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Ag and Cu based nanostructures serve as advanced functional materials for biomedical applications, due to their unique properties. Here, we proposed a novel neurotransmitter biosensing method based on Ag–Cu composite nanozyme, synthesized through the soft film plate method. Supported by the soft film template, the Ag–Cu nanozymes were stably kept to an ultrafine 2D structure with high monodispersity, which provided a large specific surface area and sufficient binding sites, leading to controllable and improved dual-nanozyme activities over similar-sized mono-Ag and mono-Cu, and up to 4.95 times of natural enzyme-level. The multi-path enzymatic reaction processes catalyzed by Ag–Cu composite nanozymes were firstly theoretically discussed in detail, according to the theoretical redox potential of redox couples in the reaction systems. On this basis, the Ag–Cu filled nanonets based neurotransmitter biosensing is successfully applied in rapid detection for glutathione and dopamine, possessing a linear range of 10∼100 μM and 1–10 μM, and a detection limit of 3.01 μM and 0.29 μM, respectively, which exhibited superior performance for biomedical purposes over most commercially available products in speed and precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) is a huge burden on women's lives. Recently, the implication of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancers, including OC, has aroused much attention. The objective of this study was to explore the role and functional mechanism of lncRNA distal-less homeobox 6 antisense 1 (DLX6-AS1) in OC. Methods: The expression of DLX6-AS1, miR-195-5p, and four and a half LIM domains protein 2 (FHL2) was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were assessed by cell count kit 8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry and transwell assays, respectively. The protein levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cleaved-caspase-3 (C-caspase 3), N-cadherin, Vimentin, E-cadherin and FHL2 were quantified by western blot. The relationship between miR-195-5p and DLX6-AS1 or FHL2 was predicted by bioinformatics tool starBase and verified by luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. Xenograft tumor model was established to observe the role of DLX6-AS1 in vivo. Results: DLX6-AS1 and FHL2 were up-regulated in OC tissues and cells, while miR-195-5p was down-regulated. DLX6-AS1 knockdown inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion but induced apoptosis of OC cells. However, miR-195-5p inhibition reversed these effects. Overexpression of miR-195-5p also depleted proliferation, migration, and invasion but promoted apoptosis of OC cells, while FHL2 overexpression overturned these influences. DLX6-AS1 knockdown blocked tumor growth in vivo. Conclusion: DLX6-AS1, as an oncogene in OC, accelerated tumor progression by up-regulating FHL2 via mediating miR-195-5p, suggesting that DLX6-AS1 was a hopeful target for the lncRNA-targeted therapy in OC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cytokinin is a classical phytohormone that plays important roles in numerous plant growth and development processes. In plants, cytokinin signals are transduced by a two-component system, which involves many genes, including cytokinin response factors (CRFs). Although CRFs take vital part in the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum, little information of the CRFs in the Brassica U-triangle species has been known yet. Results: We identified and compared 141 CRFs in the diploids and amphidiploids of Brassica species, including B. rapa, B. oleracea, B. nigra, B. napus, and B. juncea. For all the 141 CRFs, the sequence and structure analysis, physiological and biochemical characteristics analysis were performed. Meanwhile, the Ka/Ks ratios of orthologous and paralogous gene pairs were calculated, which indicated the natural selective pressure upon the overall length or a certain part of the CRFs. The expression profiles of CRFs in different tissues and under various stresses were analyzed in B. oleracea, B. nigra, and B. napus. The similarities and differences in gene sequences and expression profiles among the homologous genes of these species were discussed. In addition, AtCRF11 and its ortholog BrCRF11a were identified to be related to primary root growth in Arabidopsis. Conclusion: This study performed a genome-wide comparative analysis of the CRFs in the diploids and amphidiploids of the Brassica U-triangle species. Many similarities and differences in gene sequences and expression profiles existed among the CRF homologous genes of these species. In the bioinformatics analysis, we found the close relativity of the CRF homologous genes in the Brassica A and C genomes and the distinctiveness of those in the B genome, and the CRF homologous genes in B subgenome were considerably influenced by the A subgenome of B. juncea. In addition, we identified a new function of the Clade V CRFs related to root growth, which also clarified the functional conservation between Arabidopsis and B. rapa. These results not only offer useful information on the functional analysis of CRFs but also provide new insights into the evolution of Brassica species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study regarding the association between early pregnancy lipid profiles stratified by body mass index (BMI) and the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The study assessed maternal lipid concentrations in early pregnancy and the risk of GDM. Results showed that pregnant women with GDM had increased serum including triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (CHO) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

Objective: To compare maternal and neonatal outcomes between oxytocin and vaginal misoprostol induction in women with term prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) and unfavorable cervixes. Methods: In this retrospective study, 589 pregnant women with term singleton fetuses in cephalic presentation, reactive nonstress tests, PROM of 2–24 h duration, Bishop score <6, and no previous uterine surgery were reviewed and divided into oxytocin (n = 301) and misoprostol (n = 288) groups. The primary outcomes were the rate of vaginal delivery and delivery within 24 h. Results: After 24 h of induction, the misoprostol group showed a significantly higher proportion of vaginal delivery (64.6% vs. 49.5%, P < 0.001) and a lower cesarean section delivery rate (11.5% vs. 25.2%, P < 0.001) than the oxytocin group. More primiparas in the misoprostol group achieved vaginal delivery within 24 h than in the oxytocin group (60.5% vs. 45.4%, P = 0.001). Among primiparas, the misoprostol group had a significantly lower cesarean delivery rate (12.6% vs. 27.5%, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Vaginal misoprostol induction in term PROM gravidas with unfavorable cervixes was associated with lower cesarean section and higher vaginal delivery rates within 24 h than oxytocin infusion. Vaginal misoprostol and oxytocin infusion had similar maternal and neonatal outcomes. Synopsis: This retrospective study showed that vaginal misoprostol was more effective in induction and vaginal delivery for women with term PROM and unfavorable cervixes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Macrosomia, defined as a birthweight at least 4000 g, is a public health problem because of its adverse influences on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Studies show that there is an increasing prevalence of macrosomia births in developing countries. However, information on the epidemiology of macrosomia is limited in China. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and geographic variability of macrosomia in China and risk factors that can be targeted for intervention. Methods A hospital-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 14 provinces in China, covering a wide range of geographic areas. The medical records of 101 723 singleton term infants born in 39 hospitals during 2011 were reviewed. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between demographic characteristics and the risk of macrosomia. Results The total prevalence of macrosomia was 7.3%. The prevalence varied between provinces, ranging from 4.1% to 13.4%. The prevalence of macrosomia in northern China (8.5%) was significantly higher than that in southern China (5.6%). Logistic regression analyses showed that risk of macrosomia was positively associated with maternal age, pre-pregnant body mass index ( BMI), gravidity, parity, maternal height, gestational weight gain ( GWG), gestational diabetes mellitus ( GDM), and male fetal sex. Maternal BMI, gestational week, and GWG were the three risk factors most strongly associated with macrosomia. Conclusions The prevalence of macrosomia varied dramatically between different areas of China. High pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG represent main modifiable risk factors for macrosomia and need more attention from health care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AP2/ERF transcription factor family is one of the largest families involved in growth and development, hormone responses, and biotic or abiotic stress responses in plants. In this study, 281 AP2/ERF transcription factor unigenes were identified in Chinese cabbage. These superfamily members were classified into three families (AP2, ERF, and RAV). The ERF family was subdivided into the DREB subfamily and the ERF subfamily with 13 groups (I– XI) based on sequence similarity. Duplication, evolution and divergence of the AP2/ERF genes in B. rapa and Arabidopsis thaliana were investigated and estimated. Cytokinin response factors (CRFs), as a subclade of the AP2/ERF family, are important transcription factors that define a branch point in the cytokinin two-component signal (TCS) transduction pathway. Up to 21 CRFs with a conserved CRF domain were retrieved and designated as BrCRFs. The amino acid sequences, conserved regions and motifs, phylogenetic relationships, and promoter regions of the 21 BrCRFs were analyzed in detail. The BrCRFs broadly expressed in various tissues and organs. The transcripts of BrCRFs were regulated by factors such as drought, high salinity, and exogenous 6-BA, NAA, and ABA, suggesting their involvement in abiotic stress conditions and regulatory mechanisms of plant hormone homeostasis. These results provide new insight into the divergence, variation, and evolution of AP2/ERF genes at the genome-level in Chinese cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chitosan has been widely used in a variety of biomedical applications including peripheral nerve repair because of its excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, chitosan itself has a very slow degradation rate, and its molecules degrade in an uncontrollable manner. We hypothesized that the cross-linking of carboxymethyl chitosan (CM-chitosan), which is soluble in water, would result in a higher degradation rate in lysozyme solutions, while retaining its excellent mechanical properties and nerve cell affinity. In this study, we characterized the constructed matrix formed using a combination of carboxymethylation of chitosan chains and thereafter 1-ethyl-3(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) cross-linking. Specifically, after EDC cross-linking, the hydrophilicity and elastic modulus of the CM-chitosan films decreased. These changes are beneficial in the application of chitosan derivatives for nerve repair. The porous conduits degraded to 30% in weight during eight weeks of incubation in lysozyme solution (pH 7.4, 37°C). In addition, the cross-linked CM-chitosan films enhanced the spread of Neuro-2a cells and provided a good proliferation substratum for Neuro-2a cells, as compared to chitosan films. Therefore, cross-linking with EDC is a promising way to modify chitosan derivatives for peripheral nerve regeneration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to increase the biocompatibility and bioactivity of chitosan, hydroxyapatite had been in situ combined into chitosan scaffolds. The bioactivity of the composite scaffolds was studied by examining the apatite formed on the scaffolds by incubating in simulated body fluid and the activity of preosteoblasts cultured on them. The apatite layer was assessed using scanning electronic microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and weight measurement. Composite analysis showed that after incubation in simulated body fluid on both of the scaffolds carbonate hydroxyapatite was formed. With increasing nano-hydroxyapatite content in the composite, the quantity of the apatite formed on the scaffolds increased. Compared with pure chitosan, the composite with nano-hydroxyapatite could form apatite more readily during the biomimetic process, which suggests that the composite possessed better mineralization activity. Furthermore, preosteoblast cells cultured on the apatite-coated scaffolds showed different behavior. On the apatite-coated composite scaffolds cells presented better proliferation than on apatite-coated chitosan scaffolds. In addition, alkaline phosphatase activities of cells cultured on the scaffolds in conditioned medium were assessed. The cells on composite scaffolds showed a higher alkaline phosphatase activity which suggested a higher differentiation level. The results indicated that the addition of nano-hydroxyapatite improved the bioactivity of chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds. On the other hand, that is to say composition of substrates could affect the apatite formation on them, and pre-loaded hydroxyapatite can enhance the apatite-coating. It will also be significant in preparation of apatite-coating polymer scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) and poly(dl-lactide) (PDLLA) were blended at different ratios in an attempt to form a biomaterial with suitable properties for nerve regeneration. FT-IR and X-ray analysis showed that the blending of the PDLLA component did not alter the helical structure of PHBHHx, but did lead to a reduction of crystallinity. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that the two polymers were immiscible in the melted state. The mechanical properties of certain composite films were more desirable than those of unblended PDLLA films. Blends consisting of PDLLA and PHBHHx at ratios of 2:1 and 1:2 exhibited a lower elastic modulus and a higher elongation at break compared to unblended PDLLA. ELISA results indicated that the amount of fibronectin adsorbed on composite films was much higher than the amount adsorbed on PDLLA film. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of using PDLLA/PHBHHx blended materials for biomedical applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Brassica carinata (BBCC, 2n = 34) is commonly known as Ethiopian mustard, Abyssinian mustard, or carinata. Its excellent agronomic traits, including resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, make it a potential genetic donor for interspecific hybridization. Myzus persicae (green peach aphid, GPA) is one of the most harmful pests of Brassica crops, significantly effecting the yield and quality. However, few aphid-resistant Brassica crop germplasms have been utilized in breeding practices, while the underlying biochemical basis of aphid resistance still remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the genetic diversity of 75 B. carinata accessions and some plant characteristics that potentially contribute to GPA resistance. Initially, the morphological characterization showed abundant diversity in the phenotypic traits, with the dendrogram indicating that the genetic variation of the 75 accessions ranged from 0.66 to 0.98. A population structure analysis revealed that these accessions could be grouped into two main subpopulations and one admixed group, with the majority of accessions (86.67%) clustering in one subpopulation. Subsequently, there were three GPA-resistant B. carinata accessions, BC13, BC47, and BC51. The electrical penetration graph (EPG) assay detected resistance factors in the leaf mesophyll tissue and xylem. The result demonstrated that the Ethiopian mustard accessions were susceptible when the phloem probing time, the first probe time, and the G-wave time were 20.51–32.51 min, 26.36–55.54 s, and 36.18–47.84 min, respectively. In contrast, resistance of the Ethiopian mustard accessions was observed with the phloem probing time, the first probe time, and G-wave time of 41.18–70.78 min, 181.07–365.85 s, and 18.03–26.37 min, respectively. In addition, the epidermal characters, leaf anatomical structure, glucosinolate composition, defense-related enzyme activities, and callose deposition were compared between the resistant and susceptible accessions. GPA-resistant accessions had denser longitudinal leaf structure, higher wax content on the leaf surface, higher indole glucosinolate level, increased polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, and faster callose deposition than the susceptible accessions. This study validates that inherent physical and chemical barriers are evidently crucial factors in the resistance against GPA infestation. This study not only provide new insights into the biochemical basis of GPA resistance but also highlights the GPA-resistant B. carinata germplasm resources for the future accurate genetic improvement of Brassica crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most important antigen-presenting cells in the body and play a key role in antigen recognition, uptake, processing, and presentation and mediate nonspecific immunity and specific immunity. Purpose: To summarize the main findings that DC vaccines are a new immunotherapy scheme combining the strengths of tumor antigens and DCs that can boost the body's identification and clearance of tumors. Methods: In this review, the authors focus on the biological characteristics of DCs, recent advances in the understanding of antitumor mechanisms, and the classification of DC vaccines. Results: The current progress of DC-based vaccine immunotherapy for common tumors with high morbidity or mortality in China were systematically summarize. Conclusions: The DC vaccines combining the strengths of tumor antigens will provide directions to explore reasonable, safe, and effective combination immunotherapy strategies for tumors in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Studies have shown that arbutin has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, which makes it suitable for treating skin wounds. We designed this study to investigate the effect of arbutin on heat-induced apoptosis, proliferation, and migration of dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes and to explore the molecular mechanism. Methods. In vitro, HaCAT and dermal fibroblast (DFL) cells were cultured and used to establish a heat stress-injured skin cell model. We investigated the effects of arbutin on apoptosis, proliferation, and migration of HaCAT and DFL cells after heat stress injury. We then used immunoblotting to detect the expression of p-PI3K, PI3K, p-AKT, and AKT proteins for studying the underlying mechanisms and used a PI3K/AKT inhibitor (LY294002) to verify the efficacy of arbutin in HaCAT and DFL cells with heat stress injury. Results. Arbutin strongly inhibited heat stress-induced apoptosis, proliferation inhibition, and migration inhibition of HaCAT and DFL cells in vitro. Our results also showed that arbutin strongly decreased the ratio of Bax/Bcl2 protein expression and PCNA protein expression in HaCAT and DFL cells after treatment with heat stress. Furthermore, we also found that arbutin significantly increased the ratio of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expression, and LY294002 markedly reversed the effect of arbutin on heat stress-induced apoptosis, proliferation inhibition, and migration inhibition of HaCAT and DFL cells. Conclusion. Our finding indicated that arbutin inhibited heat stress-induced apoptosis and promoted proliferation and migration of heat-injured dermal fibroblasts and epidermal cells by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, suggesting that arbutin may provide an alternative therapeutic approach for the treatment of skin injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Abnormal signaling pathways play a crucial role in the mechanisms of podocyte injury in diabetic nephropathy. They also affect the recovery of podocytes after islet transplantation (IT). However, the specific signaling abnormalities that affect the therapeutic effect of IT on podocytes remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the RhoA/ROCK/NF-κB signaling pathway is related to podocyte restoration after IT. Methods. A mouse model of diabetic nephropathy was established in vivo using streptozotocin. The mice were then subsequently reared for 4 weeks after islet transplantation to determine the effect of IT. Islet cells, CCG-1423 (RhoA Inhibitor), and fasudil (ROCK inhibitor) were then cocultured with podocytes in vitro to assess their protective effects on podocyte injury induced by high glucose (HG). Protein expression levels of RhoA, ROCK1, synaptopodin, IL-6, and MCP-1 in kidney tissues were then measured using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting techniques. Results. Islet transplantation reduced the expression levels of RhoA/ROCK1 and that of related inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and MCP-1 in the kidney podocytes of diabetic nephropathy. In the same line, islet cells reduced the expression of RhoA, ROCK1, and pp65 in immortalized podocytes under high glucose (35.0 mmol/L glucose) conditions. Conclusions. Islet transplantation can reverse podocyte injury in diabetes nephropathy by inhibiting the RhoA/ROCK1 signaling pathway. Islet cells have a strong protective effect on podocytes treated with high glucose (35.0 mmol/L glucose). Discovery of signaling pathways affecting podocyte recovery is helpful for individualized efficacy evaluation and targeted therapy of islet transplantation patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) is the second largest gene family in the plant, some members play important roles in pistil development and response to drought, waterlogging, cold stress and salt stress. The bHLH gene family has been identified in many species, except for Brassica oleracea and B. napus thus far. This study aims to identify the bHLH family members in B. oleracea, B. rapa and B. napus, and elucidate the expression, duplication, phylogeny and evolution characters of them. Result: A total of 268 bHLH genes in B. oleracea, 440 genes in B. napus, and 251 genes in B. rapa, including 21 new bHLH members, have been identified. Subsequently, the analyses of the phylogenetic trees, conserved motifs and gene structures showed that the members in the same subfamily were highly conserved. Most Ka/Ks values of homologous gene were < 1, which indicated that these genes suffered from strong purifying selection for retention. The retention rates of BrabHLH and BolbHLH genes were 51.6 and 55.1%, respectively. The comparative expression patterns between B. rapa and B. napus showed that they had similar expression patterns in the root and contrasting patterns in the stems, leaves, and reproductive tissues. In addition, there were 41 and 30 differential expression bHLH genes under the treatments of ABA and JA, respectively, and the number of down regulation genes was significantly more than up regulation genes. Conclusion: In the present study, we identified and performed the comparative genomics analysis of bHLH gene family among B. oleracea, B. rapa and B. napus, and also investigated their diversity. The expression patterns between B. rapa and B. napus shows that they have the similar expression pattern in the root and opposite patterns in the stems, leaves, and reproduction tissues. Further analysis demonstrated that some bHLH gene members may play crucial roles under the abiotic and biotic stress conditions. This is the first to report on the bHLH gene family analysis in B. oleracea and B. napus, which can offer useful information on the functional analysis of the bHLH gene in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Members of the MtN3/saliva/SWEET gene family are present in various organisms and are highly conserved. Their precise biochemical functions remain unclear, especially in Chinese cabbage. Based on the whole genome sequence, this study aims to identify the MtN3/saliva/SWEETs family members in Chinese cabbage and to analyze their classification, gene structure, chromosome distribution, phylogenetic relationship, expression pattern, and biological functions. Results: We identified 34 SWEET genes in Chinese cabbage and analyzed their localization on chromosomes and transmembrane regions of their corresponding proteins. Analysis of a phylogenetic tree indicated that there were at least 17 supposed ancestor genes before the separation in Brassica rapa and Arabidopsis. The expression patterns of these genes in different tissues and flower developmental stages of Chinese cabbage showed that they are mainly involved in reproductive development. The Ka/Ks ratio between paralogous SWEET gene pairs of B. rapa were far less than 1. In our previous study, At2g39060 homologous gene Bra000116 (BraSWEET9, also named BcNS, Brassica Nectary and Stamen) played an important role during flower development in Chinese cabbage. Instantaneous expression experiments in onion epidermal cells showed that the gene encoding this protein is localized to the plasma membrane. A basal nectary split is the phenotype of transgenic plants transformed with the antisense expression vector. Conclusion: This study is the first to perform a sequence analysis, structures analysis, physiological and biochemical characteristics analysis of the MtN3/saliva/SWEETs gene in Chinese cabbage and to verify the function of BcNS. A total of 34 SWEET genes were identified and they are distributed among ten chromosomes and one scaffold. The Ka/Ks ratio implies that the duplication genes suffered strong purifying selection for retention. These genes were differentially expressed in different floral organs. The phenotypes of the transgenic plants indicated that BcNs participates in the development of the floral nectary. This study provides a basis for further functional analysis of the MtN3/saliva/SWEETs gene family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The erl mouse is a mouse model of nonsyndromic autosomal recessive deafness (DFNB12) on the C57BL/6J background. This project was carried out to express the first two ectodomains of cadherin 23 (CDH23 EC1+2) of erl mice in Escherichia coli and identify the Ca 2+ -binding ability of the recombinant protein. DNA sequences of CDH23 EC1+2 from wild type and erl mice were synthesized and cloned into pBV220 plasmids. Recombinant plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli and expression of CDH23 EC1+2 was induced by increasing the temperature from 30 °C to 42 °C. The proteins were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and antigenicity of proteins was identified by Western Blotting. Inclusion bodies were denatured in 8 M urea, purified by ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography and refolded with dialysis in buffer containing 0.1% sarkosyl. The Ca 2+ -binding ability of CDH23 EC1+2 was determined by Ca 2+ -dependent proteolysis protection. The results showed that the sizes and sequences of inserts in recombinant plasmids were consistent with expectation and that the recombinant proteins were found mainly in the form of inclusion bodies which maintain antigenicity. After refolding, the secondary structures of recombinant proteins were measured by circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Moreover, CDH23 EC1+2 from the erl mice showed less Ca 2+ -dependent proteolysis protection comparing with that of the wild type control. We therefore concluded that impairment of Ca 2+ -dependent protein interaction was likely involved in the progressive hearing loss in erl mice. The results may aid in understanding the mechanism of hearing loss in DFNB12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant hormone auxin plays critical roles in plant growth and development. Auxin response factors (ARFs) are a class of transcription factors which regulate auxin-mediated gene expression. While the functions of ARFs in sporophytic development have been well characterized, their functions specific to gametophytic development have not been studied extensively. In this study, Arabidopsis ARF genes were selectively down-regulated in gametophytes by misexpression of targeted microRNAs (amiRARF234, amiRARFMP and MIR167a) to silence AtARF2-AtAEF4, AtARF5, AtARF6 and AtARF8. Embryo sacs in amiRARF234- and amiRARFMPexpressing plants exhibited identity defects in cells at the micropylar pole, such as formation of two cells with egg celllike morphology, concomitant with loss of synergid marker expression and seed abortion. The pollen grains of the transgenic plants were morphologically aberrant and unviable, and the inclusions and nuclei were lost in the abnormal pollen grains. However, plants misexpressing MIR167a showed no obvious abnormal phenotypes in the embryo sacs and pollen grains. Overall, these results provide evidence that AtARF2-AtARF4 and AtARF5 play significant roles in regulating both female and male gametophyte development in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are abundant water resources in nature, and hydrogen production from electrolyzed water can be one of the main ways to obtain green and sustainable energy. Traditional water electrolysis uses precious metals as catalysts, but it is difficult to apply in massive volumes due to low reserves and high prices. It is still a challenge to develop hydrogen electrocatalysts with excellent performance but low cost to further improve the efficiency of hydrogen production. This article reported a potential candidate, the Co-NiS2/CoS2 (material is based on NiS2, and after Co doping, The NiS2/CoS2 heterostructure is formed) heterostructures, prepared by hydrothermal method with carbon paper as the substrate. In a 0.5 M sulfuric acid solution, the hydrogen evolution reaction with Co-NiS2/CoS2 as the electrode showed excellent catalytic performance. When the Co (Cobalt) doping concentration is increased to 27%, the overpotential is −133.3 mV, which is a drop of 81 mV compared with −214.3 mV when it is not doped. The heterostructure formed after doping also has good stability. After 800 CV cycles, the difference in overpotential is only 3 mV. The significant improvement of the catalytic performance can be attributed to the significant changes in the crystal structure and properties of the doped heterostructures, which provide an effective method for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an early event in tumour invasion and metastasis, and widespread and distant metastasis at early stages is the typical biological behaviour in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Our previous reports showed that high expression of the transcription factor E2F1 was involved in the invasion and metastasis of SCLC, but the role of E2F1 in the process of EMT in SCLC is unknown.Methods: Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expressions of EMT related markers. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expressions of cytoskeletal proteins and EMT related markers when E2F1 was silenced in SCLC cell lines. Adenovirus containing shRNA against E2F1 was used to knock down the E2F1 expression, and the dual luciferase reporter system was employed to clarify the regulatory relationship between E2F1 and ZEB2.Results: In this study, we observed the remodelling of cytoskeletal proteins when E2F1 was silenced in SCLC cell lines, indicating that E2F1 was involved in the EMT in SCLC. Depletion of E2F1 promoted the expression of epithelial markers (CDH1 and CTNNB1) and inhibited the expression of mesenchymal markers (VIM and CDH2) in SCLC cell lines, verifying that E2F1 promotes EMT occurrence. Next, the mechanism by which E2F1 promoted EMT was explored. Among the CDH1 related inhibitory transcriptional regulators ZEB1, ZEB2, SNAI1 and SNAI2, the expression of ZEB2 was the highest in SCLC tissue samples and was highly consistent with E2F1 expression. ChIP-seq data and dual luciferase reporter system analysis confirmed that E2F1 could regulate ZEB2 gene expression.Conclusion: Our data supports that E2F1 promotes EMT by regulating ZEB2 gene expression in SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]