were increased by 79.3%-83.6%, 105.9%-157.7%, and 101.9%-114.1% compared with those at N 360 , respectively. 2) The contents of residual nitrate increased significantly when nitrogen application rate was more than 180 kg·hm -2 , while nitrogen uptake was significantly reduced under rainfall shortage, and thus resulted in increasing soil residual nitrogen. After four-year treatments, the residual nitrate was up to 504.7-620.8 kg·hm -2 in 0-200 cm soil layer, with a peak in 80-140 cm soil layer. There was a risk of nitrate leaching. According to the comprehensive evaluation for annual yield, nitrogen use efficiency and soil nitrate residue, the optimum N application rate was recommended to be 150-180 kg N·hm -2 for spring maize in Weibei dryland.

Introduction : Mutant KRAS is a genetic driver of multiple cancers that has challenged clinical anti-cancer therapeutics in the last 3 decades. Neo-antigens encoded by KRAS mutations have been identified as tumor-specific with high immunogenicity and can be used to deliver precision cancer vaccines to promote anti-tumor immune responses. KRAS mutation-based cancer vaccines have produced encouraging preclinical and clinical results. Cancer vaccines represent a promising approach to treat KRAS-driven cancers. Areas covered : In this review, we summarize the development and progress of vaccines targeting KRAS and evaluate their potential benefits and obstacles in the current landscape of therapy for KRAS-driven cancers. Expert opinion : KRAS mutation-based cancer vaccines can induce immunogenicity in patients with KRAS-driven cancers. However, the mechanisms of tumor suppression including cellular and molecular factors within the tumor microenvironment may limit vaccine efficacy. Combining KRAS-driven therapeutic cancer vaccines with other methods and adjuvants can circumvent immunosuppression and promote therapeutic successes.

Objectives: To investigate the influence of statins on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMVD)., Participants: 23,494 patients who received coronary angiography (CAG) were included. Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction, Myocardial Perfusion Grading (TMPG), a useful angiographic method, was used to evaluate CMVD., Results: Using multivariate analysis, NYHA III/IV (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.03-2.01; P=0.031), PCI history (HR, 3.69; 95% CI, 2.57-5.31; P<0.001), TG (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26; P=0.001), creatinine (HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; P<0.001), cTnT (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99; P<0.001), heart rate (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97-0.99; P=0.001), β -blocker (HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.51-0.91; P=0.008), aspirin (HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.24-0.61; P<0.001), and statins (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.19-0.60; P<0.001) significantly correlated with reduced MACE in CMVD patients. In subgroups analysis, statins decreased MACE overall (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.19-0.59; P<0.001) and in CMVD patients with smoking history (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.43-0.93; P=0.014), diabetes (HR,0.27; 95% CI,0.12-0.61; P=0.002), hypertension (HR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.03-0.36; P=0.001), and hypertension and diabetes (HR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.014-0.53; P=0.008)., Conclusion: Statins could reduce MACE in patients with CMVD.

The specific sensing of an exact G-quadruplex structure by small molecules has never been reported. A fluorescent sensor based on the photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) mechanism provides possibilities for such specific, one-to-one recognition, indicated by fluorescence. We have rationally developed a PeT fluorescent sensor IZFL-2 by linking triarylimidazole and fluorescein moieties. IZFL-2 is a distinctive, smart sensor whose fluorescence is tunable by its molecular conformations. We then applied IZFL-2 to sensing G-quadruplexes and found that it could exactly distinguish the wild-type c-MYC G-quadruplex from other types of G-quadruplexes, as shown by the activation of its fluorescence. To understand this behavior, we performed various experiments, including fluorescence assays, absorption assays, and multiscale molecular dynamics simulations, to thoroughly investigate the optimal binding mode of IZFL-2 in the c-MYC G-quadruplex. Then, the corresponding HOMO-LUMO of IZFL-2 was analyzed, and the results demonstrated that the PeT process of IZFL-2 is suppressed only in the wild-type c-MYC G-quadruplex via specific loop interactions, which restores its fluorescence. To our knowledge, this smart molecule provides the first example of and new insights into the development of sensors specific for a particular G-quadruplex structure by utilizing intramolecular PeT-controlled fluorescence switching.

The arginine/glycine-rich region termed the RGG domain is usually found in G-quadruplex (G4)-binding proteins and is important in G4-protein interactions. Studies on the binding mechanism of RGG domains found that small segments (RGG motif) inside the domain contribute greatly to the G4 binding affinity. However, unlike the entire RGG domains that have been broadly explored, the role of the RGG motif remains obscure, with very limited study. Herein, to clarify the role of the RGG motif in G4-protein interactions, we systematically investigated the binding affinity and mode between RGG-motif peptides and G4s. The internal arrangement of RGG repeats and gap amino acids played a more crucial role in the G4-binding mechanism than a critical number of RGG repeats. Arginines and phenylalanines at the exact position of the RGG motif might enable additional hydrogen bonding and π-stacking interaction with nucleobases and strengthen the binding of G4. Impressively, proceeding from a G4-binding RGG peptide, 12, discovered above, we identified the cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP) as a new G4 DNA-binding protein both in vitro and in cells. In addition, we found that the key amino acids for G4 binding in peptide 12 and CIRBP were highly similar, and peptide 12 clearly played a key role in the G4 binding of CIRBP. This report is the first in which a G4-binding protein was identified from exploration of the G4-binding RGG motif. Our findings suggest a novel strategy for discovering new G4-binding proteins by exploring key peptide segments.

This study aimed to investigate role of long noncoding RNA PTENP1 regulating PTEN expression via miR-19b to affect breast cancer (BC) progression. We measured expressions of PTENP1, miR-19b and PTEN in 65 matched BC cancerous and noncancerous tissues by quantitative real-time fluorescence PCR (qRT-PCR) and investigated the biological effects of PTENP1 in BC MDA-MB-231 cells by several in vitro experiments including CCK8, wound healing, transwell and Annexin V-FITC/PI analysis. Besides, the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) activity of PTENP1 on miR-19b was detected by luciferase reporter assay, and the expressions of related genes and proteins were determined by western blot assay and qRT-PCR. Increased PTENP1 and PTEN and decreased miR-19b were observed in BC tissues and cell lines. Further, PTENP1 and PTEN are direct targets of miR-19b, and overexpressed PTENP1 in MDA-MB-231 cells could supress cell proliferation, migration and invasion and promote cell apoptosis. Moreover, PTENP1 could upregulate PTEN via its ceRNA interaction on miR-19b, as well as induced the upregulation of p53 and downregulation of p-AKT. Enhanced PTENP1 could inhibit BC cell growth, metastasis and tumourigenicity by inhibiting miR-19b and facilitating PTEN in BC, thereby may represent a novel target for diagnosis and treatment of BC.

The objective of this study was to investigate the function of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) on the activation of antigen-specific CD8 + T cell responses via the CD11b + Gr - 1 + myeloid subpopulations in murine bone marrow (BM). PLGA NPs containing ovalbumin (OVA) were fabricated by the double-emulsion method. The CD11b + Gr-1 low Ly-6C high and CD11b + Gr-1 high Ly-6C low subsets from mice bone marrow were sorted and treated with the PLGA/OVA NPs, followed by co-culture with the carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE)-labelled OT-I CD8 + cells. Co-culture of OT-I CD8 + T cells with PLGA/OVA NPs-primed CD11b + Gr-1 + subsets upregulated the expression of IL-2, TNF-α, INF-γ, granzyme B, and perforin, resulting in proliferation of CD8 + T cells and differentiation into effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). In vivo proliferation of CFSE-labelled OT-I CD8 + cells in response to OVA was also obtained in the animals immunized with PLGA/OVA NPs. The results presented in this study demonstrate the ability of polymeric NPs to recruit two CD11b + Gr - 1 + myeloid subsets for effective presentation of exogenous antigen to OT-I CD8 + T cells in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, leading to an induction of antigen-specific cell proliferation and differentiation into effector cells.

In this paper, an implicit finite difference scheme with the shifted Grünwald formula, which is unconditionally stable, is used to discretize the fractional diffusion equations with constant diffusion coefficients. The coefficient matrix possesses the Toeplitz structure and the fast Toeplitz matrix-vector product can be utilized to reduce the computational complexity from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text], where N is the number of grid points. Two preconditioned iterative methods, named bi-conjugate gradient method for Toeplitz matrix and bi-conjugate residual method for Toeplitz matrix, are proposed to solve the relevant discretized systems. Finally, numerical experiments are reported to show the effectiveness of our preconditioners.

The biodistribution of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) is of crucial importance in the development of nanoparticle-based vaccine delivery or immunotherapy for cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinetics of cellular biodistribution of polymeric NPs in the immune system. Polystyrene (PS) yellow-green nanoparticles (YG-NPs) 500nm in diameter were intravenously (i.v.) injected into the tail veins of mice, and the kinetics of YG-NP biodistribution was followed by harvesting cells at pre-determined time points from various immune organs, including blood, bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes and analyzing them by polychromatic flow cytometry. To observe the location of YG-NPs in the spleen after i.v. administration, spleens of mice were isolated at 6h post-injection (p.i.), cryosectioned, immunostained, and examined by confocal microscopy. Our data show that the major phagocytosing cells included granulocytes (B220¯CD11b(+)Gr-1(high)Ly-6C(low)) in the blood and bone marrow and B cells (CD11b¯B220(+)) in the spleen. The kinetics of the phenotypic analysis suggest the potential trans-differentiation of the B220¯CD11b(+)Gr-1(low)Ly-6C(high) subset into B220¯CD11b(+)Gr-1¯Ly-6C¯ double-negative (DN) cells expressing the F4/80 macrophage phenotype in the blood and CD115 in the bone marrow after treatment with YG-NPs. Based on the microscopic analysis of spleen cryosections, the majority of YG-NPs were located in the marginal zones (MZ) and red pulp of the spleen at 6h post-injection (p.i.), allowing further interaction with MZ macrophages and granulocytes. The data obtained in this study demonstrate the kinetics of biodistribution of polymeric nanoparticles in the blood, bone marrow, and spleen at the cellular level., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the induction of antigen-specific T cell activation and cell cycle modulation by a poly-DL-lactide/glycolide (PLGA) nanoparticle (NP)-primed CD11b(+)Gr-1(high) subset isolated from mouse bone marrow., Methods: PLGA NPs containing the ovalbumin (OVA) antigen were prepared using the double emulsion and solvent evaporation method, and protein release rate and cell viability were determined. The Lin2(¯)CD11b(+)Gr-1(high)Ly6c(low) (Gr-1(high)) subset was sorted from the bone marrow of C57BL/6 J mice by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and co-cultured with OT-I CD8(+) splenic T cells. Proliferation of OT-I CD8(+) T cells was monitored, and cell cycles were determined by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling., Results: Treatment of Gr-1(high) cells with PLGA/OVA NPs upregulated expression of the SIINFEKL-H2K(b) complex in the context of MHC I. Co-cultures of OT-I CD8(+) T cells with the PLGA/OVA NP-primed Gr-1(high) cells induced the proliferation of T cells in vitro and modulated cell division and morphology. Treatment of Gr-1(high) cells with PLGA/OVA NPs also induced cell apoptosis and necrosis., Conclusion: This study demonstrated the function of PLGA/OVA NPs in the activation of OT-I CD8(+) T cells and the capability of cross-presentation via the Gr-1(high) polymorphonuclear subset from mouse bone marrow.

This study investigated effects of mature compost on gaseous emissions during composting using pig manure amended with corn stalks. Apart from a control treatment, three treatments were conducted with the addition of 5% (wet weight of raw materials) of mature compost: (a) mixing raw materials with mature compost at the beginning of composting; (b) covering raw materials with mature compost throughout the experimental period; and (c) covering raw materials with mature compost at the start of composting, but incorporating it into composting pile on day 6 of composting. Mature compost used for the last treatment was inoculated with 2% (wet weight) of raw materials of strain M5 (a methanotrophic bacterium) solution. During 30-d of composting, three treatments with the addition of mature compost could reduce CH4 emission by 53-64% and N2O emission by 43-71%. However, covering with mature compost throughout the experimental period increased cumulative NH3 emission by 61%, although it could reduce 34% NH3 emission in the first 3d. Inoculating strain M5 in mature compost covered on the top of composting pile within first 6d enhanced CH4 oxidation, but simultaneously increased N2O emission. In addition, mixing with mature compost could improve compost maturity. Given the operational convenience in practice, covering with mature compost and then incorporating it into composting pile is a suitable approach to mitigate gaseous emissions during composting., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Sauvagesia rhodoleuca (Ochnaceae) is an endangered plant that is endemic to southern China. The levels of genetic variation and patterns of population structure in S. rhodoleuca were investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat markers. Eleven primers were used to amplify DNA samples from 117 individuals, and a total of 92 loci were detected. Our results indicated that genetic diversity was quite low both at the species level (percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) = 41.30%, Nei's gene diversity (h) = 0.1331, and Shannon information index (I) = 0.2028) and the population level (PPB = 16.30-28.26%, h = 0.0496-0.1012, and I = 0.0756-0.1508). A high level of genetic differentiation among populations was detected based on Nei's genetic diversity analysis (0.4344) and analysis of molecular variance (47.03%). The low genetic diversity within population and high population differentiation of S. rhodoleuca were assumed to result largely from limited gene flow, genetic drift, inbreeding, and clonal growth. Conservation strategies for this endangered species are proposed based on the genetic data.

Objective: The aim of this paper was to compare the efficacy and safety of S-1-based and capecitabine-based preoperative chemoradiotherapy regimens in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer through a retrospective matched-pair analysis., Materials and Methods: Between Jan 2010 and Mar 2014, 24 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who received preoperative radiotherapy concurrently with S-1 were individually matched with 24 contemporary patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who received preoperative radiotherapy concurrently with capecitabine according to clinical stage (as determined by pelvic magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography) and age (within five years). All these patients performed mesorectal excision 4-8 weeks after the completion of chemoradiotherapy., Results: The tumor volume reduction rates were 55.9±15.1% in the S-1 group and 53.8±16.0% in the capecitabine group (p = 0.619). The overall downstaging, including both T downstaging and N downstaging, occurred in 83.3% of the S-1 group and 70.8% of the capecitabine group (p = 0.508). The significant tumor regression, including regression grade I and II, occurred in 33.3% of S-1 patients and 25.0% of capecitabine patients (p = 0.754). In the two groups, Grade 4 adverse events were not observed and Grade 3 consisted of only two cases of diarrhea, and no patient suffered hematologic adverse event of Grade 2 or higher. However, the incidence of diarrhea (62.5% vs 33.3%, p = 0.014) and hand-foot syndrome (29.2% vs 0%, p = 0.016) were higher in capecitabine group. Other adverse events did not differ significantly between two groups., Conclusions: The two preoperative chemoradiotherapy regimens were effective and safe for patients of locally advanced rectal cancer, but regimen with S-1 exhibited a lower incidence of adverse events.

Objective: This study aimed to construct a model for using in differentiating benign and malignant nodules with the artificial neural network and to increase the objective diagnostic accuracy of US., Materials and Methods: 618 consecutive patients (528 women, 161 men) with 689 thyroid nodules (425 malignant and 264 benign nodules) were enrolled in the present study. The presence and absence of each sonographic feature was assessed for each nodule - shape, margin, echogenicity, internal composition, presence of calcifications, peripheral halo and vascularity on color Doppler. The variables meet the following criteria: important sonographic features and statistically significant difference were selected as the input layer to build the ANN for predicting the malignancy of nodules., Results: Six sonographic features including shape (Taller than wide, p<0.001), margin (Not Well-circumscribed, p<0.001), echogenicity (Hypoechogenicity, p<0.001), internal composition (Solid, p<0.001), presence of calcifications (Microcalcification, p<0.001) and peripheral halo (Absent, p<0.001) were significantly associated with malignant nodules. A three-layer 6-8-1 feed-forward ANN model was built. In the training cohort, the accuracy of the ANN in predicting malignancy of thyroid nodules was 82.3% (AURO  = 0.818), the sensitivity and specificity was 84.5% and 79.1%, respectively. In the validation cohort, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity was 83.1%, 83.8% and 81.8%, respectively. The AUROC was 0.828., Conclusion: ANN constructed by sonographic features can discriminate benign and malignant thyroid nodules with high diagnostic accuracy.

This study investigated the effect of bulking agents on the maturity and gaseous emissions of composting kitchen waste. Three different bulking agents (cornstalks, sawdust, and spent mushroom substrate) were used to compost kitchen waste under aerobic conditions in 60-L reactors for a 28-d period. A control treatment was also studied using kitchen waste without a bulking agent. During the experiment, maturity indexes such as temperature, pH value, C/N ratio, and germination index were determined, and continuous measurements of leachate and gaseous emissions (CH₄, N₂O, and NH₃) were taken. The results showed that all of the composts with bulking agents reached the required maturity standard, and the addition of spent mushroom substrate gave the highest maturity (C/N ratio decreased from 23 to 16 and germination index increased from 53% to 111%). The bulking agents also reduced leachate production and CH₄ and N₂O emissions, but had little impact on NH3 emissions. Composting with sawdust as a bulking agent was found to emit less total greenhouse gas (33 kg CO₂-eqt(-1) dry matter) than the other treatments., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is both an endothelial adhesion molecule involved in leukocytes emigration, and an oxidase belonging to the family of semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidases (SSAOs). The enzyme activity of VAP-1 plays an important role in the migration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) into tumor site, and SSAO inhibitors can block the function of VAP-1. The effects of SSAO inhibitors on leukocyte infiltration and tumor progression were evaluated in H22 hepatocellular carcinoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice. Tumor weight and volume were measured after SSAO inhibitor treatment. Then, MDSCs recruitment and neo-angiogenesis were determined using immunostaining. SSAO inhibitors significantly blocked the catalytic activity of VAP-1 in tumor, attenuated tumor progression, and reduced neo-angiogenesis. CD11b(+) and Gr-1(+) MDSCs, which normally infiltrate into tumors, were significantly diminished in tumor-bearing mice treated with SSAO inhibitors. The present study demonstrated that SSAO inhibitors might have an anti-tumor effect on hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting recruitment of CD11b(+) and Gr-1(+) cells and hindering angiogenesis, which could be attributed to impairing the catalytic activity of VAP-1., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Bone cancer pain seriously affects the quality of life of cancer patients. Our previous study found that endogenous formaldehyde was produced by cancer cells metastasized into bone marrows and played an important role in bone cancer pain. However, the mechanism of production of this endogenous formaldehyde by metastatic cancer cells was unknown in bone cancer pain rats. Lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is one of the major enzymes catalyzing the production of formaldehyde. The expression of LSD1 and the concentration of formaldehyde were up-regulated in many high-risk tumors., Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether LSD1 in metastasized MRMT-1 breast cancer cells in bone marrows participated in the production of endogenous formaldehyde in bone cancer pain rats., Methodology/principal Findings: Concentration of the endogenous formaldehyde was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Endogenous formaldehyde dramatically increased in cultured MRMT-1 breast cancer cells in vitro, in bone marrows and sera of bone cancer pain rats, in tumor tissues and sera of MRMT-1 subcutaneous vaccination model rats in vivo. Formaldehyde at a concentration as low as the above measured (3 mM) induced pain behaviors in normal rats. The expression of LSD1 which mainly located in nuclei of cancer cells significantly increased in bone marrows of bone cancer pain rats from 14 d to 21 d after inoculation. Furthermore, inhibition of LSD1 decreased the production of formaldehyde in MRMT-1 cells in vitro. Intraperitoneal injection of LSD1 inhibitor pargyline from 3 d to 14 d after inoculation of MRMT-1 cancer cells reduced bone cancer pain behaviors., Conclusion: Our data in the present study, combing our previous report, suggested that in the endogenous formaldehyde-induced pain in bone cancer pain rats, LSD1 in metastasized cancer cells contributed to the production of the endogenous formaldehyde.

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) of human globin chains is an important tool for detecting thalassemias and hemoglobin variants. The challenges of this method that limit its clinical application are a long analytical time and complex sample preparation. The aim of this study was to establish a simple, rapid and high-resolution RP-HPLC method for the separation of globin chains in human blood. Red blood cells from newborns and adults were diluted in deionized water and injected directly onto a micro-jupiter C18 reversed-phase column (250 mm × 4.6 mm) with UV detection at 280 nm. Under the conditions of varying pH or the HPLC gradient, the globin chains (pre-β, β, δ, α, (G)γ and (A)γ) were denatured and separated from the heme groups in 12 min with a retention time coefficient of variation (CV) ranging from 0.11 to 1.29% and a peak area CV between 0.32% and 4.86%. Significant differences (P<0.05) among three groups (normal, Hb H and β thalassemia) were found in the area ratio of α/pre-β+β applying the rapid elution procedure, while P≥0.05 was obtained between the normal and α thalassemia silent/trait group. Based on the ANOVA results, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of the δ/β and α/pre-β+β area ratios showed a sensitivity of 100.0%, and a specificity of 100.0% for indicating β thalassemia carriers, and a sensitivity of 96.6% and a specificity of 89.6% for the prediction of hemoglobin H (Hb H) disease. The proposed cut-off was 0.026 of δ/β for β thalassemia carriers and 0.626 of α/pre-β+β for Hb H disease. In addition, abnormal hemoglobin hemoglobin E (Hb E) and Hb Westmead (Hb WS) were successfully identified using this RP-HPLC method. Our experience in developing this RP-HPLC method for the rapid separation of human globin chains could be of use for similar work., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Dry matter allocation and translocation is the base of the formation of appearance quality of ornamental plants, and strongly affected by water supply. Taking cut lily cultivar 'Sorbonne' as test material, a culture experiment of different planting dates and water supply levels was conducted in a multi-span greenhouse in Nanjing from March 2009 to January 2010 to quantitatively analyze the seasonal changes of the dry matter allocation and translocation in 'Sorbonne' plants and the effects of substrate water potential on the dry matter allocation indices for different organs (flower, stem, leaf, bulb, and root), aimed to define the critical substrate water potential for the normal growth of the cultivar, and establish a simulation model for predicting the dry matter allocation in cut lily plants under effects of substrate water potential. The model established in this study gave a good prediction on the dry mass of plant organs, with the coefficient of determination and the relative root mean square error between the simulated and measured values of the cultivar' s flower dry mass, stem dry mass, leaf dry mass, bulb dry mass, and root dry mass being 0.96 and 19.2%, 0.95 and 12.4%, 0.86 and 19.4%, 0.95 and 12.2%, and 0.85 and 31.7%, respectively. The critical water potential for the water management of cut lily could be -15 kPa.

Objective: To identify zebrafish mutants with myelopoiesis defects by ENU mutagenesis and large-scale forward genetic screening., Methods: Male zebrafish were mutagenized with N-ethyl N-nitrosourea to induce mutations in the spermatogonial cells to generate the founders, which were outcrossed with AB to raise F1 fish. The F1 fish from different founders were mated to generate the F2 families. The F3 embryos from F2 sibling crosses were screened by Sudan black B staining and neutral red staining., Results: A total of 350 F2 families from F1 sibling crosses were screened, and 1424 F2 crosses were analyzed. Six mutations were identified resulting in abnormal Sudan black B staining and neutral red staining, indicating the involvement of neutrophil deficiency or macrophage abnormalities., Conclusion: It is simple and cheap to induce and screen myelopoiesis deficiency in zebrafish by ENU chemical mutagenesis and Sudan black B staining and neutral red staining. These mutants shed light on the identification of the genes important to myelopoiesis in zebrafish.

Objective: To screen and identify zebrafish mutants with erythropoiesis defects by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis and large-scale forward genetic screening using beta e 1 as the marker., Methods: The chemical mutagen ENU was used to treat healthy wild-type male fish (AB strain, F0). The surviving ENU-treated fish were mated with wild-type female fish to generate F1, and further F2 family was generated by F1 family intercross. The adult F2 fish were intercrossed within each F2 family and the resulting F3 embryos from each crossing were subjected to whole mount in situ hybridization (WISH) with the beta e 1 probe. Mutagenesis was performed by treating the male zebrafish with ENU to induce mutations in pre-meiotic germ cells to generate the founders, which were outcrossed to obtained the F1 fish. The F1 fish from different founders were mated to generate the F2 families. F3 embryos from the sibling cross in the F2 family were examined by whole mount in situ hybridization using beta e 1-globin probe. The putative mutants were then characterized with different hematopoiesis markers., Results and Conclusion: We identified 4 beta e 1-deficient mutants with erythropoiesis defects, including two with specific erythiod lineage defects and two with concurrent lymphopoiesis defects.

A simple and reliable method was developed for the determination of serum copper and zinc in different chemical forms by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) with ethanol-EDTA precipitation. The serum and ethanol were mixed with volume ratio 1 : 2. The mixture was incubated at 70 degrees C and ultra-centrifuged to precipitate proteins. Zinc and copper can be released from albumin after EDTA treating. Thus, macroglobulin-zinc, ceruloplasmin-copper, and albumin-bound zinc or copper could be determined by two proposed precipitation steps. The determination limit of copper (3sigma) was 1.2 microg x L(-1) and the recovery was 92.3%-104%, while the determination limit of zinc (3sigma) was 0.098 microg x L(-1), and the recovery was 90%-107%. This two-step precipitation method can be used to determine serum zinc and copper in various chemical forms in tumor, Wilson patients and heathy human.

A method was developed for the determination of trace free copper and zinc in serum sample by GFAAS after two-step precipitation. The serum and ethanol were mixed with volume ratio of 1 : 2. The mixture was subsequently denatured at 70 degrees C and centrifuged to precipitate proteins. The determination, limit of copper (3sigma) was 1.2 microg x L(-1) and the recovery was 92.3% - 104%, and the determination. Limit of zinc(3sigma) was 0.098 microg x L(-1) and the recovery was 90%-107%. This two-step precipitation method can be used to determine non-protein-bound copper in tumor patients and healthy people.

With the climate data inside and outside a plastic greenhouse as driving variables, and the greenhouse structure, insect-proof net material, and characteristic breadth and leaf area index of Brassica chinensis L. as parameters; a canopy transpiration model for greenhouse B. chinensis was established, based on Penmam-Monteith transpiration model. This established model was validated by the experimental data of independent samples in a single greenhouse. The results showed that in lower reaches of Yangtze River, the vent discharge coefficient (Cd) of greenhouse covered with 20-, 25-, and 28- mesh insect-proof nets was 0.771, 0.758 and 0.736, and the wind pressure coefficient (Cw) was 0.33, 0.37, and 0.39, respectively. The determination coefficient (R2) between the predicted and measured canopy transpiration rate for the sunny, cloudy, and overcast days in summer was 0.95, 0.91, and 0.94, root mean squared error (RMSE) was 0.018, 0.014, and 0.015 g x m(-2) x s(-1), and relative prediction error (RE) was 14.27%, 18.05%, and 15.80%, respectively, suggesting that this model could better predict the transpiration rate of B. chinensis in the plastic greenhouse covered with insect-proof nets in lower reaches of Yangtze River.

By using FACE system, the microclimate in rice canopy and related physiological indices were observed continuously from the elongation to the maturing stage of rice growth, and the effects of FACE on the rice canopy evapotranspiration and water use efficiency were studied and simulated with energy balance analysis. The results showed that using P-M equation to describe the quantitative relationships of rice leaf stomatal conductance with photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) could better simulate rice canopy evapotranspiraton under FACE and ambient conditions. During observation period, the total water use of rice in FACE plot had a 10 mm decrease, compared with that in control plot. Considering of the 12% increase of total biomass, the water use efficiency of rice under FACE condition was increased by 12%.

Leaf area index (LAI) is one of the most important crop parameters in photosynthesis-driving crop growth simulation model and canopy evapotranspiration simulation model, while air temperature and radiation are the important climate factors affecting crop leaf growth. In this paper, experiments with different sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars and sowing dates were conducted in greenhouse to quantitatively analyze the relationships of the number of unfolding leaves per plant, the number of old leaves removed per plant, and the length of each leaf with air temperature and radiation. Based on these quantitative relationships, a leaf area simulation model for greenhouse sweet pepper was developed, and the independent experimental data were used to validate the model. The results showed that the number of unfolding leaves per plant was a positive exponential function of the product of thermal effectiveness and PAR (TEP) accumulated after emergence, and the length of each leaf was a negative exponential function of the TEP accumulated after emergence. The coefficient of determination (R2) and the root mean squared error (RMSE) between simulated and measured leaf number, leaf length, and LAI were 0.94, 0.89, and 0.93, and 3.4, 2.15, and 0.15, respectively. The model could use air temperature, radiation, planting density, and emergence date to satisfactorily predict the LAI of greenhouse sweet pepper, and supply required LAI information for the sweet pepper growth and canopy evapotranspiration simulation models.

In order to understand the effects of stem numbers per ground area on the quality of standard cut Chrysanthemum morifolium, an experiment with different cultivars, different stem numbers per plant, different planting densities, and different planting dates was conducted in a greenhouse in Shanghai in 2005 and 2006. The effects of stem numbers per ground area on the canopy leaf area index and external quality of standard cut C. morifolium were quantified using the experimental data. Based on the physiological product of thermal effectiveness and PAR (PETP) the canopy absorbed, a model for predicting the effects of stem numbers per ground area on the quality of standard cut C. morifolium was developed, and validated with independent experimental data. The results showed that with the increase of stem numbers per ground area, the leaf area index increased, whereas plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, and flower diameter decreased. The model gave satisfactory predictions of the quality of standard cut C. morifolium cultivated with different stem numbers and planting density. The coefficient of determination (R2) and relative prediction error (RSE) based on the 1:1 line for fresh mass per stem, plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, flower diameter, and the number of qualified stem harvested per ground area were 0.95, 0.96, 0.94, 0.91, 0.81 and 0.97, and 16.1%, 10.1%, 12.8%, 13.4%, 15.9%, 16.1% , respectively. The model developed in this study could be used for the optimization of light and temperature management for standard cut C. morifolium cultivated with different stem numbers and planting densities in greenhouse.

SLC11A1 (also known as Natural Resistance Associated Macrophage Protein1, NRAMP1) plays a crucial role in resistance of inbred mice to infection with several intracellular pathogens such as Mycobacterium, Leishmania and Salmonella. In this study, PCR amplification and sequencing were performed to obtain the genomic organization and sequence of porcine SLC11A1 gene by comparative genomic analysis. Results showed that porcine SLC11A1 gene consists of 15 exons and 14 introns, which is consistent with that of mice and human. All introns were sequenced and their nucleotide sequences were submitted to GenBank. The exon/intron boundaries were determined by comparing cDNA sequence with amplified genomic DNA sequences. Mutational analysis was performed on exonic and neighboring intronic region by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and sequencing confirmation. Forty polymorphisms were identified; six are located in exons and thirty-four in introns. Two exonic polymorphisms are nonsynonymous changes (D6H and V175I), three are synonymous changes (S23, G33 and I155), and one is in 3' UTR. The availability of the fine genomic organization and identification of the polymorphisms will facilitate the evaluation of porcine SLC11A1 functional role in diseases resistance or susceptibility.

Transplanting date and density are the important factors affecting the appearance quality of chrysanthemum. The study on the greenhouse single-flower cut chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Shenma) showed that within the ranges of test transplanting date and density, the plant height and neck length increased, while the leaf number per plant, stem diameter, plant fresh mass and flower diameter decreased with the delay of transplanting date and the increase of transplanting density. No effect of transplanting density was observed on plant height. For the production of single-flower cut chrysanthemum in non-heated greenhouse in Shanghai, the optimal transplanting date and density to achieve the top rank of quality (rank A) were the middle ten days of August and 64 plants x m(-2), and those to achieve the second rank of quality (rank B) were from mid August to early September and 72-80 plants x m(-2), respectively. The results obtained in this study offered references in establishing the prediction model of greenhouse single-flower cut chrysanthemum appearance quality based on light, temperature, and transplanting date and density.

Based on the effects of light and temperature on chrysanthemum quality and the experiments with different chrysanthemum varieties and planting dates, a quality prediction model of greenhouse standard cut chrysanthemum with the physiological product of thermal effectiveness and PAR (PTEP) as the measurement scale was developed and validated. The results showed that the predicted results, including the number of unfolding leaves, leaf area, plant height, stem diameter, internode length and flower diameter, accorded well with the observed ones, and the determination coefficient (R2) and relative prediction error (RSE) based on 1 : 1 line were 0.99, 0.98, 0.98, 0.92, 0.87 and 0.88, and 5.5%, 6.5%, 5.9%, 4.1%, 11.2%, 12.4%, respectively. This model was of high precision and practicable, which could be used in optimizing the light and temperature management for greenhouse standard cut chrysanthemum production.