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Early treatment of oral precancerous lesions is considered as a key strategy for in oral carcinogenesis prevention. Increasing evidence has suggested that the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway is tightly involved in the process of oral-carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated the inhibition effect and potential mechanism of 5-aminolaevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) in human oral precancerous cells via TGF-β pathway.Here, the dysplastic oral keratinocyte (DOK) cells were incubated with ALA concentration of 1 mM/mL for 4 h and then irradiated with a Helium-Neon (He-Ne) ion laser at 633 nm (200 mW/cmThe TGF-β signaling could exert in suppressive effects on DOK cells after ALA-PDT. The cell proliferation and migration rate of DOK cells was significantly reduced and apoptosis and ROS generation induced more effectively by ALA-PDT combined with LY2109761. Furthermore, cell cycle analysis revealed that the combined treatment resulted in G0/G1 phase arrest.ALA-PDT suppresses the growth of oral precancerous cells by regulating the TGF-β signaling pathway, and its suppressive effect was enhanced using LY2109761. These results indicate that it could be a promising alternative treatment against oral precancerous lesions.

Wetland is an important carbon pool, and the degradation of wetlands causes the loss of organic carbon and total nitrogen. This study aims to explore how wetland degradation succession affects soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in alpine wetland. A field survey of 180 soil-sampling profiles was conducted in an alpine wetland that has been classified into three degradation succession stages. The SOC and TN contents of soil layers from 0 to 200 cm depth were studied, including their distribution characteristics and the relationship between soil water content (SWC) and microtopography. The results showed that SOC and TN of different degradation succession gradients followed the ranked order of Non Degradation (ND) > Light Degradation (LD) > Heavy Degradation (HD). SWC was positively correlated with SOC and TN (p

This study explored the effects of different colored bags (blue, green, white, yellow, orange, and red) on russet deposition on the peel of semi-russet ‘Cuiguan’ pears 10 days after full bloom (DAFB). The process of russeting of the peel and structure of the cork layer were characterized by microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), followed by the detection of lignin and the activity of enzymes involved in lignin synthesis. The expression of cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, and peroxidase, which were related to phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, was determined via real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Russeting of the outer peel of ‘Cuiguan’ pear accumulated rapidly at 80 DAFB, and a positive relationship between the russet index and lignin content was observed. Red and infrared (IR) ray, partial far-IR light (600–800 nm), and ultraviolet-A light (350–400 nm) promoted russeting in ‘Cuiguan’ pear peel, whereas green light decreased russeting, the russet index, enzymatic activities, and the expression levels of enzymes involved in lignin synthesis. Values of all these factors were higher for ‘Cuiguan’ pears in red bags than for those in bags of other colors. These findings suggested that spectral components affected the synthesis of lignin and the formation of fruit russet. Storage in green bags reduced russeting and improved fruit appearance.

Due to a lack of effective internal references, studies on functional genes in

Poria cocos polysaccharide (PCP) is a compound from Poria cocos, and which is used as a classical tonic agent. This article aims to investigate the effects of PCP on neuronal damage of hippocampus and cognitive function in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease induced by D-galactose and aluminum trichloride. Oxiracetam (ORC) was used as a positive drug in this experiment. The rats were treated with PCP at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg/day for 30 days and ORC at dose of 346 mg/kg/day after modeling. The results of behavioral test showed that PCP could prevent cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease rats as assessed by Y-maze test and Morris water maze test. Results of hippocampus slices showed that neurons were integrated and regularly arranged in the groups, which were administered along with PCP. Moreover, PCP could reduce neuronal apoptosis in hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease rats. Furthermore, the activities of superoxide dismutase in the hippocampus were elevated by PCP administration, while acetyl cholinesterase, reactive oxygen, malondialdehyde and inflammatory factors levels were reduced. In addition, we found PCP could attenuate MAPK/NF-κB signal pathway in the hippocampus. All results illustrated that PCP could exert neuroprotective effects at least partly through alleviating oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammation and inhibiting the MAPK/NF-κB pathway in Alzheimer's disease rats induced by D-galactose and aluminum trichloride.

This study aimed to explore the mechanism of exocarp russet pigmentation of semi-russet ‘Cuiguan’ sand pears at the proteome level following rainwater. Exocarp russeting was characterized in semi-russet sand pears cultivated in the rain shelter and control (rainwater) groups via microscopy and ultra-microscope observations, followed by determination of lignin content and enzyme activities. The differentially expressed proteins between different cultivation conditions were analyzed using the isobaric tags for relative or absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technology, followed by confirmation by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The rust color of the outer pericarp of ‘cuiguan’ was rapidly accumulated on 60–80 days after full bloom (DAFB) in both two groups. Under the shelter condition, most stratum corneum cracks were shallow and had less suberization. The lignin content as well as the enzyme activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) and peroxidase (POD) in exocarp from the rain shelter group were all lower than that in control group. Additionally, 309 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the rain shelter group, and eight down-regulated proteins associated with lignin monomer synthesis were identified, such as PAL (E9JWF1), CCR1 (F4Y9E7), CAD (U3PGC0), two peroxidases (K9URQ0 and M5W3Y0, respectively), two COMT (S5TPC3 and Q09K02, respectively) and omega-hydroxypalmitate O-feruloyl transferase (HHT1) (M5VMR7), and their expression was confirmed by qPCR. Moreover, many defense proteins were significantly down-regulated. These findings suggest that the rain shelter treatment may affect phenylalanine lignin monomer synthesis and subsequent defense metabolism by regulating corresponding proteins, thus decreasing exocarp russet accumulation in semi-russet pear. This study provides a further understanding of pear russeting and plant defense mechanisms.

Russeting occurs via the epidermal suberin accumulation model in the phenol-ester protection system in pears, especially under excessive rainfall. To clarify the role of rain in the russeting mechanism, we applied multi-omics (transcriptome, metabolome, and proteome) integrated analysis from three colored pear cultivars grown under two rainfall conditions, including a no rain control (C) and a rain-abundant (R) treatment. Broad alterations occurred in 29 overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the response to stress and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Three overlapping differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and seven differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified among the three comparison groups. Cross-comparison of mRNA and protein data revealed co-expression of DEGs and DEPs. Suberin and phenylpropane were markedly enhanced, while cutin biosynthesis and fatty acid elongation were depressed in russet pears under R. In russet pears, the triacontane associated with wax composition was abruptly missing. Moreover, The PpyHHT1 (103966555) gene and encoded protein HHT1 (694406379), which acts as a ‘bridge’ between phenol- and ester- polymerization, had significantly upregulated expression. Collectively, we provide a comprehensive model of the molecular russeting mechanism, which provides powerful insight into russeting and shows the plasticity of plant defenses to cope with the harsh natural environment.

The development of dwarf fruit trees with smaller and compact characteristics leads to significantly increased fruit production, which is a major objective of pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) breeding. We identified the S-acylation activity of PbPAT14, an S-acyltransferase gene related to plant development, using a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) complementation assay, and also PbPAT14 could rescue the growth defect of the Arabidopsis mutant atpat14. We further studied the function of PbPAT14 by designing three guide RNAs for PbPAT14 to use in the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We obtained 22 positive transgenic pear lines via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using cotyledons from seeds of Pyrus betulifolia (&lsquo, Duli&rsquo, ). Six of these lines exhibited the dwarf yellowing phenotype and were homozygous mutations according to sequencing analysis. Ultrastructure analysis suggested that this dwarfism was manifested by shorter, thinner stems due to a reduction in cell number. A higher level of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and a higher transcript level of the ABA pathway genes in the mutant lines revealed that the PbPAT14 function was related to the ABA pathway. Overall, our experimental results increase the understanding of how PATs function in plants and help elucidate the mechanism of plant dwarfism.

In insects, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play essential roles in the detoxification of xenobiotic toxins and elimination of oxidative stress induced by toxic compounds. In the present study, a delta class GST gene (AiGSTd) was identified and characterized in the black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The deduced protein sequence of AiGSTd contained highly conserved features of GST enzymes and shared high identities with its orthologs from other lepidopteran species. Recombinant AiGSTD protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The protein displayed the GSH-dependent conjugating activity toward the substrate 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). Moreover, AiGSTD had the ability to protect DNA from oxidative damage, and the E. coli cells overexpressing AiGSTD showed long-term resistance to oxidative stress. The AiGSTd transcripts were most abundant in the larval midgut. Exposure to chlorpyrifos and lambda-cyhalothrin increased lipid peroxidation in larvae and significantly upregulated AiGSTd expression levels. This study is the first report of molecular characterization of a GST in A. ipsilon, and the present study suggest that AiGSTD might be involved in protecting against the oxidative stress induced by insecticides.

NADPH–cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is the most important redox partner of various cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) and plays a central role in multiple metabolic reactions. In this paper, a full-length cDNA encoding CPR (designated as CmCPR) was characterized in the rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee), a serious lepidopteran rice pest. The complete open reading frame of CmCPR was 2046 bp, encoding a protein consists of 681 amino acid residues. The secondary structure of CmCPR protein showed marked features of classical CPRs such as N-terminal anchor, conserved functional domains, and catalytic residues. Phylogenic analysis showed that CmCPR was clustered together with CPRs from other lepidopteran species. Recombinant CmCPR protein was expressed in E. coli, and the activity and kinetic parameters of the enzyme were determined. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR showed that the highest expression levels of CmCPR were detected in fourth- and fifth-instar larvae, and the transcriptional level in larval midgut tended to be higher than those in other tissues. Exposure to sublethal concentrations of three insecticides, abamectin, chlorpyrifos, and chlorantraniliprole, led to upregulated expression of CmCPR and several P450 genes. This work is the first report of molecular characterization of CPR gene in Cn. medinalis.

In insects, odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs) play essential roles in the degradation of volatile odorants and maintenance of olfactory sensitivity. ODEs include several enzyme families with detoxification functions, such as carboxylesterases (CXEs) and aldehyde oxidases (AOXs). The rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a serious rice insect pest in Asia. In this study, 18 putative CXE genes and four AOX genes were identified from the antennae of C. medinalis by retrieving a previously released transcriptome dataset. BLASTX searching and phylogenetic analyses showed that these genes are closely related to their respective orthologs in other lepidopteran species. Expression patterns of these genes were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Four candidate genes, including three CmedCXEs (CmedCXE17, CmedCXE20 and CmedCXE24) and one CmedAOX (CmedAOX2) were antenna-enriched and considered potentially involved in odorant degradation. Our findings provide a comprehensive sequence resource and expression profiles of CXE and AOX genes in C. medinalis antennae, which may facilitate further studies of the odorant degradation mechanisms in this insect species.

Wave propagation in a piezoelectric layered structure of a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) is studied. The accurate results of dispersion relation are calculated using the proposed elastic electrode model for both electroded and unelectroded layered plates. The differences of calculated cut-off frequencies between the current elastic electrode model and the simplified inertial electrode model (often used in the quartz resonator analysis) are illustrated in detail, which shows that an elastic electrode model is indeed needed for the accurate analysis of FBAR. These results can be used as an accurate criterion to calibrate the 2-D theoretical model for a real finite-size structure of FBAR.

The rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenee, is an important lepidopteran pest of rice in Asia. Insect olfactory proteins, including olfactory receptors (ORs), ionotropic receptors (IRs), odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), chemosensory proteins (CSPs) and sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), are responsible for perception of sex pheromones and host plant volatiles, and thus regulate insect behavior. In the present study, transcriptome sequencing was conducted for C. medinalis antennae to identify genes involved in olfaction. A total of 45800 unigenes were assembled from the transcriptome dataset. Of these, 19696 (43.0%) unigenes were annotated by searching against the NCBI non-redundant database. Functional classification of these unigenes were also conducted by using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG) databases. We identified 90 putative olfactory genes (including 37 novel ones): 46 ORs, 15 IRs, 12 OBPs, 15 CSPs and two SNMPs. BLASTX best hit results indicated that these genes were most identical to their respective orthologs from other lepidopteran insects. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) assays were performed to investigate the expression profiles of newly identified OR genes. All of the OR genes were antennae-specific or antennae-enriched. Of these, CmedOR28 and CmedOR31 were mainly expressed in male antennae, while CmedOR27 and CmedOR32 were enriched in female antennae. Our results establish a solid foundation for future functional studies of these genes.

Substantial harm to ecosystems from the use of chemical pesticides has led to an increasing interest in the use of biopesticides to control grasshoppers in rangelands, including China. One such potential biopesticide for control of grasshoppers is the fungus Paranosema locustae. In this study, the dynamics of aboveground natural enemies of grasshoppers and arthropod diversity 0&ndash, 9 years after application of P. locustae were investigated in rangeland in Qinghai Plateau, China. We found that the number of species and of individuals of aboveground natural enemies increased by 17&ndash, 250% and 40&ndash, 126%, respectively, after spraying P. locustae, and that the main natural enemies showed three peaks after treatment. The conventional indices of species diversity (H&rsquo, ) and evenness (J&rsquo, ) increased by 11&ndash, 267% and 13&ndash, 171%, respectively, after treatment with P. locustae. The results showed the positive effects of P. locustae on aboveground natural enemies and biodiversity in an arthropod community in Chinese rangeland. Paranosema locustae is thought to be a safe biological control agent for grasshopper management in Northwestern China.

Seeds of Arabidopsis contain ~40% oil, which is primarily in the form of triacylglycerol and it is converted to sugar to support post-germination growth. We identified an Arabidopsis T-DNA knockout mutant that is sugar-dependent during early seedling establishment and determined that the β-oxidation process involved in catabolising the free fatty acids released from the seed triacylglycerol is impaired. The mutant was confirmed to be transcriptional null for Protein Acyl Transferase 15, AtPAT15 (At5g04270), one of the 24 protein acyl transferases in Arabidopsis. Although it is the shortest, AtPAT15 contains the signature 'Asp-His-His-Cys cysteine-rich domain' that is essential for the enzyme activity of this family of proteins. The function of AtPAT15 was validated by the fact that it rescued the growth defect of the yeast protein acyl transferase mutant akr1 and it was also auto-acylated in vitro. Transient expression in Arabidopsis and tobacco localised AtPAT15 in the Golgi apparatus. Taken together, our data demonstrate that AtPAT15 is involved in β-oxidation of triacylglycerol, revealing the importance of protein S-acylation in the breakdown of seed-storage lipids during early seedling growth of Arabidopsis.

Insect glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play essential roles in the detoxification of insecticides and other xenobiotic compounds. The cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, is an economically important agricultural pest. In this study, 17 cDNA sequences encoding putative GSTs were identified in P. rapae. All cDNAs include a complete open reading frame and were designated PrGSTd1-PrGSTz2. Based on phylogenetic analysis, PrGSTs were divided into six classes (delta, epsilon, omega, sigma, theta and zeta). The exon-intron organizations of these PrGSTs were also analysed. Recombinant proteins of eight PrGSTs (PrGSTD1, PrGSTD2, PrGSTE1, PrGSTE2, PrGSTO1, PrGSTS1, PrGSTT1 and PrGSTZ1) were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and all of these proteins displayed glutathione-conjugating activity towards 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB). Expression patterns in various larval tissues, at different life stages, and following exposure to sublethal doses of abamectin, chlorantraniliprole or lambda-cyhalothrin were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. The results showed that PrGSTe3, PrGSTs1, PrGSTs2, and PrGSTs4 were mainly transcribed in the fat body, while PrGSTe2 was expressed predominantly in the Malpighian tubules. Four genes (PrGSTe2, PrGSTo4, PrGSTs4 and PrGSTt1) were mainly expressed in fourth-instar larvae, while others were ubiquitously expressed in egg, larval, pupa and/or adult stages. Abamectin treatment significantly upregulated ten genes (PrGSTd1, PrGSTd3, PrGSTe1, PrGSTe2, PrGSTo1, PrGSTo3, PrGSTs1, PrGSTs3, PrGSTs4 and PrGSTt1). Chlorantraniliprole and lambda-cyhalothrin treatment significantly upregulated nine genes (PrGSTd1, PrGSTd2, PrGSTe1, PrGSTe2, PrGSTe3, PrGSTs1, PrGSTs3, PrGSTs4 and PrGSTz1) and ten genes (PrGSTd1, PrGSTd3, PrGSTe1, PrGSTe2, PrGSTo1, PrGSTo2, PrGSTs1, PrGSTs2, PrGSTs3 and PrGSTz2), respectively. These GSTs are potentially involved in the detoxification of insecticides.

t is challenging to achieve good surface quality and high efficiency simultaneously when machining thin film solar panels. In this study the machining characteristics of a multilayered thin film structure were investigated using diamond wire sawing and grinding. It was found that the efficiency in sawing was significantly greater than that of the employed grinding process, but the machined surface quality was much worse. The results indicated that grinding could still be the solution for such processing and sawing must be improved before this technology could be further progressed for machining thin film multilayered structures.

In this paper, the piezoelectric film, electrodes and the silicon substrate of FBARs are modeled as a layered sandwich structure for studying the wave propagation in it. The harmonic solutions should satisfy the governing equations of each layer. Then, the dispersion relations can be obtained by the continuity conditions and boundary conditions. The dispersion curves are compared with the results when the electrodes are treated as inertia layers for model simplification. As a conclusion, the simplification usually used in dealing with quartz resonator will lead to an unacceptable error due to a big mass ratio of FBARs. Further, the vibration modes of the curves are discussed.

An X-band active radial-waveguide pulsed power amplifler (PA) with high power and high power added e-ciency (PAE) is designed, fabricated, and measured in this paper. A bandwidth of 1000MHz with peak power level of 53.2dBm at the frequency 9.85GHz, under the condition of 4kHz pulse repeat frequency (PRF) and 10% of duty cycle, has been obtained by flve-way radial waveguide power combiner. Key features of this combined device are its maximum PAE (> 43:6%) and combining e-ciency (> 92:8%). From 9.5 to 10.5GHz, the pulsed solid-state power amplifler (PSSPA) can provide a minimum output power level 51.4dBm, which operates on the repeat frequency 4kHz, duty cycle 10%. The gain varied between 41.4 and 43.1dB at the desired frequency range, with only less than §0:9-dB gain variation, which displayed a ∞at gain ripple. The PAE of the active combiner ∞uctuated between 36.5% and 43.6% as frequency varied from 9.5 to 10.5GHz.

用化学共沉淀法制备了Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9-La9.33Si6O26纳米复合氧离子导电材料,通过X射线衍射和透射电子显微镜对合成材料的相结构进行了分析,利用交流阻抗分析测试研究了材料的离子导电性.结果表明,纳米复合材料的煅烧粉末的平均晶粒尺寸为20nm、烧结陶瓷体的平均晶粒尺寸为44nm;700℃时,纳米复合导电体的离子导电率为0.25Ω/cm;在整个测试温度范围内,纳米复合导电体比纯La9.33Si6O26提高了3个以上数量级,并高于纯相Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9的导电性.

The aim of the present study was to genetically modify plantlets of the Chinese yali pear to reduce their expression of ripening-associated 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) and therefore increase the shelf-life of the fruit. Primers were designed with selectivity for the conserved regions of published ACO gene sequences, and yali complementary DNA (cDNA) cloning was performed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The obtained cDNA fragment contained 831 base pairs, encoding 276 amino acid residues, and shared no less than 94% nucleotide sequence identity with other published ACO genes. The cDNA fragment was inversely inserted into a pBI121 expression vector, between the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and the nopaline synthase terminator, in order to construct the anti‑sense expression vector of the ACO gene; it was transfected into cultured yali plants using Agrobacterium LBA4404. Four independent transgenic lines of pear plantlets were obtained and validated by PCR analysis. A Southern blot assay revealed that there were three transgenic lines containing a single copy of exogenous gene and one line with double copies. The present study provided germplasm resources for the cultivation of novel storage varieties of pears, therefore providing a reference for further applications of anti‑sense RNA technology in the genetic improvement of pears and other fruit.

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase catalyzes the final reaction of the ethylene biosynthetic pathway, converting ACC into ethylene. Past studies have shown a possible link between ACC oxidase and salicylic acid during fruit ripening in pear, but the relationship has received no more than modest study at the gene expression level. In this study, two cDNA clones encoding putative ACC oxidase, PpACO1 and PpACO2, were isolated from a cDNA library constructed by our own laboratory and produced using mRNA from mesocarp of pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai. cv.Whangkeumbae). One cDNA clone, designated PpACO1 (GenBank accession No. JN807390), comprised an open reading frame of 945 bp encoding a protein of 314 amino acids. The other cDNA, designated PpACO2 (GenBank accession No. JN807392), encodes a protein with 322 amino acids that shares high similarity with the known plant ACOs. Using PCR amplification techniques, two genomic clones corresponding to PpACO1 and PpACO2 were isolated and shown to contain independently three introns with typical GT/AG boundaries defining the splice junctions. The PpACO1 gene product shared 99 % identity with an ACC oxidase from pear (Pyrus × bretschneideri Rehd.cv.Yali), and phylogenetic analyses clearly placed the gene product in the ACC oxidase cluster of the pear 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily tree. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis indicated that the two PpACO genes are differentially expressed in pear tissues. PpACO1 and PpACO2 were predominantly expressed in fruit. The transcripts of PpACO1 were accumulated at relatively low levels in early fruit, but strongly high levels in fruit ripening and senescence stages, while the transcripts of PpACO2 were accumulated at higher levels in early fruit and much lower levels with further fruit cell development than the transcripts of PpACO1. In addition, PpACO1 gene was down-regulated in fruit by salicylic acid (SA). Nevertheless, PpACO2 gene was dramatically up-regulated in fruit by SA. These results suggested that the PpACOs may participate in regulation of fruit ripening and in response to SA in pear.

The bone morphogenetic protein receptor IB (BMPR-IB) gene was studied as a candidate gene for the prolificacy of goats. According to mRNA sequence of ovine BMPR-IB gene, ten pairs of primers were designed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of exon 1, exon 2, exon 6 to exon 10 and 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of the BMPR-IB gene in both high prolificacy breed (Jining Grey goat) and low prolificacy breeds (Wendeng Dairy and Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) method. Only the products amplified by primers P8 and P10 of the 3′UTR displayed polymorphisms. For primer P8, three genotypes (AA, AB and BB) were detected in Jining Grey and Wendeng Dairy goats, two genotypes (AA and AB) were in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats. Sequencing revealed one mutation (71C→T) of the BMPR-IB gene in genotype BB compared with AA. The differences of least squares mean (LSM) for litter size between genotypes AA, AB and BB were non-significant (P > 0.05) in Jining Grey goats. For primer P10, three genotypes (CC, CD and DD) were detected in Jining Grey and Wendeng Dairy goats and one genotype (CC) in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats. Sequencing revealed one mutation (130T→C) of the BMPR-IB gene in genotype DD compared with CC. The differences of LSM for litter size between genotypes CC, CD and DD were non-significant (P > 0.05) in Jining Grey goats. These results preliminarily showed that the detected loci of the BMPR-IB gene had no significant effect on prolificacy of Jining Grey goats.

To evaluate the sequential fecal occult blood test (SFOBT) program for the screening of colorectal cancer and elucidate the prevalence of colorectal cancer in Wuhan area.At 19 screening sites, 63,961 residents were recruited as target population according to random cluster and stratified sampling for four years (between 2005 and 2008). Residents aged over 40 years old received SFOBT. Those with positive SFOBT underwent colonoscopy.The target population was 63,961. There were 25,837 people whose age was over 40. Finally, 7784 participants received the SFOBT screening, with a medium age of 56 years old. The positive rate of SFOBT was 12.3% (956 persons). Of the 956 persons, 240 participants underwent colonoscopy. Colorectal cancer was found in 14 cases (6.5%), gastric cancer in 2 cases (0.9%), colorectal adenoma in 53 cases(24.8%), colorectal inflammation in 80 cases (37.3%) and hemorrhoids in 65 cases (30.4%).The prevalence of colorectal cancer is relatively high in Wuhan area. The SFOBT is available and feasible in screening early changes of colorectal cancer.

To investigate the clinical value of sequential intraoperative peritoneal lavage in reducing the positive rate of peritoneal exfoliated tumor cells.Six sequential intraoperative peritoneal lavages were performed in each of the 63 patients with rectal cancer, with three before resection and three post resection, which were then compared by using cytological smear examination.Exfoliated tumor cells were positive in the first three intraoperative peritoneal lavages of all the 63 patients before resection. The cytological smear examination of the three peritoneal lavage fluids after excision revealed that 40 cases were positive at the first lavage, 33 at the second and 13 at the third. The positive rate between the first and the second post-resection peritoneal lavages showed no significant difference (P0.05), while the positive rate of the third lavage was significantly lower than the second after resection (P0.01).Sequential intraoperative peritoneal lavages is a useful method in reducing the positive rate of peritoneal exfoliated tumor cells in patients with rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND The increased use of all-ceramic crown provides a rationale for tooth-colored core. Due to superior mechanical properties, Vita Celay infiltration ceramic developed for crown and bridge works presents the potential for fabricating all-ceramic posts and cores in one piece. This study was conducted to compare the fracture strength of endodontically treated teeth which were thereafter given different types of posts and cores and crowns restoration, respectively. The evaluated post-and-core systems are: custom-fabricated Celay all-ceramic post-core, custom cast metal post-core, and prefabricated stainless steel post (Parapost) with and without 2.0 mm dentine ferrule. METHODS Sixty freshly extracted human maxillary central incisors were endodontically treated and randomly divided into five groups with 12 samples each. Group A: Celay ceramic post-cores restored teeth with 2.0 mm dentine ferrule. Group B: Celay ceramic post-cores restored teeth with no dentine ferrule. Group C: cast metal post-cores restored teeth with 2.0 mm dentine ferrule. Group D: cast metal post-cores restored teeth with no dentine ferrule. Group E: prefabricated post and composite cores restored teeth with 2.0 mm dentine ferrule. All teeth were restored with Celay ceramic crowns. Each specimen was subjected to a load at a 45-degree angle to the long axis on MTS 810 material testing machine until failure, at crosshead speed of 0.02 cm/minute. Analysis of variance followed by the Newman-Keuls pairwise multiple comparison tests were used to compare the results of the groups tested. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference among the five groups (P < 0.01). Celay ceramic post-cores restored teeth with 2.0 mm dentine ferrule [(758.35+/-19.26) N] and cast metal post-cores restored teeth with 2.0 mm dentine ferrule [(756.63+/-66.22) N] had a significantly greater mean fracture strength than the other three groups in which no significant difference was observed. The 2.0 mm dentine ferrule could cause significant fracture resistance alteration of Celay post-core restored teeth. CONCLUSIONS When covered with Celay ceramic crowns, Celay post-cores restored teeth with 2.0 mm dentine ferrule and cast metal post-cores restored teeth with 2.0 mm dentine ferrule have similar fracture strength. There was a statistically significant difference between the fracture resistance of Celay post-core restored teeth with and without 2.0 mm dentine ferrule.

The parallel-disk sample holder used to measure the conductivity and the dielectric permittivity of dissipative materials is analyzed in terms of quasistatic electromagnetic theory. It is shown that the commonly used static solution is not accurate enough to interpret data at high frequencies. Interpretation of the data is improved when higher order correction terms are added to the zeroth-order static solution.

The brown colouration and rough appearance as russet and semi-russet (partial russet) are features unique to the popular Asian sand pear (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai.). The degree of russeting is different between different genotypes. Russeting is sensitive to water fluctuations, where excessive rainwater can trigger/elevate its development. However, the molecular mechanism of russeting is currently unclear. Here, we employed multi-omics, i.e., metabolomics, transcriptomics and proteomics and analyzed the effect of different sand pear genotypes and artificial rainfall on russeting of pear fruits. This led to the identification of 79, 64 and 29 differentially produced/expressed metabolites, transcripts and proteins that are involved in the biosynthesis of suberin, phenylpropane, cutin and waxes. Further analysis of these differentially expressed genes and their encoded proteins revealed that four of them exhibited high expression at both transcript and protein levels. Transient expression of one such gene, PbHHT1 (accession number 103966555) that encodes for ω-hydroxypalmitate-O-feruloyl transferase (HHT) in the young green non-russet fruits triggered premature suberization in the russeting pear genotypes. This coincided with the increased production of 16-feruloyloxypalmitic acid, a conjugated compound between phenols and esters during the polymerization for suberin formation. Collectively, our data from the combined three omics demonstrates that russeting in sand pear is a complex process involving the biosynthesis and transport of suberin and many other secondary metabolites.