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Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of dysmenorrhea in patients with adenomyosis treated by high intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU)ablation combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist(GnRH-a)and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system(LNG-IUS). Methods: From April 2012 to December 2015, 477 cases of adenomyosis patients with dysmenorrhea were treated by HIFU in the Third Xiangya Hospital. Among them, some patients were treated with HIFU alone, some of them were treated with HIFU combined with GnRH-a and(or)LNG-IUS, thus were classified as H group, H+G group, H+M group and H+G+M group. The improvements of clinical results were compared among the four groups and the influencing factors of HIFU treatment for adenomyosis were also analyzed. Results: During the follow-up period, the overall effective rates of the treatment decreased with time, 3 months 89.4%(345/386), 12 months 84.0%(221/263), 24 months 74.2%(98/132), and the overall recurrence rate was 12.9%(39/303). The significant difference in the curative at 3 months[H group 83.7%(170/203), H+M group 95.0%(95/100), H+G group 100.0%(43/43), H+G+M group 96.8%(30/31)], 12 months[H group 79.4%(123/155), H+M group 93.2%(69/74), H+G group 11/12, H+G+M group 15/17], and 24 months[H group 68.0%(51/75), H+M group 96.4%(27/28), H+G group 6/12, H+G+M group 15/15]after HIFU treatment and recurrence rate[H group 19.0%(29/153), H+M group 3.3%(3/90), H+G group 19.4%(6/31), H+G+M group 4.5%(1/22)]were observed among the four groups( P <0.05). Pairwise comparison further showed that, in 3 months after the treatment, the effect of H group was significantly lower than those of H+M group and H+G group( P = 0.003, P =0.005); in 12 months after the treatment, the effect of H group was significantly lower than that of H+M group( P =0.006); while in 24 months after treatment, the effect of H group was significantly lower than that of H+G+M group( P =0.005), and the effect of H+G group was lower than that of H+G+M group( P = 0.001); and the recurrence rate of H group was significantly higher than that of H+M group( P <0.008). In patients of group H, the effect of HIFU was related to uterine size, the effect of patients with large uterine volume was significantly higher than that of small volume of uterine of patients( P =0.017, OR =2.739, 95% CI : 1.200- 6.251); with increasing of age, the improvement of dysmenorrhea had a increasing trend( P <0.05). Conclusions: HIFU combined with GnRH-a and(or)LNG-IUS could improve the treatment effect in relief of dysmenorrhea. Based on our results, individual treatment protocol should be selected for different patients.

Identification of potential cis-regulatory motifs controlling the development of C4 photosynthesis is a major focus of current research. In this study, we used time-series RNA-seq data collected from etiolated maize and rice leaf tissues sampled during a de-etiolation process to systematically characterize the expression patterns of C4-related genes and to further identify potential cis elements in five different genomic regions (i.e. promoter, 5'UTR, 3'UTR, intron, and coding sequence) of C4 orthologous genes. The results demonstrate that although most of the C4 genes show similar expression patterns, a number of them, including chloroplast dicarboxylate transporter 1, aspartate aminotransferase, and triose phosphate transporter, show shifted expression patterns compared with their C3 counterparts. A number of conserved short DNA motifs between maize C4 genes and their rice orthologous genes were identified not only in the promoter, 5'UTR, 3'UTR, and coding sequences, but also in the introns of core C4 genes. We also identified cis-regulatory motifs that exist in maize C4 genes and also in genes showing similar expression patterns as maize C4 genes but that do not exist in rice C3 orthologs, suggesting a possible recruitment of pre-existing cis-elements from genes unrelated to C4 photosynthesis into C4 photosynthesis genes during C4 evolution., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.)

Pituitary adenomas (PAs) are well known as a common intracranial benign tumor, and a portion of PAs are refractory to current therapeutic methods. ErbB receptors family signaling pathway regulates the expression of PAs activation associated gene. Inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) can inhibit proliferation of PAs. Leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains protein 1 ( LRIG1), a negative mediated gene of ErbB receptors family, plays a role in many tumors. However, there are seldom researches about the functional role of LRIG1 in PAs. The aim of this study is to explore the potential effect of LRIG1 and its regulating mechanism in PAs. First, we investigated the role of LRIG1 in cell migration, invasion of PAs with transfected LRIG1 or control. Then, we explored its impact on cell proliferation and apoptosis of PAs in vivo. To study the regulating mechanism of LRIG1, we examined the expression of molecular factor of PI3K/AKT and Ras/Raf/ERK pathway using Western blotting in vitro and RT-PCR in vitro and in vivo. It was found that LRIG1 over-expression inhibited cell migration, invasion and proliferation, and promoted apoptosis of PAs in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, LRIG1 suppressed the expression of signaling of PI3K/AKT and Ras/Raf/ERK pathways in PAs. LRIG1, as a negative mediated gene of tumor, can inhibit biological function of PAs via inhibiting PI3K/AKT and Ras/Raf/ERK pathways, and it might be a new target for gene therapy of PAs.

Limonium bicolor, a typical recretohalophyte that lives in saline environments, excretes excessive salt to the environment through epidermal salt glands to avoid salt stress. The aim of this study was to screen for L. bicolor genes involved in salt secretion by high-throughput RNA sequencing. We established the experimental procedure of salt secretion using detached mature leaves, in which the optimal salt concentration was determined as 200 mM NaCl. The detached salt secretion system combined with Illumina deep sequencing were applied. In total, 27,311 genes were annotated using an L. bicolor database, and 2040 of these genes were differentially expressed, of which 744 were up-regulated and 1260 were down-regulated with the NaCl versus the control treatment. A gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that genes related to ion transport, vesicles, reactive oxygen species scavenging, the abscisic acid-dependent signaling pathway and transcription factors were found to be highly expressed under NaCl treatment. We found that 102 of these genes were likely to be involved in salt secretion, which was confirmed using salt-secretion mutants. The present study identifies the candidate genes in the L. bicolor salt gland that are highly associated with salt secretion. In addition, a salt-transporting pathway is presented to explain how Na(+) is excreted by the salt gland in L. bicolor. These findings will shed light on the molecular mechanism of salt secretion from the salt glands of plants.

Photorespiration is an essential high flux metabolic pathway that is found in all oxygen-producing photosynthetic organisms. It is often viewed as a closed metabolic repair pathway that serves to detoxify 2-phosphoglycolic acid and to recycle carbon to fuel the Calvin-Benson cycle. However, this view is too simplistic since the photorespiratory cycle is known to interact with several primary metabolic pathways, including photosynthesis, nitrate assimilation, amino acid metabolism, C1 metabolism and the Krebs (TCA) cycle. Here we will review recent advances in photorespiration research and discuss future priorities to better understand (i) the metabolic integration of the photorespiratory cycle within the complex network of plant primary metabolism and (ii) the importance of photorespiration in response to abiotic and biotic stresses., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

C4 photosynthesis evolved independently from C3 photosynthesis in more than 60 lineages. Most of the C4 lineages are clustered together in the order Poales and the order Caryophyllales while many other angiosperm orders do not have C4 species, suggesting the existence of biological pre-conditions in the ancestral C3 species that facilitate the evolution of C4 photosynthesis in these lineages. To explore pre-adaptations for C4 photosynthesis evolution, we classified C4 lineages into the C4-poor and the C4-rich groups based on the percentage of C4 species in different genera and conducted a comprehensive comparison on the transcriptomic changes between the non-C4 species from the C4-poor and the C4-rich groups. Results show that species in the C4-rich group showed higher expression of genes related to oxidoreductase activity, light reaction components, terpene synthesis, secondary cell synthesis, C4 cycle related genes and genes related to nucleotide metabolism and senescence. In contrast, C4-poor group showed up-regulation of a PEP/Pi translocator, genes related to signaling pathway, stress response, defense response and plant hormone metabolism (ethylene and brassinosteroid). The implications of these transcriptomic differences between the C4-rich and C4-poor groups to C4 evolution are discussed.

A paradigm shift is needed and timely in moving plant modelling from largely isolated efforts to a connected community endeavour that can take full advantage of advances in computer science and in mechanistic understanding of plant processes. Plants in silico (Psi) envisions a digital representation of layered dynamic modules, linking from gene networks and metabolic pathways through to cellular organization, tissue, organ and whole plant development, together with resource capture and use efficiency in dynamic competitive environments, ultimately allowing a mechanistically rich simulation of the plant or of a community of plants in silico. The concept is to integrate models or modules from different layers of organization spanning from genome to phenome to ecosystem in a modular framework allowing the use of modules of varying mechanistic detail representing the same biological process. Developments in high-performance computing, functional knowledge of plants, the internet and open-source version controlled software make achieving the concept realistic. Open source will enhance collaboration and move towards testing and consensus on quantitative theoretical frameworks. Importantly, Psi provides a quantitative knowledge framework where the implications of a discovery at one level, for example, single gene function or developmental response, can be examined at the whole plant or even crop and natural ecosystem levels., (© 2015 The Authors Plant, Cell & Environment Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Cyclic electron flow (CEF) around photosystem I (PSI) can protect photosynthetic electron carriers under conditions of stromal over-reduction. The goal of the research reported in this paper was to investigate the responses of both PSI and photosystem II (PSII) to a short-term heat stress in two rice lines with different capacities of cyclic electron transfer, i.e., Q4149 with a high capacity (hcef) and C4023 with a low capacity (lcef). The absorbance change at 820 nm (ΔA820) was used here to assess the charge separation in the PSI reaction center (P700). The results obtained show that short-term heat stress abolishes the ferredoxin-quinone oxidoreductase (FQR)-dependent CEF in rice and accelerates the initial rate of P700 (+) re-reduction. The P700 (+) amplitude was slightly increased at a moderate heat-stress (35°C) because of a partial restriction of FQR but it was decreased following high heat-stress (42°C). Assessment of PSI and PSII activities shows that PSI is more susceptible to heat stress than PSII. Under high temperature, FQR-dependent CEF was completely removed and NDH-dependent CEF was up-regulated and strengthened to a higher extent in C4023 than in Q4149. Specifically, under normal growth temperature, hcef (Q4149) was characterized by higher FQR- and chloroplast NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (NDH)-dependent CEF rates than lcef (C4023). Following thermal stress, the activation of NDH-pathway was 130 and 10% for C4023 and Q4149, respectively. Thus, the NDH-dependent CEF may constitute the second layer of plant protection and defense against heat stress after the main route, i.e., FQR-dependent CEF, reaches its capacity. We discuss the possibility that under high heat stress, the NDH pathway serves as a safety valve to dissipate excess energy by cyclic photophosphorylation and overcome the stroma over-reduction following inhibition of CO2 assimilation and any shortage or lack in the FQR pathway. The potential role of the NDH-dependent pathway during the evolution of C4 photosynthesis is briefly discussed.

Background: C4 photosynthesis evolved from C3 photosynthesis and has higher light, water, and nitrogen use efficiencies. Several C4 photosynthesis genes show cell-specific expression patterns, which are required for these high resource-use efficiencies. However, the mechanisms underlying the evolution of cis-regulatory elements that control these cell-specific expression patterns remain elusive., Results: In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the cis-regulatory motifs related to C4 photosynthesis genes were recruited from non-photosynthetic genes and further examined potential mechanisms facilitating this recruitment. We examined 65 predicted bundle sheath cell-specific motifs, 17 experimentally validated cell-specific cis-regulatory elements, and 1,034 motifs derived from gene regulatory networks. Approximately 7, 5, and 1,000 of these three categories of motifs, respectively, were apparently recruited during the evolution of C4 photosynthesis. In addition, we checked 1) the distance between the acceptors and the donors of potentially recruited motifs in a chromosome, and 2) whether the potentially recruited motifs reside within the overlapping region of transposable elements and the promoter of donor genes. The results showed that 7, 4, and 658 of the potentially recruited motifs might have moved via the transposable elements. Furthermore, the potentially recruited motifs showed higher binding affinity to transcription factors compared to randomly generated sequences of the same length as the motifs., Conclusions: This study provides molecular evidence supporting the hypothesis that transposon-driven recruitment of pre-existing cis-regulatory elements from non-photosynthetic genes into photosynthetic genes plays an important role during C4 evolution. The findings of the present study coincide with the observed repetitive emergence of C4 during evolution.

Background: Pelvic oligo-recurrence is common in rectal cancer patients, and some could not achieve radical resection., Objective: The study was to analyze long-term outcomes and prognostic factors associated with survival in patients treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)., Methods: Study participants were identified from rectal patients with pelvic oligo-recurrence without distant metastases, who were not suitable for surgery (n=135). Patients were recommended to receive concurrent chemotherapy in the course of IMRT (median dose 64.5 Gy, range: 45-70 Gy). Additionally, 24.4% (33/135) of patients received radical surgery after preoperative radiotherapy. Median time to pelvic failure was 25.4 months (range: 1-144 months). With a median follow-up period of 45.5 months (range: 3-104 months), 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were 55.6% and 45.5%, respectively., Results: In univariate survival analysis, OS stratified by subsites indicated that 5-year OS for anastomotic recurrence (80.5%) was better than for anterior recurrence (57.7%) and other pelvic oligo-recurrences (44.5%) (P=0.005). Five-year DFS in the three groups was 60.3%, 49% and 36.6%, respectively (P=0.037). In multivariate survival analysis, pelvic oligo-recurrence and symptomatic recurrence patterns were independently associated with OS in recurrent rectal cancer after pelvic radiotherapy (RT)., Conclusions: These results indicate that RT for rectal cancer patients with pelvic oligo-recurrence had favorable prognosis, especially for patients with anastomotic recurrence.

Improving canopy photosynthetic light use efficiency instead of leaf photosynthesis holds great potential to catalyze the next "green revolution". However, leaves in a canopy experience different biochemical limitations due to the heterogeneities of microclimates and also physiological parameters. Mechanistic dynamic systems models of canopy photosynthesis are now available which can be used to design the optimal canopy architectural and physiological parameters to maximize CO 2 uptake. Rapid development of modern crop genetics research now makes it possible to link such canopy models with genetic variations of crops to develop genetics-based dynamic systems models of canopy photosynthesis. Such models can guide marker-assisted breeding or genomic selection or engineering of crops to enhance light and nitrogen use efficiencies for different regions under future climate change scenarios.

Numerous controlled experiments find that elevated ground-level ozone concentrations ([O3]) damage crops and reduce yield. There have been no estimates of the actual yield losses in the field in the United States from [O3], even though such estimates would be valuable for projections of future food production and for cost-benefit analyses of reducing ground-level [O3]. Regression analysis of historical yield, climate, and [O3] data for the United States were used to determine the loss of production due to O3 for maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) from 1980 to 2011, showing that over that period production of rain-fed fields of soybean and maize were reduced by roughly 5% and 10%, respectively, costing approximately $9 billion annually. Maize, thought to be inherently resistant to O3, was at least as sensitive as soybean to O3 damage. Overcoming this yield loss with improved emission controls or more tolerant germplasm could substantially increase world food and feed supply at a time when a global yield jump is urgently needed.

Objective: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function as negative regulators for the expression of genes involved in cancer metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of miR-98 in gliomas and validate its regulatory mechanism., Patients and Methods: Cell viability assays are used to measure proliferation of cell. mRNA expression is measured by qRT-PCR. Western blot analysis is used to measure protein expression., Results: Functional studies showed that miR-98 overexpression inhibited glioma migration and invasion, but had no effect on the cell viability. An enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter assay, quantitative RT-PCR, and a western blot analysis confirmed that miR-98 suppressed the expression of IκB kinase (IKKε) by directly targeting its 3'-untranslated region, also, the NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression were significantly arrested in glioma cells treated with miR-98 mimics. Accordingly, the overexpression of IKKε or NF-κB p65 can restore cell migration and invasion after being inhibited by miR-98, and can restore NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation as well as increase MMP-9 expression., Conclusions: These findings demonstrated that miR-98 functions as a tumor suppressor in gliomas. Furthermore, miR-98 may act as a potential therapeutic biomarker for glioma patients.

With the expansion of saline land worldwide, it is essential to establish a model halophyte to study the salt-tolerance mechanism. The salt glands in the epidermis of Limonium bicolor (a recretohalophyte) play a pivotal role in salt tolerance by secreting excess salts from tissues. Despite the importance of salt secretion, nothing is known about the molecular mechanisms of salt gland development. In this study, we applied RNA sequencing to profile early leaf development using five distinct developmental stages, which were quantified by successive collections of the first true leaves of L. bicolor with precise spatial and temporal resolution. Specific gene expression patterns were identified for each developmental stage. In particular, we found that genes controlling salt gland differentiation in L. bicolor may evolve in a trichome formation, which was also confirmed by mutants with increased salt gland densities. Genes involved in the special ultrastructure of salt glands were also elucidated. Twenty-six genes were proposed to participate in salt gland differentiation. Our dataset sheds light on the molecular processes underpinning salt gland development and thus represents a first step towards the bioengineering of active salt-secretion capacity in crops., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Melatonin, an antioxidant in both animals and plants, has been reported to have beneficial effects on the aging process. It was also suggested to play a role in extending longevity and enhancing abiotic stress resistance in plant. In this study, we demonstrate that melatonin acts as a potent agent to delay leaf senescence and cell death in rice. Treatments with melatonin significantly reduced chlorophyll degradation, suppressed the transcripts of senescence-associated genes, delayed the leaf senescence, and enhanced salt stress tolerance. Genome-wide expression profiling by RNA sequencing reveals that melatonin is a potent free radical scavenger, and its exogenous application results in enhanced antioxidant protection. Leaf cell death in noe1, a mutant with over-produced H2O2, can be relieved by exogenous application of melatonin. These data demonstrate that melatonin delays the leaf senescence and cell death and also enhances abiotic stress tolerance via directly or indirectly counteracting the cellular accumulation of H2O2., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The world's crop productivity is stagnating whereas population growth, rising affluence, and mandates for biofuels put increasing demands on agriculture. Meanwhile, demand for increasing cropland competes with equally crucial global sustainability and environmental protection needs. Addressing this looming agricultural crisis will be one of our greatest scientific challenges in the coming decades, and success will require substantial improvements at many levels. We assert that increasing the efficiency and productivity of photosynthesis in crop plants will be essential if this grand challenge is to be met. Here, we explore an array of prospective redesigns of plant systems at various scales, all aimed at increasing crop yields through improved photosynthetic efficiency and performance. Prospects range from straightforward alterations, already supported by preliminary evidence of feasibility, to substantial redesigns that are currently only conceptual, but that may be enabled by new developments in synthetic biology. Although some proposed redesigns are certain to face obstacles that will require alternate routes, the efforts should lead to new discoveries and technical advances with important impacts on the global problem of crop productivity and bioenergy production.

Background: The genus Flaveria has been extensively used as a model to study the evolution of C4 photosynthesis as it contains C3 and C4 species as well as a number of species that exhibit intermediate types of photosynthesis. The current phylogenetic tree of the genus Flaveria contains 21 of the 23 known Flaveria species and has been previously constructed using a combination of morphological data and three non-coding DNA sequences (nuclear encoded ETS, ITS and chloroplast encoded trnL-F)., Results: Here we developed a new strategy to update the phylogenetic tree of 16 Flaveria species based on RNA-Seq data. The updated phylogeny is largely congruent with the previously published tree but with some modifications. We propose that the data collection method provided in this study can be used as a generic method for phylogenetic tree reconstruction if the target species has no genomic information. We also showed that a "F. pringlei" genotype recently used in a number of labs may be a hybrid between F. pringlei (C3) and F. angustifolia (C3-C4)., Conclusions: We propose that the new strategy of obtaining phylogenetic sequences outlined in this study can be used to construct robust trees in a larger number of taxa. The updated Flaveria phylogenetic tree also supports a hypothesis of stepwise and parallel evolution of C4 photosynthesis in the Flavaria clade.

Rye (Secale cereale L., RR) is a valuable genetic resource for the improvement of common wheat (Triticum aestivum L., AABBDD). Transferring alien rye genes into wheat by distant hybridization and automatic chromosome doubling is an important and efficient method to boost agronomic traits, disease resistance and widening the gene pool in wheat. In this study, an octoploid triticale CD-13 (AABBDDRR) was obtained via automatic chromosome doubling by crossing landrace Penganbaimaizi (T. aestivum L., AABBDD) and rye "Qinling rye" (S. cereale cv. Qinling, RR). GISH and FISH analyses indicated that CD-13 contained a 1RS-7DS.7DL wheat-rye small segment translocation chromosome. In order to transfer the 1RS-7DS small segment translocation into hexaploid wheat, 58 lines of the F5 inbred population from the cross CD-13 x Chuanmai 42 were screened for rye chromosome segments by GISH and FISH analyses. The results showed that 13 lines contained the 1RS-7DS.7DL small segment translocation chromosome by reciprocal translocation between 1RS and 7DS. These translocation lines carrying 1RS small rye alien segment were tested for the translocation breakpoints and the presence of a storage protein locus Sec-1. The Sec-1 locus was absent in the line 811, a stable 1RS-7DS.7DL small segment translocation line. The translocation breakpoint of 1RS-7DS.7DL of this line was located in the interval of IB267-IAG95 around the telomere of 1RS chromosome. Thousand-kernel weight of the line 811 was much higher than the parent CD-13, but not significantly different from Chuanmai 42. This indicated that 1RS-7DS.7DL small segment translocation had no negative effect on thousand-kernel weight in the genetic background of Chuanmai 42. The line with 1RS-7DS.7DL translocation chromosomes can be used as a new genetic material for further studies of valuable genes and their genetic effect on 1RS small segment.

The difference between the photosynthetic properties of elite and landrace Chinese rice cultivars was studied, using chlorophyll a fluorescence induction (mostly a monitor of Photosystem II activity) and I820 transmission signal (mostly a monitor of Photosystem I activity) to identify potential photosynthetic features differentiating these two groups, which show different degrees of artificial selection and grain yields. A higher fluorescence (related to PSII) IP rise phase and a lower P700(+) (related to PSI) accumulation were observed in the elite cultivars as compared to the landraces. Using these data, together with simulation data from a kinetic model of fluorescence induction, we show that the high IP rise phase and the low P700(+) accumulation can be a result of transient block on electron transfer and traffic jam on the electron acceptor side of PSI under a high [NADPH]/[NADP(+)] ratio. Considering that the ferredoxin NADP(+) reductase (FNR) transcript levels of XS134 (a representative elite cultivars) remains unaffected during the first few minutes of light/dark transition compared to Q4145 (a representative landrace cultivars), which shows a strong decline during the same time range, we propose that the FNR of elite cultivars may take more time to be inactivated in darkness. During this time the FNR enzyme can continue to reduce NADP(+) molecules, leading to initially high [NADPH]/[NADP(+)] ratio during OJIP transient. These data suggested a potential artificial selection of FNR during the breeding process of these examined elite rice cultivars., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Epigenetic changes have been recently recognized as important in many human cancers. Enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2)gene has shown overexpression in various human cancers, consistent with a straightforward role of EZH2 as an oncogene, but its function in carcinogenesis is partly contradictory. The role of EZH2 in development of human colorectal cancer (CRC) has not yet been clarified. In present study, we observed up-regulation of EZH2 expression in tumor tissues from CRC patients [corrected]. The expression of EZH2 in CRC cell lines is consistent with the trend in cancer tissues using RT-PCR. We showed that TNM stage and lymph node metastasis in CRC patients are significantly correlated with EZH2 expression levels [corrected]. EZH2 level of transcription and protein was inhibited by small interfering RNA (siRNA). More importantly, EZH2-siRNA inhibited the proliferation and migration of SW620 cells while promoting their apoptosis, and inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest of CRC cells. Collectively, our results suggest that upregulated EZH2 expression may contribute to the progression of the patients with CRC. A comprehensive study of epigenetic mechanisms and the relevance of EZH2 in CRC is important for fully understanding this disease and as a basis for developing new treatment options in patients with CRC [corrected]., (© 2014 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.)

Three series of novel AHL analogs were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against four human cancer cell lines. The SARs investigation indicated that AHLs with a terminal phenyl group, especially those with the chalcone scaffold had remarkably enhanced cytotoxicity than those with the hydrophobic side chains. Besides, some of these compounds were much more potent than 5-Fu and natural OdDHL. Through the detailed SARs discussions, we found that compounds 10a-k and 14 with the 4-amino chalcone scaffold showed excellent inhibition against all the tested cancer cell lines and were much more potent than 5-Fu and AHLs. Such scaffold may act as a template for further lead optimization. Compound 10i with a 3, 4, 5-trimethoxy group was the most potent one against all the tested cancer cell lines. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that analog 11e induced the cellular apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of MCF-7 cells at G2/M phase in a concentration-and time-dependent manner., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Increase in demand for our primary foodstuffs is outstripping increase in yields, an expanding gap that indicates large potential food shortages by mid-century. This comes at a time when yield improvements are slowing or stagnating as the approaches of the Green Revolution reach their biological limits. Photosynthesis, which has been improved little in crops and falls far short of its biological limit, emerges as the key remaining route to increase the genetic yield potential of our major crops. Thus, there is a timely need to accelerate our understanding of the photosynthetic process in crops to allow informed and guided improvements via in-silico-assisted genetic engineering. Potential and emerging approaches to improving crop photosynthetic efficiency are discussed, and the new tools needed to realize these changes are presented., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

It is believed that transferring the C4 engine into C3 crops will greatly increase the yields of major C3 crops. Many efforts have been made since the 1960s, but relatively little success has been achieved because C4plant traits, referred to collectively as C4 syndrome, are very complex, and little is known about the genetic mechanisms involved. Unfortunately, there exists no ideal genetic model system to study C4 syndrome. It was previously reported that the Haloxylon species have different photosynthetic pathways in different photosynthetic organs, cotyledons and assimilating shoots. Here, we took advantage of the developmental switch from the C3 to the C4 pathway to study the genetic mechanisms behind this natural transition. We compared the transcriptomes of cotyledons and assimilating shoots using mRNA-Seq to gain insight into the molecular and cellular events associated with C4 syndrome. A total of 2959 differentially expressed genes [FDR ≤ 0.001 and abs (|log2(Fold change)| ≥ 1)] were identified, revealing that the transcriptomes of cotyledons and assimilating shoots are considerably different. We further identified a set of putative regulators of C4 syndrome. This study expands our understanding of the development of C4 syndrome and provides a new model system for future studies on the C3-to- C4 switch mechanism.

Bypassing the photorespiratory pathway is regarded as a way to increase carbon assimilation and, correspondingly, biomass production in C3 crops. Here, the benefits of three published photorespiratory bypass strategies are systemically explored using a systems-modeling approach. Our analysis shows that full decarboxylation of glycolate during photorespiration would decrease photosynthesis, because a large amount of the released CO2 escapes back to the atmosphere. Furthermore, we show that photosynthesis can be enhanced by lowering the energy demands of photorespiration and by relocating photorespiratory CO2 release into the chloroplasts. The conductance of the chloroplast membranes to CO2 is a key feature determining the benefit of the relocation of photorespiratory CO2 release. Although our results indicate that the benefit of photorespiratory bypasses can be improved by increasing sedoheptulose bisphosphatase activity and/or increasing the flux through the bypass, the effectiveness of such approaches depends on the complex regulation between photorespiration and other metabolic pathways., (© 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Hedyotis diffusa Willd (Rubiaceae) (HDW) has been widely applied for the treatment of tumors, inflammation and toxication in traditional Chinese medicine. The antitumor effect of HDW on glioblastoma has been rarely reported. We aim to evaluate the activity of this extract and explore the underlying mechanism in U87 human glioblastoma cell line., Materials and Methods: Cytotoxicity of HDW extract on U87 cells was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse induced by HDW extract were determined by flow cytometry. Caspase activity was analyzed based on colorimetric assay with a microplate spectrophotometer. Protein expression was examined by Western blot., Results: HDW extract suppressed U87 cells growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry showed that HDW extract induced significant apoptosis, S/G2-M phase arrest and MMP collapse in U87 cells. Furthermore, dose-dependent activation of caspase-3, Bcl-2, Bax and ERK was observed with HDW extract treatment. Decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio and Akt suppression were readily found as well., Conclusions: Induction of mitochondria-mediated apoptosis played an essential role in antitumor activity of HDW extract in U87 cells, in which ERKs and Akt signaling proteins were also involved. These findings contributed to the feasibility of using HDW extract in glioblastoma treatment and the understanding of the molecular mechanism., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Engineering C4 photosynthetic metabolism into C3 crops is regarded as a major strategy to increase crop productivity, and clarification of the evolutionary processes of C4 photosynthesis can help the better use of this strategy. Here, Eleocharis baldwinii, a species in which C4 photosynthesis can be induced from a C3-C4 state under either environmental or ABA treatments, was used to identify the major transcriptional modifications during the process from C3-C4 to C4. The transcriptomic comparison suggested that in addition to the major differences in C4 core pathway, the pathways of glycolysis, citrate acid metabolism and protein synthesis were dramatically modified during the inducement of C4 photosynthetic states. Transcripts of many transporters, including not only metabolite transporters but also ion transporters, were dramatically increased in C4 photosynthetic state. Many candidate regulatory genes with unidentified functions were differentially expressed in C3-C4 and C4 photosynthetic states. Finally, it was indicated that ABA, auxin signaling and DNA methylation play critical roles in the regulation of C4 photosynthesis. In summary, by studying the different photosynthetic states of the same species, this work provides the major transcriptional differences between C3-C4 and C4 photosynthesis, and many of the transcriptional differences are potentially related to C4 development and therefore are the potential targets for reverse genetics studies.

A body of experimental evidence suggests that the female sex is associated with a lower risk of mortality after trauma-hemorrhage. However, controversy remains regarding the mechanism responsible for these differences and if basic science findings correspond to clinical differences. Racial disparities in trauma outcomes have also been increasingly described. Until now, research on the association between sex and trauma patient outcomes mainly focused on patients in Europe and the United States. Our research attempted to determine whether the female sex is associated with a survival advantage among severely injured Chinese trauma patients. A retrospective analysis of data derived from the Emergency Intensive Care Unit of the Shanghai Sixth People';s Hospital Acute Trauma Center during 2010 to 2013 was performed to characterize differences in sex-based outcomes after severe blunt trauma. The patient study cohort (858 Asian subjects) was then stratified by age and injury severity (using the Injury Severity Score [ISS]). Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to evaluate the association between sex and nosocomial infection rate and hospitalized mortality, both overall and by age and ISS category subgroups. Among all trauma patients, females had a significantly lower risk of in-hospital mortality compared with males (OR, 0.41; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.20 - 0.85). This difference was most apparent for patients younger than 50 years (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.12 - 0.82) and the group with ISS scores of 25 or higher (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17 - 0.91). No differences in the development of nosocomial infections between sexes were seen among the overall patient group and subgroups. This study revealed a statistically significant association between sex and mortality among severe blunt trauma patients, particularly those patients younger than 50 years and with ISSs of 25 or higher. Women had significantly lower mortality than men after severe blunt trauma. These results highlight the important role of sex hormones and sex-based outcome differences after severe traumatic injury in the Chinese population.

C4 photosynthesis has higher light-use, nitrogen-use, and water-use efficiencies than C3 photosynthesis. Historically, most of C4 plants were classified into three subtypes (NADP-malic enzyme (ME), NAD-ME, or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) subtypes) according to their major decarboxylation enzyme. However, a wealth of historic and recent data indicates that flexibility exists between different decarboxylation pathways in many C4 species, and this flexibility might be controlled by developmental and environmental cues. This work used systems modelling to theoretically explore the significance of flexibility in decarboxylation mechanisms and transfer acids utilization. The results indicate that employing mixed C4 pathways, either the NADP-ME type with the PEPCK type or the NAD-ME type with the PEPCK type, effectively decreases the need to maintain high concentrations and concentration gradients of transport metabolites. Further, maintaining a mixture of C4 pathways robustly affords high photosynthetic efficiency under a broad range of light regimes. A pure PEPCK-type C4 photosynthesis is not beneficial because the energy requirements in bundle sheath cells cannot be fulfilled due to them being shaded by mesophyll cells. Therefore, only two C4 subtypes should be considered as distinct subtypes, the NADP-ME type and NAD-ME types, which both inherently involve a supplementary PEPCK cycle., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.)

The responses of long-term growth of plants under elevated CO2 have been studied extensively. Comparatively, the responses of plants to subambient CO2 concentrations have not been well studied. This study aims to investigate the responses of the model C3 plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, to low CO2 at the molecular level. Results showed that low CO2 dramatically decreased biomass productivity, together with delayed flowering and increased stomatal density. Furthermore, alteration of thylakoid stacking in both bundle sheath and mesophyll cells, upregulation of PEPC and PEPC-K together with altered expression of a number of regulators known involved in photosynthesis development were observed. These responses to low CO2 are discussed with regard to the fitness of C3 plants under low CO2. This work also briefly discusses the relevance of the data to C4 photosynthesis evolution., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.)

Photosynthesis is one of the most important biological processes on the earth. So far, though the molecular mechanisms underlying photosynthesis is well understood, however, the regulatory networks of photosynthesis are poorly studied. Given the current interest in improving photosynthetic efficiency for greater crop yield, elucidating the detailed regulatory networks controlling the construction and maintenance of photosynthetic machinery is not only scientifically significant but also holding great potential in agricultural application. In this study, we first identified transcription factors (TFs) related to photosynthesis through the TRAP approach using position weight matrix information. Then, for TFs related to photosynthesis, interactions between them and their targets were also determined by the ARACNE approach. Finally, a gene regulatory network was established by combining TF-targets information generated by these two approaches. Topological analysis of the regulatory network suggested that (a) the regulatory network of photosynthesis has a property of "small world"; (b) there is substantial coordination mediated by transcription factors between different components in photosynthesis.

In C 4 plants, pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) activity is tightly dark/light regulated by reversible phosphorylation of an active-site threonine (Thr) residue; this process is catalyzed by PPDK regulatory protein (PDRP). Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of PPDK lead to its inactivation and activation, respectively. Here, we show that light intensity rather than the light/dark transition regulates PPDK activity by modulating the reversible phosphorylation at Thr-527 (previously termed Thr-456) of PPDK in maize (Zea mays). The amount of PPDK (unphosphorylated) involved in C 4 photosynthesis is indeed strictly controlled by light intensity, despite the high levels of PPDK protein that accumulate in mesophyll chloroplasts. In addition, we identified a transit peptide cleavage site, uncovered partial amino-terminal acetylation, and detected phosphorylation at four serine (Ser)/Thr residues, two of which were previously unknown in maize. In vitro experiments indicated that Thr-527 and Ser-528, but not Thr-309 and Ser-506, are targets of PDRP. Modeling suggests that the two hydrogen bonds between the highly conserved residues Ser-528 and glycine-525 are required for PDRP-mediated phosphorylation of the active-site Thr-527 of PPDK. Taken together, our results suggest that the regulation of maize plastid PPDK isoform (C 4 PPDK) activity is much more complex than previously reported. These diverse regulatory pathways may work alone or in combination to fine-tune C 4 PPDK activity in response to changes in lighting., (© 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.)

C4 photosynthesis has higher light, nitrogen, and water use efficiencies than C3 photosynthesis. Although the basic anatomical, cellular, and biochemical features of C4 photosynthesis are well understood, the quantitative significance of each element of C4 photosynthesis to the high photosynthetic efficiency are not well defined. Here, we addressed this question by developing and using a systems model of C4 photosynthesis, which includes not only the Calvin-Benson cycle, starch synthesis, sucrose synthesis, C4 shuttle, and CO₂ leakage, but also photorespiration and metabolite transport between the bundle sheath cells and mesophyll cells. The model effectively simulated the CO₂ uptake rates, and the changes of metabolite concentrations under varied CO₂ and light levels. Analyses show that triose phosphate transport and CO₂ leakage can help maintain a high photosynthetic rate by balancing ATP and NADPH amounts in bundle sheath cells and mesophyll cells. Finally, we used the model to define the optimal enzyme properties and a blueprint for C4 engineering. As such, this model provides a theoretical framework for guiding C4 engineering and studying C4 photosynthesis in general.

Large-scale fabrication of nanostructured Cu3SbSe4 and its Sn-doped sample Cu3Sb0.98Sn0.02Se4 through a low-temperature co-precipitation route is reported. The effects of hot-pressing temperatures, time and Sn doping on the thermoelectric properties of Cu3SbSe4 are explored. The maximum figure of merit ZTmax obtained here reaches 0.62 for the un-doped Cu3SbSe4, which is three times as large as that of Cu3SbSe4 synthesized by the fusion method. Due to the ameliorated power factor by optimized carrier concentration and the reduced lattice thermal conductivity by enhanced phonon scattering at grain interfaces, Sn doping leads to an improvement of thermoelectric performance as compared to Cu3SbSe4. The maximum ZT for Cu3Sb0.98Sn0.02Se4 is 1.05 in this work, which is 50% larger than the largest value reported.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of sand buried on the elimination of Oncomelania snails in the marshland along the Yangtze River downstream., Methods: The areas along the Yangtze River were chosen as the investigated objects in Jiangdu District, Jiangsu Province. The datum review and field investigations were used to observe the change of snail area after the sand buried., Results: There were 11 sand buried projects along the Yangtze River in Jiangdu District, Jiangsu Province. The snail areas decreased by 93.73% after the sand buried., Conclusion: The sand buried is an effective method of snail control in the marshland along the Yangtze River. This method can be combined with economic construction and development projects for popularization and application.

Chlorophyll a fluorescence induction (FI) kinetics, in the microseconds to the second range, reflects the overall performance of the photosynthetic apparatus. In this paper, we have developed a novel FI model, using a rule-based kinetic Monte Carlo method, which incorporates not only structural and kinetic information on PSII, but also a simplified photosystem I. This model has allowed us to successfully simulate the FI under normal or different treatment conditions, i.e., with different levels of measuring light, under 3-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea treatment, under 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone treatment, and under methyl viologen treatment. Further, using this model, we have systematically studied the mechanistic basis and factors influencing the FI kinetics. The results of our simulations suggest that (1) the J step is caused by the two-electron gate at the Q B site; (2) the I step is caused by the rate limitation of the plastoquinol re-oxidation in the plastoquinone pool. This new model provides a framework for exploring impacts of modifying not only kinetic but also structural parameters on the FI kinetics.

Setaria viridis is an emerging model species for genetic studies of C4 photosynthesis. Many basic molecular resources need to be developed to support for this species. In this paper, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome analysis from multiple developmental stages and tissues of S. viridis using next-generation sequencing technologies. Sequencing of the transcriptome from multiple tissues across three developmental stages (seed germination, vegetative growth, and reproduction) yielded a total of 71 million single end 100 bp long reads. Reference-based assembly using Setaria italica genome as a reference generated 42,754 transcripts. De novo assembly generated 60,751 transcripts. In addition, 9,576 and 7,056 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) covering S. viridis genome were identified when using the reference based assembled transcripts and the de novo assembled transcripts, respectively. This identified transcripts and SSR provided by this study can be used for both reverse and forward genetic studies based on S. viridis.

Photosynthesis is arguably the most researched of all plant processes. A dynamic model of leaf photosynthesis that includes each discrete process from light capture to carbohydrate synthesis, e-photosynthesis, is described. It was developed by linking and extending our previous models of photosystem II (PSII) energy transfer and photosynthetic C3 carbon metabolism to include electron transfer processes around photosystem I (PSI), ion transfer between the lumen and stroma, ATP synthesis and NADP reduction to provide a complete representation. Different regulatory processes linking the light and dark reactions are also included: Rubisco activation via Rubisco activase, pH and xanthophyll cycle-dependent non-photochemical quenching mechanisms, as well as the regulation of enzyme activities via the ferredoxin-theoredoxin system. Although many further feedback and feedforward controls undoubtedly exist, it is shown that e-photosynthesis effectively mimics the typical kinetics of leaf CO₂ uptake, O₂ evolution, chlorophyll fluorescence emission, lumen and stromal pH, and membrane potential following perturbations in light, [CO₂] and [O₂] observed in intact C3 leaves. The model provides a framework for guiding engineering of improved photosynthetic efficiency, for evaluating multiple non-invasive measures used in emerging phenomics facilities, and for quantitative assessment of strengths and weaknesses within the understanding of photosynthesis as an integrated process., (© 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The Brassicaceae, including Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica crops, is unmatched among plants in its wealth of genomic and functional molecular data and has long served as a model for understanding gene, genome, and trait evolution. However, genome information from a phylogenetic outgroup that is essential for inferring directionality of evolutionary change has been lacking. We therefore sequenced the genome of the spider flower (Tarenaya hassleriana) from the Brassicaceae sister family, the Cleomaceae. By comparative analysis of the two lineages, we show that genome evolution following ancient polyploidy and gene duplication events affect reproductively important traits. We found an ancient genome triplication in Tarenaya (Th-α) that is independent of the Brassicaceae-specific duplication (At-α) and nested Brassica (Br-α) triplication. To showcase the potential of sister lineage genome analysis, we investigated the state of floral developmental genes and show Brassica retains twice as many floral MADS (for minichromosome maintenance1, AGAMOUS, DEFICIENS and serum response factor) genes as Tarenaya that likely contribute to morphological diversity in Brassica. We also performed synteny analysis of gene families that confer self-incompatibility in Brassicaceae and found that the critical serine receptor kinase receptor gene is derived from a lineage-specific tandem duplication. The T. hassleriana genome will facilitate future research toward elucidating the evolutionary history of Brassicaceae genomes.

Aberrant expression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF), a novel secretory protein, has been reported in several types of cancer. However, in colorectal cancer (CRC), whether PAUF also plays its oncogenic role through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and its effect in regulating malignant phenotypes of CRC is unknown. In this study, we detected PAUF and β-catenin expression levels by immunohistochemical analysis and real-time PCR in CRC tissues, adjacent non-tumor tissues (NATs) and 5 CRC cell lines. The results demonstrated that the expression of PAUF and β-catenin in tumor tissues was higher than in NATs. Moreover, the expression of PAUF was correlated with the expression of β-catenin in both tumor tissues and NATs. The HCT116 cell line, which has the highest PAUF expression of the 5 cell lines, was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting on PAUF, which significantly downregulated the expression of PAUF in cancer cells. Successful transfection was confirmed by using RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Further studies demonstrated that PAUF-siRNA inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells, promoted their apoptosis and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. At the same time, PAUF-siRNA inhibited the invasion, adhesion and migration of the tumor cells. In conclusion, this study suggested that PAUF was expressed in CRC at a high frequency. Interference of PAUF may be an effective strategy for regulating malignant phenotypes of CRC through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Motivation: RNA sequencing based on next-generation sequencing technology is effective for analyzing transcriptomes. Like de novo genome assembly, de novo transcriptome assembly does not rely on any reference genome or additional annotation information, but is more difficult. In particular, isoforms can have very uneven expression levels (e.g. 1:100), which make it very difficult to identify low-expressed isoforms. One challenge is to remove erroneous vertices/edges with high multiplicity (produced by high-expressed isoforms) in the de Bruijn graph without removing correct ones with not-so-high multiplicity from low-expressed isoforms. Failing to do so will result in the loss of low-expressed isoforms or having complicated subgraphs with transcripts of different genes mixed together due to erroneous vertices/edges. Contributions: Unlike existing tools, which remove erroneous vertices/edges with multiplicities lower than a global threshold, we use a probabilistic progressive approach to iteratively remove them with local thresholds. This enables us to decompose the graph into disconnected components, each containing a few genes, if not a single gene, while retaining many correct vertices/edges of low-expressed isoforms. Combined with existing techniques, IDBA-Tran is able to assemble both high-expressed and low-expressed transcripts and outperform existing assemblers in terms of sensitivity and specificity for both simulated and real data., Availability: http://www.cs.hku.hk/~alse/idba&#95;tran., Supplementary Information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

ECM is a supporting structure for stabilizing the location of cells and preserving the structure of tissues. Recently, it has been discovered that ECM and its degradation products may exert profound influences on tissues and cells, such as activities of inflammatory cells and immune cells. Angiogenesis may be stimulated or inhibited by degradation products of ECM. Matrikines, liberated by partial proteolysis of ECM macromolecules, are found to regulate cell functional activities and play a significant role in wound healing or tumor invasion. Post-burn denatured dermal matrix is being studied in burn healing now. The study of post-burn denatured or necrotic dermal matrix should be emphasized in future.

Canopy architecture has been a major target in crop breeding for improved yields. Whether crop architectures in current elite crop cultivars can be modified for increased canopy CO2 uptake rate (Ac) under elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations (Ca) is currently unknown. To study this question, we developed a new model of canopy photosynthesis, which includes three components: (i) a canopy architectural model; (ii) a forward ray tracing algorithm; and (iii) a steady-state biochemical model of C3 photosynthesis. With this model, we demonstrated that the Ac estimated from 'average' canopy light conditions is ~25% higher than that from light conditions at individual points in the canopy. We also evaluated theoretically the influence of canopy architectural on Ac under current and future Ca in rice. Simulation results suggest that to gain an optimal Ac for the examined rice cultivar, the stem height, leaf width and leaf angles can be manipulated to enhance canopy photosynthesis. This model provides a framework for designing ideal crop architectures to gain optimal Ac under future changing climate conditions. A close linkage between canopy photosynthesis modelling and canopy photosynthesis measurements is required to fully realise the potential of such modelling approaches in guiding crop improvements.

B7-H3, a member of the B7-family molecules, plays an important role in adaptive immune responses. In addition, B7-H3 is also expressed in several types of human cancers and is correlated with the poor outcome of cancer patients. However, its exact role in cancer is not known. In the present study, we compared B7-H3 expression in normal pancreas and pancreatic cancer tissue specimens, and determined the effects of low B7-H3 expression on the human pancreatic cancer cell line Patu8988 using lentivirus-mediated RNA interference. B7-H3 expression in pancreatic specimens was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A Patu8988 cell line with low B7-H3 expression was established by lentivirus-mediated RNA interference to investigate the effect of B7-H3 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. By establishing subcutaneous transplantation tumor and orthotopic transplantation pancreatic cancer mouse models, the effect of B7-H3 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion was studied in vivo. B7-H3 in tissue samples was significantly higher in the pancreatic cancer group than in the normal pancreas group (mean ± SD, 193.6±9.352 vs. 87.74±7.433 ng/g; P<0.0001). B7-H3 knockdown by RNA interference decreased cell migration and Transwell invasion up to 50% in vitro. No apparent impact was observed on cell proliferation in vitro. In the subcutaneous transplantation tumor mouse model, the tumor growth rate was reduced by the knockdown of B7-H3. In the orthotopic transplantation pancreatic cancer mouse model, the effect of inhibiting metastasis by knocking down B7-H3 was assessed in terms of the average postmortem abdominal visceral metastatic tumor weight. This demonstrated that inhibition of B7-H3 expression reduced pancreatic cancer metastasis in vivo. In conclusion, B7-H3 is aberrantly expressed in pancreatic cancer. In addition to modulating tumor immunity, B7-H3 may have a novel role in regulating pancreatic tumor progression.

Background: For years, emerging infectious diseases have appeared worldwide and threatened the health of people. The emergence and spread of an infectious-disease outbreak are usually unforeseen, and have the features of suddenness and uncertainty. Timely understanding of basic information in the field, and the collection and analysis of epidemiological information, is helpful in making rapid decisions and responding to an infectious-disease emergency. Therefore, it is necessary to have an unobstructed channel and convenient tool for the collection and analysis of epidemiologic information in the field., Methodology/principal Findings: Baseline information for each county in mainland China was collected and a database was established by geo-coding information on a digital map of county boundaries throughout the country. Google Maps was used to display geographic information and to conduct calculations related to maps, and the 3G wireless network was used to transmit information collected in the field to the server. This study established a decision support system for the response to infectious-disease emergencies based on WebGIS and mobile services (DSSRIDE). The DSSRIDE provides functions including data collection, communication and analyses in real time, epidemiological detection, the provision of customized epidemiological questionnaires and guides for handling infectious disease emergencies, and the querying of professional knowledge in the field. These functions of the DSSRIDE could be helpful for epidemiological investigations in the field and the handling of infectious-disease emergencies., Conclusions/significance: The DSSRIDE provides a geographic information platform based on the Google Maps application programming interface to display information of infectious disease emergencies, and transfers information between workers in the field and decision makers through wireless transmission based on personal computers, mobile phones and personal digital assistants. After a 2-year practice and application in infectious disease emergencies, the DSSRIDE is becoming a useful platform and is a useful tool for investigations in the field carried out by response sections and individuals. The system is suitable for use in developing countries and low-income districts.

The CO(2) concentration at the site of carboxylation inside the chloroplast stroma depends not only on the stomatal conductance, but also on the conductance of CO(2) between substomatal cavities and the site of CO(2) fixation. This conductance, commonly termed mesophyll conductance (g(m) ), significantly constrains the rate of photosynthesis. Here we show that estimates of g(m) are influenced by the amount of respiratory and photorespiratory CO(2) from the mitochondria diffusing towards the chloroplasts. This results in an apparent CO(2) and oxygen sensitivity of g(m) that does not imply a change in intrinsic diffusion properties of the mesophyll, but depends on the ratio of mitochondrial CO(2) release to chloroplast CO(2) uptake. We show that this effect (1) can bias the estimation of the CO(2) photocompensation point and non-photorespiratory respiration in the light; (2) can affect the estimates of ribulose 1·5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) kinetic constants in vivo; and (3) results in an apparent obligatory correlation between stomatal conductance and g(m) . We further show that the amount of photo(respiratory) CO(2) that is refixed by Rubisco can be directly estimated through measurements of g(m) ., (© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Engineering higher photosynthetic efficiency for greater crop yields has gained significant attention among plant biologists and breeders. To achieve this goal, manipulation of metabolic targets and canopy architectural features has been heavily emphasized. Given the substantial variations in leaf anatomical features among and within plant species, there is large potential to engineer leaf anatomy for improved photosynthetic efficiency. Here we review how different leaf anatomical features influence internal light distribution, delivery of CO(2) to Rubisco and water relations, and accordingly recommend features to engineer for increased leaf photosynthesis under different environments. More research is needed on (a) elucidating the genetic mechanisms controlling leaf anatomy, and (b) the development of a three dimensional biochemical and biophysical model of leaf photosynthesis, which can help pinpoint anatomical features required to gain a higher photosynthesis., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To explore the feasible prevention and control measures for imported falciparum malaria., Methods: The epidemic situation of imported falciparum malaria and status of labor export were investigated by using the epidemic statistical method, epidemiological survey and follow-up survey., Results: There were 46 direct network reported cases of imported falciparum malaria in Jiangdu District in 2011, and they were all export laborers to Africa, being aged from 30-49 years, Totally 28 patients of them had the history of disease in foreign countries, and 29 cases were in the same labor export services company. A total of 444 migrant labors were investigated and 24 patients were diagnosed falciparum malaria., Conclusion: In order to prevent and control imported falciparum malaria, we should strengthen the standard management of labor export services market and health education.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of sand buried and reed protection on Oncomelania snail control in the area of water source of the east route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project., Methods: The Oncomelania snail eggs were counted after the snails raised seven days in the sand of different contents in the spawning period. The survival of the snails was observed when the snails were raised on the sand surface in the laboratory. The change of the densities of living snails and reed growth were observed in the area of water source., Results: The snails did not lay eggs in the pure sand environment. There was a negative correlation between the number of snail eggs and the content of sand (r = -0.965, P = 0.008). The mortality rates of the snails were increasing with the increase of the time in the sand environment. The mortality rates of the snails were 96.00% and 100% when the snails were raised 3 months and 6 months around 25 degrees C respectively. The field test showed that the snails were not discovered after the sand buried, the second spring, after the flood season, and the third spring. However, the density of living snails of the control group dropped by 93.65% 2 weeks after using molluscicide, but increased by 100% and kept in 0.37 snails/0.1 m2 after the flood season and the third year spring, respectively. The reed growth was good in the second spring after the sand buried., Conclusions: The sand environment is unfavorable for laying eggs and survival of the snails. The sand buried method has the effects of snail control and reed protection. In addition, the method could also prevent the snail spread in the flood season.

Improving photosynthesis throughout the full canopy rather than photosynthesis of only the top leaves of the canopy is central to improving crop yields. Many canopy photosynthesis models have been developed from physiological and ecological perspectives, however most do not consider heterogeneities of microclimatic factors inside a canopy, canopy dynamics and associated energetics, or competition among different plants, and most models lack a direct linkage to molecular processes. Here we described the rationale, elements, and approaches necessary to build a dynamic systems model of canopy photosynthesis. A systems model should integrate metabolic processes including photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen metabolism, resource re-mobilization and photosynthate partitioning with canopy level light, CO(2), water vapor distributions and heat exchange processes. In so doing a systems-based canopy photosynthesis model will enable studies of molecular ecology and dramatically improve our insight into engineering crops for improved canopy photosynthetic CO(2) uptake, resource use efficiencies and yields., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)