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In sorption experiments, Cd in the solution phase may be surface adsorbed or immobilized and precipitated into mineral phases. The reaction kinetics can be described by a two-site model combining a linear instantaneous model for the surface adsorption and a first-order reaction kinetic model with forward and backward reaction constants for the immobilization and precipitation of the mineral phase. A simplified sequential procedure was developed to study the contribution of these two processes. Results of batch Cd adsorption experiments with two California soils were used to illustrate the model validity. When the Cd sorption was obtained by varying the initial Cd solution concentration and maintaining constant equilibration time, the amounts of Cd in the solid phase as well as the adsorbed and mineral phases increase linearly with the initial Cd solution concentrations. As much as 90% of the sorbed Cd may be in the mineral phase. When the Cd sorption was examined at varying equilibration time and a constant Cd initial solution concentration, the sorbed Cd in the mineral phase increased exponentially to approach a maximum with time. The forward and backward reaction constants were obtained by fitting the sorption data to the model equations. It showed that the forward reaction was five times faster than the backward reaction for both soils and the reaction rates were two times faster in the heavier textured Holtville clay loam soil than the Arlington sandy loam soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionarily conserved Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays a fundamental role during metazoan development, regulating numerous processes including cell fate specification, cell migration, and stem cell renewal. Wnt ligand binding leads to stabilization of the transcriptional effector β-catenin and upregulation of target gene expression to mediate a cellular response. During larval development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, Wnt/β-catenin pathways act in fate specification of two hypodermal cell types, the ventral vulval precursor cells (VPCs) and the lateral seam cells. Because little is known about targets of the Wnt signaling pathways acting during larval VPC and seam cell differentiation, we sought to identify genes regulated by Wnt signaling in these two hypodermal cell types. We conditionally activated Wnt signaling in larval animals and performed cell type-specific "mRNA tagging" to enrich for VPC and seam cell-specific mRNAs, and then used microarray analysis to examine gene expression compared to control animals. Two hundred thirty-nine genes activated in response to Wnt signaling were identified, and we characterized 50 genes further. The majority of these genes are expressed in seam and/or vulval lineages during normal development, and reduction of function for nine genes caused defects in the proper division, fate specification, fate execution, or differentiation of seam cells and vulval cells. Therefore, the combination of these techniques was successful at identifying potential cell type-specific Wnt pathway target genes from a small number of cells and at increasing our knowledge of the specification and behavior of these C. elegans larval hypodermal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the physiological roles of polyamines, we carried out a global microarray analysis on the effect of adding polyamines to an Escherichia coli mutant that lacks polyamines because of deletions in the genes in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway. Previously, we have reported that the earliest response to polyamine addition is the increased expression of the genes for the glutamate-dependent acid resistance system (GDAR). We also presented preliminary evidence for the involvement of rpoS and gadE regulators. In the current study, further confirmation of the regulatory roles of rpoS and gadE is shown by a comparison of genome-wide expression profiling data from a series of microarrays comparing the genes induced by polyamine addition to polyamine-free rpoS+/gadE+ cells with genes induced by polyamine addition to polyamine-free ΔrpoS/gadE+ and rpoS+/ΔgadE cells. The results indicate that most of the genes in the E. coli GDAR system that are induced by polyamines require rpoS and gadE. Our data also show that gadE is the main regulator of GDAR and other acid fitness island genes. Both polyamines and rpoS are necessary for the expression of gadE gene from the three promoters of gadE (P1, P2, and P3). The most important effect of polyamine addition is the very rapid increase in the level of RpoS sigma factor. Our current hypothesis is that polyamines increase the level of RpoS protein and that this increased RpoS level is responsible for the stimulation of gadE expression, which in turn induces the GDAR system in E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oncogenic fusion gene EWS-WT1 is the defining chromosomal translocation in desmoplastic small roundcell tumors (DSRCT), a rare but aggressive soft tissue sarcoma with a high rate of mortality. EWS-WT1 functions as an aberrant transcription factor that drives tumorigenesis, but the mechanistic basis for its pathogenic activity is not well understood. To address this question, we created a transgenic mouse strain that permits physiologic expression of EWS-WT1 under the native murine Ews promoter. EWS-WT1 expression led to a dramatic induction of many neuronal genes in embryonic fibroblasts and primary DSRCT, most notably the neural reprogramming factor ASCL1. Mechanistic analyses demonstrated that EWS-WT1 directly bound the proximal promoter of ASCL1, activating its transcription through multiple WT1-responsive elements. Conversely, EWS- WT1 silencing in DSRCT cells reduced ASCL1 expression and cell viability. Notably, exposure of DSRCT cells to neuronal induction media increased neural gene expression and induced neurite-like projections, both of which were abrogated by silencing EWS-WT1. Taken together, our findings reveal that EWS-WT1 can activate neural gene expression and direct partial neural differentiation via ASCL1, suggesting agents that promote neural differentiation might offer a novel therapeutic approach to treat DSRCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To simulate the process of anodic bonding and lay foundation for the computer aided design (CAD) of anodic bonding, this paper presents an approach to study anodic bonding time. In order to describe the relationship of bonding time, bonding voltage, and temperature on the basis of experiments, the concept of critical bonding time is introduced, and the measuring method of critical time is given. Based on anodic bonding mechanism and the bonding experiments, the formula of the critical time is deduced. Experimental results show that the mean-root-square error from the formula is less than 5%. The formula concretely explains the relationship of bonding time, bonding voltage, and bonding temperature. Accordingly a quantitative mathematical model for the simulation of anodic bonding technology is proposed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rice-wheat rotation is the main farming system in the Yangtze River regions, and plays a critical role in maintaining food safety in China. However, some serious issues are emerging during agricultural production. One is that long-term conservation tillage leads to shallow and stringent ploughing layers. The other is that large quantity of straws is difficult to effectively manage in the limited rotation gaps between both crops. Our group designed a novel soil tillage practice, ditch-buried straw return (DB-SR), to overcome such problems. In this chapter, we summarized our current advances from 10-year's research for DB-SR in the rice-wheat rotation systems. DB-SR showed excellent straw incorporation capability, improvements in soil ecological processes as well as positive effects on pest control, crop growth and final yield performance. Our results suggested that DB-DR is effective in sustaining crop production and has a great potential for extension in the rice-wheat rotation farming regions. However, we also need more agricultural engineering scientists to join us for developing an all-in-one machine which supports this novel soil tillage practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major health problem worldwide, and chronically infected individuals are at high risk of developing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The molecular mechanisms whereby HBV causes HCC are largely unknown. Using a biologically relevant system of HBV infection of primary human hepatocytes (PHHs), we studied how HBV perturbs gene expression and signaling pathways of infected hepatocytes and whether these effects are relevant to productive HBV infection and HBV-associated HCC. Using a human growth factor antibody array, we first showed that HBV infection induced a distinct profile of growth factor production by PHHs, marked particularly by significantly lower levels of the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) family of proteins in the supernatant. Transcriptome profiling next revealed multiple changes in cell proliferation and cell cycle control pathways in response to HBV infection. A human cell cycle PCR array validated deregulation of more than 20 genes associated with the cell cycle in HBV-infected PHHs. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that HBV-infected PHHs are enriched in the G2/M phase compared to the predominantly G0/G1 phase of cultured PHHs. HBV proviral host factors, such as PPARA, RXRA, and CEBPB, were upregulated upon HBV infection and particularly enriched in cells in the G2/M phase. Together, these results support the notion that HBV deregulates cell cycle control to render a cellular environment that is favorable for productive HBV infection. By perturbing cell cycle regulation of infected cells, HBV may coincidentally induce a premalignant phenotype that predisposes infected hepatocytes to subsequent malignant transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the influence of climatic conditions on vegetable production in the Yangtze River Basin, the existing arched tunnel was improved through investigation to provide guidance for the construction of arched steel tunnels in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A concise, versatile, and catalytic enantioselective approach to natural and non-natural isopavine alkaloids has been developed. The synthesis takes advantage of catalytic asymmetric reaction to construct the pivotal stereogenic center in a highly enantioselective way (95-98% ee), and features use of intramolecular Pictet-Spengler reaction to build the core tetracyclic skeleton in a rapid and stereoselective fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a sphingolipid metabolite that regulates basic cell functions through metabolic and signaling pathways. Intracellular metabolism of S1P is controlled, in part, by two homologous S1P phosphatases (SPPases), 1 and 2, which are encoded by the Sgpp1 and Sgpp2 genes, respectively. SPPase activity is needed for efficient recycling of sphingosine into the sphingolipid synthesis pathway. SPPase 1 is important for skin homeostasis, but little is known about the functional role of SPPase 2. To identify the functions of SPPase 2 in vivo, we studied mice with the Sgpp2 gene deleted. In contrast to Sgpp1-/- mice, Sgpp2-/- mice had normal skin and were viable into adulthood. Unexpectedly, WT mice expressed Sgpp2 mRNA at high levels in pancreatic islets when compared with other tissues. Sgpp2-/- mice had normal pancreatic islet size; however, they exhibited defective adaptive β-cell proliferation that was demonstrated after treatment with either a high-fat diet or the β-cell-specific toxin, streptozotocin. Importantly, β-cells from untreated Sgpp2-/- mice showed significantly increased expression of proteins characteristic of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response compared with β-cells from WT mice, indicating a basal islet defect. Our results show that Sgpp2 deletion causes β-cell endoplasmic reticulum stress, which is a known cause of β-cell dysfunction, and reveal a juncture in the sphingolipid recycling pathway that could impact the development of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance and cancer metastasis are two major problems in cancer research. During a course of therapeutic treatment in Brca1-associated tumors, we found that breast cancer stem cells (CSCs) exhibit an intrinsic ability to metastasize and acquire drug resistance through distinct signaling pathways. Microarray analysis indicated that the cytoskeletal remodeling pathway was differentially regulated in CSCs, and this was further evidenced by the inhibitory role of reagents that impair this pathway in the motility of cancer cells.Weshowed that cisplatin treatment, although initially inhibiting cancer growth, preventing metastasis through blocking cytoskeletal remodeling, and retarding CSC motility, eventually led to drug resistance associated with a marked increase in the number of CSCs. This event was at least partially attributed to the activation of PI3K signaling, and it could be significantly inhibited by co-treatment with rapamycin. These results provide strong evidence that cytoskeletal rearrangement and PI3K/AKT signaling play distinct roles in mediatingCSCmobility and viability, respectively, and blocking both pathways synergistically may inhibit primary and metastatic cancer growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body size varies enormously among mammalian species. In small mammals, body growth is typically suppressed rapidly, within weeks, whereas in large mammals, growth is suppressed slowly, over years, allowing for a greater adult size. We recently reported evidence that body growth suppression in rodents is caused in part by a juvenile genetic program that occurs in multiple tissues simultaneously and involves the downregulation of a large set of growthpromoting genes. We hypothesized that this genetic program is conserved in large mammals but that its time course is evolutionarily modulated such that it plays out more slowly, allowing for more prolonged growth. Consistent with this hypothesis, using expression microarray analysis, we identified a set of genes that are downregulated with age in both juvenile sheep kidney and lung. This overlapping gene set was enriched for genes involved in cell proliferation and growth and showed striking similarity to a set of genes downregulated with age in multiple organs of the juvenile mouse and rat, indicating that the multiorgan juvenile genetic program previously described in rodents has been conserved in the 80 million years since sheep and rodents diverged in evolution. Usingmicroarray and real-time PCR, we found that the pace of this programwasmost rapid in mice, more gradual in rats, and most gradual in sheep. These findings support the hypothesis that a growth-regulating genetic program is conserved among mammalian species but that its pace is modulated to allow more prolonged growth and therefore greater adult body size in larger mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid whose levels are tightly regulated by its synthesis and degradation. Intracellularly, S1P is dephosphorylated by the actions of two S1Pspecific phosphatases, sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatases 1 and 2. To identify the physiological functions of S1P phosphatase 1, we have studied mice with its gene, Sgpp1, deleted. Sgpp1-/- mice appeared normal at birth, but during the 1st week of life they exhibited stunted growth and suffered desquamation, with most dying before weaning. Both Sgpp1-/- pups and surviving adults exhibited multiple epidermal abnormalities. Interestingly, the epidermal permeability barrier developed normally during embryogenesis in Sgpp1-/- mice. Keratinocytes isolated from the skin of Sgpp1-/- pups had increased intracellular S1P levels and displayed a gene expression profile that indicated overexpression of genes associated with keratinocyte differentiation. The results reveal S1P metabolism as a regulator of keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TTLL5/STAMP (tubulin tyrosine ligase-like family member 5) has multiple activities in cells. TTLL5 is one of 13 TTLLs, has polyglutamylation activity, augments the activity of p160 coactivators (SRC-1 and TIF2) in glucocorticoid receptor-regulated gene induction and repression, and displays steroid-independent growth activity with several cell types. To examine TTLL5/ STAMPfunctions in whole animals, mice were prepared with an internal deletion that eliminated several activities of the Stamp gene. This mutation causes both reduced levels of STAMP mRNA and C-terminal truncation of STAMP protein. Homozygous targeted mutant (Stamptm/tm) mice appear normal except for marked decreases in male fertility associated with defects in progressive sperm motility. Abnormal axonemal structures with loss of tubulin doublets occur in most Stamptm/tm sperm tails in conjunction with substantial reduction in β-tubulin polyglutamylation, which closely correlates with the reduction in mutant STAMP mRNA. The axonemes in other structures appear unaffected. There is no obvious change in the organs for sperm development ofWTversus Stamptm/tm males despite the levels of WTSTAMP mRNA in testes being 20-fold higher than in any other organ examined. This defect in male fertility is unrelated to other Ttll genes or 24 genes previously identified as important for sperm function. Thus, STAMP appears to participate in a unique, tissue-selective TTLL-mediated pathway for β-tubulin polyglutamylation that is required for sperm maturation and motility and may be relevant for male fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agarwood is the fragrant resin-infused wood derived from the wounded trees of Aquilaria species. It is a valuable non-timber forest product used in fragrances and as medicine. Reforestation for Aquilaria trees in combination with artificial agarwood-inducing methods serves as a way to supply agarwood and conserve of wild Aquilaria stock. However, the existing agarwood-inducing methods produce poor-quality agarwood at low yield. Our study evaluated a novel technique for producing agarwood in cultivated Aquilaria trees, called the whole-tree agarwood-inducing technique (Agar-Wit). Ten different agarwood inducers were used for comparison of Agar-Wit with three existing agarwood-inducing methods. For Aquilaria trees treated with these ten inducers, agarwood formed and spread throughout the entire tree from the transfusion point in the trunk to the roots and branches of the whole tree. Agarwood yield per tree reached 2,444.83 to 5,860.74 g, which is 4 to 28 times higher than that by the existing agarwood-inducing methods. Furthermore, this agarwood derived from Agar-Wit induction was found to have a higher quality compared with the existing methods, and similar to that of wild agarwood. This indicates Agar-Wit may have commercial potential. Induction of cultivated agarwood using this method could satisfy the significant demand for agarwood, while conserving and protecting the remaining wild Aquilaria trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-carotene is a commonly used food colorant. In this work, a novel β-carotene producing strain, Serratia marcescens RB3, was isolated and identified by physiological and biochemical tests, as well as 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The production of β-carotene by S. marcescens RB3 was identified through HPLC analysis. The cultivation conditions for β-carotene production by S. marcescens RB3 were optimized as 2.0% lactose, 2.0% peptone, 0.3% beef extract, 1.0% NaCl supplemented with 0.05% Fe2+, pH 6.0 and 30ºC. Under the optimal conditions, the yield of β-carotene achieved 2.45 μg/mL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase catalyzes the degradation of S1P, a potent signaling lysosphingolipid. Mice with an inactive S1P lyase gene are impaired in the capacity to degrade S1P, resulting in highly elevated S1P levels. These S1P lyase-deficient mice have low numbers of lymphocytes and high numbers of neutrophils in their blood. We found that the S1P lyase-deficient mice exhibited features of an inflammatory response including elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and an increased expression of genes in liver associated with an acute-phase response. However, the recruitment of their neutrophils into inflamed tissues was impaired and their neutrophils were defective in migration to chemotactic stimulus. The IL-23/IL-17/granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) cytokine-controlled loop regulating neutrophil homeostasis, which is dependent on neutrophil trafficking to tissues, was disturbed in S1P lyase-deficient mice. Deletion of the S1P4 receptor partially decreased the neutrophilia and inflammation in S1P lyase-deficient mice, implicating S1P receptor signaling in the phenotype. Thus, a genetic block in S1P degradation elicits a pro-inflammatory response but impairs neutrophil migration from blood into tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cleavage of sphingoid base phosphates by sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase to produce phosphoethanolamine and a fatty aldehyde is the final degradative step in the sphingolipid metabolic pathway. We have studied mice with an inactive SlP lyase gene and have found that, in addition to the expected increase of sphingoid base phosphates, other sphingolipids (including sphingosine, ceramide, and sphingomyelin) were substantially elevated in the serum and/or liver of these mice. This latter increase is consistent with a reutilization of the sphingosine backbone for sphingolipid synthesis due to its inability to exit the sphingolipid metabolic pathway. Furthermore, the S1P lyase deficiency resulted in changes in the levels of serum and liver lipids not directly within the sphingolipid pathway, including phospholipids, triacyglycerol, diacylglycerol, and cholesterol. Even though lipids in serum and lipid storage were elevated in liver, adiposity was reduced in the SlP lyase-deficient mice. Microarray analysis of lipid metabolism genes in liver showed that the SIP lyase deficiency caused widespread changes in their expression pattern, with a significant increase in the expression of PPARγ a master transcriptional regulator of lipid metabolism. However, the mRNA expression of the genes encoding the sphingosine kinases and SIP phosphatases, which directly control the levels of S1P, were not significantly changed in liver of the S1P lyase-deficient mice. These results demonstrate that SIP lyase is a key regulator of the levels of multiple sphingolipid substrates and reveal functional links between the sphingolipid metabolic pathway and other lipid metabolic pathways that may be mediated by shared lipid substrates and changes in gene expression programs. The disturbance of lipid homeostasis by altered sphingolipid levels may be relevant to metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mammary alveologenesis is abrogated in the absence of the transcription factors STAT5A/5B, which mediate cytokine signaling. To reveal the underlying causes for this developmental block, we studied mammary stem and progenitor cells. While loss of STAT5A/5B did not affect the stem cell population and its ability to form mammary ducts, luminal progenitors were greatly reduced and unable to form alveoli during pregnancy. Temporally controlled expression of transgenic STAT5A in mammary epithelium lacking STAT5A/5B restored the luminal progenitor population and rescued alveologenesis in a reversible fashion in vivo. Thus, STAT5A is necessary and sufficient for the establishment of luminal progenitor cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The physicochemical properties and preliminary lipid-lowering activities of starch separated from the tuber of Chinese yam (Rhizoma dioscoreae cv. Anguo) were investigated and compared with potato starch, to determine the possibility of using it for human consumption. The two starches showed differences in physicochemical properties, such as swelling power, turbidity, gelatinisation and crystalline properties. Chinese yam starch significantly decreased the serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol levels in hyperlipidaemic rats. The serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol decreased by approximately 33.8%, 46.2% and 27.5%, respectively. The HDL-cholesterol level was not modified significantly, potato starch also reduced total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol but the results were not significant. The results showed that starch from Chinese yam will lower blood lipid levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]