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Glioma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults with high morbidity and mortality. Rapid proliferation and diffuse migration are the main obstacles to successful glioma treatment. Xanthatin, a sesquiterpene lactone purified from Xanthium strumarium L., possesses a significant antitumor role in several malignant tumors. In this study, we report that xanthatin suppressed glioma cells proliferation and induced apoptosis in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, and was accompanied by autophagy inhibition displaying a significantly reduced LC3 punctate fluorescence and LC3II/I ratio, decreased level of Beclin 1, while increased accumulation of p62. Notably, treating glioma cells with xanthatin resulted in obvious activation of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway, as indicated by increased mTOR and Akt phosphorylation, decreased ULK1 phosphorylation, which is important in modulating autophagy. Furthermore, xanthatin-mediated pro-apoptosis in glioma cells was significantly reversed by autophagy inducers (rapamycin or Torin1), or PI3K-mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235. Taken together, these findings indicate that anti-proliferation and pro-apoptosis effects of xanthatin in glioma are most likely by inhibiting autophagy via activation of PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy against glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powdery mildew of wheat is a destructive disease seriously threatening yield and quality worldwide. Comprehensive dissection of new resistance-related loci/genes is necessary to control this disease. LS5082 is a Chinese wheat breeding line with resistance to powdery mildew. Genetic analysis, using the populations of LS5082 and three susceptible parents (Shannong 29, Shimai 22 and Huixianhong), indicated that a single dominant gene, tentatively designated PmLS5082, conferred seedling resistance to different Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) isolates. Bulked segregant RNA-Seq was carried out to map PmLS5082 and to profile differentially expressed genes associated with PmLS5082. PmLS5082 was mapped to a 0.7 cM genetic interval on chromosome arm 2BL, which was aligned to a 0.7 Mb physical interval of 710.3-711.0 Mb. PmLS5082 differs from the known powdery mildew (Pm) resistance genes on chromosome arm 2BL based on their origin, chromosome positions and/or resistance spectrum, suggesting PmLS5082 is most likely a new Pm gene/allele. Through clusters of orthologous groups and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analyses, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with PmLS5082 were profiled. Six DEGs in the PmLS5082 interval were confirmed to be associated with PmLS5082 via qPCR analysis, using an additional set of wheat samples and time-course analysis postinoculation with Bgt isolate E09. Ten closely linked markers, including two kompetitive allele-specific PCR markers, were confirmed to be suitable for marker-assisted selection of PmLS5082 in different genetic backgrounds, thus can be used to detect PmLS5082 and pyramid it with other genes in breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To find biomarkers to assess the risk of aggression, we looked at the association between aggression and levels of body inflammation in patients with schizophrenia. The Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) score was used to divide the aggressive (n = 72) and nonaggressive (n = 141) groups. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) is a tool for determining the severity of a patient's condition. After measuring the number of inflammatory cells in the peripheral blood, the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were estimated. We investigated the relationship between aggressive behavior, bodily inflammation, and BPRS. Before therapy, the aggressive group's BPRS score, white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, monocyte count, NLR, and MLR were considerably more significant than the nonaggressive group's. After therapy, statistically significant variations in total BPRS score and neutrophil count between the two groups. According to correlation analysis before and after treatment, aggressive behavior was positively connected with neutrophil count, NLR, and BPRS score. The presence of aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients indicates the severity of the disorder to some degree. NLR can be used as an objective biomarker to quickly assess the risk of aggression in schizophrenic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high fidelity internal energy relaxation model for N2-N suitable for use in direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) modeling of chemically reacting flows is proposed. A novel two-dimensional binning approach with variable bin energy resolutions in the rotational and vibrational modes is developed for treating the internal mode of N2. Both bin-to-bin and state-specific relaxation cross sections are obtained using the molecular dynamics/quasi-classical trajectory (MD/QCT) method with two potential energy surfaces as well as the state-specific database of Jaffe et al. The MD/QCT simulations of inelastic energy exchange between N2 and N show that there is a strong forward-preferential scattering behavior at high collision velocities. The 99 bin model is used in homogeneous DSMC relaxation simulations and is found to be able to recover the state-specific master equation results of Panesi et al. when the Jaffe state-specific cross sections are used. Rotational relaxation energy profiles and relaxation times obtained using the ReaxFF and Jaffe potential energy surfaces (PESs) are in general agreement but there are larger differences between the vibrational relaxation times. These differences become smaller as the translational temperature increases because the difference in the PES energy barrier becomes less important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article was to compare the efficiency and safety of drug-coated balloon angioplasty (DCB) and atherectomy with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in patients with femoropopliteal in-stent restenosis (ISR). Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (all up to March 2019) were searched systematically. Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted. 5 studies with 599 participants were included. Compared with PTA, DCB significantly increased the rate of patency (6 months: RR 1.65, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.09, P < 0.01 ; 12 months: RR 2.38, 95% CI 1.71 to 3.30, P < 0.01) and the rate freedom from target lesion revascularization (TLR) (6 months: RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.28, P < 0.01 ; 12 months: RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.33 to 1.82, P < 0.01) at 6 and 12 months follow-up, and the TSA results showed these outcomes were reliable. The rate of clinical improvement by ≥1 Rutherford category in the DCB group was higher than that in the PTA group (6 months: RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.75, P = 0.03 ; 12 months: RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.82, P < 0.01) at 6 and 12 months. There is no statistically difference of ABI, all-cause mortality, and incidence of amputation between DCB group and PTA group (MD 0.03, 95% CI -0.03 to 0.08, P = 0.40 ; RR 1.24, 95% CI 0.46 to 3.34, P = 0.67 ; RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.01 to 7.61, P = 0.48). Compared with PTA, the rate of patency and freedom from TLR in the laser atherectomy (LD) group was higher than that in the PTA group (patency: 6 months: RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.64, P < 0.05 , 12 months: RR 2.25, 95% CI 1.14 to 4.44, P < 0.05 ; freedom from TLR: 6 months: RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.53, P = 0.01 , 12 months: RR 1.59, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.25, P = 0.01) at 6 and 12 months follow-up. In conclusion, DCB and LD had superior clinical (freedom from TLR and clinical improvement) and angiographic outcomes (patency rate) compared with PTA for the treatment of femoropopliteal ISR. Moreover, DCB and LD had a low incidence of amputation and mortality and were relatively safe methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and porous ZSM-5 zeolite are thoroughly investigated for concentrating alcohols of ethanol and n-propanol via dewatering pervaporation. The effects of the zeolite content (10-30 wt.%), feed composition (5-30 wt.% water), and feed temperature (50-90 °C) on the pervaporation flux/separation factor and component permeance/selectivity of these MMMs are examined in detail. These MMMs achieve higher separation efficiency and pervaporation flux than their pure PVA counterparts as expected, even if the dehydration results strongly depend on the pervaporation conditions. The disparity in pervaporation performances acquired for different alcohol solutions may be understood in terms of polarity and molecular size, which differ among these alcohol molecules. The PVA/zeolite MMM of 20 wt.% ZSM-5 zeolite content performs substantially stably at 60 °C for the feed with 80 wt.% alcohol while maintaining separation factors of 660 or 820 and total fluxes of 970 or 825 g/m2h for dewatering water/ethanol and water/n-propanol, respectively. Thus, our membranes appear to be technically feasible for practical alcohol dehydration uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on charge-transfer (CT) excitons in two-dimensional WS2/tetracene (Tc) heterostructures. Topics include the formation and transport of CT excitons in the heterostructures, important function of the CT excitons in efficient charge separation, and electron and energy transfer dynamics from Tc and WS2.

A flurry of recent theoretical studies have predicted the existence of new polar materials among several families of layered perovskites, including the double-layered Dion-Jacobson phases. These predictions have opened up exciting new opportunities for both fundamental studies of the crystal chemistry of Dion-Jacobson phases and their application as components in next-generation memories and low-power electronic devices. However, with some rare exceptions, all known double-layered Dion-Jacobson phases are nonpolar. We use an integrated theoretical-experimental approach to show that several Dion-Jacobson phases that have previously been synthesized and characterized as nonpolar are in fact polar. Additional theoretical calculations reveal that the polar phases of these materials emerge through a hybrid improper or trilinear coupling mechanism. Finally, our work has highlighted the critical role of neutron diffraction in characterizing the structures of double-layered Dion-Jacobson phases, which are typified by subtle oxygen atom displacements not easily resolved using even synchrotron X-ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent work has identified a non-zinc-blende-type quaternary semiconductor, Cu2BaSnS4-xSex (CBTSSe), as a promising candidate for thin-film photovoltaics (PVs). CBTSSe circumvents difficulties of competing PV materials regarding (i) toxicity (e.g., CdTe), (ii) scarcity of constituent elements (e.g., Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2/CdTe), and (iii) unavoidable antisite disordering that limits further efficiency improvement (e.g., in Cu2ZnSnS4-xSex). In this work, we build on the CBTSSe paradigm by computationally scanning for further improved, earth-abundant and environmentally friendly thin-film PV materials among the 16 quaternary systems I2-II-IV-VI4 (I = Cu, Ag; II = Sr, Ba; IV = Ge, Sn; VI = S, Se). The band structures, band gaps, and optical absorption properties are predicted by hybrid density-functional theory calculations. We find that the Ag-containing compounds (which belong to space groups I222 or I42¯m) show indirect band gaps. In contrast, the Cu-containing compounds (which belong to space group P31/P32 and Ama2) show direct or nearly direct band gaps. In addition to the previously considered Cu2BaSnS4-xSex system, two compounds not yet considered for PV applications, Cu2BaGeSe4 (P31) and Cu2SrSnSe4 (Ama2), show predicted quasi-direct/direct band gaps of 1.60 and 1.46 eV, respectively, and are therefore most promising with respect to thin-film PV application (both single- and multijunction). A Cu2BaGeSe4 sample, prepared by solid-state reaction, exhibits the expected P31 structure type. Diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectrometry measurements yield an experimental band gap of 1.91(5) eV for Cu2BaGeSe4, a value slightly smaller than that for Cu2BaGeSe4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-range transport of Frenkel excitons is crucial for achieving efficient molecular-based solar energy harvesting. Understanding of exciton transport mechanisms is important for designing materials for solar energy applications. One major bottleneck in unraveling of exciton transport mechanisms is the lack of direct measurements to provide information in both spatial and temporal domains, imposed by the combination of fast energy transfer (typically ≤1 ps) and short exciton diffusion lengths (typically ≤100 nm). This challenge requires developing experimental tools to directly characterize excitation energy transport, and thus facilitate the elucidation of mechanisms. To address this challenge, we have employed ultrafast transient absorption microscopy (TAM) as a means to directly image exciton transport with ~200 fs time resolution and ~50 nm spatial precision. By mapping population in spatial and temporal domains, such approach has unraveled otherwise obscured information and provided important parameters for testing exciton transport models. In this Account, we discuss the recent progress in imaging Frenkel exciton migration in molecular crystals and aggregates by ultrafast microscopy. First, we establish the validity of the TAM methods by imaging singlet and triplet exciton transport in a series of polyacene single crystals that undergo singlet fission. A new singlet-mediated triplet transport pathway has been revealed by TAM, resulting from the equilibrium between triplet and singlet exciton populations. Such enhancement of triplet exciton transport enables triplet excitons to migrate as singlet excitons and leads to orders of magnitude faster apparent triplet exciton diffusion rate in the picosecond and nanosecond time scales, favorable for solar cell applications. Next we discuss how information obtained by ultrafast microscopy can evaluate coherent effects in exciton transport. We use tubular molecular aggregates that could support large exciton delocalization sizes as a model system. The initial experiments measure exciton diffusion constants of 3-6 cm² s-1, 3-5 times higher than the incoherent limit predicted by theory, suggesting that coherent effects play a role. In summary, combining ultrafast spectroscopic methods with microscopic techniques provides a direct approach for obtaining important parameters to unravel the underlying exciton transport mechanisms in molecular solids. We discuss future directions to bridge the gap in understanding of fundamental energy transfer theories to include coherent and incoherent effects. We are still in the infancy of ultrafast microscopy, and the vast potential is not limited to the systems discussed in this Account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil-borne fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae infects a wide range of dicotyledonous plants including cotton, tobacco, and Arabidopsis. Among the effector proteins secreted by V. dahliae, the 16 kDa PevD1 induces a hypersensitive response in tobacco. Here we report the high-resolution structure of PevD1 with folds resembling a C2 domain-like structure with a calcium ion bound to the C-terminal acidic pocket. A yeast two-hybrid screen, designed to probe for molecular functions of PevD1, identified Arabidopsis asparagine-rich protein (NRP) as the interacting partner of PevD1. Extending the pathway of V. dahliae effects, which include induction of early flowering in cotton and Arabidopsis, NRP was found to interact with cryptochrome 2 (CRY2), leading to increased cytoplasmic accumulation of CRY2 in a blue light-independent manner. Further physiological and genetic evidence suggests that PevD1 indirectly activates CRY2 by antagonizing NRP functions. The promotion of CRY2-mediated flowering by a fungal effector outlines a novel pathway by which an external stimulus is recognized and transferred in changing a developmental program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of both satellite data assimilation (DA) and lateral boundary conditions (LBCs) on the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) Model forecasts of Hurricane Sandy 2012 were assessed. To investigate the impact of satellite DA, experiments were run with and without satellite data assimilated, as well as with all satellite data but excluding Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Sounder data. To gauge the LBC impact, these experiments were also run with a variety of outer domain (D-1) sizes. The inclusion of satellite DA resulted in analysis fields that better characterized the tropical storm structures including the warm core anomaly and wavenumber-1 asymmetry near the eyewall, and also served to reduce the forecast track errors for Hurricane Sandy. The specific impact of assimilating the GOES Sounder data showed positive impacts on forecasts of the storm minimum sea level pressure. Increasing the D-1 size resulted in increases in the day 4/5 forecast track errors when verified against the best track and the Global Forecast System (GFS) forecast, which dominated any benefits from assimilating an increased volume of satellite observations due to the larger domain. It was found that the LBCs with realistic environmental flow information could provide better constraints on smaller domain forecasts. This study demonstrated that satellite DA can improve the analysis of a hurricane asymmetry, especially in a shear environment, and then lead to a better track forecast, and also emphasized the importance of the LBCs and the challenges associated with the evaluation of satellite data impacts on regional model prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the research-to-operations (R2O) environment, an operations-to-research (O2R) environment wherein the result of research and development are transitioned to the operational sector, and its significant in sustaining the numerical modeling system of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Topics include the benefits of O2R components to R2O initiatives, the description and application of S4 supercomputers, and the NOAA numerical prediction models.

To examine the complications of brachial and axillary artery punctures and the precautionary measures taken to lower their incidences. Retrospective analysis of 266 cases of brachial and axillary artery punctures was performed for angiography or angioplasty between January 2009 and December 2013 at the Department of Vascular Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. Complications and their causes were assessed. Among all brachial artery punctures (n = 140), there were complications in 3.6 per cent of cases, including local hematoma in 1.4 per cent, pseudoaneurysm in 0.7 per cent, acute arterial thrombosis in 0.7 per cent, and median nerve injury in 0.7 per cent. Among all axillary artery punctures (n = 126), there were complications in 10.3 per cent of cases, including local hematoma in 4.8 per cent, pseudoaneurysm in 0.8 per cent, acute arterial thrombosis in 0.8 per cent, acute venous thrombosis in 0.8 per cent, and nerve injury in 3.2 per cent. The incidence of complications was significantly lower in brachial axillary artery puncture compared with axillary artery puncture (P < 0.05). The main factors associated with complications might be patient's vascular condition, perioperative medication, anatomical features of the artery, puncture site, successful rate of first-attempt puncture, and bandage strength. Incidence of complications of brachial and axillary artery punctures could be lowered by strengthening the choice of indications, improving the perioperative managements, being fully aware of the anatomical characteristics of the brachial and axillary arteries, and applying the standardized techniques of puncture and compression hemostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scleroderma is a group of skin-fibrosing diseases for which there are no effective treatments. A feature of the skin fibrosis typical of scleroderma is atrophy of the dermal white adipose tissue (DWAT). Adipose tissue contains adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADSCs) that have regenerative and reparative functions; however, whether DWAT atrophy in fibrosis is accompanied by ADSC loss is poorly understood, as are the mechanisms that might maintain ADSC survival in fibrotic skin. Here, we have shown that DWAT ADSC numbers were reduced, likely because of cell death, in 2 murine models of scleroderma skin fibrosis. The remaining ADSCs showed a partial dependence on dendritic cells (DCs) for survival. Lymphotoxin β (LTβ) expression in DCs maintained ADSC survival in fibrotic skin by activating an LTβ receptor/β1 integrin (LTβR/β1 integrin) pathway on ADSCs. Stimulation of LTβR augmented the engraftment of therapeutically injected ADSCs, which was associated with reductions in skin fibrosis and improved skin function. These findings provide insight into the effects of skin fibrosis on DWAT ADSCs, identify a DC-ADSC survival axis in fibrotic skin, and suggest an approach for improving mesenchymal stromal cell therapy in scleroderma and other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing strategy has been applied to a variety of species and the tRNA-processing system has been used to compact multiple gRNAs into one synthetic gene for manipulating multiple genes in rice. Results: We optimized and introduced the multiplex gene editing strategy based on the tRNA-processing system into maize. Maize glycine-tRNA was selected to design multiple tRNA-gRNA units for the simultaneous production of numerous gRNAs under the control of one maize U6 promoter. We designed three gRNAs for simplex editing and three multiple tRNA-gRNA units for multiplex editing. The results indicate that this system not only increased the number of targeted sites but also enhanced mutagenesis efficiency in maize. Additionally, we propose an advanced sequence selection of gRNA spacers for relatively more efficient and accurate chromosomal fragment deletion, which is important for complete abolishment of gene function especially long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Our results also indicated that up to four tRNA-gRNA units in one expression cassette design can still work in maize. Conclusions: The examples reported here demonstrate the utility of the tRNA-processing system-based strategy as an efficient multiplex genome editing tool to enhance maize genetic research and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to examine the characteristics of bladder transitional cell carcinoma with E-cadherin and N-cadherin double-negative expression. An immunofluorescence assay was used to detect E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression in infiltrative bladder cancer tissues, and immunofluorescence and western blot analysis were used to detect E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression in human urinary bladder grade II carcinoma 5637, transitional cell carcinoma UMUC-3 and invasive bladder carcinoma EJ cells. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion and plate colony formation assays were used to detect the proliferative, migratory and invasive abilities and the efficiency of plate colony formation of 5637, UMUC3 and EJ cells. A tumor xenograft formation assay was used to evaluate the tumorigenic abilities of 5637, UMUC-3 and EJ cells in vivo. E-cadherin and N-cadherin double-negative expression was identified in various pathological grades of infiltrative bladder cancers. E-cadherin positive and N-cadherin negative expression was exhibited by 5637 cells. By contrast, E-cadherin negative and N-cadherin positive expression was exhibited by EJ cells, and E-cadherin and N-cadherin double-negative expression was exhibited by UMUC-3 cells. The ability of cells to proliferate, migrate, invade, and the efficiency of plate colony formation and tumorigenic abilities of the cells were significantly different among 5637, UMUC-3 and EJ cells. These cell characteristics were significantly increased in UMUC-3 cells compared with 5637 cells; however, the characteristics were significantly decreased compared with EJ cells. The biological characteristics of bladder cancer cells with E-cadherin and N-cadherin double-negative expression was between bladder cancer cells that exhibited a E-cadherin positive and N-cadherin negative expression, and bladder cancer cells that exhibited E-cadherin negative and N-cadherin positive expression. The present study deduces that the status of E-cadherin and N-cadherin double-negative expression may participate in the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the pathogenesis of bladder urothelial carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: This study aimed to investigate the difference among the expression of serotonin receptors (5-HT3, 5-HT4, and 5-HT7 receptors) in colonic tissue of chronic diarrhea rats. Materials and Methods: A rat model of chronic diarrhea was established by lactose diet. The expression of 5-HTy 5-HT4, and 5-HT7 receptors in the colonic tissue was detected using immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR and Western blotting techniques. Results: There is no significant difference on the protein expression of 5-HT3 receptor between the normal group and the chronic diarrhea model group. The mRNA expression of 5-HT3 receptor in the chronic diarrhea model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group (n = 10; P < 0.01). The protein and mRNA expression of 5-HT4 receptor in the chronic diarrhea model group were significantly higher than those in the normal group (n = 10; P < 0.05, P < 0.01). On the contrary, the protein and mRNA expressions of 5-HT? receptor in the chronic diarrhea model group were significantly decreased compared with the normal group (n = 10; P < 0.01, P < 0.01). Conclusions: The results suggested the receptors of 5-HT4 and 5-HT7 may be involved in inducing diarrhea by lactose diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the excess sludge disintegration efficiency, reduce the sludge disintegration cost, and increase sludge biodegradability, a combined pretreatment of anaerobic hydrolysis (AH) and ultrasonic treatment (UT) was proposed for excess sludge. Results showed that AH had an advantage in dissolving flocs, modifying sludge characteristics, and reducing the difficulty of sludge disintegration, whereas UT was advantageous in damaging cell walls, releasing intracellular substances, and decomposing macromolecular material. The combined AH–UT process was an efficient method for excess sludge pretreatment. The optimized solution involved AH for 3 days, followed by UT for 10 min. After treatment, chemical oxygen demand, protein, and peptidoglycan concentrations reached 3,949.5 mg O2/L, 752.5 mg/L and 619.1 mg/L, respectively. This work has great significance for further engineering applications, namely, reducing energy consumption, increasing the sludge disintegration rate, and improving the biochemical properties of sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies reported that brassinosteroids (BRs) can induce plant tolerance to different environmental stresses via the nitric oxide (NO) signaling pathway. Previous reports have indicated that alternative oxidase (AOX) plays an important role in plants under various stresses. The mechanisms governing how NO is involved as a signal molecule which connects BR with AOX in regulating stress tolerance are still unknown. Recently, we found that Nicotiana benthamiana seedlings which were pretreated with BR have more tolerance to salt stress, accompanied with an increase of CN-resistant respiration. Our results suggested that pretreatment with 0.1 μM brassinolide (BL, the most active brassinosteroid) alleviated salt-induced oxidative damage and increased the NbAOX1 transcript level. Application of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO, an NO scavenger) or virus-induced gene silencing of nitrate reductase (NR) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-like enzyme compromised the BRs-induced alternative respiratory pathway. Furthermore, pretreatment with specific chemical inhibitors of NR and NOS or gene silencing experiments decreased plant resistance to salt stress which also compromised BRs-induced salt stress tolerance. In conclusion, NO is involved in BRs-induced AOX capability which plays essential roles in salt tolerance in N. benthamiana seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In previous study the streptavidin interleukin-2 (SA-IL-2)-modified MB49 vaccine was effective against bladder cancer in a mouse model. However, a small portion of tumors regrew because the vaccine could not eliminate MB49 bladder cancer stem cells (MCSCs). Accordingly, we developed a SA-IL-2-modified MCSCs vaccine and evaluated its antitumor effects. Methods: MCSCs were isolated and identified in cancer stem cells (CSCs) characters, with high expression of CSCs markers, higher resistance to chemotherapy, greater migration in vitro, and stronger tumorigenicity in vivo. The SA-IL-2 MCSCs vaccine was prepared and its bioactivity was evaluated. The protective, therapeutic, specific and memory immune response in animal experiments were designed to identify whether the vaccine elicited antitumor immunity and acted against metastatic bladder cancer. Results: MCSCs had higher level of CD133 and CD44, less susceptibility to chemotherapy, more pronounced migration and greater tumorigenic ability. The successfully prepared SA-IL-2 MCSCs vaccine inhibited the tumor volume and prolonged mice survival in animal experiments. The expression of IgG, the population of dendritic cells, CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were highest in the experimental group than in the four control groups. Conclusions: The SA-IL-2 MCSCs vaccine induced an antitumor immune response and was used to eliminate MCSCs to prevent tumor regrowth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brassinosteroids (BRs), plant steroid hormones, play essential roles in modulating cell elongation, vascular differentiation, senescence, and stress responses. However, the mechanisms by which BRs regulate plant mitochondria and resistance to abiotic stress remain largely unclear. Mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) is involved in the plant response to a variety of environmental stresses. In this report, the role of AOX in BR-induced tolerance against cold, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and high-light stresses was investigated. Exogenous applied brassinolide (BL, the most active BR) induced, while brassinazole (BRZ, a BR biosynthesis inhibitor) reduced alternative respiration and AOX1 expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. Chemical scavenging of H2O2 and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of NbRBOHB compromised the BR-induced alternative respiratory pathway, and this result was further confirmed by NbAOX1 promoter analysis. Furthermore, inhibition of AOX activity by chemical treatment or a VIGS-based approach decreased plant resistance to environmental stresses and compromised BR-induced stress tolerance. Taken together, our results indicate that BR-induced AOX capability might contribute to the avoidance of superfluous reactive oxygen species accumulation and the protection of photosystems under stress conditions in N. benthamiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is not known whether exposure to air pollutants causes systemic oxidative stress in children. We investigated the association between exposure to air pollution and biomarkers of oxidative stress in relation to a governmental air quality intervention implemented during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. We studied 36 schoolchildren during 5 time periods before and during the Olympic Games in Beijing (June 2007-September 2008). The oxidative stress biomarkers 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) and malondialdehyde were measured in urine samples collected daily during each period. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the relationship between repeated biomarker measurements and ambient air pollutant levels. During the Olympic intervention period, substantial reductions in air pollution (-19% to -72%), urinary 8-oxodG concentrations (-37.4%; 95% confidence interval: -53.5, -15.7), and urinary malondialdehyde concentrations (-25.3%; 95% confidence interval: -34.3, -15.1)were found. Malondialdehyde and 8-oxodG were significantly associated with concentrations of black carbon, fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic with diameter less than 2.5 µm, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Biomarker changes per each interquartile-range increase in pollutants were largest at lag 0 or lag 1. In a 2-pollutant model, the most robust associations were for black carbon. These findings suggest that exposure to black carbon leads to systemic oxidative stress in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intramolecular nitrone-alkene cycloaddition yielded novel tricyclic eight-membered ring with a cis-fused isoxazolidine in good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) possesses a protein quality control system that supports the efficient folding of newly synthesized glycoproteins. In this system, a series of N-linked glycan intermediates displayed on proteins serve as quality tags. The ER folding-sensor enzyme UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase (UGGT) operates as the gatekeeper for ER quality control by specifically transferring monoglucose residues to incompletely folded glycoproteins, thereby allowing them to interact with lectin chaperone complexes to facilitate their folding. Despite its functional importance, no structural information is available for this key enzyme to date. To elucidate the folding-sensor mechanism in the ER, we performed a structural study of UGGT. Based on bioinformatics analyses, the folding-sensor region of UGGT was predicted to harbour three tandem thioredoxin (Trx)-like domains, which are often found in proteins involved in ER quality control. Furthermore, we determined the three-dimensional structure of the third Trx-like domain, which exhibits an extensive hydrophobic patch concealed by its flexible C-terminal helix. Our structural data suggest that this hydrophobic patch is involved in intermolecular interactions, thereby contributing to the folding-sensor mechanism of UGGT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fasting-induced hypothalamic metabolic reprogramming is involved in regulating energy homeo-stasis and appetite in mammals, but this phenomenon remains unclear in poultry. In this study, the expression patterns of a panel of genes related to neuropeptides, glucose, and lipid metabolism enzymes in the hypo-thalamus of chickens during fasting and refeeding were characterized by microarray analysis and quantitative PCR. Results showed that 48 h of fasting upregulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA expressions of orexigenic neu-ropeptide Y and agouti-related protein but downreg-ulated (P < 0.05) that of anorexigenic neuropeptide pro-opiomelanocortin; growth hormone-releasing hor-mone; islet amyloid polypeptide; thyroid-stimulating hormone, β; and glycoprotein hormones, a polypeptide. After 48 h of fasting, the mRNA expression of fatty acid β-oxidation [peroxisome proliferator-activated re-ceptor a (PPARα), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, and forkhead box 01], energy sensor protein [sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and forkhead box Ol], and glycolysis inhibitor (pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, isozyme 4) were en-hanced, but that of fatty acid synthesis and transport associated genes (acetyl-CoA carboxylase a, fatty acid synthase, apolipoprotein A-I, endothelial lipase, and fatty acid binding protein 7) were suppressed. Liver and muscle also demonstrated similar expression patterns of genes related to glucose and lipid metabolism with hypothalamus, except for that of α, cetyl-CoA carboxyl-ase a, acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4, and apolipoprotein A-I. The results of intracerebro-ventricular (ICV) injection experiments confirmed that a-lipoic acid (ALA, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, isozyme 4 inhibitor, 0.10 μ,mol) and NADH (SIRT1 in-hibitor, 0.80 μmol) significantly suppressed the appe-tite of chickens, whereas 2-deoxy-D-glucose (glycolytic inhibitor, 0.12 to 1.20 μmol) and NAD+ (SIRT1 activa-tor, 0.08 to 0.80 μmol) increased feed intake in chick-ens. The orexigenic effect of NAD+ was also blocked by cotreatment with NADH. However, ICV injection of either GW7647 (PPARa agonist) or GW6471 (PPARα antagonist) showed no effects on feed intake. Results suggested that hypothalamic glycolysis (inhibited by ALA and promoted by 2-deoxy-D-glucose) and SIRT1 (inhibited by NADH and promoted by NAD+), not PPARα, were probably involved in feed intake regula-tion in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), that is, nitro-PAHs and quinones, are classed as hazardous semi-volatile organic compounds but their formation mechanism from the heterogeneous reactions of PAHs adsorbed on atmospheric particles is not well understood. The heterogeneous reaction of NO2 with anthracene adsorbed on NaCl particles under different relative humidity (RH 0-60%) was investigated under dark conditions at 298 K. The formation of the major products, 9,10-anthraquinone (9,10-AQ) and 9-nitroanthracene (9-NANT), were determined to be second-order reactions with respect to NO2 concentration. The rate of formation of 9,10-AQ under low RH (0-20%) increased as the RH increased but decreased when the RH was further increased in high RH (40-60%). In contrast, the rate of formation of 9-NANT across the whole RH range (0-60%) decreased significantly with increasing RH. Two different reaction pathways are discussed for the formation of 9,10-AQ and 9-NANT, respectively, and both are considered to be coupled to the predominant reaction of NO2 with the NaCl substrate. These results suggest that relative humidity, which controls the amount of surface adsorbed water on NaCl particles, plays an important role in the heterogeneous reaction of NO2 with adsorbed PAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a quasi-experimental opportunity offered by greatly restricted air pollution emissions during the Beijing Olympics compared to before and after the Olympics, we conducted the current study to compare ultrafine particles (UFPs) and fine particles (PM2.5) in their associations with biomarkers reflecting multiple pathophysiological pathways linking exposure and cardiorespiratory events. Number concentrations of particles (13.0-764.7 nm) and mass concentrations of PM2.5 were measured at two locations within 9 km from the residence and workplace of 125 participating Beijing residents. Each participant was measured 6 times for biomarkers of autonomic function (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures), hemostasis (von Willebrand factor, soluble CD40 ligand, and P-selectin), pulmonary inflammation and oxidative stress (exhaled nitric oxide and exhaled breath condensate pH, malondialdehyde, and nitrite), and systemic inflammation and oxidative stress (urinary malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, plasma fibrinogen, and white blood cells). Linear mixed models were used to estimate associations of biomarkers with UFPs and PM2.5 measured 1-7 days prior to biomarker measurements (lags). We found that the correlation coefficient for UFPs at two locations (∼9 km apart) was 0.45, and at the same location, the correlation coefficient for PM2.5 vs UFPs was -0.18. Changes in biomarker levels associated with increases in UFPs and PM2.5 were comparable in magnitude. However, associations of certain biomarkers with UFPs had different lag patterns compared to those with PM2.5, suggesting that the ultrafine size fraction (⩽100 nm) and the fine size fraction (∼100 nm to 2.5 μm) of PM2.5 are likely to affect PM-induced pathophysiological pathways independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioaerosols are a subset of important airborne particulates that present a substantial human health hazard due to their allergenicity and infectivity. Chemical reactions in atmospheric processes can significantly influence the health hazard presented by bioaerosols; however, few studies have summarized such alterations to bioaerosols and the mechanisms involved. In this paper, we systematically review the chemical modifications of bioaerosols and the impact on their health effects, mainly focusing on the exacerbation of allergic diseases such as asthma, rhinitis, and bronchitis. Oxidation, nitration, and oligomerization induced by hydroxyl radicals, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide are the major chemical modifications affecting bioaerosols, all of which can aggravate allergenicity mainly through immunoglobulin E pathways. Such processes can even interact with climate change including the greenhouse effect, suggesting the importance of bioaerosols in the future implementation of carbon neutralization strategies. In summary, the chemical modification of bioaerosols and the subsequent impact on health hazards indicate that the combined management of both chemical and biological components is required to mitigate the health hazards of particulate air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinones are toxicological substances in inhalable particulate matter (PM). The mechanisms by which quinones cause hazardous effects can be complex. Quinones are highly active redox molecules that can go through a redox cycle with their semiquinone radicals, leading to formation of reactive oxygen species. Electron spin resonance spectra have been reported for semiquinone radicals in PM, indicating the importance of ascorbic acid and iron in quinone redox cycling. However, these findings are insufficient for understanding the toxicity associated with quinone exposure. Herein, we investigated the interactions among anthraquinone (AQ), ascorbic acid, and iron in hydroxyl radical (·OH) generation through the AQ redox cycling process in a physiological buffer. We measured ·OH concentration and analyzed the free radical process. Our results showed that AQ, ascorbic acid, and iron have synergistic effects on ·OH generation in quinone redox cycling; i.e., ascorbyl radical oxidized AQ to semiquinone radical and started the redox cycling, iron accelerated this oxidation and enhanced ·OH generation through Fenton reactions, while ascorbic acid and AQ could help iron to release from quartz surface and enhance its bioavailability. Our findings provide direct evidence for the redox cycling hypothesis about airborne particle surface quinone in lung fluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high reflectivity of walls often leads to prohibitive computation time in the numerical simulation of radiative heat transfer. Such problem becomes very serious in many practical applications, for example, metal processing in high-temperature environment. The present work proposes a modified diffusion synthetic acceleration model to improve the convergence of radiative transfer calculation in participating media with diffusely reflecting boundary. This model adopts the P1 diffusion approximation to rectify the scattering source term of radiative transfer equation and the reflection term of the boundary condition. The corrected formulation for boundary condition is deduced and the algorithm is realized by finite element method. The accuracy of present model is verified by comparing the results with those of Monte Carlo method and finite element method without any accelerative technique. The effects of emissivity of walls and optical thickness on the convergence are investigated. The results indicate that the accuracy of present model is reliable and its accelerative effect is more obvious for the optically thick and scattering dominated media with intensive diffusely reflecting walls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of rifampin on the steady-state pharmacokinetics of linezolid was evaluated in an open-label, multiple-dose, crossover study in 16 healthy subjects. When coadministered with rifampin, area under the plasma concentration—time curve over the dosing interval and maximum concentration values for linezolid were reduced approximately 32% and 21%, respectively. Time to maximum concentration and apparent volume of distribution were generally similar between treatments. The mean half-life and apparent oral clearance were decreased for the combination treatment compared with linezolid alone. In vitro and in silico approaches were used to evaluate this interaction. In human hepatocytes, the metabolism of linezolid was increased by 1.3- to 1.6-fold when the cells were pretreated with rifampin, compared with a 19- to 40-fold increase in testosterone metabolism, a positive control for cytochrome P4503A activity. This increase in linezolid and testosterone metabolism was partially inhibited (~50%) by ketoconazole. Modeling of these data using Simcyp suggested that rifampin inducible drug metabolizing enzymes, such as cytochrome P4503A, have a very minor contribution to linezolid clearance, which increases when rifampin is coadministered. The clinical significance of the decreased linezolid levels is unclear. Linezolid and rifampin administered alone or in combination was generally safe and well tolerated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To understand the detailed mechanism of a recently reported tandem iminium cyclization and Smiles rearrangement, the reaction processes of a chiral substrate were investigated by monitoring its stereochemical courses. Under the tandem reaction conditions, chiral aldehyde 1 derived from l-prolinol led to two surprising results. First, the iminium cyclization gave a diastereomeric mixture with the cis-configured product as the predominant one. Second, Smiles rearrangement of both cis- and trans-2 led to the same product 3a directly derived from the trans isomer. The former was rationalized by the postulation of a Cram's chelate transition state leading to the cis product as kinetically favored. The latter was due to the equilibration between the trans/cis pair involving a carbocation intermediate and the steric hindrance, which prevented the cis isomer from undergoing the intramolecular nucleophilic substitution. This hypothesis was further supported by the results of a competition experiment in which the addition of 1 equiv of p-methoxyaniline in the rearrangement step led to a significant amount of anilinyl-exchanged rearrangement product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the gastrointestinal (GI) absorption characteristics and absolute bioavailability of fenofibric acid and fenofibrate (which is converted to fenofibric acid in vivo) in healthy volunteers. Treatments were delivered to the proximal small bowel, distal small bowel, and colon using a site-specific delivery system (Enterion capsule) and to the stomach by oral administration of equimolar doses. Serial blood samples were collected for 120 hours postdose and assayed for plasma fenofibric acid concentrations. The absolute bioavailability of each treatment was determined relative to 50 mg of fenofibric acid administered intravenously. Plasma exposure to fenofibric acid following fenofibric acid administration was approximately 1.5 times higher than that following fenofibrate administration for delivery to the proximal and distal small bowel and following oral administration, and it was approximately 5 times higher following colon delivery. The absolute bioavailability in the stomach, proximal small bowel, distal small bowel, and colon was approximately 81%, 88%, 84%, and 78%, respectively, for fenofibric acid and 69%, 73%, 66%, and 22%, respectively, for fenofibrate (P < .0001 and P = .033 for fenofibric acid vs fenofibrate in the colon and distal small bowel, respectively). In conclusion, fenofibric acid is well absorbed throughout the GI tract and has greater bioavailability than fenofibrate in all GI regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWe investigated a gene vaccine strategy against human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced cancer and premalignant diseases, using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding the viral E7 oncoproteins as the tumor antigens from HPV serotypes 16 (HPV16) and 18 (HPV18). Genetically inactivated E7 proteins were fused with a heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) to minimize the risk of cell transformation and enhance immune responses. The fusion protein gene was packaged in AAV serotype 1 or 2 (AAV1 or 2) for efficient in vivogene expression. Our results showed that after a single intramuscular injection, the AAV1 vector elicited stronger HPV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and interferon-γ secretion when compared with the AAV2 vector. Prophylactic immunization with AAV1 protected 100% of the mice from tumor growth for more than 1 year, whereas all the control mice immunized with either a LacZ vector or saline grew large tumors and died within 6 weeks after inoculation of E7-positive tumor cell line TC-1. In addition, this single-dose AAV1 vaccination completely protected the mice against second and third challenges with higher numbers of TC-1 cells. Despite lower CTL responses against the E7 antigens, AAV2 vector prophylactic immunization was also sufficient to protect 100% of the mice against the initial and second tumor challenges and 70% of the mice against the third challenge. In addition, therapeutic immunization with AAV1 after palpable tumor formation inhibited tumor growth and caused tumor regression in some mice. Thus, our studies support the potential of AAV vectors as a genetic vaccine for the prevention and treatment of HPV-induced malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on emissions control efforts in London, England and Beijing, China. It states a citywide low-emission zone and congestion-charging in London failed to reduce nitrogen dioxide concentrations sufficiently, while in Beijing, transport emissions have not decreased to a sufficient extent with controls on the purchase and use of automobiles. It comments on zero-emission automobiles and suggests the only way to efficiently move large numbers of people is by expanding mas transit.

The photophysical processes for three nanosized photocatalytic oxides, titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin film, tin dioxide (SnO2) thin film, and layered TiO2/SnO2 thin film, have been examined in planar solid-state devices. It is found that, for SnO2 thin film, the dissociation of the photogenerated excitons can take place both on the film surface and inside the film, while for TiO2 thin film, almost all excitons dissociate on the film surface. Such a difference is proposed to account for the higher photocatalytic activity of TiO2 over SnO2, since it is experimentally shown that the excitons dissociate in SnO2 thin film as efficiently as they do in TiO2 thin film. For layered TiO2/SnO2 thin film, when it is illuminated by a beam of UV light, it is suggested that there exists a local electrostatic field at the SnO2 side of the interface, mainly formed by those holes efficiently photogenerated and then localized in SnO2 thin film. The photo-induced local electrostatic field is believed to facilitate hole–electron separation on TiO2 thin film and therefore increase the photocatalytic activity of the layered thin film over single TiO2 thin film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The precocious trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata [L.] Raf.), an early flowering mutant of P. trifoliata, has a short juvenile phase of about 14 months, significantly shorter than other citrus. In this report, using the stems of precocious trifoliate orange seedlings as explants, an improved protocol mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens was developed to evaluate regeneration and transformation frequency. The transformed plants continued to reveal the precocious trait of non-transgenic mature precocious trifoliate orange, and as such could prove to be an efficient system for the verification of gene function in the fruits/flower via genetic transformation in woody plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Previous research in the Taihu Lake Region (TLR) of China found high levels of atmospheric organochiorine pesticides (OCPs). To understand the sources and the environmental behaviors of these OCPs in the TLR, research on air-water gas exchange was perlormed in 2004. Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), DOT related compoun (DOTs), cis-chlordane (CC), trans-chlordane (TC), heptachlor (HEPT), and ci-endosulfan in both air and water samples were analyzed, and air-water gas exchange fluxes of these compounds were calculated. The net volatilization flux of a-HCH was 58 ng m2 day', suggesting that the residue of technical HCH in the lake sediment might have been an important source of u-HCH to the air of this region after the ban of technical HCH two decades ago. The main components of technical chlordane, IC, CC, and .HEPT, each had netvolatilization fluxes >230ng m2day',suggesting that waste discharge from manufacturing plants in the upper region was the main source of chlordane tothe lake. Unlike a-HCH and chlordane, o,p'-DDI and ci-endosulfan had net deposition fluxes, suggesting that these compounds were transported through the atmosphere from land sources and then deposited into the lake. The correlation between air concentrations and ambient air temperature indicated that the current sources of o,p'-DDT and ci-endosulfan were from land; a-HCH and chlordane were mainly from the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid variational scheme (HVAR) is developed to produce the vortex analysis associated with tropical storms. This scheme allows for direct assimilation of rain-affected radiances from satellite microwave instruments. In the HVAR, the atmospheric temperature and surface parameters in the storms are derived from a one-dimension variational data assimilation (1DVAR) scheme, which minimizes the cost function of both background information and satellite measurements. In the minimization process, a radiative transfer model including scattering and emission is used for radiance simulation (see Part I of this study). Through the use of 4DVAR, atmospheric temperatures from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and surface parameters from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) are assimilated into global forecast model outputs to produce an improved analysis. This new scheme is generally applicable for variable stages of storms. In the 2005 hurricane season, the HVAR was applied for two hurricane cases, resulting in improved analyses of three-dimensional structures of temperature and wind fields as compared with operational model analysis fields. It is found that HVAR reproduces detailed structures for the hurricane warm core at the upper troposphere. Both lower-level wind speed and upper-level divergence are enhanced with reasonable asymmetric structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The INDETERMINATE1 (ID1) transcription factor is a key regulator of the transition to flowering in maize. ID1 is expressed in immature leaves where it controls the production or transmission of leaf-derived florigenic signals. Loss-of-function id1 mutants make many more leaves than normal plants and produce aberrant flowers; however, they exhibit no obvious developmental defects in early growth stages. A maize oligonucleotide microarray was used to assess the molecular differences between immature leaves of wild-type and id1 mutant plants prior to the floral transition. This analysis revealed 55 genes with a significant 2-fold difference in expression; 22 are down-regulated and 33 are up-regulated in id1 mutants. Most prominent is a novel family of three β-glucosidase genes that are most closely related to sorghum dhurrinases. These genes, termed Zmdhr1, Zmdhr2, and Zmdhr3, are undetectable in immature leaves of id1 mutants and are expressed exclusively in normal immature leaves in a pattern identical to the ID1 gene. Other down-regulated genes include a group of four zinc finger protein-encoding genes that are unrelated to ID1. A significant number of genes up-regulated in id1 mutant immature leaves have potential roles in photosynthesis and carbon fixation, substantiating a possible connection between floral induction and assimilate partitioning. Finally, expression of these genes was compared in florally induced versus uninduced teosinte, a photoperiod-sensitive progenitor of day-neutral maize. Only a few genes showed expression differences, suggesting that ID1 acts in a novel autonomous floral induction pathway that is distinct from the photoperiod induction pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Up until now, the prognosis of a patient with disseminated renal cell carcinoma is poor with 5-year survival less than 2%. In a small subset of patients with isolated pulmonary metastasis, long-term survival after pulmonary metastasectomy has been reported to be acceptable. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the result of pulmonary metastasectomy in a local cardiothoracic surgical centre. Methods: Patients who had renal cell carcinoma and pulmonary metastasectomy for isolated pulmonary metastasectomy were recruited for the study. Their survival was analysed. Results: Between 1992 and 2004, 13 patients underwent 15 operative procedures for pulmonary metastases from renal cell carcinoma. The median follow up was 39.8 months (from 4.6 to 127.5 months). The five-year survival after pulmonary metastasectomy was 48.3% and median survival was 25.4 months. There was no postoperative mortality. Pulmonary recurrence was the commonest recurrent site after pulmonary metastasectomy. Conclusion: Pulmonary metastasectomy for renal cell carcinoma is a safe and effective procedure. And, as the lung is the commonest site of first recurrence after pulmonary metastasectomy, the present study on the control of these occult metastases is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of various cloud microphysics processes on the hurricane intensity, precipitation, and inner-core structures are examined with a series of 5-day explicit simulations of Hurricane Bonnie (1998), using the results presented in Part I as a control run. It is found that varying cloud microphysics processes produces little sensitivity in hurricane track, except for very weak and shallow storms, but it produces pronounced departures in hurricane intensity and inner-core structures. Specifically, removing ice microphysics produces the weakest (15-hPa underdeepening) and shallowest storm with widespread cloud water but little rainwater in the upper troposphere. Removing graupel from the control run generates a weaker hurricane with a wider area of precipitation and more cloud coverage in the eyewall due to the enhanced horizontal advection of hydrometeors relative to the vertical fallouts (or increased water loading). Turning off the evaporation of cloud water and rainwater leads to the most rapid deepening storm (i.e., 90 hPa in 48 h) with the smallest radius but a wider eyewall and the strongest eyewall updrafts. The second strongest storm, but with the most amount of rainfall, is obtained when the melting effect is ignored. It is found that the cooling due to melting is more pronounced in the eyewall where more frozen hydrometeors, especially graupel, are available, whereas the evaporative cooling occurs more markedly when the storm environment is more unsaturated. It is shown that stronger storms tend to show more compact eyewalls with heavier precipitation and more symmetric structures in the warm-cored eye and in the eyewall. It is also shown that although the eyewall replacement scenarios occur as the simulated storms move into weak-sheared environments, the associated inner-core structural changes, timing, and location differ markedly, depending on the hurricane intensity. That is, the eyewall convection in weak storms tends to diminish shortly after being encircled by an outer rainband, whereas both the cloud band and the inner eyewall in strong storms tend to merge to form a new eyewall with a larger radius. The results indicate the importance of the Bergeron processes, including the growth and rapid fallout of graupel in the eyewall, and the latent heat of fusion in determining the intensity and inner-core structures of hurricanes, and the vulnerability of weak storms to the influence of large-scale sheared flows in terms of track, inner-core structures, and intensity changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High DDT concentrations and o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT ratios observed in the air over Taihu Lake, a lake near Shanghai, China, led us to suggest that current use of dicofol in the area north of the lake was the main source of the measured DDTs. To examine this hypothesis, samples of commercially available formulated dicofol in China were collected in 2003 to measure the impurities of DOT related compounds (DDTs). The o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT ratio in the samples was 7.0, close to the observed value in the air over Taihu Lake. Average contents of o,p'-DDT, p,p'-Cl- DDT, o,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDT in the samples were 114, 69, 44, and 17 g per kg dicofol, respectively. On the basis of a production and distribution survey, total input of DDTs to the environment from the dicofol use in China was estimated to be 8770 t between 1988 and 2002. "Dicofol type DDT pollution", defined as DDT pollution caused by dicofol use and characterized with high o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT ratio, might be serious in China, especially in southern and eastern China. The conversion of p,p'-Cl-DDT to p,p'- DDE can lead to high p,p'-DDE/p,p'-DDT ratio and could mislead the evaluation of p,p'-DDT resident time in the environment Therefore, more studies on p,p'-Cl-DDT in the environment are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic gene delivery into muscle has been a major challenge for muscular dystrophy gene therapy, with capillary blood vessels posing the principle barrier and limiting vector dissemination. Previous efforts to deliver genes into multiple muscles have relied on isolated vessel perfusion or pharmacological interventions to enforce broad vector distribution. We compared the efficiency of multiple adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors after a single injection via intraperitoneal or intravenous routes without additional intervention. We show that AAV8 is the most efficient vector for crossing the blood vessel barrier to attain systemic gene transfer in both skeletal and cardiac muscles of mice and hamsters. Serotypes such as AAV1 and AAV6, which demonstrate robust infection in skeletal muscle cells, were less effective in crossing the blood vessel barrier. Gene expression persisted in muscle and heart, but diminished in tissues undergoing rapid cell division, such as neonatal liver. This technology should prove useful for muscle-directed systemic gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey of students' smoking in China (n = 1896), comparing medical students with college students in non-medical majors, was carried out to determine whether a medical education has a preventive effect on smoking uptake. The survey, sampling students from 12 universities in three cities, found no significant differences between medical and non-medical students in smoking prevalence (40.7% versus 45.1% for males, 4.4% versus 6.0% for females), in ‘ever smoked’ groups, in ‘ever smoked 100 cigarettes’ groups or in years of smoking. For both student groups, smoking prevalence increased with age and with years of college. However, one significant difference was found among the smokers: medical students were more likely to be occasional smokers than were non-medical students (75.3% occasional smokers among medical students who smoked versus 60.6% among non-medical students). These results suggest that a medical education had little effect on these students' decisions to smoke, but that it may have modified their consumption level. Future studies are needed to ascertain factors affecting the decision to smoke and to identify possible early adopters of a nonsmoking culture in China. Action on a societal level is urgently needed to change Chinese social norms regarding smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organochlorine (OC) pesticides have been used broadly in China's past, yet very little is known about their atmospheric concentrations and transport. In this work, air samples were collected in the Taihu Lake Region, China, from July 23 to August 11,2002, to measure concentrations of OC pesticides in air. The average concentrations of α and γ- hexachlo-rocyclohexane (HCH), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), heptachlor (HEPT), α-endosulfan, p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, and o,p'- DDT in the air were 74 and 46, 47, 53, 307, 124, 212, 36, and 767 pg m-3, respectively. It was interesting to note that the concentrations of p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and o,p'-DDT were all very high, even though the use of technical DDT has been banned in China since 1983. Moreover, the average concentration ratios of o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT and p,p'- DDE/p,p'-DDT were as high as 6.3 and 1.8. This suggested that there could be an unknown source of DDT-related compounds (DDTs), especially o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE. It is very likely that this unknown source was the application of dicofol, an acaricide manufactured from technical 001 and used mainly on cotton fields to treat mites in China. Backward trajectory analysis also provided consistent evidence that the high air concentrations of DDTs were related to trajectories from the area north of the Yangtze River, where cotton fields account for a significant fraction of land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a 5-day explicit simulation of Hurricane Bonnie (1998) is performed using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5) with the finest grid length of 4 km. The initial mass, wind, and moisture fields of the hurricane vortex are retrieved from the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A) satellite measurements, and the sea surface temperature (SST) is updated daily. It is shown that the simulated track is within 3° latitude–longitude of the best track at the end of the 5-day integration, but with the landfalling point close to the observed. The model also reproduces reasonably well the hurricane intensity and intensity changes, asymmetries in cloud and precipitation, as well as the vertical structures of dynamic and thermodynamic fields in the eye and eyewall. It is shown that the storm deepens markedly in the first 2 days, during which period its environmental vertical shear increases substantially. It is found that this deepening could occur because of the dominant energy supply by a strong low-level southeasterly flow into the eastern eyewall plus the presence of underlying warm SST and favorable upper-level divergent outflow. However, the approaching of a strong upper-level northwesterly flow tends to generate mass convergence and subsidence warming and drying, thereby suppressing the development of deep convection in the western semicircle. This gives rise to wavenumber-1 asymmetries in clouds and precipitation (i.e., a partial eyewall) and the eastward tilt of the eyewall and storm center. Both the observed and simulated storms also appear to exhibit eyewall replacement scenarios in which the storms weaken as double eyewalls appear, and then reintensify as their inner eyewalls diminish and concentric eyewalls develop. The results indicate that the eyewall replacement process may be predictable because it appears to depend on the large-scale flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]