Mimecan is involved in aortic hypertrophy induced by sinoaortic denervation in rats

This study was designed to investigate whether mimecan was involved in aortic hypertrophy induced by sinoaortic denervation in rats. 8 weeks after sinoaortic denervation, when compared to sham-operated rats, sinoaortic denervated rats exhibited aortic hypertrophy and down-regulation of mimecan. Through classic univariate correlation analysis, it was found that mimecan mRNA was negatively related to extent of aortic hypertrophy. Treatment of primary cultured vascular smooth muscle cells with the Ang II (1 μM), which was found locally increased in the aortae of sinoaortic denervated rats, resulted in a reduction of mimecan expression. In vitro, knockdown of mimecan in vascular smooth muscle cells promoted cell proliferation induced by 15% of fetal bovine serum or Ang II (1 μM). We concluded that down-regulation of mimecan was involved in aortic hypertrophy induced by sinoaortic denervation in rats.     

Paternal age and the occurrence of birth defects

The association between paternal age and the occurrence of birth defects was studied using data collected in Metropolitan Atlanta. Paternal-age information for babies born with defects was obtained from birth certificates, hospital records, and interviews with mothers; for babies born without defects, the information was obtained from birth certificates. Several statistical techniques were used to evaluate the paternal-age-birth-defects associations for 86 groups of defects. Logistic regression analysis that controlled for maternal age and race indicated that older fathers had a somewhat higher risk for having babies with defects, when all types of defects were combined; an equivalent association for older mothers was not found. Logistic regression analyses also indicated modestly higher risks for older fathers for having babies with ventricular septal defects and atrial septal defects and substantially higher risks for having babies with defects classified in the category chondrodystrophy (largely sporadic achondroplasia) and babies with situs inversus. An association between elevated paternal age and situs inversus has not been reported before; the magnitude of the estimated increased risk for situs inversus was about the same as that found in this study for chondrodystrophy.     

A possible structure of retrograded maize starch speculated by UV and IR spectra of it and its components

“Retrogradation” has been used to describe the changes that occur in starch after gelatinization, from an initially amorphous state to a more ordered or crystalline state, which has a significant impact on starch application in food, textiles and materials fields. But mechanism of starch retrogradation is still unclear until now and there is no breakthrough in this area. Here we are speculating a possible structure of retrograded maize starch by UV (binding with iodine) and IR spectra of it and its compositions. We speculate that nucleation of retrograded starch origins from combination of reducing end of amylopectin and non-reducing end of amylose, and retrogradation terminates at combining of non-reducing end of amylopectin and reducing end of amylose. The chain length of resistant digestion retrograded starch should be nearly same. The hydroxyl associated with sixth carbon atoms of glucan must form hydrogen bond with other hydroxyl of starch.     

GhCAX3 Gene,a Novel Ca2+/H+ Exchanger from Cotton,Confers Regulation of Cold Response and ABA Induced Signal Transduction

As a second messenger, Ca²⁺ plays a major role in cold induced transduction via stimulus-specific increases in [Ca²⁺]_cyt, which is called calcium signature. During this process, CAXs (Ca²⁺/H⁺ exchangers) play critical role. For the first time, a putative Ca²⁺/H⁺ exchanger GhCAX3 gene from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum cv. ‘YZ-1′) was isolated and characterized. It was highly expressed in all tissues of cotton except roots and fibers. This gene may act as a regulator in cotton’s response to abiotic stresses as it could be up-regulated by Ca²⁺, NaCl, ABA and cold stress. Similar to other CAXs, it was proved that GhCAX3 also had Ca²⁺ transport activity and the N-terminal regulatory region (NRR) through yeast complementation assay. Over-expression of GhCAX3 in tobacco showed less sensitivity to ABA during seed germination and seedling stages, and the phenotypic difference between wild type (WT) and transgenic plants was more significant when the NRR was truncated. Furthermore, GhCAX3 conferred cold tolerance in yeast as well as in tobacco seedlings based on physiological and molecular studies. However, transgenic plant seeds showed more sensitivity to cold stress compared to WT during seed germination, especially when expressed in N-terminal truncated version. Finally, the extent of sensitivity in transgenic lines was more severe than that in WT line under sodium tungstate treatment (an ABA repressor), indicating that ABA could alleviate cold sensitivity of GhCAX3 seeds, especially in short of its NRR. Meanwhile, we also found that overexpression of GhCAX3 could enhance some cold and ABA responsive marker genes. Taken together, these results suggested that GhCAX3 plays important roles in the cross-talk of ABA and cold signal transduction, and compared to full-length of GhCAX3, the absence of NRR could enhance the tolerance or sensitivity to cold stress, depending on seedling’s developmental stages.     

Chromosome‐level reference genome of X12, a highly virulent race of the soybean cyst nematode Heterodera glycines

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) is a major pest of soybean that is spreading across major soybean production regions worldwide. Increased SCN virulence has recently been observed in both the United States and China. However, no study has reported a genome assembly for H. glycines at the chromosome scale. Herein, the first chromosome‐level reference genome of X12, an unusual SCN race with high infection ability, is presented. Using whole‐genome shotgun (WGS) sequencing, Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) sequencing, Illumina paired‐end sequencing, 10X Genomics linked reads and high‐throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi‐C) genome scaffolding techniques, a 141.01‐megabase (Mb) assembled genome was obtained with scaffold and contig N50 sizes of 16.27 Mb and 330.54 kilobases (kb), respectively. The assembly showed high integrity and quality, with over 90% of Illumina reads mapped to the genome. The assembly quality was evaluated using Core Eukaryotic Genes Mapping Approach and Benchmarking Universal Single‐Copy Orthologs. A total of 11,882 genes were predicted using de novo, homolog and RNAseq data generated from eggs, second‐stage juveniles (J2), third‐stage juveniles (J3) and fourth‐stage juveniles (J4) of X12, and 79.0% of homologous sequences were annotated in the genome. These high‐quality X12 genome data will provide valuable resources for research in a broad range of areas, including fundamental nematode biology, SCN–plant interactions and co‐evolution, and also contribute to the development of technology for overall SCN management.     

阿维菌素、伊维菌素和芽孢杆菌对美洲斑潜蝇的防治效果

田间试验结果表明 ,阿维菌素对美洲斑潜Liriomyzasativae蝇幼虫防效较好 ,优于伊维菌素对美洲斑潜蝇的防效 ,可较好地控制美洲斑潜蝇幼虫的危害 ,而Btg,Bti,Bs不宜单独用于防治美洲斑潜蝇幼虫。阿维菌素用量为 0 2 7,0 3 6,0 45g (a .i.) 667m2 时 ,对美洲斑潜蝇幼虫防效第 7d校正防效为 65 %左右 ,施药后第 1 1d校正防效为 85 48%～ 99 0 5 % ,施药后第 1 5d校正防效为 90 94%～ 99 89%。伊维菌素 0 5g (a .i.) 667m2 施药后第 3 ,7,1 1d校正防效分别为 61 67% ,90 5 3 % ,90 93 % ,伊维菌素 0 2 5g(a i ) 667m2 相应防效为 5 7.71 % ,84 68% ,85 83 %。Btg ,Bti,Bs施药后第 3 ,7,1 1d校正防效为 3 3 88%～ 5 5 5 4%。     

The conformation of gramicidin A in dimethylsulphoxide solution. A full analysis of the one- and two-dimensional 1H, 13C, and 15N nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectra

The combined application of one- and two-dimensional high-field NMR techniques has led to the first assignment of the 1H, 13C, and 15N spectra of the pentadecapeptide gramicidin A in dimethylsulphoxide solution. The 62.9-MHz and 100.6-MHz 13C spin-lattice relaxation times and 13C-[1H] NOE factors for the backbone alpha carbons have been analysed in the 'model-free' approach to give a single correlation time (tau m) for isotropic overall molecular motion and an order parameter and internal correlation time for each C alpha H group in the backbone. The relatively high and constant values for the order parameter along the backbone indicate a degree of ordering of the structure, while the internal correlation times show that internal motions are progressively more rapid towards the N terminus. The average values of the vicinal HNC alpha H couplings are 7.4 Hz and 8.4 Hz respectively for the alternate L- and D-amino acid residues. The values are not consistent with either a ribbon conformation for the backbone or a right-handed beta 6.3 helix; they are consistent with the model proposed by Glickson et al. [Glickson, J. D., Mayers, D. F., Settine, J. M. & Urry, D. W. (1972) Biochemistry 11, 477-486] in which there is a rapid conformational order in equilibrium disorder equilibrium, the ordered structure being the left-handed beta 6.3 helix and the disordered state having local random-coil character.     

Design and synthesis of novel Gefitinib analogues with improved anti-tumor activity

There is an urgent need to design and develop new and more potent EGFR inhibitors with improved anti-tumor activity. Here we describe the design and synthesis of two series of 4-benzothienyl amino quinazolines as new analogues of the EGFR inhibitor Gefitinib. The anti-tumor activity of these novel Gefitinib analogues in 6 human cancer cell lines was examined. Compared with the parental Gefitinib, most of the new compounds show a markedly increased cytotoxicity to cancer cells. Furthermore, several of the series B compounds that side chains at position 7 contain either a methyl or ethyl group are potent pan-RTK inhibitors. Two representative compounds in this class, 15 and 17, have an enhanced capability to inhibit cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis in vitro and inhibit tumor formation in vivo in human cancer cells with high HER-2, as compared with the parental Gefitinib. Thus they may be promising lead compounds to be developed as an alternative for current Gefitinib therapy or for Gefitinb-resistant patients, potentially via simultaneously blocking multiple RTK signaling pathways.