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In order to provide the scientific basis for the species conservation and sustainable exploitation and utiliza-tion, the effect of different shadness (0, 50%,65% and 80% shading)on the photosynthetic characteristics, chloro-phyll fluorescence and stomata structure of an endangered species Yunnanopilia longistaminata were studied. The results indicated that net photosynthetic increased at 50% shading but decreased at 80% shading. The transpiration rate and stomatal conductance increased at both 50% and 65% shading, which was helpful to photosynthetic process. Meanwhile, both of net photosynthetic and transpiration rates of the plant were suppressed as a result of the stomata limitation and the increase of the intercelluer CO2at 80% shading. For the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, the maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm)and the actual quantum yield of photosystem II(ΦPSII)decreased significantly under 80% shading. Shading treatments also decreased the stomatal density and stomatal index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of rice straw returning and rice straw biochar and life rubbish biochar application on the greenhouse gas (CH4, CO2 and N2O) emission from paddy soil, its physical and chemical properties, and rice grain yield. Compared with rice straw returning, applying rice straw biochar decreased the cumulative CH4 and N2 O emissions from paddy soil significantly by 64. 2% -78. 5% and 16. 3% -18. 4%, respectively. Whether planting rice or not, the cumulative N2 O emission from paddy soil under the applications of rice straw biochar and life rubbish biochar was decreased significantly, compared with that without biochar amendment. Under the condition of no rice planting, applying life rubbish biochar reduced the cumulative CO2 emission significantly by 25. 3%. Rice straw biochar was superior to life rubbish biochar in improving soil pH and available potassium content. Both rice straw biochar and life rubbish biochar could increase the soil organic carbon content significantly, but had less effects on the soil bulk density, total nitrogen and available phosphorus contents, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and grain yield. It was suggested that compared with rice straw returning, straw biochar was more effective in improving rice grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of exendin-4 against diabetic cardiomyopathy in mice and explore the underlying mechanism., Methods: C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal control group with normal diet and diabetic group with high-fat diet for 4 weeks before streptozotocin injection. The successfully established diabetic mouse models were divided into diabetic group with exendin-4 treatment and diabetic control group for daily treatment with intraperitoneal injection of 1 nmol/kg exendin-4 and saline of equivalent volume for 8 weeks, respectively. The physiological parameters such as blood glucose and body weight were recorded. RT-PCR was used to examine the transcription levels of genes related with myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis and the genes related with mitochondrial functions including PGC1α, NRF and CytoC. The expressions of oxidative stress markers and Sirt1/PGC1 proteins were measured using Western blotting. and HE staining was used to observe the myocardial structural changes in the mice., Results: Compared with the normal control mice, the mice in diabetic control group showed significantly increased blood glucose and blood lipid levels (P<0.001), which were obviously improved by Exendin-4 treatment. The expressions of ANP, BNP, TGFβ1, CytoC1 and NOX1 were significantly increased (P<0.05) while Sirt1, PGC1α, NRF and SOD1 expression were markedly decreased in the myocardial tissue of the diabetic mice (P<0.05). Exendin-4 treatment resulted in obviously reduced expressions of ANP, BNP, TGFβ1, CytoC1 and NOX1 (P<0.05) and increased expressions of Sirt1, PGC1α, NRF and SOD1 (P<0.05) in the diabetic mice., Conclusions: Exendin-4 protects against myocardial injury in diabetic mice by improving mitochondrial function and inhibiting oxidative stress through the Sirt1/PGC1α signaling pathway.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence, etiology and clinical characteristics of adrenal lesions detected by abdominal computed tomography (CT)., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in patients with adrenal lesions detected by abdominal CT examinations in Nanfang Hospital between July, 2014 and June, 2015. The clinical data of the patients were collected for analysis of the demographics, comorbidities, imaging characteristics, biochemical profiles, clinical diagnosis and intervention., Results: A total of 939 patients with adrenal lesions were identified from 19 004 patients undergoing abdominal CT scan over the defined period. The mean age of the patients was 53.2 years and 560 of the patients were male. Among the total cases with adrenal lesions, the percentages of cases with adrenal masses tended to increase progressively with age. Endocrine studies were done in 270 of the total patients, which identified non-functioning masses in 38.9%, primary aldosteronism in 16.3%, Cushing's syndrome in 4.1%, subclinical Cushing's syndrome in 7.0%, and pheochromocytomas in 7.0% of the cases. Adrenal incidentalomas was detected in 191 patients, with a detection rate of 1.0% among the overall patients undergoing abdominal CT scans. Imaging study detected adenomas (70.3%), cortical carcinomas (2.4%), and metastases (0.5%). Of 191 patients with adrenal incidentalomas, only 76 (39.8%) underwent endocrine evaluation, including 34 with nonfunctioning adrenal masses, 17 with pheochromocytoma, 7 with primary aldosteronism, and 5 with subclinical Cushing's syndrome., Conclusion: s The overall detection rates of adrenal lesions and adrenal incidentalomas by abdominal CT were 4.9% and 1.0%, respectively, in our cohort of patients undergoing the examination over the defined period. Although most of the lesions were benign and nonfunctioning, malignant and functional lesions were also detected. As many as 60% of the patients with adrenal incidentalomas did not have hormonal testing. Clinicians need to have greater awareness of adrenal incidentalomas and standard protocol for its management should be established.

Objective: To investigate the expressions of inflammation- and fibrosis-related genes in perinephric and subcutaneous adipose tissues in patients with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent Cushing's syndrome., Methods: The perinephric and subcutaneous adipose tissues adipose tissues were obtained from 8 patients with ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome undergoing laparoscopic retroperitoneal adrenalectomy. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), matrix metallopeptidase 2 (MMP-2), TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1 (TIMP-1), early growth response 1 (EGR1), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β(CEBPβ), uncoupling protein 1(UCP-1), PPARγ coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α) and cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector a (CIDEA)., Results: The mRNA level of CIDEA was significantly higher in the perinephric adipose tissue (peri-N) than in the subcutaneous adipose tissue (subQ) (P<0.05). The expressions of CEBPβ, UCP-1, and PGC1α mRNA in the peri-N were similar with those in the subQ. The expressions of IL-6, TIMP1 and EGR1 mRNA in the subQ were significantly higher than those in the peri-N (P<0.05). No significant difference in TNF-α and MMP-2 mRNA levels was found between peri-N and subQ., Conclusion: The expression levels of the inflammation- and fibrosis-related genes are higher in the subQ than in the peri-N of patients with ACTH-independent Cushing's syndrome, suggesting that chronic exposure to endogenous hypercortisolism may cause adipose tissue dysfunction.

The compounds of Ainsliaea yunnanensis were isolated and purified by various kinds of column chromatography methods and their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis. Twelve compounds were obtained from the petroleum ether of ethanolic extract of A. yunnanensis and elucidated as bauerenyl acetate (1), bauerenol (2), alpha-amyrin (3), psi-taraxasterol (4), beta-amyrin (5), echinocystic acid (6), multiflorenol (7), 3beta-hydroxy-olean-18-ene germanicol (8), 3beta-hexadecanoyl-12-oleanen-11-one (9), fernenol (10), fern-7-en-3beta-ol (11), and lupeol (12). All compounds were isolated from this genus for the first time except compound 1, 3, 5 and 10, and they were all isolated from this plant for the first time.

The paper is aimed at studying the diversity of endophytic fungi community from Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, and to provide a scientific basis for the utilization value of the endophytic fungi as bioactive material resources. In the present study, endophytic fungi were isolated from roots, rhizomes and leaves of wild P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis collected from Baoshan, Heqing county and Songming city of Yunnan province, and identified and classified by morphological methods together with its ITS sequence analysis. Seven and forty-nine strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. They were identified belonging to 41 genus. In these 41 genus, 3 genus exist in root only, 12 genus only exist in rhizome and 8 genus only exist in leaf. There was difference in endophytic fungi isolated from different sample sites. Endophytic fungi diversity from rhizomes of Heqing site was the highest. Endophytic fungi similarity coefficient was low among different sites and tissues. Based on these results, it is reasonable to propose that endophytic fungi of P. polyphylla var. yannanensis from different tissue and different sample sites has a certain difference which is possibly relate to their different habitats, different structure and composition of each tissue.

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of rice straw returning and rice straw biochar and life rubbish biochar application on the greenhouse gas (CH4, CO2 and N2O) emission from paddy soil, its physical and chemical properties, and rice grain yield. Compared with rice straw returning, applying rice straw biochar decreased the cumulative CH4 and N2O emissions from paddy soil significantly by 64.2% - 78.5% and 16.3% - 18.4%, respectively. Whether planting rice or not, the cumulative N2O emission from paddy soil under the applications of rice straw biochar and life rubbish biochar was decreased significantly, compared with that without biochar amendment. Under the condition of no rice planting, applying life rubbish biochar reduced the cumulative CO2 emission significantly by 25.3%. Rice straw biochar was superior to life rubbish biochar in improving soil pH and available potassium content. Both rice straw biochar and life rubbish biochar could increase the soil organic carbon content significantly, but had less effects on the soil bulk density, total nitrogen and available phosphorus contents, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and grain yield. It was suggested that compared with rice straw returning, straw biochar was more effective in improving rice grain yield.

Objective: To study the clinical manifestations and radiological characteristics, diagnostic methods and outcomes of pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-derived(MALT) lymphoma., Methods: A retrospective review of clinical, radiological and follow-up data of 29 pulmonary MALT lymphoma cases at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital affiliated to Tong Ji University from January 2002 to June 2010 was performed., Results: Among these patients, there were 19(65.5%) males and 10 (34.5%) females aged from 27 to 73 (median 53) years old. Common clinical manifestations were cough (51.7%), fever (20.7%), apnea (17.2%), chest pain (17.2%), fatigue (13.8%) and weight loss (13.8%), while 9(31.0%) cases had no symptoms at diagnosis. The characteristics of the chest CT showed that 22 (75.9%) of the cases had patch infiltration or consolidation of the lung, 7(24.1%) of the cases had mass, and 15 (51.7%) unilateral and 14(48.3%) bilateral lesions. Their diagnosis duration varied between 0.5 and 96 months. 18(62.1%) cases were confirmed by surgery (15 open lung and 7 video-assisted thoracic surgery, VAST), 4 (13.8%) by percutaneous lung biopsy, 5 (17.2%) by bronchoscopic biopsy, and 2 (6.9%) by peripheral lymph node biopsy. The treatment methods included surgery, combined chemotherapy, radiotherapy and Chinese herbal medicine. The 1- and 3-year-survival rates were 92.3% and 87.4%, respectively., Conclusions: Pulmonary MALT lymphoma is atypical in clinical manifestations and radiological characteristics, and easy to be misdiagnosed. Local diseases are mainly treated by operation while extensive diseases receive combined chemotherapy. A proper diagnosis is mainly based on pathological biopsy. Patients with MALT lymphoma have a favorable outcome. Poor prognosis may be connected with poor performance status and long diagnosis duration.

Objective: To study the effect on invasive and motor ability of MiaPaCa II pancreatic cancer cell transfected by recombinant plasmid pCMV-KAI1, alteration of KAI1 in the transfecting cancer cells, and the metastatic mechanism in the malignancy., Methods: MiaPaCa II pancreatic cancer cell was transfected with pCMV-KAI1 by liposome, the invasive and gelatinase ability of two pancreatic cancer cell lines were analyzed with transwell culture cell and polyacrylamided gel electrophoresis (PAGE) before and after KAI1 cDNA transfection., Results: After KAI1 cDNA transfected into MiaPaCa II, the migrative ability of passing through the membrane filter decreased evidently (P < 0.05). The width of negative staining band narrowed, the intensity level of tape weakened through PAGE. These results showed that reduced the ability of degrading basement membrane and extra-cell base and metastasis were influenced after MiaPaCa II pancreatic cancer cells were transfected., Conclusion: The suppressed invasion and motor function of pancreatic cancer cells seems to influence their metastatic ability and thereby entrances the malignant potential of pancreatic cancer.

Carbon nanotubes are produced in two kinds of inert atmosphere at the pressure range of 11 to 92 kPa by arc discharge. First- and second-order Raman spectra of these samples have been measured and compared with each other. It is found that the position and bandwidth of the spectral lines depend on the kind of inert gases and their pressure. The Raman spectra of the nanotubes produced in argon gas are much more similar to that of polycrystalline graphite than those of the nanotubes produced in helium gas. The position and bandwidth of nanotubes Raman peaks also change with gas pressure in arc discharge. The Raman spectra of nanotubes produced in high pressure are much more like the graphite than those produced in lower pressure.

In this article, We report our measured results of UV-Vis absorption, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope for Sn-doped C60 thin film. The results show the two absorption peaks in respective short wave range of UV absorption have an apparent decline after doping Sn, and the position of three absorption peaks have a slightly shift respectively to red wave direction. The electron absorption transition of Sn-C60 film is indirect transition, and there are impurity levels in the energy band; X-ray diffraction shows that the crystal structure of Sn-C60 film is f. c. c. The film is in the form of tiny drops in nano magnitude.