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The aim of this study is to perform proteomic and metabolomic analyses in bilateral renal pelvis urine of patients with unilateral uric acid kidney stones to identify the specific urinary environment associated with uric acid stone formation. Using cystoscopy-guided insertion of ureteral catheters, bilateral renal pelvis urine samples are collected. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is employed to identify differentially expressed proteins and metabolites in the urine environment. Differentially expressed proteins and metabolites are further analyzed for their biological functions and potential metabolic pathways through Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. In the urine from the stone-affected side, eight differential proteins were significantly upregulated, and six metabolites were dysregulated. The uric acid stone urinary environment showed an excess of α-ketoisovaleric acid and 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, which may contribute to the acidification of the urine. Functional and pathway analyses indicate that the dysregulated metabolites are mainly associated with insulin resistance and branched chain amino acid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unilateral Nephrectomy is one of the most common treatments for surgical diseases of the kidney but often results in postsurgical acute kidney injury (AKI). In the current study, we aimed to investigate the risk factors for AKI in patients who have received Unilateral Nephrectomy. We retrospectively analysed 528 patients who underwent Unilateral Nephrectomy for different etiologies between January 2013 and December 2018 at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. We recorded the prevalence and severity of AKI, age, gender, diabetes, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, preoperative renal function, etiology, performed surgically, anaemia, albumin, coagulation, lactate dehydrogenase, nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the predictors of AKI in patients with Unilateral Nephrectomy. Overall, 218 of the 528 patients (41.2%) developed AKI during their hospitalisation. Univariate analysis showed that AKI was significantly associated with gender (male, OR = 1.866, P = 0.001), overweight (OR = 2.19, P = 0.0002), and surgical approach (OR = 1.7, P = 0.018), while multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that male gender (OR = 1.953, P = 0.001), overweight (OR = 2.176, P = 0.001), and preoperative renal function (OR = 0.507, P = 0.001) were independent factors for AKI. Regression analysis among different etiologies showed significant differences in postoperative AKI. After Unilateral nephrectomy, AKI is more likely to occur in overweight male patients with normal kidney function. AKI occurred more frequently in patients who are kidney donors, but rarely in those with non-function kidneys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is not enough information to position medications for the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD). Therefore, using a network meta-analysis and systematic review, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of combination therapy and infliximab (IFX) monotherapy in CD patients. Methods: We identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in CD patients who were given IFX-containing combination therapy versus IFX monotherapy. Induction and maintenance of clinical remission were the efficacy outcomes, while adverse events were the safety outcomes. The surface under cumulative ranking (SUCRA) probabilities was used to assess ranking in the network meta-analysis. Results: In total, 15 RCTs with 1586 CD patients were included in this study. There was no statistical difference between different combination therapies in induction and maintenance of remission. In terms of inducing clinical remission, IFX + EN (SUCRA: 0.91) ranked highest; in terms of maintaining clinical remission, IFX + AZA (SUCRA: 0.85) ranked highest. There was no treatment that was significantly safer than the others. In terms of any adverse events, serious adverse events, serious infections, and infusion/injection-site reactions, IFX + AZA (SUCRA: 0.36, 0.12, 0.19, and 0.24) was ranked lowest for all risks; while IFX + MTX (SUCRA: 0.34, 0.06, 0.13, 0.08, 0.34, and 0.08) was rated lowest for risk of abdominal pain, arthralgia, headache, nausea, pyrexia, and upper respiratory tract infection. Conclusion: Indirect comparisons suggested that efficacy and safety of different combination treatments are comparable in CD patients. For maintenance therapies, IFX + AZA was ranked highest for clinical remission and lowest for adverse events. Further head-to-head trials are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing core/shell nanoarrays with optimal structure and composition can maximize solar light utilization. In the present work, a distinct regular array of SiC/TiO2 core/shell nanoarray photoanodes with improved charge separation is successfully achieved through two sequential steps of electrochemical etching and atomic layer deposition. The suitable band offset between SiC and TiO2 results in forming a type-II heterojunction at the SiC/TiO2 interface, which efficiently promotes electron–hole separation. Under simulated sunlight illumination (100 mW/cm2), the SiC/TiO2 nanoarray composite photoanode exhibits a significantly improved photocurrent of 3.62 mA/cm2 at 1.4 V versus Ag/AgCl, which demonstrates significantly increased photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity compared to the intrinsic SiC photoanode. The significant enhancement of PEC behaviors is mainly assigned to the improved electron–hole separation at the surface of the junction, combined with the synergistic effect of the highly oriented nanochannel array configuration, single-crystal character of the etched entire SiC nanoarray film, as well as the incorporation of N dopants. We explored an N-doped 4H-SiC/TiO2 core–shell heterojunction nanochannel array photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting, which presents a high photocurrent density of ~ 3.62 mA/cm2 (1.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science A is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science A is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Both the shelf-edge trajectories and slope morphology are indicative of deep-water sedimentation, but previous studies are relatively independent from each other in the two dimensions. An integrated investigation can enhance the understanding of deep-water sedimentary systems and enrich reservoir prediction methods. Based on the bathymetry data and seismic data published, this study identified ten slope areas at the continental margin of East Africa and classified the clinoforms into three types: concave-up, sigmoidal and planar. Combined with the distribution of main modern rivers in East Africa, nine modern source-to-sink systems were identified and the catchment area is positively correlated with the size of the shelf-edge delta. It is found that the slope morphology of East Africa is closely related to the geological setting, sediment supply and sediment transport pathway in submarine canyon of passive continental margin. When the sediment supply is stable, the concave-up slopes are dominated by the river-associated and shelf-incising canyons and the sigmoidal slopes are determined by the headless canyons. There exists a strong coupling relationship between the shelf-edge trajectories and slope morphology. In general, concave-up slopes correspond to descending trend, flat and low-angle ascending trend shelf-edge trajectories and high-quality reservoirs developed on the basin floor under the influence of river-associated and shelf-incising canyons which have bright prospects for oil and gas exploration. Additionally, sigmoidal slopes usually correspond to descending trend, flat and low-angle ascending trend shelf-edge trajectories at times of relative sea-level fall and the reservoirs mostly developed on the upper slope under the influence of headless canyons. Moreover, the planar slopes correspond to high-angle ascending trend trajectories which are hardly potential for exploration. The coupling model built in this study will provide an insight for oil and gas exploration in deep-water areas with limited data and low exploration degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 56-day feeding trial was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary tryptophan (Trp) on growth performance, digestive and absorptive enzyme activities, intestinal antioxidant capacity, and appetite and GH–IGF axis-related genes expression of hybrid catfish (Pelteobagrus vachelli♀ × Leiocassis longirostris♂). A total of 864 hybrid catfish (21.82 ± 0.14 g) were fed six different experimental diets containing graded levels of Trp at 2.6, 3.1, 3.7, 4.2, 4.7, and 5.6 g kg−1 diet. The results indicated that dietary Trp increased (P < 0.05) (1) final body weight, percent weight gain, specific growth rate, feed intake, feed efficiency, and protein efficiency ratio; (2) fish body protein, lipid and ash contents, protein, and ash production values; (3) stomach weight, stomach somatic index, liver weight, intestinal weight, length and somatic index, and relative gut length; and (4) activities of pepsin in the stomach; trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase, and amylase in the pancreas and intestine; and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, Na+, K+-ATPase, and alkaline phosphatase in the intestine. Dietary Trp decreased malondialdehyde content, increased antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione content, but downregulated Keap1 mRNA expression, and upregulated the expression of NPY, ghrelin, GH, GHR, IGF1, IGF2, IGF1R, PIK3Ca, AKT1, TOR, 4EBP1, and S6K1 genes. These results indicated that Trp improved hybrid catfish growth performance, digestive and absorptive ability, antioxidant status, and appetite and GH–IGF axis-related gene expression. Based on the quadratic regression analysis of PWG, SGR, and FI, the dietary Trp requirement of hybrid catfish (21.82–39.64 g) was recommended between 3.96 and 4.08 g kg−1 diet (9.4–9.7 g kg−1 of dietary protein). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most lung cancer bone metastasis are characterized by osteolytic destruction and osteoblastic activity is significantly decreased, suggesting that hypoxia may play a critical role in the process, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) is a recently discovered osteogenic inhibitory factor that is expressed at high levels in lung cancers. Here, CoCl2-induced hypoxia significantly enhanced the inhibitory effect of lung cancer cell conditioned media on osteoblast differentiation by inducing the expression and secretion of Sema4D in a HIF-1α- but not HIF-2α-dependent manner. Moreover, HIF-1α directly regulated Sema4D expression by binding to bases 1171 to 798 in the Sema4D promoter. Furthermore, hypoxia increased Sema4D secretion by upregulating a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) expression in lung cancer in a HIF-1α-dependent manner. In bone metastasis samples from 49 patients with lung cancer, Sema4D and ADAM17 expression significantly correlated with HIF-1α expression and strongly correlated with a poor differentiation status and osteolytic bone destruction. These results provide the first evidence that HIF-1α-induced Sema4D expression and secretion play important roles in lung cancer osteolytic bone metastasis by inhibiting osteoblast differentiation, thereby providing potential strategies for the treatment of bone metastasis via targeting osteoblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive understanding of the structural/morphology stability of ultrathin (diameter < 10 nm) gold nanowires under real service conditions (such as under Joule heating) is a prerequisite for the reliable implementation of these emerging building blocks into functional nanoelectronics and mechatronics systems. Here, by using the in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique, we discovered that the Rayleigh instability phenomenon exists in ultrathin gold nanowires upon moderate heating. Through the controlled electron beam irradiation-induced heating mechanism (with < 100 °C temperature rise), we further quantified the effect of electron beam intensity and its dependence on Rayleigh instability in altering the geometry and morphology of the ultrathin gold nanowires. Moreover, in situ high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) observations revealed surface atomic diffusion process to be the dominating mechanism for the morphology evolution processes. Our results, with unprecedented details on the atomic-scale picture of Rayleigh instability and its underlying physics, provide critical insights on the thermal/structural stability of gold nanostructures down to a sub-10 nm level, which may pave the way for their interconnect applications in future ultralarge- scale integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain the stable temperature field required for growing sapphire crystals, the influence of relative positions between RF coil and crucible on the performances of sapphires produced by edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) technique was investigated. For comparison, the crucible was located at the top (case A) and the middle (case B) of the RF coil, respectively. Furthermore, the lattice integrities were studied by the double-crystal X-ray diffraction, and the dislocations were observed under the optical microscope and atomic force microscope after corroding in molten KOH at 390 °C. The crystals in case B exhibit better lattice integrity with smaller full width at half maximum of 29.13 rad·s, while the value in case A is 45.17 rad·s. The morphologies of dislocation etch pits in both cases show typical triangular symmetry with smooth surfaces. However, the dislocation density of 2.8×10 cm in case B is only half of that in case A, and the distribution is more uniform, compared to the U-shaper in case A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ORAI and stromal interaction molecule (STIM) are store-operated channel molecules that play essential roles in human physiology through a coupling mechanism of internal Ca store to Ca influx. However, the roles of ORAI and STIM in vascular endothelial cells under diabetic conditions remain unknown. Here, we investigated expression and signalling pathways of ORAI and STIM regulated by high glucose or hyperglycaemia using in vitro cell models, in vivo diabetic mice and tissues from patients. We found that ORAI1-3 and STIM1-2 were ubiquitously expressed in human vasculatures. Their expression was upregulated by chronic treatment with high glucose (HG, 25 mM d-glucose), which was accompanied by enhanced store-operated Ca influx in vascular endothelial cells. The increased expression was also observed in the aortae from genetically modified Akita diabetic mice (C57BL/6-Ins2/J) and streptozocin-induced diabetic mice, and aortae from diabetic patients. HG-induced upregulation of ORAI and STIM genes was prevented by the calcineurin inhibitor cyclosporin A and NFATc3 siRNA. Additionally, in vivo treatment with the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) inhibitor A-285222 prevented the gene upregulation in Akita mice. However, HG had no direct effects on ORAI1-3 currents and the channel activation process through cytosolic STIM1 movement in the cells co-expressing STIM1-EYFP/ORAIs. We concluded that upregulation of STIM/ORAI through Ca-calcineurin-NFAT pathway is a novel mechanism causing abnormal Ca homeostasis and endothelial dysfunction under hyperglycaemia. Key message: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To observe the effectiveness and safety of Kangquan Recipe (康泉方, KQR) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. Methods: One hundred and six BPH patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group (53 cases) and the control group (53 cases) according to a random number table. The treatment group was given KQR orally; the control group was given cernilton orally. After 24-week treatment, the clinical effect and safety were evaluated using the International Prostatic Symptom Score (I-PSS), quality of life (QOL), maximum flow rate (Qmax), average flow rate (Qave), residual urine volume (RUV), total prostatic volume (TPV), etc. Results: After treatment, the score of I-PSS was decreased from 16.9±5.6 to 12.5±4.6 in the treatment group, significantly lower compared with the control group; the levels of Qmax and Qave were from 10.9±3.5 to 15.6±4.5 and 5.4±2.1 to 7.3±2.5 (mL/s) in the treatment group, significantly higher compared with the control group; the levels of RUV and TPV were from 70.8±28.2 to 35.2±21.8 and 37.2±16.9 to 30.1±10.8 (mL) in the treatment group, significantly lower compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The incidence rate of adverse reaction was similar between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion: KQR is effective and safe for the treatment of BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continental slope of the Taiwan Shoal, which has cultivated numerous submarine canyons, is located in a passive continental margin environment. However, the trend of the Taiwan Canyon, with its 45° intersection angle, is obviously different from that of the erosion valley downward along the continental slope. A distinct break is present in the lower segment of the Taiwan Canyon, which then extends from west to east parallel to the continental slope until finally joining the Manila Trench. By utilizing multiple-beam water depth data, high-resolution seismic data, and sediment cores, this study describes the topographic characteristics of the Taiwan Canyon and provides a preliminary discussion on the origin of the Taiwan Canyon and its effect on deepwater sediment. The terrain, landform, and sediment of the Taiwan Canyon exhibit segmentation characteristics. The upper segment is characterized primarily by erosion, downward cutting with a V shape, and wide development of sliding, slumping, and other gravity flow types. The middle segment is characterized mostly by U-shaped erosion-sedimentation transition and development of an inner levee. The lower segment is characterized primarily by sedimentation and development of a sediment wave. The bottom current has a significant reworking effect on the interior sediments of the canyon and forms reworked sands. The formation and evolution of the Taiwan Canyon is closely related to sediment supply, gravity sliding (slumping), faulting activities, and submarine impaling. Given the sufficient terrigenous clastic supply, the sediments along the continental shelf edge continuously proceed seaward; gliding and slumping in the front edge provide driving forces for the formation of the canyon. Faulting activities result in stratum crushing, and the gravity flow takes priority in eroding the relatively fragile stratum. Thus, the direction of the extension of the canyon crosses the surrounding erosion valley obliquely. Seamounts are formed through submarine impaling. Owing to seamount blocking, the lower segment of the canyon is turned toward the east-west direction. Large amounts of sediments overflow at the turning, forming sediment waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is overexpressed in various neoplasms as a tumor-associated antigen and absent in natural brain. However, little is known about EpCAM's expression in gliomas. To investigate the expression of EpCAM in gliomas and understand the correlation of EpCAM expression with malignancy, proliferation, angiogenesis, and prognosis, we studied the expression of EpCAM in 98 glioma samples by immunohistochemistry and by western blotting ( N = 12). Correlative analysis of EpCAM overexpression with microvessel density (MVD), Ki-67 expression, age, and gender were made. Survival data was analyzed with Kaplan-Meier method and Cox Proportional Hazard Model. Immunohistochemistry results showed EpCAM was widely expressed in glioma (90.8 %). The overexpression rate of WHO grade IV gliomas was significantly higher EpCAM overexpression correlated significantly with Ki-67 expression and MVD. Western blot analysis also revealed a stepwise increase in EpCAM expression from WHO II to IV glioma. The overall survival of WHO III and IV glioma patients with EpCAM overexpression was obviously lower than that without EpCAM overexpression. EpCAM overexpression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in glioma patients. This study firstly shows that EpCAM overexpression correlates significantly with malignancy (WHO grades), proliferation (Ki67), angiogenesis (MVD), and prognosis in gliomas. EpCAM may participate in tumorgenesis of gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine mastitis is a very complex and common disease of dairy cattle and a major source of economic losses to the dairy industry worldwide. In this study, the bovine TLR4 was taken as a candidate gene for mastitis resistance. This study aimed to analyze the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) or haplotype and somatic cell score (SCS) in 404 Chinese commercial dairy cattle including Chinese Holstein, Sanhe cattle and Chinese Simmental breeds. The polymerase chain reaction and sequencing methods were used for detecting genotype and allele frequency distribution of the two SNPs (rs8193062, rs8193064), statistical results showed that T allele at rs8193062 and C allele at rs8193064 were the predominate alleles. Moreover, six SNPs, including two SNPs (rs8193062, rs8193064) and four SNPs (rs8193060, rs8193069, rs29017188, rs8193046) which were chosen according the polymorphism level for the same cattle populations in previous studies, were used for haplotype analysis, the results revealed that twenty-one haplotypes were found in the mentioned animals, of which, Hap1 (30.5 %) and Hap2 (30.4 %) were the most common haplotypes. Hap2, Hap4 and Hap12 might negatively effect on milk SCS, whereas Hap13 might positively effect on milk SCS. The results in this study might assist in marker assisted selection and provided some reference to be implemented in breeding programs to improve the mastitis resistance of dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let Γ = Cay( G, S), R( G) be the right regular representation of G. The graph Γ is called normal with respect to G, if R( G) is normal in the full automorphism group Aut( Γ) of Γ. Γ is called a bi-normal with respect to G if R( G) is not normal in Aut( Γ), but R( G) contains a subgroup of index 2 which is normal in Aut( Γ). In this paper, we prove that connected tetravalent edge-transitive Cayley graphs on PGL(2, p) are either normal or bi-normal when p ≠ 11 is a prime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The user interesting degree evaluation index is designed to fulfill the users' real needs, which includes the user' attention degree of commodity, hot commodity and preferential commodity. User interesting degree model (UIDM) is constructed to justify the value of user interesting degree; the personalization approach is presented; operations of add and delete nodes (branches) are covered in this paper. The improved e-catalog is more satisfied to users' needs and wants than the former e-catalog which stands for enterprises, and the improved one can complete the recommendation of related products of enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to identify polymorphisms of the CACNA2D1 gene, and to analyze associations between these polymorphisms and mastitis in several cattle breeds. Through PCR-RFLP methods and DNA sequencing, an allelic variant corresponding to the A→G mutations and Aspartic (Asp) to Glycine (Gly) amino acid replacement at positions 526745 in the exon 25 of bovine CACNA2D1 gene could be detected. Two alleles, A and G, and three genotypes, AA, AG and GG were defined. Genetic character in the studied populations indicated that the A526745G loci of CACNA2D1 gene was moderate polymorphism and fitted with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium ( P > 0.05). The effects of CACNA2D1 polymorphisms on somatic cell score (SCS) were analyzed and significant association was found between A526745G and SCS. The mean of genotype GG was significantly lower than those of genotype AG and AA ( P = 0.0469). Information provided in this research could be useful in further studies to determine the role of CACNA2D1 gene in the mastitis resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of castration on carcass quality was investigated by ten Chinese Simmental calves. Five calves were castrated randomly at 2 months old and the others were retained as normal intact bulls. All animals were slaughtered at 22 months old. The results showed that bulls carcass had higher weight ( P < 0.05), dressing percentages and bigger longissimus muscle areas ( P < 0.05) than steers. But steer meat had lower shear force values and was fatter ( P < 0.05) than bull. Furthermore, in order to discover genes that were involved in determining steer meat quality, we compared related candidate gene expression in longissimus muscle between steer (tester) and bull (driver) using suppressive subtractive hybridization. Ten genes were identified as preferentially expressed in longissimus muscle of steer. The expression of four selected differentially expressed genes was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. Overall, a 1.96, 2.41, 2.89, 2.41-fold increase in expression level was observed in steer compared with bull for actin, gamma 2, smooth muscle, tropomyosin-2, insulin like growth factor 1 and hormone-sensitive lipase, respectively. These results implied that these differentially expressed genes could play an important role in the regulation of steer meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid hormones play an important role in regulating metabolism and can affect homeostasis of fat deposition. The gene encoding thyroglobulin (TG), producing the precursor for thyroid hormones, has been proposed as a positional and functional candidate gene for a QTL with an effect on fat deposition. In the present study, we identified 6 novel SNPs at the 3′ flanking region of the TG gene. The SNP marker association analysis indicated that the T354C, G392A, A430G and T433G SNP markers were significantly associated with marbling score ( P < 0.05). Animals with the new homozygote genotype had higher marbling score than those with the other genotypes. Otherwise, the linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that these four SNPs were completely linked ( r = 1). Results from this study suggest that TG gene-specific SNP may be a useful marker for meat quality traits in future marker assisted selection programs in beef cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In maize hybrid seed production, some hybrid seed in the field must be harvested before reaching physiological maturity because of the potential damage from early fall frosts. However, early harvesting can result in poor quality and low vigor of seeds. To elucidate the genetic basis of seed vigor at different stages of maturity, the seeds of a set of recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations at three different stages of maturity (32, 40, and 45 days after pollination; DAP), were used to evaluate the performance of four traits for seed vigor in the field. A genetic linkage map was constructed using 217 SSR makers covering 2438.2 cM with an average interval of 11.2 cM. The results showed that there were significant positive relationships among the four traits of seed vigor at all three sampling times, and all showed quantitative changes according to the degree of maturity of the seeds. However, the four traits of seed vigor were not significantly related to the 100-kernel weight. In total, we detected 16 different QTL for the four measured traits of seed vigor at three sampling times; five QTL were for germination energy, three for germination percentage, four for germination index, and four for vigor index. Interestingly, four QTL for seed vigor, which were detected at all three sampling times, were located in the same region on chromosome 7. This result implies that this region of chromosome 7 is important for seed vigor of seeds harvested before they reach physiological maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MC4R contributes to the control of food intake and energy expenditure, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MC4R gene have clearly been associated with backfat depth, feed intake and growth rate in pig. Our objectives were to scan the complete coding region by sequencing in samples from eight cattle breeds, to estimate the frequency of the SNPs in the MC4R gene and to determine if individual genotypes were associated with several economic traits. Five polymorphisms were detected at position 19 (C/A), 20 (A/T), 83(T/C), 128 (G/A), and 1069 (G/C), and the last one was significantly associated with backfat thickness value ( P < 0.01, n = 245). The linkage disequilibrium analysis indicated that the SNP markers C19A, A20T, T83C and G128A were completely linked ( r = 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammalian homologues of Drosophila melanogaster transient receptor potential (TRP) are a large family of multimeric cation channels that act, or putatively act, as sensors of one or more chemical factor. Major research objectives are the identification of endogenous activators and the determination of cellular and tissue functions of these channels. Here we show the activation of TRPC5 (canonical TRP 5) homomultimeric and TRPC5–TRPC1 heteromultimeric channels by extracellular reduced thioredoxin, which acts by breaking a disulphide bridge in the predicted extracellular loop adjacent to the ion-selectivity filter of TRPC5. Thioredoxin is an endogenous redox protein with established intracellular functions, but it is also secreted and its extracellular targets are largely unknown. Particularly high extracellular concentrations of thioredoxin are apparent in rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory joint disease that disables millions of people worldwide. We show that TRPC5 and TRPC1 are expressed in secretory fibroblast-like synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, that endogenous TRPC5–TRPC1 channels of the cells are activated by reduced thioredoxin, and that blockade of the channels enhances secretory activity and prevents the suppression of secretion by thioredoxin. The data indicate the presence of a previously unrecognized ion-channel activation mechanism that couples extracellular thioredoxin to cell function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: Calcaneus bone mineral density (BMD) of 7428 Chinese (4126 women, 3302 men; aged 22–94 years) was measured using single-energy X-ray absorptiometry (SXA). A reference range of calcaneus BMD values for healthy Chinese men and women was established and the usefulness of this method for screening and diagnosis in osteoporosis was evaluated. The peak BMD occurred at 20–24 years old and peak BMD in women was significantly lower than in men. BMD loss in the calcaneus started at the age of 35 years for women, and at 63 years in men. BMD loss rate was 1.2%/year for women and 0.56 %/year for men after 50 years. The young normal reference for calcaneus BMD was 442.1±69.6 mg/cm2 for men and 388.3±61.7 mg/cm2 for women calculated from the mean BMD value of subjects whose age ranged from 20 to 49 years. The accumulated BMD loss in the calcaneus is similar to that of Ward’s triangle. Multiple linear regression showed that both age and weight were important factors. The incidence of osteoporosis in older men and women (≥60 years) is 6.6% and 32.1% respectively. We conclude that calcaneus BMD measurement is useful and sensitive for the screening and diagnosis of osteoporosis. A predictive diagnostic model for osteoporosis based on the calcaneus was constructed using multiple linear regression and the WHO criteria for diagnosing osteoporosis can be applied to calcaneus BMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the important source of natural fibers in the textile industry, cotton fiber quality and yield are often restricted to drought conditions because most of cotton plants in the world grow in the regions with water shortage. WRKY transcription factors regulate multiple plant physiological processes, including drought stress response. However, little is known of how the WRKY genes respond to drought stress in cotton. Our previous study revealed GhWRKY33 is leaf-specific and induced by drought stress. In this study, our data showed GhWRKY33 protein localizes to the cell nucleus and is able to bind to "W-box" cis-acting elements of the target promoters. Under drought stress, GhWRKY33 overexpressing transgenic Arabidopsis was withered much more quickly than wild type due to faster water loss. Moreover, GhWRKY33 transgenic plants displayed more tolerance to abscisic acid (ABA), relative to wild type. Expression of some drought stress-related genes and ABA-responsive genes were changed in the GhWRKY33 transgenic Arabidopsis with drought or ABA treatment. Collectively, our findings indicate that GhWRKY33 may act as a negative regulator to mediate plant response to drought stress and to participate in the ABA signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]