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Submergence is an abiotic stress that limits agricultural production world-wide. Plants sense oxygen levels during submergence and postsubmergence reoxygenation and modulate their responses. Increasing evidence suggests that completely submerged plants are often exposed to low-light stress, owing to the depth and turbidity of the surrounding water; however, how light availability affects submergence tolerance remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that Arabidopsis thaliana MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 (MYB30) is an important transcription factor that integrates light signaling and postsubmergence stress responses. MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 protein abundance decreased upon submergence and accumulated during reoxygenation. Under submergence conditions, CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1), a central regulator of light signaling, caused the ubiquitination and degradation of MYB30. In response to desubmergence, however, light-induced MYB30 interacted with MYC2, a master transcription factor involved in jasmonate signaling, and activated the expression of the VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE1 (VTC1) and GLUTATHIONE SYNTHETASE1 (GSH1) gene families to enhance antioxidant biosynthesis. Consistent with this, the myb30 knockout mutant showed increased sensitivity to submergence, which was partially rescued by overexpression of VTC1 or GSH1. Thus, our findings uncover the mechanism by which the COP1-MYB30 module integrates light signals with cellular oxidative homeostasis to coordinate plant responses to postsubmergence stress.

Despite known benefits, the timing of and method used for umbilical cord clamping (UCC) in neonates remain controversial in China, as well as internationally. The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice of UCC amongst health care providers in China, as recommended by medical professional organizations.A web-based questionnaire on cord clamping practices was administered to midwives, obstetricians, and neonatologists in 126 hospitals from 16 provinces. The provinces were selected from seven different regions of China.A total of 5,005 (60.5% of eligible respondents) health care providers returned completed questionnaires. The awareness rates for immediate cord clamping (ICC) and delayed cord clamping (DCC) were over 85%, but the implementation rate for DCC was relatively low (ICC 58.3% vs. DCC 41.6%). Most neonates were placed below the introitus (92.8%) during cord clamping and this correlated with the route of delivery. The choice of UCC was impelled by different factors. Benefits for neonates influenced the choice of ICC (50%) and promoting a larger blood volume to stabilize systemic circulation influenced the choice of DCC (92.3%). Majority (91.5%) of respondents acquiesced that it was necessary to develop national clinical guidelines for UCC.The majority of obstetricians, neonatologists, and midwives who participated in this study had a positive perception of DCC. However, this did not translate to daily practice. The practice of UCC is variable and there are no standard guidelines.· The first large-scale epidemiological investigation of umbilical cord ligation is in China.. · The survey included three commonly used umbilical cord clamping methods.. · The respondents included neonatologists..

In plants, submergence from flooding causes hypoxia, which impairs energy production and affects plant growth, productivity, and survival. In Arabidopsis, hypoxia induces nuclear localization of the group VII ethylene-responsive transcription factor RELATED TO AP2.12 (RAP2.12), following its dissociation from the plasma membrane-anchored ACYL-COA BINDING PROTEIN1 (ACBP1) and ACBP2. Here, we show that polyunsaturated linolenoyl-CoA (18:3-CoA) regulates RAP2.12 release from the plasma membrane. Submergence caused a significant increase in 18:3-CoA, but a significant decrease in 18:0-, 18:1-, and 18:2-CoA. Application of 18:3-CoA promoted nuclear accumulation of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusions RAP2.12-GFP, HYPOXIA-RESPONSIVE ERF1-GFP, and RAP2.3-GFP, and enhanced transcript levels of hypoxia-responsive genes. Plants with decreased ACBP1 and ACBP2 (acbp1 ACBP2-RNAi, produced by ACBP2 RNA interference in the acbp1 mutant) had reduced tolerance to hypoxia and impaired 18:3-CoA-induced expression of hypoxia-related genes. In knockout mutants and overexpression lines of LONG-CHAIN ACYL-COA SYNTHASE2 (LACS2) and FATTY ACID DESATURASE 3 (FAD3), the acyl-CoA pool size and 18:3-CoA levels were closely related to ERF-VII-mediated signaling and hypoxia tolerance. These findings demonstrate that polyunsaturation of long-chain acyl-CoAs functions as important mechanism in the regulation of plant hypoxia signaling, by modulating ACBP-ERF-VII dynamics.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) and jasmonates (JAs) regulate plant growth, development, and defense responses, but how these phytohormones mediate the growth-defense tradeoff is unclear. Here, we identified the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) dwarf at early stages1 (dwe1) mutant, which exhibits enhanced expression of defensin genes PLANT DEFENSIN1.2a (PDF1.2a) and PDF1.2b. The dwe1 mutant showed increased resistance to herbivory by beet armyworms (Spodoptera exigua) and infection by botrytis (Botrytis cinerea). DWE1 encodes ROTUNDIFOLIA3, a cytochrome P450 protein essential for BR biosynthesis. The JA-inducible transcription of PDF1.2a and PDF1.2b was significantly reduced in the BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE1-ETHYL METHANESULFONATE-SUPPRESSOR1 (BES1) gain-of-function mutant bes1- D, which was highly susceptible to S. exigua and B. cinerea. BES1 directly targeted the terminator regions of PDF1.2a/PDF1.2b and suppressed their expression. PDF1.2a overexpression diminished the enhanced susceptibility of bes1- D to B. cinerea but did not improve resistance of bes1- D to S. exigua. In response to S. exigua herbivory, BES1 inhibited biosynthesis of the JA-induced insect defense-related metabolite indolic glucosinolate by interacting with transcription factors MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN34 (MYB34), MYB51, and MYB122 and suppressing expression of genes encoding CYTOCHROME P450 FAMILY79 SUBFAMILY B POLYPEPTIDE3 (CYP79B3) and UDP-GLUCOSYL TRANSFERASE 74B1 (UGT74B1). Thus, BR contributes to the growth-defense tradeoff by suppressing expression of defensin and glucosinolate biosynthesis genes.

Carotenoids play key roles in photosynthesis and photoprotection. Few multicellular plants produce the ketocarotenoid astaxanthin, a strong antioxidant; however, Arabidopsis thaliana lines overexpressing the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii β-carotene ketolase (CrBKT) accumulated high amounts of astaxanthin in the leaves. In this study, we investigated the changed regulation of key metabolic pathways and the tolerance of the engineered plants to biotic and abiotic stresses resulting from the heterologous expression of CrBKT. Transcriptome analysis identified 1633 and 1722 genes that were differentially expressed in the leaves and siliques, respectively, of CrBKT-overexpressing plants (line CR5) as compared to wild-type Arabidopsis. These genes were enriched in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathways, and plant hormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways. In particular, metabolic profiling showed that, as compared to the wild-type leaves and siliques, overexpression of CrBKT increased the levels of most amino acids, but decreased the contents of sugars and carbohydrates. Furthermore, CR5 plants had lower sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) and increased tolerance to oxidative stress. CR5 plants also exhibited enhanced resistance to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Our study provides insight into the regulation of carotenoids and the related pathways, which may be involved in plant response to oxidative stress and pathogen infection.

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is an important lipid essential for several aspects of plant development and biotic and abiotic stress responses. We previously suggested that submergence induces PA accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana; however, the molecular mechanism underlying PA-mediated regulation of submergence-induced hypoxia signaling remains unknown. Here, we showed that in Arabidopsis, loss of the phospholipase D (PLD) proteins PLDα1 and PLDδ leads to hypersensitivity to hypoxia, but increased tolerance to submergence. This enhanced tolerance is likely due to improvement of PA-mediated membrane integrity. PA bound to the mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MPK3) and MPK6 in vitro and contributed to hypoxia-induced phosphorylation of MPK3 and MPK6 in vivo. Moreover, mpk3 and mpk6 mutants were more sensitive to hypoxia and submergence stress compared with wild type, and fully suppressed the submergence-tolerant phenotypes of pldα1 and pldδ mutants. MPK3 and MPK6 interacted with and phosphorylated RELATED TO AP2.12, a master transcription factor in the hypoxia signaling pathway, and modulated its activity. In addition, MPK3 and MPK6 formed a regulatory feedback loop with PLDα1 and/or PLDδ to regulate PLD stability and submergence-induced PA production. Thus, our findings demonstrate that PA modulates plant tolerance to submergence via both membrane integrity and MPK3/6-mediated hypoxia signaling in Arabidopsis.

Background Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs are involved in multiple cellular functions and participate in various cancer development and progression, including breast cancer. Methods We aimed to investigate the role of miR-381-3p in breast cancer. The expression level of miR-381-3p and EMT transcription factors was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The effects of miR-381-3p on breast cancer proliferation and invasion were determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and transwell assays. The regulation of miR-381-3p on its targets was determined by dual-luciferase analysis, qRT-PCR, and western blot. Results We found that the expression of miR-381-3p was significantly decreased in breast cancer tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-381-3p inhibited breast cancer proliferation and invasion, whereas knockdown of miR-381-3p promoted cell proliferation and invasion in MDA-MB-231 and SKBR3 cells. Mechanistically, overexpression of miR-381-3p inhibited breast cancer epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Both Sox4 and Twist1 were confirmed as targets of miR-381-3p. Moreover, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) could reverse the effects of miR-381-3p on breast cancer progression. Conclusions Our observation suggests that miR-381-3p inhibits breast cancer progression and EMT by regulating the TGF-β signaling via targeting Sox4 and Twist1.

MicroRNAs are important for the regulation of multiple cellular functions and are involved in the initiation and progression of various types of cancer, including breast cancer. Although microRNA (miR)‑454‑3p is reported to function as an oncogene in several types of human cancer, the role of miR‑454‑5p in breast cancer remains unknown. The present study demonstrated that miR‑454‑5p was upregulated in breast cancer and was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. Overexpression of miR‑454‑5p promoted breast cancer cell viability, migration and invasion in vitro, whereas silencing of miR‑454‑5p inhibited breast cancer proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, forkhead box J2 (FoxJ2) was shown to be a target of miR‑454‑5p and transactivated E‑cadherin expression. Moreover, silencing of miR‑454‑5p reversed the epithelial‑mesenchymal transition phenotype through upregulation of the FoxJ2/E‑cadherin axis. Collectively, the present findings suggested that miR‑454‑5p may serve as a novel therapeutic target and prognostic predictor for patients with breast cancer.

Using RNA sequencing and qualitative and quantitative proteomics, we unravel alternative spliced isoforms and new ‘frame’ proteins during hypoxic germination in rice., Post-transcriptional mechanisms (PTMs), including alternative splicing (AS) and alternative translation initiation (ATI), may explain the diversity of proteins involved in plant development and stress responses. Transcriptional regulation is important during the hypoxic germination of rice seeds, but the potential roles of PTMs in this process have not been characterized. We used a combination of proteomics and RNA sequencing to discover how AS and ATI contribute to plant responses to hypoxia. In total, 10 253 intron-containing genes were identified. Of these, ~1741 differentially expressed AS (DAS) events from 811 genes were identified in hypoxia-treated seeds compared with controls. Over 95% of these were not present in the list of differentially expressed genes. In particular, regulatory pathways such as the spliceosome, ribosome, endoplasmic reticulum protein processing and export, proteasome, phagosome, oxidative phosphorylation, and mRNA surveillance showed substantial AS changes under hypoxia, suggesting that AS responses are largely independent of transcriptional regulation. Considerable AS changes were identified, including the preferential usage of some non-conventional splice sites and enrichment of splicing factors in the DAS data sets. Taken together, these results not only demonstrate that AS and ATI function during hypoxic germination but they have also allowed the identification of numerous novel proteins/peptides produced via ATI.

In response to hypoxia under submergence, plants switch from aerobic respiration to anaerobic fermentation, which leads to the accumulation of the end product, ethanol. We previously reported that Arabidopsis thaliana autophagy-deficient mutants show increased sensitivity to ethanol treatment, indicating that ethanol is likely involved in regulating the autophagy-mediated hypoxia response. Here, using a transcriptomic analysis, we identified 3909 genes in Arabidopsis seedlings that were differentially expressed in response to ethanol treatment, including 2487 upregulated and 1422 downregulated genes. Ethanol treatment significantly upregulated genes involved in autophagy and the detoxification of reactive oxygen species. Using transgenic lines expressing AUTOPHAGY-RELATED PROTEIN 8e fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP-ATG8e), we confirmed that exogenous ethanol treatment promotes autophagosome formation in vivo. Phenotypic analysis showed that deletions in the alcohol dehydrogenase gene in adh1 mutants result in attenuated submergence tolerance, decreased accumulation of ATG proteins, and diminished submergence-induced autophagosome formation. Compared to the submergence-tolerant Arabidopsis accession Columbia (Col-0), the submergence-intolerant accession Landsberg erecta (Ler) displayed hypersensitivity to ethanol treatment, we linked these phenotypes to differences in the functions of ADH1 and the autophagy machinery between these accessions. Thus, ethanol promotes autophagy-mediated submergence tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Objective This study aimed to investigate whether umbilical cord milking (UCM) prevents and controls anemia in preterm infants, as compared with immediate cord clamping (ICC). Study Design Pregnant women delivering at Results Neonates receiving UCM had significant higher levels of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, and serum iron (p 0.05). Conclusion UCM is an effective intervention to help preterm infants experience less anemia with the potential to increase blood volume, as seen by higher Hb levels and more enhanced iron stores.

In plants, hypoxia (low-oxygen stress) is induced by soil waterlogging or submergence and this major abiotic stress has detrimental effects on plant growth, development, distribution, and productivity. To survive low-oxygen stress, plants have evolved a set of morphological, physiological, and biochemical adaptations. These adaptations integrate metabolic acclimation and signaling networks allowing plants to endure or escape from low-oxygen environments by altering their metabolism and growth. Lipids are ubiquitously involved in regulating plant responses to hypoxia and post-hypoxic reoxygenation. In particular, the polyunsaturation of long-chain acyl-CoAs regulates hypoxia sensing in plants by modulating acyl-CoA-binding protein-Group VII ethylene response factor dynamics. Moreover, unsaturated very-long-chain ceramide species protect plants from hypoxia-induced cellular damage by regulating the kinase activity of CONSTITUTIVE TRIPLE RESPONSE1 in the ethylene signaling pathway. Finally, the oxylipin jasmonate specifically regulates plant responses to reoxygenation stress by transcriptionally modulating antioxidant biosynthesis. Here we provide an overview of the roles of lipid remodeling and signaling in plant responses to hypoxia/reoxygenation and their effects on the downstream events affecting plant survival. In addition, we highlight the key remaining challenges in this important field.

In plants, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, endosomal sorting, and autophagy are essential for protein degradation; however, their interplay remains poorly understood. Here, we show that four Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) E3 ubiquitin ligases, SEVEN IN ABSENTIA OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA1 (SINAT1), SINAT2, SINAT3, and SINAT4, regulate the stabilities of FYVE DOMAIN PROTEIN REQUIRED FOR ENDOSOMAL SORTING1 (FREE1) and VACUOLAR PROTEIN SORTING23A (VPS23A), key components of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport-I, to modulate abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. GFP-SINAT1, GFP-SINAT2, and GFP-SINAT4 primarily localized to the endosomal and autophagic vesicles. SINATs controlled FREE1 and VPS23A ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. SINAT overexpressors showed increased ABA sensitivity, ABA-responsive gene expression, and PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE1-LIKE4 protein levels. Furthermore, the SINAT-FREE1/VPS23A proteins were codegraded by the vacuolar pathway. In particular, during recovery post-ABA exposure, SINATs formed homo- and hetero-oligomers in vivo, which were disrupted by the autophagy machinery. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel mechanism by which the proteasomal and vacuolar turnover systems regulate ABA signaling in plants.

Cold stress is a key environmental factor that affects plant development and productivity. In this study, RNA-seq in cotton following cold-stress treatment resulted in the identification of 5239 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two cultivars with differing sensitivity to low temperatures, among which GhKCS13 was found to be involved in the response. Transgenic plants overexpressing GhKCS13 showed increased sensitivity to cold stress. KEGG analysis of 418 DEGs in both GhKCS13-overexpressing and RNAi lines after treatment at 4 °C indicated that lipid biosynthesis and linoleic acid metabolism were related to cold stress. ESI-MS/MS analysis showed that overexpression of GhKCS13 led to modifications in the composition of sphingolipids and glycerolipids in the leaves, which might alter the fluidity of the cell membrane under cold conditions. In particular, differences in levels of jasmonic acid (JA) in GhKCS13 transgenic lines suggested that, together with lysophospholipids, it might mediate the cold-stress response. Our results suggest that overexpression of GhKCS13 probably causes remodeling of lipids in the endoplasmic reticulum and biosynthesis of lipid-derived JA in chloroplasts, which might account for the increased sensitivity to cold stress in the transgenic plants. Complex interactions between lipid components, lipid signaling molecules, and JA appear to determine the response to cold stress in cotton.

To explore clinical efficacy of hand power device andFifty patients with collateral ligament contracture of metacarpophalangeal joint from June 2017 to January 2019 were divided into experimental and control group, 25 patients in each group. In experimental group, there were 17 males and 8 females aged from 19 to 63 years old with an average of (40.53±9.42) years old; 36 affected fingers; the courses of disease ranged from 23 to 82 days with an average of (52.37± 11.20) days; treated with hand power device and SJX external granule. In control group, there were 15 males and 10 females aged from 21 to 58 years old with an average of (42.11±8.36) years old; 32 affected fingers; the courses of diseases ranged from 18 to 71 days with an average of (48.24±12.50) days; treated with loose training of metacarpophalangeal joints. Symptoms of pain of affected finger, flexion and extension function were observed between two groups, VAS score was used to evaluate relieve degree of pain, grip size was used to evaluate recovery of grip, total active motion was applied to assess recovery of metacarpophalangeal joints, the second operation and occurrence of complications between two groups were compared.All patients were followed up about 8 weeks. VAS score, total active motion of metacarpophalangeal joints and grip of affected finger before and after treatment in experimental group were (4.22±1.09) point vs (1.98±1.01) point ,(17.40±6.31) ° vs (70.95±7.68) ° ,(4.83±3.09) kg vs (23.17±10.54) kg respectively, while in control group were (4.66±0.95) point vs (2.84± 1.06) point ,(16.25±5.66) ° vs (59.14±10.61) ° ,(5.06±4.05) kg vs (16.25±9.66) kg; there were statistical difference between two groups before and after treatment, and these items in experimental group after treatment were higher than that of control group (Handpowerdevice and SJXexternalgranulecouldobviouslyrelievesymptomsof pain of affected finger, improve recovery of grip strength, increase total active motion, and has good safety. It is an effective method for treating for the treatment of collateral ligament contracture of metacarpophalangeal joint.

Nitrogen is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and crop productivity. The aim of this work was to further investigate the molecular events during plant adaptation to nitrogen stress. Here, we present a SWATH-MS (Sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra)-based quantitative approach to detect proteome changes in Arabidopsis seedlings following nitrogen starvation. In total, 736 proteins of diverse functions were determined to show significant abundance changes between nitrogen-supplied and nitrogen-starved Arabidopsis seedlings. Functional categorization revealed the involvement of nitrogen stress-responsive proteins in biological processes including amino acid and protein metabolism, photosynthesis, lipid metabolism and glucosinolate metabolism. Subsequent phospholipid profiling of Arabidopsis seedlings showed changes in phospholipid composition that may enhance membrane fluidity as a response to nitrogen starvation. Moreover, an Arabidopsis grf6 T-DNA insertion mutant was found to have a nitrogen stress-sensitive phenotype. GRF6 is a 14-3-3 protein with elevated abundance upon nitrogen starvation and it may function as a positive regulator during nitrogen stress adaptation.

In eukaryotes, autophagy maintains cellular homeostasis by recycling cytoplasmic components. The autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) ATG1 and ATG13 form a protein kinase complex that regulates autophagosome formation; however, mechanisms regulating ATG1 and ATG13 remain poorly understood. Here, we show that, under different nutrient conditions, the RING-type E3 ligases SEVEN IN ABSENTIA OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA1 (SINAT1), SINAT2, and SINAT6 control ATG1 and ATG13 stability and autophagy dynamics by modulating ATG13 ubiquitylation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). During prolonged starvation and recovery, ATG1 and ATG13 were degraded through the 26S proteasome pathway. TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR ASSOCIATED FACTOR1a (TRAF1a) and TRAF1b interacted in planta with ATG13a and ATG13b and required SINAT1 and SINAT2 to ubiquitylate and degrade ATG13s in vivo. Moreover, lysines K607 and K609 of ATG13a protein contributed to K48-linked ubiquitylation and destabilization, and suppression of autophagy. Under starvation conditions, SINAT6 competitively interacted with ATG13 and induced autophagosome biogenesis. Furthermore, under starvation conditions, ATG1 promoted TRAF1a protein stability in vivo, suggesting feedback regulation of autophagy. Consistent with ATGs functioning in autophagy, the atg1a atg1b atg1c triple knockout mutants exhibited premature leaf senescence, hypersensitivity to nutrient starvation, and reduction in TRAF1a stability. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that SINAT family proteins facilitate ATG13 ubiquitylation and stability and thus regulate autophagy.

Eukaryotic cells use autophagy to recycle cellular components. During autophagy, autophagosomes deliver cytoplasmic contents to the vacuole or lysosome for breakdown. Mammalian cells regulate the dynamics of autophagy via ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of autophagy proteins. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis thaliana Tumor necrosis factor Receptor-Associated Factor (TRAF) family proteins TRAF1a and TRAF1b (previously named MUSE14 and MUSE13, respectively) help regulate autophagy via ubiquitination. Upon starvation, cytoplasmic TRAF1a and TRAF1b translocated to autophagosomes. Knockout traf1a/b lines showed reduced tolerance to nutrient deficiency, increased salicylic acid and reactive oxygen species levels, and constitutive cell death in rosettes, resembling the phenotypes of autophagy-defective mutants. Starvation-activated autophagosome accumulation decreased in traf1a/b root cells, indicating that TRAF1a and TRAF1b function redundantly in regulating autophagosome formation. TRAF1a and TRAF1b interacted in planta with ATG6 and the RING finger E3 ligases SINAT1, SINAT2, and SINAT6 (with a truncated RING-finger domain). SINAT1 and SINAT2 require the presence of TRAF1a and TRAF1b to ubiquitinate and destabilize AUTOPHAGY PROTEIN6 (ATG6) in vivo. Conversely, starvation-induced SINAT6 reduced SINAT1- and SINAT2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of ATG6. Consistently, SINAT1/SINAT2 and SINAT6 knockout mutants exhibited increased tolerance and sensitivity, respectively, to nutrient starvation. Therefore, TRAF1a and TRAF1b function as molecular adaptors that help regulate autophagy by modulating ATG6 stability in Arabidopsis.

Submergence induces hypoxia in plants; exposure to oxygen following submergence, termed reoxygenation, produces a burst of reactive oxygen species. The mechanisms of hypoxia sensing and signaling in plants have been well studied, but how plants respond to reoxygenation remains unclear. Here, we show that reoxygenation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) involves rapid accumulation of jasmonates (JAs) and increased transcript levels of JA biosynthesis genes. Application of exogenous methyl jasmonate improved tolerance to reoxygenation in wild-type Arabidopsis; also, mutants deficient in JA biosynthesis and signaling were very sensitive to reoxygenation. Moreover, overexpression of the transcription factor gene MYC2 enhanced tolerance to posthypoxic stress, and myc2 knockout mutants showed increased sensitivity to reoxygenation, indicating that MYC2 functions as a key regulator in the JA-mediated reoxygenation response. MYC2 transcriptionally activates members of the VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE (VTC) and GLUTATHIONE SYNTHETASE (GSH) gene families, which encode rate-limiting enzymes in the ascorbate and glutathione synthesis pathways. Overexpression of VTC1 and GSH1 in the myc2-2 mutant suppressed the posthypoxic hypersensitive phenotype. The JA-inducible accumulation of antioxidants may alleviate oxidative damage caused by reoxygenation, improving plant survival after submergence. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that JA signaling interacts with the antioxidant pathway to regulate reoxygenation responses in Arabidopsis.

Objectives To analyze the clinical features, immediate and short-term outcome of percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty (PBPV) of neonates with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) or critical pulmonary stenosis with intact ventricular septum (CPS/IVS) who underwent PBPV as initial intervention methods to evaluate the risk factors of reintervention. Method Thirty-eight neonates with PA/IVS or CPS/IVS admitted to Shanghai Xinhua Hospital between June 2009 and November 2014 who underwent PBPV as initial procedures were respectively studied. We analyzed their clinical features, the immediate and short-term outcome of PBPV, and evaluated the risk factors for reintervention. Results Thirty-eight neonates with PA/IVS and CPS/IVS who underwent PBPV as initial procedures were included in our study with a mean age of 13 ± 8 days. Among the 12 patients who underwent reintervention, 7 patients had PA/IVS (64%) and 5 had CPS/IVS (36%). Patients with PA/IVS ( p = 0.005), small pulmonary valve diameter ( p = 0.035), and bad pulmonary valve development were important risk factors. The immediate and short-term outcome of PBPV was better in patients who did not need reintervention, and the peak-to-peak pulmonary transvalvular gradient in the 1st month after PBPV had the best capability in predicting reintervention with help of receiver operating characteristic curve and the logistic regression analysis. Days of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) infusion after PBPV >5 days was also found to be a risk factor for reintervention. Conclusion The short- and mid-term outcome of pulmonary valve perforation and PBPV in neonates with PA/IVS and CPS/IVS was favorable. Risk factors include PA/IVS, small pulmonary valve, bad short-term pulmonary valve development, the peak-to-peak pulmonary transvalvular gradient in the 1st month after procedure >42 mmHg, and PGE1 infusion >5 days.

Autophagy involves massive degradation of intracellular components and functions as a conserved system that helps cells to adapt to adverse conditions. In mammals, hypoxia rapidly stimulates autophagy as a cell survival response. Here, we examine the function of autophagy in the regulation of the plant response to submergence, an abiotic stress that leads to hypoxia and anaerobic respiration in plant cells. In Arabidopsis thaliana, submergence induces the transcription of autophagy-related (ATG) genes and the formation of autophagosomes. Consistent with this, the autophagy-defective (atg) mutants are hypersensitive to submergence stress and treatment with ethanol, the end product of anaerobic respiration. Upon submergence, the atg mutants have increased levels of transcripts of anaerobic respiration genes (alcohol dehydrogenase 1, ADH1 and pyruvate decarboxylase 1, PDC1), but reduced levels of transcripts of other hypoxia- and ethylene-responsive genes. Both submergence and ethanol treatments induce the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the rosettes of atg mutants more than in the wild type. Moreover, the production of ROS by the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases is necessary for plant tolerance to submergence and ethanol, submergence-induced expression of ADH1 and PDC1, and activation of autophagy. The submergence- and ethanol-sensitive phenotypes in the atg mutants depend on a complete salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathway. Together, our findings demonstrate that submergence-induced autophagy functions in the hypoxia response in Arabidopsis by modulating SA-mediated cellular homeostasis.

The increasing incidence of invasive Candida infections (ICIs) in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Xinhua Hospital aroused our concern. We undertook a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of different preventive measures for ICI in preterm infants.Preterm infants with gestational age (GA)33 weeks admitted between 2010 and 2013 were divided into 3 groups according to the preventive measures applied in different periods: the control group (CG), fluconazole group (FG), and integrated measures group (IMG). We analyzed the incidence of ICI and distribution of fungal pathogens in these 3 groups, and also evaluated the efficiency of various measures in preventing ICIs in preterm infants.The study sample comprised 261 preterm infants born at33 weeks GA, including 94 in the CG, 99 in the FG, and 68 in the IMG. The differences among the groups were not significant at baseline. ICI developed in 41 of the 261 infants (15.7%). The incidence of ICI varied significantly among the groups: 22.3% in the CG (21/94), 18.2% in the FG (18/99), and only 2.9% in the IMG (2/68) (P = .003). ICI was less frequent in the IMG compared with the CG (P.001) and the FG (P = .003).The integrated measures approach is meaningful for the prevention of ICIs in preterm infants in NICUs with many patients but inadequate medical resources in some developing countries.

A second basal hadrosauroid dinosaur, Zuoyunlong huangi gen. et sp. nov., is reported from the early Late Cretaceous Zhumapu Formation in Zuoyun County, Shanxi Province, northern China. Zuoyunlong preserves a partial right ilium and ischium and is unique in having a very short postacetabular process 50% as long as the iliac central plate. Our cladistic analysis recovers Zuoyunlong as the most basal Late Cretaceous hadrosauroid, with a sister taxon relationship with Probactrosaurus from the late Early Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia. Including Zuoyunlong, four Cenomanian basal hadrosauroids have been recorded, and the two taxa in North America (Eolambia and Protohadros) represent the earliest known hadrosauroids outside of Asia. In the light of the proposed phylogenetic topology and biogeographic data, the discovery of Zuoyunlong indicates that the first dispersal of hadrosauroids from Asia to North America probably happened around the boundary between the Early and Late Cretaceous.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, LONG-CHAIN ACYL-COA SYNTHETASEs (LACSs) catalyze the synthesis of long-chain acyl-CoAs and function in diverse biological processes. We have recently revealed that LACS2 is primarily involved in the production of polyunsaturated linolenoyl-CoA, essential for the activation of ethylene response transcription factors-mediated hypoxia signaling. Here, we further reported the dual role of LACS2 in the regulation of submergence tolerance by modulating cuticle permeability in Arabidopsis cells. LACS2-overexpressors (LACS2-OEs) showed improved tolerance to submergence, with higher accumulation of cuticular wax and cutin in their rosettes. In contrast, knockout of LACS2 in the lacs2-3 mutant resulted in hypersensitivity to submergence with reduced wax crystals and thinner cutin layer. By analyses of plant surface permeability, we observed that the hypoxic sensitivities in the LACS2-OEs and lacs2-3 mutant were physiologically correlated with chlorophyll leaching, water loss rates, ionic leakage, and gas exchange. Thus, our findings suggest the role of LACS2 in plant response to submergence by modulating cuticle permeability in plant cells.

Glucose produced from photosynthesis is a key nutrient signal regulating root meristem activity in plants; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that, by modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, the conserved macroautophagy/autophagy degradation pathway contributes to glucose-regulated root meristem maintenance. In Arabidopsis thaliana roots, a short exposure to elevated glucose temporarily suppresses constitutive autophagosome formation. The autophagy-defective autophagy-related gene (atg) mutants have enhanced tolerance to glucose, established downstream of the glucose sensors, and accumulate less glucose-induced ROS in the root tips. Moreover, the enhanced root meristem activities in the atg mutants are associated with improved auxin gradients and auxin responses. By acting with AT4G39850/ABCD1 (ATP-binding cassette D1; Formerly PXA1/peroxisomal ABC transporter 1), autophagy plays an indispensable role in the glucose-promoted degradation of root peroxisomes, and the atg mutant phenotype is partially rescued by the overexpression of ABCD1. Together, our findings suggest that autophagy is an essential mechanism for glucose-mediated maintenance of the root meristem. Abbreviation: ABA: abscisic acid; ABCD1: ATP-binding cassette D1; ABO: ABA overly sensitive; AsA: ascorbic acid; ATG: autophagy related; CFP: cyan fluorescent protein; Co-IP: co-immunoprecipitation; DAB: 3’,3’-diaininobenzidine; DCFH-DA: 2’,7’-dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate; DR5: a synthetic auxin response element consists of tandem direct repeats of 11 bp that included the auxin-responsive TGTCTC element; DZ: differentiation zone; EZ, elongation zone; GFP, green fluorescent protein; GSH, glutathione; GUS: β-glucuronidase; HXK1: hexokinase 1; H2O2: hydrogen peroxide; IAA: indole-3-acetic acid; IBA: indole-3-butyric acid; KIN10/11: SNF1 kinase homolog 10/11; MDC: monodansylcadaverine; MS: Murashige and Skoog; MZ: meristem zone; NBT: nitroblue tetrazolium; NPA: 1-N-naphtylphthalamic acid; OxIAA: 2-oxindole-3-acetic acid; PIN: PIN-FORMED; PLT: PLETHORA; QC: quiescent center; RGS1: Regulator of G-protein signaling 1; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SCR: SCARECROW; SHR, SHORT-ROOT; SKL: Ser-Lys-Leu; SnRK1: SNF1-related kinase 1; TOR: target of rapamycin; UPB1: UPBEAT1; WOX5: WUSCHEL related homeobox 5; Y2H: yeast two-hybrid; YFP: yellow fluorescent protein

Post-transcriptional mechanisms, including alternative splicing (AS) and alternative translation initiation (ATI), have been used to explain the protein diversity involved in plant developmental processes and stress responses. Rice germination under hypoxia conditions is a classical model system for the study of low oxygen stress. It is known that there is transcriptional regulation during rice hypoxic germination, but the potential roles of AS and ATI in this process are not well understood. In this study, a proteogenomic approach was used to integrate the data from RNA sequencing, qualitative and quantitative proteomics to discover new players or pathways in the response to hypoxia stress. The improved analytical pipeline of proteogenomics led to the identification of 10,253 intron-containing genes, 1,729 of which were not present in the current annotation. Approximately 1,741 differentially expressed AS (DAS) events from 811 genes were identified in hypoxia-treated seeds in comparison to controls. Over 95% of these were not present in the list of differentially expressed genes (DEG). In particular, regulatory pathways such as spliceosome, ribosome, ER protein processing and export, proteasome, phagosome, oxidative phosphorylation and mRNA surveillance showed substantial AS changes under hypoxia, suggesting that AS responses are largely independent of traditional transcriptional regulation. Massive AS changes were identified, including the preference usage of certain non-conventional splice sites and enrichment of splicing factors in the DAS datasets. In addition, using self-constructed protein libraries by 6-frame translation, thousands of novel proteins/peptides contributed by ATI were identified. In summary, these results provide deeper insights towards understanding the underlying mechanisms of AS and ATI during rice hypoxic germination.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of early rehabilitation intervention on the incidences of extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) and early diseases in preterm infants. METHODS: The appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants with a gestational age of < 34 weeks and a birth weight of 1 000 to < 2 000 g who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) within 24 hours after birth were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled trial. These infants were randomly divided into rehabilitation intervention group and control group. The infants in the rehabilitation intervention group were given early rehabilitation after their vital signs became stable, including oral sensory and muscle strength training and pressure touching of the head, chest, abdomen, extremities, hands, and feet. The primary outcome measures were the time to independent oral feeding, length of hospital stay, and incidence rate of EUGR. The secondary outcome measures were the incidence rates of related diseases in preterm infants, such as apnea, feeding intolerance, and sepsis. RESULTS: A total of 97 preterm infants who met the inclusion criteria and had complete data were enrolled, with 48 in the control group and 49 in the rehabilitation intervention group. The rehabilitation intervention group had a shorter time to independent oral feeding than the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the rehabilitation intervention group had a shorter length of hospital stay and a lower corrected gestational age at discharge (P < 0.05), as well as a lower incidence rate of EUGR (P < 0.05). The rehabilitation intervention group had lower incidence rates of apnea, feeding intolerance, and sepsis than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Early rehabilitation intervention for preterm infants in the NICU may reduce the incidence rates of apnea, feeding intolerance, and EUGR and help them to achieve independent oral feeding early.

The flattened Gaussian apodization technique is employed to suppress the axial intensity oscillations, when a plane wave diffracts from a circular hole. Under different apodization parameters, the field intensities are simulated by the complete Rayleigh–Sommerfeld method in the scalar diffraction domain. Numerical results reveal that the axial intensity is uniform in a considerably long propagating range, within which the transverse intensity is also maintained stably. In addition, the flattened Gaussian apodization technique performs well in a wide wavelength band. It is expected to have many practical applications in optical coupling and optical communication systems.

In Arabidopsis thaliana, acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBPs) are encoded by a family of six genes (ACBP1 to ACBP6), and are essential for diverse cellular activities. Recent investigations suggest that the membrane-anchored ACBPs are involved in oxygen sensing by sequestration of group VII ethylene-responsive factors under normoxia. Here, we demonstrate the involvement of Arabidopsis ACBP3 in hypoxic tolerance. ACBP3 transcription was remarkably induced following submergence under both dark (DS) and light (LS) conditions. ACBP3-overexpressors (ACBP3-OEs) showed hypersensitivity to DS, LS and ethanolic stresses, with reduced transcription of hypoxia-responsive genes as well as accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the rosettes. In contrast, suppression of ACBP3 in ACBP3-KOs enhanced plant tolerance to DS, LS and ethanol treatments. By analyses of double combinations of OE-1 with npr1-5, coi1-2, ein3-1 as well as ctr1-1 mutants, we observed that the attenuated hypoxic tolerance in ACBP3-OEs was dependent on NPR1- and CTR1-mediated signaling pathways. Lipid profiling revealed that both the total amounts and very-long-chain species of phosphatidylserine (C42:2- and C42:3-PS) and glucosylinositolphosphorylceramides (C22:0-, C22:1-, C24:0-, C24:1-, and C26:1-GIPC) were significantly lower in ACBP3-OEs but increased in ACBP3-KOs upon LS exposure. By microscale thermophoresis analysis, the recombinant ACBP3 protein bound VLC acyl-CoA esters with high affinities in vitro. Further, a knockout mutant of MYB30, a master regulator of very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) biosynthesis, exhibited enhanced sensitivities to LS and ethanolic stresses, phenotypes that were ameliorated by ACBP3-RNAi. Taken together, these findings suggest that Arabidopsis ACBP3 participates in plant response to hypoxia by modulating VLCFA metabolism.

Autophagy is a highly conserved system in eukaryotes for the bulk degradation and recycling of intracellular components. Autophagy is involved in many physiological processes including development, senescence, and responses to abiotic and biotic stress. The adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase AMPK positively regulates autophagy in mammals; however, the potential function of AMPK in plant autophagy remains largely unknown. Here, we identified KIN10, a plant orthologue of the mammalian AMPK, as a positive regulator of plant autophagy and showed that it acts by affecting the phosphorylation of ATG1 (AUTOPHAGY-RELATED GENE 1) proteins in Arabidopsis. Transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing KIN10 (KIN10-OE) showed delays in leaf senescence, and increased tolerance to nutrient starvation, these phenotypes required a functional autophagy pathway. Consistent with KIN10 having a potential role in autophagy, the nutrient starvation-induced formation of autophagosomes and cleavage of GFP-ATG8e were accelerated in the KIN10-OE lines compared to the wild type. Moreover, the KIN10-OE lines were less sensitive to drought and hypoxia treatments, compared with wild type. Carbon starvation enhanced the level of phosphorylated YFP-ATG1a in the KIN10-OE lines compared to that of wild type. Together, these findings suggest that KIN10 is involved in positive regulation of autophagy, possibly by affecting the phosphorylation of ATG1s in Arabidopsis.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) has two ecotypes, upland and lowland rice, that have been observed to show different tolerance levels under flooding stress. In this study, two rice cultivars, upland (Up221, flooding-intolerant) and lowland (Low88, flooding-tolerant), were initially used to study their molecular mechanisms in response to flooding germination. We observed that variations in the OsCBL10 promoter sequences in these two cultivars might contribute to this divergence in flooding tolerance. Further analysis using another eight rice cultivars revealed that the OsCBL10 promoter could be classified as either a flooding-tolerant type (T-type) or a flooding-intolerant type (I-type). The OsCBL10 T-type promoter only existed in japonica lowland cultivars, whereas the OsCBL10 I-type promoter existed in japonica upland, indica upland and indica lowland cultivars. Flooding-tolerant rice cultivars containing the OsCBL10 T-type promoter have shown lower Ca2+ flow and higher α-amylase activities in comparison to those in flooding-intolerant cultivars. Furthermore, the OsCBL10 overexpression lines were sensitive to both flooding and hypoxic treatments during rice germination with enhanced Ca2+ flow in comparison to wild-type. Subsequent findings also indicate that OsCBL10 may affect OsCIPK15 protein abundance and its downstream pathways. In summary, our results suggest that the adaptation to flooding stress during rice germination is associated with two different OsCBL10 promoters, which in turn affect OsCBL10 expression in different cultivars and negatively affect OsCIPK15 protein accumulation and its downstream cascade.

We present a new feasible way to flatten the axial intensity oscillations for diffraction of a finite-sized Bessel beam, through designing a cardioid-like hole. The boundary formula of the cardioid-like hole is given analytically. Numerical results by the complete Rayleigh-Sommerfeld method reveal that the Bessel beam propagates stably in a considerably long axial range, after passing through the cardioid-like hole. Compared with the gradually absorbing apodization technique in previous papers, in this paper a hard truncation of the incident Bessel beam is employed at the cardioid-like hole edges. The proposed hard apodization technique takes two advantages in suppressing the axial intensity oscillations, i.e., easier implementation and higher accuracy. It is expected to have practical applications in laser machining, light sectioning, or optical trapping., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

Autophagy is a highly conserved system in eukaryotes for the bulk degradation and recycling of intracellular components. Autophagy is involved in many physiological processes including development, senescence, and responses to abiotic and biotic stress. The adenosine 5’-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase AMPK positively regulates autophagy in mammals; however, the potential function of AMPK in plant autophagy remains largely unknown. Here, we identified KIN10, a plant ortholog of the mammalian AMPK, as a positive regulator of plant autophagy and showed that it acts by affecting the phosphorylation of ATG1 (AUTOPHAGY-RELATED GENE 1) proteins in Arabidopsis. Transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing KIN10 (KIN10-OE) showed delays in leaf senescence, and increased tolerance to nutrient starvation, these phenotypes required a functional autophagy pathway. Consistent with KIN10 having a potential role in autophagy, the nutrient starvation-induced formation of autophagosomes and cleavage of GFP-ATG8e were accelerated in the KIN10-OE lines compared to the wild type. Moreover, the KIN10-OE lines were less sensitive to drought and hypoxia treatments, compared with wild type. Carbon starvation enhanced the level of phosphorylated YFP-ATG1a in the KIN10-OE lines compared to that of wild type. Together, these findings suggest that KIN10 is involved in positive regulation of autophagy, possibly by affecting the phosphorylation of ATG1s in Arabidopsis.

The objective was to elucidate the relationships between serum concentrations of the gut hormone peptide YY (PYY) and ghrelin and growth development in infants for potential application to the clinical observation index. Serum concentrations of PYY and ghrelin were measured using radioimmunoassay from samples collected at the clinic. For each patient, gestational age, birth weight, time required to return to birth weight, rate of weight gain, time required to achieve recommended daily intake (RDI) standards, time required for full-gastric feeding, duration of hospitalization, and time of administration of total parenteral nutrition were recorded. Serum PYY and ghrelin concentrations were significantly higher in the preterm group (N = 20) than in the full-term group (N = 20; P < 0.01). Within the preterm infant group, the serum concentrations of PYY and ghrelin on postnatal day (PND) 7 (ghrelin = 1485.38 ± 409.24; PYY = 812.37 ± 153.77 ng/L) were significantly higher than on PND 1 (ghrelin = 956.85 ± 223.09; PYY = 545.27 ± 204.51 ng/L) or PND 3 (ghrelin = 1108.44 ± 351.36; PYY = 628.96 ± 235.63 ng/L; P < 0.01). Both serum PYY and ghrelin concentrations were negatively correlated with body weight, and the degree of correlation varied with age. Serum ghrelin concentration correlated negatively with birth weight and positively with the time required to achieve RDI (P < 0.05). In conclusion, serum PYY and ghrelin concentrations reflect a negative energy balance, predict postnatal growth, and enable compensation. Further studies are required to elucidate the precise concentration and roles of PYY and ghrelin in newborns and to determine the usefulness of measuring these hormones in clinical practice.

CdS Nanorods have been successfully prepared by hydrothermal synthesis technology by using cadmium nitrate and thiourea as the raw material,by using diethylene triamine as the template agent. The samples were characterized by the technique of XRD、TEM and SEM. The results indicated that the products were pure hexagonal CdS. This paper also used the samples as photocatalysts to study the degradation the solution of methyl orange. The concentration of methyl orange was unchanged during the process of experiment. We also investigated the effect of the amount of catalyst, and pH of the solution on the degradation rate of methyl orange. The experimental results showed that methyl orange degradation rate reached 90% with the amount of catalyst 0.020 g, solution pH of 3.5 and UV irradiation 120 min.

The Ba1−xSrxMgSiO4:Eu2+,Mn2+ phosphors were prepared by solid-state reaction. Their photoluminescence properties were investigated with fluorescence spectrum and CIE chromaticity. The emission color of Eu2+ in Ba0.98−xSrxMgSiO4:0.02Eu2+ could be tuned from green to blue by adjusting the content of Sr2+. The blue emission of Eu2+ overlapped well with the excitation spectra of Mn2+, leading to an efficient energy transfer from Eu2+ to Mn2+ in Ba0.98−xSrxMg1−ySiO4:0.02Eu2+,yMn2+. Ba0.93Sr0.03Mg1−ySiO4:0.02Eu2+,yMn2+ could emit three efficient broad bands at 440, 530 and 640 nm. The emission color of Ba0.93Sr0.03Mg1−ySiO4:0.02Eu2+,yMn2+ could be tuned from greenish blue to yellowish white by increasing the content of Mn2+ from 0 to 0.1. By changing the content of Sr2+/Mn2+, white-light with different hues could be conveniently obtained in the Ba1−xSrxMgSiO4:Eu2+,Mn2+ phosphors. The results showed that Ba1−xSrxMgSiO4:Eu2+,Mn2+ is a promising single-phased tricolor phosphor in the fabrication of W-LED.

The CaSc 2 O 4 :Ce 3+ nano-phosphors were successfully prepared by a single-step combustion method at an ignition temperature as low as 200 °C in a closed autoclave using glycine as a fuel and PEG4000 as a dispersant. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results revealed that CaSc 2 O 4 :Ce 3+ nano-phosphors can be conveniently prepared at an ignition temperature as low as 200 °C, which was much lower than that in the ordinary combustion methods. The optimized ignition temperature was 220 °C. The CaSc 2 O 4 :Ce 3+ nano-phosphors give a uniform particle size in the range of 15–20 nm. The low ignition temperature and the addition of PEG4000 dispersant play important roles in the formation of small sized nanoparticles. The as-prepared nano-phosphors were incompact aggregates, but highly dispersed nano-phosphors can be obtained after further ultrasonic treatment. The CaSc 2 O 4 :Ce 3+ nano-phosphors give satisfactory luminescence characteristic benefiting from the closed circumstance, in which cerium atoms can be isolated from the oxidizing atmosphere and non-fluorescent Ce 4+ ions can be ruled out. The present highly dispersed CaSc 2 O 4 :Ce 3+ nano-phosphors with efficient fluorescence are promising in the field of biological labeling, and the present low temperature combustion method is facile and convenient and can be applied as a universal process for preparing non-aggregate oxide nano-phosphors, especially those being sensitive to air at high temperature.