Rice gene OsUGT75A regulates seedling emergence under deep-sowing conditions

Poor seedling emergence is a challenge for direct seeding of rice under deep-sowing field conditions.Here we reveal that UDP-glucosyltransferase OsUGT75A promotes rice seedling emergence under deepsowing conditions by increasing shoot length.Expression of OsUGT75A was higher in the middle regions of the shoot and in shoots under deep-sowing conditions.Levels of free abscisic acid(ABA)and jasmonates(JA)were higher in shoots of OsUGT75A mutants than in those of wild-type plants,and OsUGT75A mutants were more sensitive to ABA and JA treatments.Reduced shoot length was attributed to higher ABA INSENSITIVE 3(OsABI3)expression and lower JASMONATE-ZIM domain protein(OsJAZ)expression in shoots.Shoot extension by OsUGT75A is achieved mainly by promotion of cell elongation.An elite haplotype of OsUGT75A associated with increased shoot length was identified among indica rice accessions.OsUGT75A acts to increase seedling emergence under deep-sowing conditions.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution in Laizhou Bay(China)using the ecological risk index and the integrated biomarker response of the goby Acanthogobius ommaturus

We used the Integrated Biological Responses version 2(IBRv2)method to evaluate the biological eff ects of heavy metals in the sediments in Laizhou Bay,China on the benthic goby Acanthogobius ommaturus.In December 2018,gobies and sediments were collected from 15 stations.We measured the activities of defense enzymes and the contents of malondialdehyde(MDA)and metallothionein(MT)in the goby liver as well as the levels of heavy metals in the sediments and goby muscle tissue.Most of the heavy metal concentrations in sediment at each station were below the Class I criteria set by Chinese Standards for Marine Sediment Quality,and the Håkanson ecological risk index suggested low risk for the heavy metals.We found that A.ommaturus could eff ectively accumulate mercury,cadmium,arsenic,and zinc and that the contents of MT and MDA and the activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were suitable biomarkers of heavy metal pollution in this species.The IBRv2 method integrated these four biomarkers and discriminated stations according to heavy metal pollution.Higher IBRv2 values suggested more adverse eff ects in gobies,corroborating more serious heavy metal contamination.The stations with high IBRv2 values and high contents of heavy metals were mainly distributed in the west and northeast parts of the bay.These results show that the IBRv2 approach is a feasible strategy for assessing heavy metal pollution through biological response and biological status and that it can be implemented for environmental monitoring in Laizhou Bay.

新型生物标志物在脓毒症诊断、治疗和预后中的潜在价值

生物标志物在脓毒症的早期诊断、指导治疗和判断预后方面具有很大的作用。病原学检查是脓毒症病因诊断的金标准,但多数情况下需要一定时间才能得到结果,且有时阳性率不高,难以早期和准确地进行诊断。C反应蛋白(CRP)、降钙素原(PCT)等经典生物标志物已广泛应用于临床,对脓毒症的鉴别诊断和指导治疗有重要的临床价值,但这些经典的生物标志物,在非感染疾病中同样可以升高,从而影响诊断和治疗。本文对近年研究发现的一些新型生物标志物,如可溶性髓样细胞触发受体-1(sTREM-1)、Presepsin(sCD14-T)、可溶性尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活物受体(suPAR)等,在脓毒症诊断、治疗和预后中的作用进行归纳总结,寻找其在脓毒症诊治中的应用价值和意义。

丝素溶液的瞬时凝胶化

蛋白质溶液具有凝胶化趋势,其中丝素蛋白的凝胶化在常温下需要十几天的时间。本文提出了一种促使丝素蛋白瞬时凝胶化的方法,该方法能够促使丝素蛋白水凝胶瞬时形成。SEM分析显示该水凝胶内部为疏松多孔的三维交联网状无规则卷曲结构,且有很多微球状的结构交联在一起。利用X衍射、红外光谱等手段进行检测,结果显示丝素蛋白分子快速凝胶化过程中,其分子结构基本保持无规卷曲不变。该瞬时凝胶化的丝素水凝胶具有一定的力学性能和保水性能,可以用于化妆品以及组织工程材料。

转移性癌性骨痛的分子机制及临床治疗研究进展

晚期癌症患者肿瘤骨转移诱发的骨痛是癌痛的最常见症状。癌性骨痛可显著影响患者的生存质量并使预后恶化。癌性骨痛包括背景痛及爆发性疼痛等多种形式,其发病机制复杂,包括炎性疼痛及神经病理性疼痛等,并随肿瘤的进展而变化。目前临床治疗主要包括外周及中枢镇痛药物、破骨细胞抑制剂等药物治疗,及放疗、神经损毁及神经调节等非药物治疗。阐明癌性骨痛的分子机制对优化治疗具有指导意义,本文将对转移性癌性骨痛的发病机制及临床治疗的进展进行综述。

In Situ Synthesis of Fluorescent Mesoporous Silica–Carbon Dot Nanohybrids Featuring Folate Receptor-Overexpressing Cancer Cell Targeting and Drug Delivery

Multifunctional nanocarrier-based theranostics is supposed to overcome some key problems in cancer treatment.In this work,a novel method for the preparation of a fluorescent mesoporous silica–carbon dot nanohybrid was developed.Carbon dots(CDs),from folic acid as the raw material,were prepared in situ and anchored on the surface of amino-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles(MSNs–NH2) via a microwave-assisted solvothermal reaction.The as-prepared nanohybrid(designated MSNs–CDs) not only exhibited strong and stable yellow emission but also preserved the unique features of MSNs(e.g.,mesoporous structure,large specific surface area,and good biocompatibility),demonstrating a potential capability for fluorescence imagingguided drug delivery.More interestingly,the MSNs–CDs nanohybrid was able to selectively target folate receptor-overexpressing cancer cells(e.g.,HeLa),indicating that folic acid still retained its function even after undergoing the solvothermal reaction.Benefited by these excellent properties,the fluorescent MSNs–CDs nanohybrid can be employed as a fluorescence-guided nanocarrier for the targeted deliveryof anticancer drugs(e.g.,doxorubicin),thereby enhancing chemotherapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects.Our studies may provide a facile strategy for the fabrication of multifunctional MSN-based theranostic platforms,which is beneficial in the diagnosis and therapy of cancers in future.

二维共价有机骨架中的直接激子和间接激子

本文利用基于GW方法和Bethe-Salpeter方程的第一性原理计算,研究了两种二维共价有机骨架材料(COF)的激发态性质.单层COF是直接带隙材料,而体相COF呈现间接带隙.根据直接激子计算的体相COF的光学带隙和吸收光谱与实验一致,而由位于导带底的光生电子和位于价带顶的空穴形成的间接激子能量的理论计算值远低于实验荧光光谱的测量值.研究表明,可以排除间接带隙COF材料的发光由声子主导的可能性.研究认为体相COF的发光可能源于缺陷处直接激子的复合.体相COF的AA堆叠结构导致其带隙是间接的.如果将堆叠方式由AA变成AB,体相COF将转变成直接带隙材料,它的发光效率可能会增强.

Carvedilol suppresses ventricular arrhythmia in a pressure over-load rabbit model through relieving transmural dispersion of repolarization with long-term administration

Objective: To investigate the effects of carvedilol (CVD) on transmural dispersion of repolarization(TDR) and arrhythmia in pressure over-load rabbits. Methods: Left ventricular hypertrophied(LVH) rabbit models were established by pressure over-load; All animal models were assigned into CVD group or LVH group randomly. The action potentials of endocardium, epicardium and transmural ECG of arterially perfused left ventricular preparations were recorded concurrently. Action potential duration (APD), TDR, ventricular arrhythmia and ultrasonic parameters, ratio of LVM to body weight (LVMI) were compared correspondingly. The stable plasma concentration of carvedilol in CVD group was detected by HPLC. APD, TDR and arrhythmia of LVH models were compared just preor post-perfusion with stable concentration of CVD. Results: In Contrast with values in LVH group, LVEFof CVD group were significantly elevated while the LVMI was remarkably reduced, TDRs were significantly shortened, and ratio of ventricular arrhythmia was lowered remarkably. No significant difference of APD, TDR and ratio of arrhythmia was found pre- or post-perfusion at stable plasma concentration of CVD. Conclusion: CVD can ameliorate the structure and function of pressure over-load ventricles; CVD contributes to the improvement of ventricular arrhythmia associated with its long-term effect on APD,TDR shortening ,whereas has nothing to do with its transient function on ionic channel blockade.

The Research on Grounding Protection for 110kV Resistance Grounding Distribution System

Using the neutral grounding method by the resistance in 110?kV system, it can limit the voltage sag and short circuit current when one-phase grounding fault occurred, but it will change the sequence of the network structure and parameters. This paper analyzes the size and distribution of zero sequence voltage and current when one-phase grounding fault occurred in the 110 kV resistance grounding system, and puts forward the grounding protection configuration setting principle of this system combining the power supplying characteristics of 110?kV distribution network. In a reforming substation as an example, the grounding protection of 110 kV lines and transformer have been set and calculated.

The Research of Voltage Sag and Power Frequency Overvoltage on 110kV Resistance Grounding System

This paper researches the voltage transfer characteristics when one-phase ground fault occurred in the resistance grounding system, by using the theory of the asymmetric variable characteristics and the sequence network analysis of the -11 transformer, and concludes the scope of voltage sag and swell and the degree of power frequency overvoltage and their influencing factors in the 110 kV resistance grounding system. Accordingly this paper puts forward the resistance choosing principle: the resistance grounding coefficient must be equal to or greater than 10. So it can not only wipe out the voltage sag and voltage swell but also make sure the overvoltage is limited to electrical equipment allowing range. The method mentioned above is verified by simulation results of a 110 kV power system in ATP.

Electrochemically Active Phosphotungstic Acid Assisted Prevention of Graphene Restacking for High-Capacitance Supercapacitors

Direct reduction of graphene oxide usually leads to the agglomeration of the as-generated graphene sheets,thus suppressing the surface exposed for energy storage.Herein,graphene oxide was reduced by a one-pot hydrothermal process in the presence of an electrochemically active phosphotungstic acid to produce three-dimensional porous phosphotungstic acid/reduced graphene oxide composites.Phosphotungstic acid molecules were found to be uniformly anchored on the surface of reduced graphene oxide sheets through the electrostatic interaction to prevent the reduced graphene oxide sheets from restacking.

Application of Capillary Electrophoretic On-Line Sequential Concentration Based on Micelle to Solvent Stacking

To take advantage of micelle to solvent stacking (MSS) to achieve more sensitivity enhancement with enough selectivity, the application of capillary electrophoretic online sequential concentration based on the MSS was reviewed. MSS has been coupled to sweeping FASS, FASI and normal EKI. Furthermore, multiple stacking by coupling MSS with more than one stacking method has also been reported. It is more sensitive and selective than solely used of one or two stacking methods and is very suitable for complex and trace sample analysis.

Isolation and Characterization of Nine Microsatellite Markers for Red-backed Ratsnake,Elaphe rufodorsata

The red-backed ratsnake（Elaphe rufodorsata） is widely distributed in East Asia, especially China. This species is a common snake in plain river network region. In the past several decades, E. rufodorsata has dramatically declined due to the effect of human activities and over hunting for traditional Chinese medicine. We developed nine species-specific microsatellite loci in 190 individuals collected from Huzhou, Zhejiang province in China. These markers revealed a high degree of genetic diversity（13–41 alleles per locus） and heterozygosity（H O ranged from 0.266 to 0.941, and H E ranged from 0.851 to 0.937）. No locus exhibited significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. There was no evidence of linkage disequilibrium among pairs of loci. These microsatellite markers were described in our study will be valuable tools for the long term management and population-level studies（e.g. the population structure, genetic diversity and variation, individual paternity and evolutionary history） of the species.

ALS-linked C9orf72 dipeptide repeats inhibit starvation-induced autophagy through modulating BCL2–BECN1 interaction

Growing evidences indicate that dysfunction of autophagy contributes to the disease pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)and frontotemporal dementia(FTD),two neurodegenerative disorders.The GGGGCC·GGCCCC repeat RNA expansion in chromosome 9 open reading frame 72(C9orf72)is the most genetic cause of both ALS and FTD.According to the previous studies,GGGGCC·GGCCCC repeat undergoes the unconventional repeat-associated non-ATG translation,which produces dipeptide repeat(DPR)proteins.Although there is a growing understanding that C9orf72 DPRs have a strong ability to harm neurons and induce C9orf72-linked ALS/FTD,whether these DPRs can affect autophagy remains unclear.In the present study,we find that poly-GR and poly-PR,two arginine-containing DPRs which display the most cytotoxic properties according to the previous studies,strongly inhibit starvation-induced autophagy.Moreover,our data indicate that arginine-rich DPRs enhance the interaction between BCL2 and BECN1/Beclin 1 by inhibiting BCL2 phosphorylation,therefore they can impair autophagic clearance of neurodegenerative disease-associated protein aggregates under starvation condition in cells.Importantly,our study not only highlights the role of C9orf72 DPR in autophagy dysfunction,but also provides novel insight that pharmacological intervention of autophagy using SW063058,a small molecule compound that can disrupt the interaction between BECN1 and BCL2,may reduce C9orf72 DPR-induced neurotoxicity.

Cryo-EM structures for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis iron-loaded siderophore transporter IrtAB

The adenosine 5'-triphosphate(ATP)-binding cassette(ABC)transporter,IrtAB,plays a vital role in the replication and viability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb),where its function is to import iron-loaded siderophores.Unusually,it adopts the canonical type IV exporter fold.Herein,we report the structure of unliganded Mtb IrtAB and its structure in complex with ATP,ADP,or ATP analogue(AMP-PNP)at resolutions ranging from 2.8 to 3.5Å.The structure of IrtAB bound ATP-Mg2+shows a“head-to-tail”dimer of nucleotide-binding domains(NBDs),a closed amphipathic cavity within the transmembrane domains(TMDs),and a metal ion liganded to three histidine residues of IrtA in the cavity.Cryo-electron microscopy(Cryo-EM)structures and ATP hydrolysis assays show that the NBD of IrtA has a higher affinity for nucleotides and increased ATPase activity compared with IrtB.Moreover,the metal ion located in the TM region of IrtA is critical for the stabilization of the conformation of IrtAB during the transport cycle.This study provides a structural basis to explain the ATP-driven conformational changes that occur in IrtAB.

Genome-wide association study reveals that JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN 5 regulates seed germination in rice

Seed germination is a complex trait regulated by multiple genes in rice.However,the regulators of rice seed germination have yet to be sufficiently determined.Here,a quantitative trait locus(QTL)for rice seed germination was identified in a genome-wide association study.The candidate gene JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN 5(OsJAZ5)of the QTL was verified that positively regulates seed germination.OsJAZ5 regulation of seed germination involves an OsABI3-mediated abscisic acid pathway.Overexpression of OsJAZ5 facilitated seed germination.The application of OsJAZ5 might be useful for increasing seed germination for rice direct seeding.

Salivary exosomal PSMA7： a promising biomarker of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease （IBD） is an intestinal immune-dysfunctional disease worldwide whose prevalence increasing in Asia including China. It is a chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract with unknown cause. Exosomes are small vesicles in various body fluids. They have diameters of 40-120 nm, and one of their functions is long-distance transfer of various sub- stances. In this study, we investigated the contents of salivary exosomes in patients with IBD and in healthy controls to explore a new biomarker in patients with IBD. In this study, whole saliva was obtained from patients with IBD （ulcerative colitis （UC）, n = 37; Crohn＇s disease （CD）, n = 11） and apparently healthy individuals （HC, n = 10）. Salivary exosomes were extracted from samples, and the proteins within the exosomes were iden- tified by liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer （LC- MS/MS）. The results showed that more than 2000 proteins were detected in salivary exosomes from patients with IBD. Through gene ontology analysis, we found that proteasome subunit alpha type 7 （PSMA7） showed especially marked differences between patients with IBD and the healthy controls, in that its expression level was much higher in the CD and UC groups. This exosomal protein is related to proteasome activity and inflamma- tory responses. So we conclude that in this research,salivary exosomal PSMA7 was present at high levels in salivary exosomes from subjects with IBD. It can be a very promising biomarker to release the patients from the pain of colonoscopy.

Parallel ADR Detection Based on Spark and BCPNN

Adverse Drug Reaction(ADR) is one of the major challenges to the evaluation of drug safety in the medical field. The Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network(BCPNN) algorithm is the main algorithm used by the World Health Organization to monitor ADRs. Currently, ADR reports are collected through the spontaneous reporting system. However, with the continuous increase in ADR reports and possible use scenarios, the efficiency of the stand-alone ADR detection algorithm will encounter considerable challenges. Meanwhile, the BCPNN algorithm requires a certain number of disk I/O, which leads to considerable time consumption. In this study,we propose a Spark-based parallel BCPNN algorithm, which speeds up data processing and reduces the number of disk I/O in BCPNN, and two optimization strategies. Then, the ADR data collected from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System are used to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm and its optimization strategies.Experiments show that the parallel BCPNN can significantly accelerate data processing and the optimized algorithm has a high acceleration rate and can effectively prevent memory overflow. Finally, we apply the proposed algorithm to a dataset provided by a real medical consortium. Experiments further prove the performance and practical value of the proposed algorithm.

PCN-Fe(Ⅲ)-PTX nanoparticles for MRI guided high efficiency chemo-photodynamic therapy in pancreatic cancer through alleviating tumor hypoxia

As nanomedicine-based clinical strategies have continued to develop,the possibility of combining chemotherapy and singlet oxygen-dependent photodynamic therapy(PDT)to treat pancreatic cancer(PaC)has emerged as a viable therapeutic modality.The efficacy of such an approach,however,is likely to be constrained by the mechanisms of drug release and tumor oxygen levels.In the present study,we developed an Fe(Ⅲ)-complexed porous coordination network(PCN)which we then used to encapsulate PTX(PCN-Fe(Ⅲ)-PTX)nanoparticles(NPs)in order to treat PaC via a combination of chemotherapy and PDT.The resultant NPs were able to release drug in response to both laser irradiation and pH changes to promote drug accumulation within tumors.Furthermore,through a Fe(Ⅲ)-based Fenton-like reaction these NPs were able to convert H2O2 in the tumor site to O2,thereby regulating local hypoxic conditions and enhancing the efficacy of PDT approaches.Also these NPs were suitable for use as a T1-MRI weighted contrast agent,making them viable for monitoring therapeutic efficacy upon treatment.Our results in both cell line and animal models of PaC suggest that these NPs represent an ideal agent for mediating effective MRI-guided chemotherapy-PDT,giving them great promise for the clinical treatment of PaC.

Long-wavelength(red to near-infrared) emissive carbon dots: Key factors for synthesis, fluorescence mechanism, and applications in biosensing and cancer theranostics

Carbon dots(CDs), as a new member of carbon nanostructures, have been widely applied in extensive fields due to their exceptional physicochemical properties. While, the emissions of most reported CDs are located in the blue to green range under the excitation of ultraviolet or blue light, which severely limits their practical applications, especially in photovoltaic and biological fields. Studies that focused on synthesizing CDs with long-wavelength(red to near-infrared) emission/excitation features(simply named L-w CDs) and exploring their potential applications have been frequently reported in recent years. In this review, we analyzed the key influence factors for the synthesis of CDs with long wavelength and multicolor(containing long wavelength) emissive properties, discussed possible fluorescence mechanism,and summarized their applications in sensing and cancer theranostics. Finally, the existing challenges and potential opportunities of L-w CDs are presented.