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Hydrogel, a polymer material with a three-dimensional structure, has considerably expanded in research across multiple fields lately. However, the lack of a comprehensive review integrating the research status of hydrogel across diverse fields has hindered the development of hydrogel. This bibliometric analysis reviewed the hydrogel-related research over the past decades, emphasizing the evolution, status, and future directions within a multitude of fields, such as materials science, chemistry, polymer science, engineering, physics, biochemistry molecular biology, pharmacology pharmacy, cell biology, biotechnology applied microbiology, etc. We encapsulated applications and the potential of hydrogel in wound healing, drug delivery, cell encapsulation, bioprinting, tissue engineering, electronic products, environment applications, and disease treatment. This study integrated the current matrix system and characteristics of hydrogels, aiming to offer a cross-field reference for hydrogel researchers and promote the advancement of hydrogel research. Furthermore, we proposed a novel and reproducible bibliometric research paradigm, which can provide a more comprehensive analysis of the trends and trajectory of a research field., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: All authors agree to submit their papers to journals for peer review and publication. The results/data/figures in this manuscript are entirely original and have not been published elsewhere, nor are they under consideration by another publisher. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This study aims to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of Jingfang Granules(JF) on the mouse model of chronic fatigue syndrome(CFS). Mice were randomized into normal, model, and low-, medium-, and high-dose(0.9, 1.8, and 3.6 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1), respectively) JF groups according to the body weight. In addition to the normal group, other groups of mice received exhaustive swimming training and tail suspension training every day for the modeling of CFS. The mice in each administration group were administrated with JF at the corresponding dose by gavage, and those in the other groups were administrated with an equal amount of purified water. The exhaustive swimming and tail suspension tests were conducted in each group. The UV-glutamate dehydrogenase method was used to determine the serum level of urea nitrogen(UREA), and the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) assay kit was used to determine the LDH level. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the levels of interleukin-6(IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the serum, muscle tissue, and brain tissue of mice in each group. Western blot was employed to determine the expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88), nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) and their phosphorylated proteins in the muscle tissue of mice. The 16S rDNA sequencing and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS) were adopted to detect the changes of intestinal flora and intestinal metabolites in mice. Compared with the model group, JF significantly prolonged the swimming exhaustion time and shortened the tail suspension time of the model mice, lowered the levels of LDH and UREA in the serum as well as the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum, muscle tissue, and brain tissue of CFS mice. In addition, JF down-regulated the expression of TLR4, MyD88, and p-NF-κB/NF-κB in the muscle tissue of CFS mice compared with the model group. The results of 16S rDNA sequencing demonstrated that JF ameliorated the intestinal flora disorder of CFS mice. The results of UPLC-MS/MS revealed that JF significantly affected the histidine metabolism pathway in the intestinal tract of CFS mice. Spearman analysis displayed that histamine, a metabolite involved in histidine metabolism, was negatively correlated with the abundance of Clostridia＿UCG-014, Dubosiella, and RF39 and positively correlated with the abundance of Coriobacteriaceae＿UCG-002. The metabolite imidazole-4-acetaldehyde was negatively correlated with the abundance of Clostridia＿UCG-014, Dubosiella, and RF39 and positively correlated with the abundance of Coriobacteriaceae＿UCG-002. In conclusion, JF can increase the swimming exhaustion time, reduce the immobility time of tail suspension, lower serum LDH and UREA levels, and alleviate inflammation response. It may exert the therapeutic effect by improving intestinal flora homeostasis and inhibiting histidine metabolism by down-regulating the expression of proteins in the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway, thereby relieving the symptoms of CFS in mice.

This paper explored the protective effect and potential mechanism of Shouhui Tongbian Capsules(SHTB) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat models. Rats were randomly divided into sham surgery group, model group, low-dose SHTB group(0.2 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), high-dose SHTB group(SHTB g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and an edaravone positive drug group(5.4 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with 12 rats in each group. Rats were given continuous intragastric administration seven days before surgery, and the suture method was used to establish the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury(CIRI) rat model. Zea-Longa rating scale for neurological functions was used to assess the degree of neurological function impairment in rats; hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological damage of rats' brain tissue; TTC staining was used to measure the area of cerebral infarction in rats; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the serum levels of interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in each group. Western blot was used to detect the level of tight junction protein associated with the blood-brain barrier and intestinal barrier, as well as the protein expression of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway in brain tissue. Changes in rats' brain tissue and metabolites in serum were detected by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS), so as to explore the potential mechanism of SHTB treatment for CIRI in rats. Compared with the model group, SHTB could significantly alleviate the pathological damage to the brain of CIRI rats, reduce the volume of cerebral infarction, and lower the level of inflammation in the serum; Western blot results showed that SHTB could regulate the expression of tight junction proteins related to the blood-brain barrier and intestinal barrier in CIRI rats and downregulate the expression of TLR4, NF-κB, and MyD88 proteins in brain tissue. The UPLC-MS/MS results indicated that SHTB could significantly regulate the content of potential differential metabolites such as fatty acids, and serum and brain tissue are involved in pathways such as unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. SHTB could repair intestinal barrier function, reduce inflammation levels in the body, and improve the damaged blood-brain barrier, exerting a protective effect on brain nerves. Its mechanism may be achieved by balancing fatty acid metabolism and regulating the expression of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway proteins.

This study aims to explore the therapeutic effect of Yuzhi Zhixue Granules on polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) in rats and explain the underlying mechanism by metabolomics. Rats were randomized into normal, model, low-, medium-, and high-dose(0.5, 1.5, and 4.5 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) Yuzhi Zhixue Granules, and positive control(metformin, 0.2 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) groups. The rats in other groups except the normal group were administrated with 1 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) letrozole and fed with a high-sugar and high-fat diet for the modeling of PCOS. After 40 days of modeling, the normal and model groups received distilled water and letrozole+distilled water, respectively, and other groups received letrozole and corresponding drugs, once a day for 50 days. The oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT) was carried out and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was conducted to detect insulin release, and the radioimmunoassay was employed to measure the serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH), luteinizing hormone(LH), estradiol(E_2), and testosterone(T). The serum levels of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol(HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol(LDL-C), and triglyceride(TG) were determined by an automatic biochemical analyzer. The pathological changes in the ovary were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The protein levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K), protein kinase B(Akt), and their phosphorylated forms in the ovary were determined by Western blot. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS) was employed to study the fecal and serum metabolites in the rat model of PCOS. The results showed that compared with the model group, drug administration repaired the impaired glucose tolerance, enhanced the insulin sensitivity, elevated the serum levels of HDL-C and E_2, lowered the serum levels of TG and T, ameliorated the pathological changes in the ovarian tissue, and up-regulated the protein levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt in the ovarian tissue. A total of 46 differential metabolites and 10 metabolic pathways in the fecal samples were screened out, which were mainly related to the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and tyrosine metabolism. In terms of the serum metabolism, 34 differential metabolites and 15 metabolic pathways were screened out, mainly related to the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and aminoacyl-tRNA. In conclusion, Yuzhi Zhixue Granules can alleviate the disorders of glucose, lipids, and sex hormones and improve the ovarian status in the rat model of PCOS by regulating the serum and fecal metabolism and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway.

One new meroterpene derivative, millmerranones G ( 1 ), and three known analogues ( 2 - 4 ) were identified from the mangrove-derived fungus Aspergillus sp. GXIMD 03004, which was isolated from the leaves of mangrove Acanthus ilicifolius L. collected from Beibu Gulf in China. The structure of 1 was characterised by a comprehensive interpretation of the NMR spectroscopic and HRESIMS data. The absolute configuration for 1 was established using experimental and calculated ECD data. The anti- Vibrio activities of all compounds were evaluated, the result showed that compounds 1 and 2 has weak activity against Vibrio harveyi .

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the major infectious diseases in the world with a high incidence rate. Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a key and difficult challenge in the prevention and treatment of TB. Early, rapid, and accurate diagnosis of DR-TB is essential for selecting appropriate and personalized treatment and is an important means of reducing disease transmission and mortality. In recent years, imaging diagnosis of DR-TB has developed rapidly, but there is a lack of consistent understanding. To this end, the Infectious Disease Imaging Group, Infectious Disease Branch, Chinese Research Hospital Association; Infectious Diseases Group of Chinese Medical Association of Radiology; Digital Health Committee of China Association for the Promotion of Science and Technology Industrialization, and other organizations, formed a group of TB experts across China. The conglomerate then considered the Chinese and international diagnosis and treatment status of DR-TB, China's clinical practice, and evidence-based medicine on the methodological requirements of guidelines and standards. After repeated discussion, the expert consensus of imaging diagnosis of DR-PB was proposed. This consensus includes clinical diagnosis and classification of DR-TB, selection of etiology and imaging examination [mainly X-ray and computed tomography (CT)], imaging manifestations, diagnosis, and differential diagnosis. This expert consensus is expected to improve the understanding of the imaging changes of DR-TB, as a starting point for timely detection of suspected DR-TB patients, and can effectively improve the efficiency of clinical diagnosis and achieve the purpose of early diagnosis and treatment of DR-TB., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://qims.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/qims-23-1223/coif). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2024 Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Background: Postoperative gastrointestinal function recovery is critical for rapid rehabilitation of patients with gastrointestinal tumors. Traditional Chinese medicine offers considerable advantages for gastrointestinal disease treatment. However, no study has reported the clinical efficacy of intradermal needle therapy (INT) at the Yuan-source, Luo-connecting, and He-sea points of the corresponding meridian for gastrointestinal function in patients following surgery for gastrointestinal tumors., Aim: To investigate the effect of INT at combined acupoints on patients' gastrointestinal function following surgery for gastrointestinal tumors., Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University on patients with diagnosed gastrointestinal cancer, no distant metastases or organ failure, and hospitalized for elective radical tumor resection, who did not receive preoperative radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention ( n = 32) or the control ( n = 32) group. Participants in the control group received enhanced recovery care, while those in the intervention group received enhanced recovery care combined with INT at the Yuan-source, Luo-connecting, and He-sea points. After surgery, INT was performed immediately upon the patient's return to the ward, and continued for seven consecutive days. The independent samples t -test, chi-square test, and generalized estimating equations were used for data analysis., Results: The participants' ages ranged from 40 to 80 years (average 63 ± 10.1 years). Most participants underwent surgery for either gastric (43.8%) or colon cancer (39.1%) and had adenocarcinoma (87.5%). Significant differences were noted in time to first postoperative flatus passage (66 ± 27 h vs 103 ± 41 h, P < 0.001), time to first defecation (106 ± 44 h vs 153 ± 50 h, P < 0.001), and time to first oral feeding (73 ± 30 h vs 115 ± 38 h, P < 0.001) between the intervention and control groups. Gastrointestinal symptoms, including abdominal distension, nausea, and fatigue 48 h and 72 h after surgery, were significantly alleviated in the intervention group compared with that observed in the control group ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: INT at the Yuan-source, Luo-connecting, and He-sea points can promote recovery of gastrointestinal function and ease gastrointestinal symptoms in patients following surgical resection of gastrointestinal tumors., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

In response to global aging, there have been improvements in healthcare, exercise therapy, health promotion, and other areas. There is a gradually increasing demand for such equipment for health purposes. The main purpose of smart clothing is to monitor the physical health status of the user and analyze the changes in physiological signals of the heart. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the factors that affect the measurement of the heart's physiological parameters and the users' comfort while wearing smart clothing as well as to validate the data obtained from smart clothing. This study examined the subjective feelings of users (aged 20-60 years) regarding smart clothing comfort (within 12 h); the median values were comfortable and above (3.4-4.5). The clothing was combined with elastic conductive fiber and spandex to decrease the relative movement of the fiber that acts as a sensor and increase the user's comfort. Future studies should focus on the optimization of the data obtained using smart clothing. In addition to its use in medical care and post-reconstructive surgery, smart clothing can be used for home care of older adults and infants.

Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) is an important conifer used for afforestation in Japan. As the genome of this species is 11 Gbps, it is too large to assemble within a short timeframe. Transcriptomics is one approach that can address this deficiency. Here we designed a workflow consisting of three stages to de novo assemble transcriptome using Oases and Trinity. The three transcriptomic stage used were independent assembly, automatic and semi-manual integration, and refinement by filtering out potential contamination. We identified a set of 49,795 cDNA and an equal number of translated proteins. According to the benchmark set by BUSCO, 87.01% of cDNAs identified were complete genes, and 78.47% were complete and single-copy genes. Compared to other full-length cDNA resources collected by Sanger and PacBio sequencers, the extent of the coverage in our dataset was the highest, indicating that these data can be safely used for further studies. When two tissue-specific libraries were compared, there were significant expression differences between male strobili and leaf and bark sets. Moreover, subtle expression difference between male-fertile and sterile libraries were detected. Orthologous genes from other model plants and conifer species were identified. We demonstrated that our transcriptome assembly output (CJ3006NRE) can serve as a reference transcriptome for future functional genomics and evolutionary biology studies., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Identifying causative genes for a target trait in conifer reproduction is challenging for species lacking whole-genome sequences. In this study, we searched for the male-sterility gene (MS1) in Cryptomeria japonica, aiming to promote marker-assisted selection (MAS) of male-sterile C. japonica to reduce the pollinosis caused by pollen dispersal from artificial C. japonica forests in Japan. We searched for mRNA sequences expressed in male strobili and found the gene CJt020762, coding for a lipid transfer protein containing a 4-bp deletion specific to male-sterile individuals. We also found a 30-bp deletion by sequencing the entire gene of another individual with the ms1. All nine breeding materials with the allele ms1 had either a 4-bp or 30-bp deletion in gene CJt020762, both of which are expected to result in faulty gene transcription and function. Furthermore, the 30-bp deletion was detected from three of five individuals in the Ishinomaki natural forest. From our findings, CJt020762 was considered to be the causative gene of MS1. Thus, by performing MAS using two deletion mutations as a DNA marker, it will be possible to find novel breeding materials of C. japonica with the allele ms1 adapted to the unique environment of each region of the Japanese archipelago.

Objective: Due to the allergic nature of the pollen of Cryptomeria japonica, the most important Japanese forestry conifer, a pollen-free cultivar is preferred. Mutant trees detected in nature have been used to produce a pollen-free cultivar. In order to reduce the time and cost needed for production and breeding, we aimed to develop simple diagnostic molecular markers for mutant alleles of the causative gene MALE STERILITY 1 (MS1) in C. japonica to rapidly identify pollen-free mutants., Results: We developed PCR and LAMP markers to detect mutant alleles and to present experimental options depending on available laboratory equipment. LAMP markers were developed for field stations, where PCR machines are unavailable. The LAMP method only needs heat-blocks or a water bath to perform the isothermal amplification and assay results can be read by the naked eye. Because the causative mutations were deletions, we developed two kinds of PCR markers, amplified length polymorphism (ALP) and allele specific PCR (ASP) markers. These assays can be visualized using capillary or agarose gel electrophoresis.

Rice domestication/adaptation is a good model for studies of the development and spread of this important crop. Mutations that caused morphological and physiological change, followed by human selection/expansion, finally led to the improvement of phenotypes suitable for different kinds of environments. We used the sequence information for Heading date 1 (Hd1) gene to reveal the association between sequence changes and flowering phenotypes of rice in different regions. Seven loss-of-function hd1 haplotypes had been reported. By data-mining the genome sequencing information in the public domain, we discovered 3 other types. These loss-of-function allele haplotypes are present in subtropical and tropical regions, which indicates human selection. Some of these haplotypes are present locally. However, types 7 and 13 are present in more than one-third of the world's rice accessions, including landraces and modern varieties. In the present study, phylogenetic, allele network and selection pressure analyses revealed that these two haplotypes might have occurred early in Southeastern Asia and then were introgressed in many local landraces in nearby regions. We also demonstrate that these haplotypes are present in weedy rice populations, which again indicates that these alleles were present in rice cultivation for long time. In comparing the wild rice sequence information, these loss-of-function haplotypes occurred in agro but were not from wild rice., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of atorvastatin combined with febuxostat in the treatment of gout patients with carotid atherosclerosis and to observe the effects on serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, carotid plaques, and the adverse reactions., Methods: Seventy patients with gout and carotid atherosclerosis admitted to Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University from January 2014 to June 2017 were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group received oral febuxostat 40 mg/day combined with atorvastatin 40 mg/day. The control group was given 40 mg/day febuxostat combined with 20 mg/day atorvastatin for 90 days. The effects of treatment on TNF-α, IL-1β, and CRP levels and carotid plaques of the patients were observed., Results: After 90 days of treatment, serum TNF-α, IL-1β, and CRP levels, as well as HUA and total cholesterol (TC), decreased in both groups after treatment. There were significant differences observed (p < 0.05). The carotid artery plaques in the two groups were significantly smaller after treatment (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in adverse reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Double doses of atorvastatin combined with febuxostat can effectively reduce uric acid to improve the inflammatory state in patients and reduce carotid plaques without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicts of interest: None., (Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.)

The present study was designed to investigate the role of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) overexpression in a rat model of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and its mechanism of action. A rat model of HT was constructed, and the HT rats were injected with an adenoviral expression vector carrying the Nampt gene. The expression of Nampt and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in thyroid tissues was examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC), RT-qPCR and western blot analyses. Serum anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb) and anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) were measured using chemiluminescence method. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and IHC staining of the rat thyroid tissues showed destroyed thyroid follicles and monocyte infiltration, as well as increased Nampt expression in the thyroid tissues of rats with HT. Furthermore, it was found that Nampt overexpression led to increased severity of inflammatory infiltration in thyroid tissues and increased levels of TPOAb in the serum of HT rats; however, the serum TGAb level was not affected by Nampt overexpression. In addition, Nampt overexpression promoted TLR4 expression in HT rats. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that Nampt was strongly expressed in the capillary region of HT rats thyroid tissues. The Nampt mRNA level was increased but the Nampt protein level was decreased in the thyroid tissues of rats with HT. Nampt overexpression has a promotive effect on HT progression, and this effect was related to TLR4. This study suggests that inhibition of Nampt activity may be valuable in the treatment of HT., (Copyright: © Tang et al.)

Objective: This study aims to discuss the value of ultrasonic analysis and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody analysis in evaluating the state of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)., Methods: This study was conducted during March 2016 to December 2016. Total 82 patients with RA who sought treatment in the Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University were included in this study. Data on ultrasonic and anti-CCP antibody, ESR, and RF were collected and compared. The RA patients were divided into two groups of mild disease activity (DAS28 ≤ 3.2) and moderate-severe disease activity (DAS28 > 3.2) to compare the changes in synovial thickness of joints. The changes of joint ultrasonography were also compared between positive and negative anti-CCP antibodies group., Results: It is found that the number of patients suffering from joint involvement in the negative anti-CCP antibody group was larger than that of the anti-CCP positive antibody group ( P <0.05); the thickness of the synovium of joints of patients in the group with moderate-severe disease activity evaluated via ultrasonography was significantly larger than that of the group with mild disease activity ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: It is possible to observe the degree of disease activity dynamically by combining ultrasonography with anti-CCP antibody and make a better assessment of patients to facilitate treatment., (Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.)

Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis II; MPS II) is caused by a defect of the iduronate-2-sulfatase ( IDS ) gene. Few studies have reported integrated mutation data of Taiwanese MPS II phenotypes. In this study, we summarized genotype and phenotype correlations of confirmed MPS II patients and asymptomatic MPS II infants in Taiwan. Regular polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing were used to identify genetic abnormalities of 191 cases, including 51 unrelated patients with confirmed MPS II and 140 asymptomatic infants. IDS activity was analyzed in individual novel IDS variants using in vitro expression studies. Nineteen novel mutations were identified, in which the percentages of IDS activity of the novel missense mutations c.137A>C, c.311A>T, c.454A>C, c.797C>G, c.817C>T, c.998C>T, c.1106C>G, c.1400C>T, c.1402C>T, and c.1403G>A were significantly decreased ( p < 0.001), c.254C>T and c.1025A>G were moderately decreased ( p < 0.01), and c.851C>T was slightly decreased ( p < 0.05) comparing with normal enzyme activity. The activities of the other six missense mutations were reduced but were insignificant. The results of genomic studies and their phenotypes were highly correlated. A greater understanding of the positive correlations may help to prevent the irreversible manifestations of Hunter syndrome, particularly in infants suspected of having asymptomatic MPS II. In addition, urinary glycosaminoglycan assay is important to diagnose Hunter syndrome since gene mutations are not definitive (could be non-pathogenic).

Objective: To explore the early warning informations of severepre-eclampsia before onset. Methods: The study was an observational case-control study. The study group consisted of 77 single-pregnancy preeclampsia pregnant women and the control group took 154 normal cases who were delivered to Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital (Peking University binhai Hospital) from January 2014 to December 2017 in the perinatal care referral system in Tianjin. To analyze changes in clinical indicators before the onset of severe pre-eclampsia with statistical methods. Results: Prehypertension, weight gain > 0.85 kg/week, fetal growth restriction, edema and decline of plasma albumin, thrombocytopenia, poor compliance, perinatal examinations and examinations in tertiary hospitals were associated with severe pre-eclampsia ( P< 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the risk factors of severe preeclampsia were pre-hypertension, weight gain > 0.85 kg/week, edema, thrombocytopeniaand poor compliance. The increase in the number of prenatal examinations in tertiary hospitals was a protective factor for severe preeclampsia. Conclusion: Prehypertension, weight gain during pregnancy (>0.85 kg/week), edema, thrombocytopenia, and poor compliance were warning informations of severe pre-eclampsia, and the increased number of prenatal examinations in tertiary hospitals was a protective factor for severe pre-eclampsia.

This study reports the whole chloroplast genome of Fagus crenata (subgenus Fagus ), a foundation tree species of Japanese temperate forests. The genome has a total of 158,227 bp containing 111 genes, including 76 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Comparison with the only other published Fagus chloroplast genome, F. engeleriana (subgenus Engleriana ) shows that the genomes are relatively conserved with no inversions or rearrangements observed while the proportion of nucleotide sites differing between the two species was equal to 0.0018. The six most variable regions were, in increasing order of variability, psb K- psb I, trn G- psb fM, rpl 32, trn V, ndh I- ndh and ndhD - psa C. These highly variable chloroplast regions in addition to 160 chloroplast microsatellites identified (of which 46 were variable between the two species) will provide useful genetic resources for studies of the inter- and intra-specific genetic structure and diversity of this important northern hemisphere tree genus., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Cryptomeria japonica is a major forestry tree species in Japan. Male sterility of the species is caused by a recessive gene, which shows dysfunction of pollen development and results in no dispersed pollen. Because the pollen of C. japonica induces pollinosis, breeding of pollen-free C. japonica is desired. In this study, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers located at 1.78 and 0.58 cM to a male sterility locus ( MS1 ) were identified from an analysis of RNA-Seq and RAD-Seq, respectively. SNPs closely linked to MS1 were first scanned by a method similar to MutMap, where a type of index was calculated to measure the strength of the linkage between a marker sequence and MS1 . Linkage analysis of selected SNP markers confirmed a higher efficiency of the current method to construct a partial map around MS1 . Allele-specific PCR primer pair for the most closely linked SNP with MS1 was developed as a codominant marker, and visualization of the PCR products on an agarose gel enabled rapid screening of male sterile C. japonica . The allele-specific primers developed in this study would be useful for establishing the selection of male sterile C. japonica .

The recent release of genomic sequences for 3000 rice varieties provides access to the genetic diversity at species level for this crop. We take advantage of this resource to unravel some features of the retrotranspositional landscape of rice. We develop software TRACKPOSON specifically for the detection of transposable elements insertion polymorphisms (TIPs) from large datasets. We apply this tool to 32 families of retrotransposons and identify more than 50,000 TIPs in the 3000 rice genomes. Most polymorphisms are found at very low frequency, suggesting that they may have occurred recently in agro. A genome-wide association study shows that these activations in rice may be triggered by external stimuli, rather than by the alteration of genetic factors involved in transposable element silencing pathways. Finally, the TIPs dataset is used to trace the origin of rice domestication. Our results suggest that rice originated from three distinct domestication events.

Radiation therapy is the first choice for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. However, it is inevitable that nasopharyngeal mucosa and tissue will be damaged after radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which will cause corresponding complications. Nasopharyngeal osteonecrosis is a serious complication. Up to now, there are few reports about nasopharyngeal osteonecrosis, and the underlaying pathological mechanism remains unclear. The potential theories include radiotherapy damage, infection and trauma, but also the " three H" principle of hypoxic hypocellular hypovascular tissue, as well as the theory of radio induced fibrosis. It is controversial about the treatment of nasopharyngeal osteonecrosis. It takes comprehensive treatment, including local treatment, systemic treatment, surgical treatment and other treatments. Among them, local treatment as nasopharyngeal debridement usually is first choice. We reviewed the pathological mechanism and treatment methods of nasopharyngeal osteonecrosis, in order to provide a reference for better prevention and treatment of it., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.)

This article was not made open access when initially published online, which was corrected before print publication. In addition, ORCID links were missing for 12 authors and have been added to the HTML and PDF versions of the article.

The genus Oryza is a model system for the study of molecular evolution over time scales ranging from a few thousand to 15 million years. Using 13 reference genomes spanning the Oryza species tree, we show that despite few large-scale chromosomal rearrangements rapid species diversification is mirrored by lineage-specific emergence and turnover of many novel elements, including transposons, and potential new coding and noncoding genes. Our study resolves controversial areas of the Oryza phylogeny, showing a complex history of introgression among different chromosomes in the young 'AA' subclade containing the two domesticated species. This study highlights the prevalence of functionally coupled disease resistance genes and identifies many new haplotypes of potential use for future crop protection. Finally, this study marks a milestone in modern rice research with the release of a complete long-read assembly of IR 8 'Miracle Rice', which relieved famine and drove the Green Revolution in Asia 50 years ago.

Rice, Oryza sativa L., is one of the most important crops in the world. With the rising world population, feeding people in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way becomes increasingly important. Therefore, the rice research community needs to share resources to better understand the functions of rice genes that are the foundation for future agricultural biotechnology development, and one way to achieve this goal is via the extensive study of insertional mutants. We have constructed a large rice insertional mutant population in a japonica rice variety, Tainung 67. The collection contains about 93 000 mutant lines, among them 85% with phenomics data and 65% with flanking sequence data. We screened the phenotypes of 12 individual plants for each line grown under field conditions according to 68 subcategories and 3 quantitative traits. Both phenotypes and integration sites are searchable in the Taiwan Rice Insertional Mutants Database. Detailed analyses of phenomics data, T-DNA flanking sequences, and whole-genome sequencing data for rice insertional mutants can lead to the discovery of novel genes. In addition, studies of mutant phenotypes can reveal relationships among varieties, cultivation locations, and cropping seasons., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Laryngotracheal stenosis is a complex and dangerous disease,which caused by trauma or endotracheal intubation.Accurately and clearly to show the length and area of the airway stenosis,which is of great significance for the correct qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of the disease and the development of the treatment.The relevant inspection has its advantages and disadvantages.How to use inspection accurate and reasonable,there is no unified standard.Therefore,this paper will evaluate the role and significance of different relevant inspection(pulmonary function tests,ultrasound,bronchoscopy,CT,MRI) in the diagnosis of laryngotracheal stenosis,providing reference for laryngeal and tracheal stenosis diagnosis and treatment., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.)

GaN is a pivotal material for acoustic transducers and acoustic spectroscopy in the THz regime, but its THz phonon properties have not been experimentally and comprehensively studied. In this report, we demonstrate how to use double quantum wells as a THz acoustic transducer for measuring generated acoustic phonons and deriving a broadband acoustic spectrum with continuous frequencies. We experimentally investigated the sub-THz frequency dependence of acoustic attenuation (i.e., phonon mean-free paths) in GaN, in addition to its physical origins such as anharmonic scattering, defect scattering, and boundary scattering. A new upper limit of attenuation caused by anharmonic scattering, which is lower than previously reported values, was obtained. Our results should be noteworthy for THz acoustic spectroscopy and for gaining a fundamental understanding of heat conduction.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important crops in the world. Several rice insertional mutant libraries are publicly available for systematic analysis of gene functions. However, the tagging efficiency of these mutant resources-the relationship between genotype and phenotype-is very low. We used whole-genome sequencing to analyze a T-DNA-tagged transformant from the Taiwan Rice Insertional Mutants (TRIM) resource. The phenomics records for M0028590, one of the TRIM lines, revealed three phenotypes-wild type, large grains, and tillering dwarf-in the 12 T1 plants. Using the sequencing data for 7 plants from three generations of this specific line, we demonstrate that introgression from an indica rice variety might occur in one generation before the seed was used for callus generation and transformation of this line. In addition, the large-grain trait came from the GS3 gene of the introgressed region and the tillering dwarf phenotype came from a single nucleotide change in the D17 gene that occurred during the callus induction to regeneration of the transformant. As well, another regenerant showed completely heterozygous single-nucleotide polymorphisms across the whole genome. In addition to the known sequence changes such as T-DNA integration, single nucleotide polymorphism, insertion, deletion, chromosome rearrangement and doubling, spontaneous outcrossing occurred in the rice field may also explain some mutated traits in a tagged mutant population. Thus, the co-segregation of an integration event and the phenotype should be checked when using these mutant populations.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the world's most important crops. Rice researchers make extensive use of insertional mutants for the study of gene function. Approximately half a million flanking sequence tags from rice insertional mutant libraries are publicly available. However, the relationship between genotype and phenotype is very weak. Transgenic plant assays have been used frequently for complementation, overexpression or antisense analysis, but sequence changes caused by callus growth, Agrobacterium incubation medium, virulence genes, transformation and selection conditions are unknown. We used high-throughput sequencing of DNA from rice lines derived from Tainung 67 to analyze non-transformed and transgenic rice plants for mutations caused by these parameters. For comparison, we also analyzed sequence changes for two additional rice varieties and four T-DNA tagged transformants from the Taiwan Rice Insertional Mutant resource. We identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms, small indels, large deletions, chromosome doubling and chromosome translocations in these lines. Using standard rice regeneration/transformation procedures, the mutation rates of regenerants and transformants were relatively low, with no significant differences among eight tested treatments in the Tainung 67 background and in the cultivars Taikeng 9 and IR64. Thus, we could not conclusively detect sequence changes resulting from Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in addition to those caused by tissue culture-induced somaclonal variation. However, the mutation frequencies within the two publically available tagged mutant populations, including TRIM transformants or Tos17 lines, were about 10-fold higher than the frequency of standard transformants, probably because mass production of embryogenic calli and longer callus growth periods were required to generate these large libraries., (© 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Rice is a facultative short-day plant, and it requires a photoperiod shorter than the critical day length to get flowering. Sensitivity to photoperiod has been suggested as a major selection target in cultivated or weedy rice. The modern rice varieties in Taiwan may be cultivated twice a year. These varieties contain loss-of-function of two important flowering-time related genes, Heading date 1 (Hd1) and Early heading date 1 (Ehd1), and are mainly from a mega variety, Taichung 65. However, the parental lines of this variety were sensitive to photoperiod, thus, how Taichung 65 loss its sensitivity is a mystery. In this study, we used accession-specific single nucleotide polymorphism analysis to reveal the gene flow that occurred between different rice accessions decades ago and demonstrate that two landraces introgressed during the breeding process, which led to the loss of photoperiod sensitivity. Both Hd1 and Ehd1 may be important during artificial selection for flowering time, especially in a subtropical region such as Taiwan. This is a good example of introgression playing important roles during rice domestication., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recent genome-wide association studies have identified many loci associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hyperuricemia, and obesity in various ethnic populations. However, quantitative traits have been less well investigated in Han Chinese T2DM populations. We investigated the association between candidate gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and metabolic syndrome-related quantitative traits in Han Chinese T2DM subjects. Unrelated Han Chinese T2DM patients (1975) were recruited. Eighty-six SNPs were genotyped and tested for association with quantitative traits including lipid profiles, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), serum uric acid (SUA), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), plasma glucose [fasting plasma glucose (FPG)], plasma glucose 120 min post-OGTT (P2PG; OGTT = oral glucose tolerance test), and insulin resistance-related traits. We found that CAMTA1, ABI2, VHL, KAT2B, PKHD1, ESR1, TOX, SLC30A8, SFI1, and MYH9 polymorphisms were associated with HbA1c, FPG, and/or P2PG; GCK, HHEX, TCF7L2, KCNQ1, and TBX5 polymorphisms were associated with insulin resistance-related traits; ABCG2, SLC2A9, and PKHD1 polymorphisms were associated with SUA; CAMTA1, VHL, KAT2B, PON1, NUB1, SLITRK5, SMAD3, FTO, FANCA, and PCSK2 polymorphisms were associated with blood lipid traits; CAMTA1, SPAG16, TOX, KCNQ1, ACACB, and MYH9 polymorphisms were associated with blood pressure; and UBE2E3, SPAG16, SLC2A9, CDKAL1, CDKN2A/B, TCF7L2, SMAD3, and PNPLA3 polymorphisms were associated with BMI (all P values <0.05). Some of the candidate genes were associated with metabolic and anthropometric traits in T2DM in Han Chinese. Although none of these associations reached genome-wide significance (P < 5 x 10(-8)), genes and loci identified in this study are worthy of further replication and investigation.

The repeat sequences occupied more than 50 % of soybean genome. In order to understand where these repeat sequences distributed in soybean genome and its related Glycine species, we examined three new repeat sequences-soybean repeat sequence (SBRS1, SBRS2 and SBRS3), some nonspecific repeat sequences and 45S rDNA on several Glycine species, including annual and perennial accessions in this study. In the annual species, G. soja, signals for SBRS1 and ATT repeat can be found on each chromosome in GG genome, but those for SBRS2 and SBRS3 were located at three specific loci. In perennial Glycine species, these three SBR repeat frequently co-localized with 45S rDNA, two major 45S rDNA loci were found in all tetraploid species. However, an extra minor locus was found in one accession of the G. pescadrensis (Tab074), but not in another accession (Tab004). We demonstrate that some repetitive sequences are present in all Glycine species used in the study, but the abundancy is different in annual or perennial species. We suggest this study may provide additional information in investigations of the phylogeny in the Glycine species.

Few studies have examined the genes related to risk fac-tors that may contribute to intracranial aneurysms (IAs). This study in Chinese patients aimed to explore the relationship between IA and 28 gene loci, proven to be associated with risk factors for IA. We recruited 119 patients with aneurysms and 257 controls. Single factor and logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of IA and IA rup-ture with risk factors. Twenty-eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 22 genes were genotyped for the patient and control groups. SNP genotypes and allele frequencies were analyzed by the chi-square test. Logistic regression analysis identified hypertension as a factor that increased IA risk (P = 1.0 x 10(-4); OR, 2.500; 95%CI, 1.573-3.972); IA was associated with two SNPs in the TSLC2A9 gene: rs7660895 (P = 0.007; OR, 1.541; 95%CI, 1.126-2.110); and in the TOX gene: rs11777927 (P = 0.013; OR, 1.511; 95%CI, 1.088-2.098). Subsequent removal of the influence of family relationship identified between 12 of 119 patients enhanced the significant association of these SNPs with IA (P = 0.001; OR, 1.691; 95%CI, 1.226-2.332; and P = 0.006; OR, 1.587; 95%CI, 1.137-2.213 for rs7660895 and rs11777927, respectively). Fur-thermore, the minor allele of rs7660895 (A) was also associated with IA rupture (P = 0.007; OR, 2.196; 95%CI, 1.230-3.921). Therefore, hypertension is an independent risk factor for IA. Importantly, the TSL-C2A9 (rs7660895) and TOX (rs11777927) gene polymorphisms may be associated with formation of IAs, and rs7660895 may be associated with IA rupture.

Genetic factors play an important role in type 2 diabetes (T2D) complications. Alteration of cerebrovascular blood flow (CBF) is a direct result of cerebrovascular diseases. However, few studies have reported the role of genetics on CBF in patients with T2D. We investigated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in metabolic disease genes are associated with CBF in patients with T2D. CBF velocities of CBF were measured in 337 Han Chinese patients with T2D using transcranial Doppler sonography, with 54 cerebrovascular blood flow parameters documented. Fifty-two SNPs from 31 metabolic disease candidate genes were genotyped in patients. Quantitative allelic association and haplotype analyses were performed for candidate gene SNPs and CBF phenotypes. Spearman correlation was used to determine the relationship between CBF parameters and basic clinical characteristics, particularly, body mass index, lipids, fibrinogen, and GHbA1c. MYH9 gene SNPs (rs875726 and rs735853) may be associated with the peak velocity of the right-middle cerebral artery. SNPs rs875726, rs2009930, and rs375246 of the MYH9 gene may be associated with the mean velocity of the right-anterior and posterior cerebral artery. The haplotype G-C-A (rs2239782-rs3752462- rs2269532) of MYH9 may be associated with CBF. MYH9 gene polymorphisms may be associated with multiple CBF phenotypes in Chinese patients with T2D. However, whether MYH9 is a candidate gene for cerebrovascular diseases in Chinese patients with T2D remains unknown.

The eating and cooking qualities of rice grains are the major determinants of consumer preference and, consequently, the economic value of a specific rice variety. These two qualities are largely determined by the physicochemical properties of the starch, i.e. the starch composition, of the rice grain. In our study, we determined the genetic factors responsible for the physicochemical properties of starch in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of japonica cv. Tainung 78 ×  indica cv. Taichung Sen 17 (TCS 17) cultivated over two crop seasons by examining palatability characteristics and several Rapid Viscosity Analyzer (RVA) parameters. Thirty-four quantitative trait loci (QTLs), each explaining between 1.2 and 78.1 % phenotypic variation, were mapped in clusters on eight chromosomes in 190 RILs genotyped with 139 markers. Ten pairs of QTLs were detected in the two environments, of which seven were in agreement with previous findings, suggesting that these QTLs may express stable experimental populations across various environments. Waxy ( Wx ), which controls amylose synthesis, was determined to be a primary gene regulating the physicochemical properties of cooked rice grains, as indicated by the presence of a major QTL cluster on chromosome 6 and by marker regression analysis. Six starch synthesis-related genes (SSRGs) which were located in the QTL intervals significantly differed in terms of gene expression between the two parents during grain-filling and were important genetic factors affecting physicochemical properties. The expression of four genes, PUL , ISA2 , GBSSI , and SSII - 3 , was significantly upregulated in TCS 17, and this expression was positively correlated with six traits. The effects of the six SSRGs and gene interaction depended on genetic background and environment; grain quality may be fine tuned by selecting for SBE4 for japonica and PUL for indica . We provide valuable information for application in the breeding of new rice varieties as daily staple food and for use in industrial manufacturing by marker-assisted selection.

Rice is one of the most important crops in the world. The rice community needs to cooperate and share efforts and resources so that we can understand the functions of rice genes, especially those with a role in important agronomical traits, for application in agricultural production. Mutation is a major source of genetic variation that can be used for studying gene function. We will present here the status of mutant collections affected in a random manner by physical/chemical and insertion mutageneses.As of early September 2013, a total of 447, 919 flanking sequence tags from rice mutant libraries with T-DNA, Ac/Ds, En/Spm, Tos17, nDART/aDART insertions have been collected and publicly available. From these, 336,262 sequences are precisely positioned on the japonica rice chromosomes, and 67.5% are in gene interval. We discuss the genome coverage and preference of the insertion, issues limiting the exchange and use of the current collections, as well as new and improved resources. We propose a call to renew all mutant populations as soon as possible. We also suggest that a common web portal should be established for ordering seeds.

With the completion of the rice genome sequencing project, the next major challenge is the large-scale determination of gene function. A systematic phenotypic profiling of mutant collections will provide major insights into gene functions important for crop growth or production. Thus, detailed phenomics analysis is the key to functional genomics. Currently, the two major types of rice mutant collections are insertional mutants and chemical or irradiation-induced mutants. Here we describe how to manipulate a rice mutant population, including conducting phenomics studies and the subsequent propagation and seed storage. We list the phenotypes screened and also describe how to collect data systematically for a database of the qualitative and quantitative phenotypic traits. Thus, data on mutant lines, phenotypes, and segregation rate for all kinds of mutant populations, as well as integration sites for insertional mutant populations, would be searchable, and the collection would be a good resource for rice functional genomics study.

Proteins abundant in seeds during the late stages of development, late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, are associated with desiccation tolerance. More than 100 of the group I LEA genes, also termed Em genes, have been identified from plants, bacteria and animals. The wide distribution indicates the functional importance of these genes. In the present study, we characterized a novel Em-like gene, OsLEA1a of rice (Oryza sativa). The encoded OsLEA1a protein has an N-terminal sequence similar to that of other plant Em proteins but lacks a 20-mer motif that is the most significant feature of typical Em proteins. The location of the sole intron indicates that the second exon of OsLEA1a is the mutated product of a typical Em gene. Transcriptome analysis revealed OsLEA1a mainly expressed in embryos, with no or only a few transcripts in osmotic stress-treated vegetative tissues. Structural analysis revealed that the OsLEA1a protein adopts high amounts of disordered conformations in solution and undergoes desiccation-induced conformational changes. Macromolecular interaction studies revealed that OsLEA1a protein interacts with non-reducing sugars and phospholipids but not poly-l-lysine. Thus, although the OsLEA1a protein lost its 20-mer motif, it is still involved in the formation of bioglasses with non-reducing sugars or plasma membrane. However, the protein does not function as a chaperone as do other groups of hydrophilic LEA proteins. The orthologs of the OsLEA1a gene had been identified from various grasses but not in dicot plants. Genetic analysis indicated that rice OsLEA1a locates at a 193 kb segment in chromosome 1 and is conserved in several published cereal genomes. Thus, the ancestor of Em-like genes might have evolved after the divergence of monocot plants.

Plant calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs) may function as calcium sensors and play important roles in the regulation of plant growth and development and in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. The Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) genome encodes 34 CDPKs, and most of them have not been functionally characterized. Here, we report the functional characterization of CPK10 in Arabidopsis response to drought stress. The cpk10 mutant, a T-DNA insertion mutant for the Arabidopsis CPK10 gene, showed a much more sensitive phenotype to drought stress compared with wild-type plants, while the CPK10 overexpression lines displayed enhanced tolerance to drought stress. Induction of stomatal closure and inhibition of stomatal opening by abscisic acid (ABA) and Ca(2+) were impaired in the cpk10 mutants. Using yeast two-hybrid methods, a heat shock protein, HSP1, was identified as a CPK10-interacting protein. The interaction between CPK10 and HSP1 was further confirmed by pull-down and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. The HSP1 knockout mutant (hsp1) plants showed a similar sensitive phenotype under drought stress as the cpk10 mutant plants and were similarly less sensitive to ABA and Ca(2+) in regulation of stomatal movements. Electrophysiological experiments showed that ABA and Ca(2+) inhibition of the inward K(+) currents in stomatal guard cells were impaired in the cpk10 and hsp1 mutants. All presented data demonstrate that CPK10, possibly by interacting with HSP1, plays important roles in ABA- and Ca(2+)-mediated regulation of stomatal movements.

To facilitate genetic research, we constructed two linkage maps by employing two F₂ populations derived from rice inter-subspecific crosses, japonica Tainung 67 (TNG67)/indica Taichung Sen 10 (TCS10) and japonica TNG67/indica Taichung Sen 17 (TCS17). We established linkage map lengths of 1481.6 cM and 1267.4 cM with average intervals of 13.8 cM and 14.4 cM by using 107 and 88 PCR markers for coverage of 88% of the rice genome in TNG67/TCS10 and TNG67/TCS17, respectively. The discrepancy in genetic maps in the two populations could be due to different cross combinations, crossing-over events, progeny numbers and/or markers. The most plausible explanation was segregation distortion; 18 markers (16.8%) distributed at nine regions of seven chromosomes and 10 markers (11.4%) at four regions of four chromosomes displayed severe segregation distortion (p < 0.01)in TNG67/TCS10 and TNG67/TCS17, respectively. All segregation-distorted markers in these two populations corresponded to reported reproductive barriers, either gametophytic or zygotic genes but not to hybrid breakdown genes. The observed recombination frequency, which was higher or lower than the intrinsic frequency, revealed the association of segregation distortion skewed to the same or different genotypes at the consecutive markers. The segregation distortion, possibly caused by reproductive barriers, affects the evaluation recombination frequencies and consequently the linkage analysis of QTLs and positional cloning., (© 2010 The Authors.)

The extracellular space (ECS) of brain is defined as an irregular channel which is located in the interstitial tissue outside the plasma membranes of neurons, and occupied by interstitial fluid (ISF). Diffusion in ECS is described by a modified diffusion equation from which several parameters can be calculated, such as the diffusion coefficient (D), the tortuosity (Lambda), the volume fraction (alpha) and the clearance of molecules. Radiolabeled tracers were used for early diffusion measurements. Presently, the real-time iontophoresis (RTI) method is employed for small ions, whereas the integrative optical imaging (IOI) and the magnetic resonance diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) are developed for macromolecules tracers. Extensive experimental studies with such methods show that in normal brain tissue, the volume fraction of ECS typically is about 20% and the tortuosity is 1.6, although there are regional variations. These parameters change with the brain development and in various pathophysiological states. Knowledge of ECS diffusion properties help us to understand extrasynaptic volume transmission to the development of paradigms for drug delivery in brain.

Objective: To observe the diffusion of Gd-DTPA in brain extracellular space (ECS) by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and investigate the feasibility of ECS measurement by using MRI tracer method in vivo., Methods: 2 microL Gd-DTPA was introduced into ECS by caudate nucleus according to stereotaxic atlas in 8 Sprague Dawley(SD) rats (male, 280-320 g). The MRI scans were performed at 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 9 h and 12 h respectively after administration. MRI appearances of Gd-DTPA diffusion and distribution was observed and compared. The MRI signal enhancement was measured at each time point. The neuroethology assessment was performed after MRI scanning at 12 h., Results: The injection was accurate at the center of the caudate nucleus in 6 rats, while, at the capsula externa in other 2 rats. Gd-DTPA diffused isotropically after it was introduced into caudate nucleus, which spread into lateral cortex at 3 h. The MRI signal enhancement distributed mainly in the middle cerebral artery territory. A significant difference was found between the signal enhancement ratio at 1 h and that at 3 h in the original point of caudate nucleus (t=95.63, P<0.01), and the signal enhancement attenuated following the exponential power function y=1.7886x(-0.1776) (R2=0.94). In 2 rats with the injection point at capsula externa, Gd-DTPA diffused anisotropically along the fiber track of white matter during 1 h to 3 h, and spread into the lateral cortex at 6 h., Conclusion: The diffusion and clearance of Gd-DTPA in brain ECS could be monitored and measured quantitatively in vivo by MRI tracer method.

The anthers in flowers perform important functions in sexual reproduction. Several recent studies used microarrays to study anther transcriptomes to explore genes controlling anther development. To analyze the secretion and other functions of the tapetum, we produced transcriptomes of anthers of rice (Oryza sativa subsp. japonica) at six progressive developmental stages and pollen with sequencing-by-synthesis technology. The transcriptomes included at least 18,000 unique transcripts, about 25% of which had antisense transcripts. In silico anther-minus-pollen subtraction produced transcripts largely unique to the tapetum; these transcripts include all the reported tapetum-specific transcripts of orthologs in other species. The differential developmental profiles of the transcripts and their antisense transcripts signify extensive regulation of gene expression in the anther, especially the tapetum, during development. The transcriptomes were used to dissect two major cell/biochemical functions of the tapetum. First, we categorized and charted the developmental profiles of all transcripts encoding secretory proteins present in the cellular exterior; these transcripts represent about 12% and 30% of the those transcripts having more than 100 and 1,000 transcripts per million, respectively. Second, we successfully selected from hundreds of transcripts several transcripts encoding potential proteins for lipid exine synthesis during early anther development. These proteins include cytochrome P450, acyltransferases, and lipid transfer proteins in our hypothesized mechanism of exine synthesis in and export from the tapetum. Putative functioning of these proteins in exine formation is consistent with proteins and metabolites detected in the anther locule fluid obtained by micropipetting.

The Rice Annotation Project Database (RAP-DB) was created to provide the genome sequence assembly of the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP), manually curated annotation of the sequence, and other genomics information that could be useful for comprehensive understanding of the rice biology. Since the last publication of the RAP-DB, the IRGSP genome has been revised and reassembled. In addition, a large number of rice-expressed sequence tags have been released, and functional genomics resources have been produced worldwide. Thus, we have thoroughly updated our genome annotation by manual curation of all the functional descriptions of rice genes. The latest version of the RAP-DB contains a variety of annotation data as follows: clone positions, structures and functions of 31 439 genes validated by cDNAs, RNA genes detected by massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS) technology and sequence similarity, flanking sequences of mutant lines, transposable elements, etc. Other annotation data such as Gnomon can be displayed along with those of RAP for comparison. We have also developed a new keyword search system to allow the user to access useful information. The RAP-DB is available at: http://rapdb.dna.affrc.go.jp/ and http://rapdb.lab.nig.ac.jp/.

With the completion of the rice genome sequencing project, the next major challenge is the large-scale determination of gene function. As an important crop and a model organism, rice provides major insights into gene functions important for crop growth or production. Phenomics with detailed information about tagged populations provides a good tool for functional genomics analysis. By a T-DNA insertional mutagenesis approach, we have generated a rice mutant population containing 55,000 promoter trap and gene activation or knockout lines. Approximately 20,000 of these lines have known integration sites. The T0 and T1 plants were grown in net "houses" for two cropping seasons each year since 2003, with the mutant phenotypes recorded. Detailed data describing growth and development of these plants, in 11 categories and 65 subcategories, over the entire four-month growing season are available in a searchable database, along with the genetic segregation information and flanking sequence data. With the detailed data from more than 20,000 T1 lines and 12 plants per line, we estimated the mutation rates of the T1 population, as well the frequency of the dominant T0 mutants. The correlations among different mutation phenotypes are also calculated. Together, the information about mutant lines, their integration sites, and the phenotypes make this collection, the Taiwan Rice Insertion Mutants (TRIM), a good resource for rice phenomics study. Ten T2 seeds per line can be distributed to researchers upon request.

Objective: To evaluate the value of combining TIMI myocardial perfusion (TMP) grading with sum ST segment resolution (sumSTR) in prediction of the 2-year outcome and heart function in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after emergency percutaneous intervention (PCI)., Methods: Seventy-seven consecutive patients of AMI with elevated ST segment, 62 males and 15 females, aged 63 +/- 12 (30-91), underwent PCI. TMP grading was used in combination of electrocardiography to calculate the sumSTR so as to evaluate the effect of myocardial reperfusion. The patients with TMP grade 2-3 and sumSTR > or = 30% were included in the group of better perfusion, and those with the TMP grade 0-1 and sumSTR < 30% were included in the group of lower perfusion. The cardiac events, including death, reinfarction, revascularization, angina pectoris, and heart failure were recorded. The left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured by echocardiography 72 hours and 2 years after the PCI., Results: There were 37 patients in the lower perfusion group and 39 patients in the better perfusion group. Cos regression showed that TMP grade 0-1 associated with sumSTR < 30% was an independent factor for 2-year cardiac events (RR = 13.186, 95% CI 2.149 - 80.917, P = 0.005). The LVEDD 2 years after PCI was 60 mm +/- 4 mm, significantly higher than that 72 hours after PCI (53 mm +/- 4 mm. P < 0.01) in the lower perfusion group. The LVEDD increased by 7.1 mm +/- 1.9 mm two years after PCI in the lower perfusion group, significantly more than that in the better perfusion group (1.5 mm +/- 1.2 mm, P < 0.01). The myocardial perfusion after PCI was closely correlated with the extent of heart function improvement 2 years after (chi(2) = 50.58, P < 0.01)., Conclusion: TMP grading combined with sumSTR helps predict the 2-year outcome and heart function in the patients with AMI after emergency PCI.

It is believed that during storage, the parenchyma cells of garlic (Allium sativum L.) bulb would wither and fade gradually, and nutrients released inside the cells become available for the germination and growth of the young bud. In this study, The distributions of acid phosphatase (APase) and Adenosine Triphosphatase (ATPase) during germination were analyzed based on the method of lead precipitation at the electron microscopic level. It was found that their activities presenting in plasma membrane, cell wall and plasmodesma increased along the different developmental periods during storage. The fact that the most intensive enzymatic activity of APase and ATPase appeared at germination indicates that degradation, transformation and exportation of cell matrix are helpful in complete translocation of nutrient to new bud. The DNA in the degrading parenchyma cells was analyzed using the agarose electrophoresis. Results clearly showed a typical DNA ladder on the gel, indicating that gene-controlled, programmed cell death may contribute to the degradation of garlic parenchyma cells.