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Bulliform cells are large, thin-walled and highly vacuolated cells, and play an important role in controlling leaf rolling in response to drought and high temperature. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating bulliform cell development have not been well documented. Here, we report isolation and characterisation of a rice leaf-rolling mutant, named shallot-like 2 ( sll2). The sll2 plants exhibit adaxially rolled leaves, starting from the sixth leaf stage, accompanied by increased photosynthesis and reduced plant height and tiller number. Histological analyses showed shrinkage of bulliform cells, resulting in inward-curved leaves. The mutant is recessive and revertible at a rate of 9%. The leaf rolling is caused by a T- DNA insertion. Cloning of the insertion using TAIL- PCR revealed that the T- DNA was inserted in the promoter region of LOC_Os07 g38664. Unexpectedly, the enhanced expression of LOC_Os07 g38664 by the 35S enhancer in the T- DNA is not responsible for the leaf rolling phenotype. Further, the enhancer also exerted a long-distance effect, including up-regulation of several bulliform cell-related genes. sll2 suppressed the outward leaf rolling of oul1 in the sll2oul1 double mutant. We conclude that leaf rolling in sll2 could be a result of the combined effect of multi-genes, implying a complex network in regulation of bulliform cell development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Objectives: To measure the impact of 1-year interventional fellowship training on fluoroscopic time and contrast media utilization in uterine artery embolization (UAE).Materials and Methods: Retrospective single institution analysis of 323 consecutive UAEs performed by 12 interventional fellows using a standardized protocol. Fluoroscopy time and contrast media volume were recorded for each patient and correlated with stage of fellowship training. Preprocedure uterine volume (using MRI or ultrasound) was used as a measure of procedural complexity. Regression analysis was conducted per trainee factoring in duration of training, procedure number, supervising radiologist, uterine volume, and outcome variables of fluoroscopy time and contrast media volume.Results: Median number of patients treated per trainee was 27 (range, 16-43) with mean fluoroscopic time 24.5 minutes (range, 4-90 min) and mean contrast volume 190 mL (range, 50-320 mL). Increasing uterine volume had no significant effect (P > .05) on fluoroscopic time but significantly increased (P < .001) contrast media volume. Significant training effect was identified with decrease in fluoroscopic time (P < .001) and decrease in contrast volume (P = .02) over training. Over the course of a 1-year fellowship, these summed to a decrease of 12 minutes in UAE fluoroscopy time and 17 mL less contrast.Conclusion: A significant (P < .05) training effect that is clinically relevant was demonstrated over the course of a yearlong interventional radiology fellowship program in performance of a standardized protocol for UAE. This data supports fellowship training as a basis for UAE credentialing and privileging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With 3 figures and 3 tables Small brown planthopper (SBPH) is a serious pest of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) in China. An indica variety ‘Kasalath’ is highly resistant to SBPH. A mapping population consisting of 98 BC1F9 lines, derived from a backcross of ‘Nipponbare’/‘Kasalath’//‘Nipponbare’, was applied to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for resistance to SBPH. In the modified seedbox screening test, three QTLs for SBPH resistance were mapped on chromosomes 3 and 11, explaining 49.9% of the phenotypic variance. In the antixenosis test, a total of three QTLs conferring antixenosis against SBPH were detected on chromosomes 3, 8 and 11, which accounted for 36.4% of the total phenotypic variance. In addition, two QTLs expressing antibiosis to SBPH were detected on chromosomes 2 and 11, explaining 13.8% and 14.7% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. Qsbph11e, Qsbph11f and Qsbph11g were located in the region between S2260 and G257 on chromosome 11, indicating that the locus is significant in conferring resistance to SBPH in ‘Kasalath’. The molecular markers linked to these QTLs should be useful in the development of varieties with horizontal resistance to SBPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collective evidence suggests that nutritional insult to both cell-mediated and humoral immunity in the presence of protein-energy malnutrition contributes to abnormalities of inflammation. The primary goal of nutritional support in inflammatory disease is to provide adequate energy and protein to meet endogenous requirements for tissue repair, IL-1 production, and restored cellular function, thus preventing secondary infection. Substrate provision should aim at improving the acute phase of injury while avoiding immune dysfunction. This goal may be achieved by altering the eicosanoid pathway toward a more regulated inflammatory state. In the context of allograft response, macrophages are central to the initiation of allosensitization by virtue of their ability to present antigen to T-cells. Activated T-cells may further modulate macrophage function by the secretion of lymphokines. Manipulation of macrophage eicosanoid production by dietary omega-3 PUFA may reduce cellular immune response. (table; see text) Nutritional support should also focus on providing essential micronutrients, with their potentially immunomodulating role, as adjunctive therapy in order to protect the host from toxic effects of free-radicals and chemicals released during inflammatory events. (Feeding regimens currently under investigation and development are presented in Table 4.) By integrating dietary immunotherapy with the use of recombinant hormones, monoclonal antibodies, and various available monokines, an optimal outcome for each patient may be achieved. However, effective application of immunotherapy to nutritional supplementation will require accurate monitoring of immune function in individual patients in order to avoid inappropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Giant cell tumours of the tendon sheath (GCTTS) and pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) are part of a spectrum of benign proliferative lesions of synovial origin that may affect the joints, bursae and tendon sheaths. This review article describes the clinicopathological features and imaging findings in patients with GCTTS. GCTTS usually presents as a soft tissue mass with pressure erosion of the underlying bone. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of GCTTS typically shows low to intermediate signal on T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo sequences due to the presence of haemosiderin, which exerts a paramagnetic effect. On gradient-echo sequences, the paramagnetic effect of haemosiderin is further exaggerated, resulting in areas of very low signal due to the blooming artefact. Ultrasonography shows a soft mass related to the tendon sheath that is hypervascular on colour or power Doppler imaging.

The objective of the present study was to determine if the combination of alkaloids from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds and albendazole might be effective in the treatment of experimental echinococcosisin female NIH mice (6 weeks old and weighing 18-20 g, N = 8 in each group) infected withprotoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus. Viable protoscolices (N = 6 x 10(3)) were cultured in vitro in 1640 medium and mortality was calculated daily. To determine the in vivo efficacy, mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with viable protoscolices and then treated once daily by gavage for three months with the alkaloids (50 mg kg-1 day-1) and albendazole (50 mg kg-1 day-1), separately and in combination (both alkaloids at 25 mg kg-1 day-1 and albendazole at 25 mg kg-1 day-1). Next, the hydatid cysts collected from the peritoneal cavity of the animals were weighed and serum IL-4, IL-2, and IgE levels were analyzed. Administration of alkaloids to cultured protoscolices showed significant dose- and time-dependent killing effects. The weight of hydatid cysts was significantly decreased upon treatment with each drug (P < 0.01), but the decrease was more prominent and the rate of hydatid cyst growth inhibition was much higher (76.1%) in the group receiving the combined treatments (18.3 +/- 4.6 mg). IL-4 and total IgE were decreased (939 +/- 447 pg/mL and 2.03 +/- 0.42 IU/mL, respectively) in serum from mice treated with alkaloids and albendazole compared with the untreated control (1481 +/- 619 pg/mL and 3.31 +/- 0.37 IU/mL; P < 0.01). These results indicate that S. moorcroftiana alkaloids have protoscolicidal effects and the combination of alkaloids and albendazole has significant additive effects.

Zhenshan 97A, a rice male sterile, were applied widely since the release of hybrid rice in 1973 in China, but the genotype of heading time in this sterile line was still unknown. This definitely limited the further use of this sterile line in breeding practice and re-production of hybrid seeds. To solve this problem, we analyzed the segregation pattern of phenotype of heading time in progenies from crosses between Zhenshan 97A and four tester cultivars, Akihikari (e1e1e2e2e3e3 Se-1eSe-1e), Koshihikari (E1E1E2E2e3e3Se-1eSe-1e), Nipponbare (E1E1e2e2e3e3Se-1Se-1) and Hinohikari (E1E1E2E2e3e3Se-1Se-1), whose genotypes of heading time were already known. The results showed that the genotype of heading time in Zhenshan 97A was e1e1e2e2E3E3Se-1Se-1 and it also carried a recessive inhibitor i-Se-1 for phtoperiod-sensitivity. Meanwhile, a major photoperiod-sensitive dominant genes Se-1 and other modified photoperiod-sensitive genes: i-Se-1, E3, Hd3(En-Se-1), Hd5 and Hd6, were identified in Zhenshan 97A by crossing with QTL nearly isogenic lines: NIL (Hd1), NIL (Hd2), NIL(Hd3), NIL(Hd5) and NIL(Hd6).

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid (20:5omega3) found primarily in aquatic organisms. We have shown previously that EPA inhibits the growth but is not toxic to human leukemic K-562 cells. In this study, the anti-proliferative effect of EPA on the leukemic cells was further determined and its impacts on cell cycle progression and cyclin expression were investigated. EPA inhibited proliferation of K-562 cells, which was associated with accumulation of G0/G1 cells and down-regulation of cyclin E expression. Cyclin B1-expressing cells were also reduced showing that down-regulation of cyclin expression might be important in the anti-proliferation of EPA.