SnRK2.6 interacts with phytochrome B and plays a negative role in red light-induced stomatal opening.

Light is an important environmental factor for plant growth and development. Phytochrome B (phyB), a classical red/far-red light receptor, plays vital role in controlling plant photomorphogenesis and light-induced stomatal opening. Phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates rapidly and triggers a series of physiological and molecular events during the responses to multiple abiotic stresses. Recent studies showed that phyB mutant synthesizes more ABA and exhibits improved tolerance to salt and cold stress, suggesting that a crosstalk exists between light and ABA signaling pathway. However, whether ABA signaling components mediate responses to light remains unclear. Here, we showed that SnRK2.6 (Sucrose Nonfermenting 1-Related Protein Kinase 2.6), a key regulator in ABA signaling, interacts with phyB and participates in light-induced stomatal opening. First, we checked the interaction between phyB and SnRK2s, and found that SnRK2.2/2.3/2.6 kinases physically interacted with phyB in yeast and in vitro. We also performed co-IP assay to support that SnRK2.6 interacts with phyB in plant. To investigate the role of SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening, we obtained the snrk2.6 mutant and overexpression lines, and found that snrk2.6 mutant exhibited a significantly larger stomatal aperture under red light treatment, while the two independent overexpression lines showed significantly smaller stomatal aperture, indicative of a negative role for SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening. The interaction of SnRK2.6 with red light receptor and the negative role of SnRK2.6 in red light-induced stomatal opening provide new evidence for the crosstalk between ABA and red light in guard cell signaling.

RIC7 plays a negative role in ABA-induced stomatal closure by inhibiting H2O2 production.

When plants encounter environmental stresses, phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) accumulates quickly and efficiently reduces water loss by inducing stomatal closure. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is an important regulator in ABA-induced stomatal closure, and ROS generation is modulated by multiple components in guard-cell ABA signaling. ROP interactive CRIB-containing protein 7 (RIC7) has been found to negatively regulate ABA-induced stomatal closure. However, the molecular details of the RIC7 function in this process are unclear. Here, by using two RIC7 overexpressing mutants, we confirmed the negative role of RIC7 in ABA-induced stomatal closure and found that guard cells of RIC7 overexpressing mutants generated less H2O2 than the wild type with ABA treatment, which were consistent with the reduced expression levels of ROS generation related NADPH oxidase genes AtRBOHD and AtRBOHF, and cytosolic polyamine oxidase genes PAO1 and PAO5 in the RIC7 overexpressing mutants. Furthermore, external applied H2O2 failed to rescue the defects of stomatal closure in RIC7 overexpressing mutants. These results suggest that RIC7 affects H2O2 generation in guard cells, and the function of H2O2 is dependent on RIC7 in ABA-induced stomatal closure, indicative of interdependency between RIC7 and H2O2 in ABA guard-cell signaling.

[Tolerance and vegetation restoration prospect of seedlings of five oak species for Pb/Zn mine tailing]. / 5ç§æ Žæ ‘å¹¼è‹—å¯¹é“ é”Œå°¾çŸ¿ç ‚çš„è€æ€§ä¸Žæ¤è¢«æ¢å¤å‰æ™¯.

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth response and vegetation restoration prospect of seedlings of five oak species for the phytoremediation of lead/zinc (Pb/Zn) mine tailings. Seedlings of Quercus imbricaria, Q. coccinea, Q. pagoda, Q. shumardii, Q. fabri were transplanted into pots containing Pb/Zn mine tailings to comparatively examine their biomass, root morphology, absorption and transfer characteristics of nutrient elements and heavy metals 30 months later. The results showed that all the seedlings could survive in the Pb/Zn tailings after 30 months. The biomass of Q. coccinea and Q. fabri decreased in Pb/Zn tailings compared with the control, while no significant difference were found for other three species. Compared with the control, root biomass was increased to some extent in Pb/Zn tailings except Q. coccinea. The lateral root morphological parameters were reduced only for Q. coccinea . Under heavy metal stress, nutrient concentrations of root and stem of oak seedlings did not change compared with the control. Generally, the concentrations of heavy metals in plant tissues were low, and the values of bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) were less than 1. Q. pagoda could accumulate more Cd, with concentrations of 22.4 and 15.1 mg·kg-1 in leaf and stem, respectively, and could translocate more Cd from root to shoot with TF of 2.3. Our results suggested that the seedlings of tested oak species could be used as the potential species for contaminated soil. Q. shumardii had the highest tole-rance with a low BCF and TF, implying that they were better potential candidates for afforestation and ecological restoration of mine tailings.

Activation of Endocannabinoid Receptor 2 as a Mechanism of Propofol Pretreatment-Induced Cardioprotection against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats.

Propofol pretreatment before reperfusion, or propofol conditioning, has been shown to be cardioprotective, while its mechanism is unclear. The current study investigated the roles of endocannabinoid signaling in propofol cardioprotection in an in vivo model of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and in in vitro primary cardiomyocyte hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) injury. The results showed that propofol conditioning increased both serum and cell culture media concentrations of endocannabinoids including anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) detected by LC-MS/MS. The reductions of myocardial infarct size in vivo and cardiomyocyte apoptosis and death in vitro were accompanied with attenuations of oxidative injuries manifested as decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS), malonaldehyde (MDA), and MPO (myeloperoxidase) and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) production. These effects were mimicked by either URB597, a selective endocannabinoids degradation inhibitor, or VDM11, a selective endocannabinoids reuptake inhibitor. In vivo study further validated that the cardioprotective and antioxidative effects of propofol were reversed by selective CB2 receptor antagonist AM630 but not CB1 receptor antagonist AM251. We concluded that enhancing endogenous endocannabinoid release and subsequent activation of CB2 receptor signaling represent a major mechanism whereby propofol conditioning confers antioxidative and cardioprotective effects against myocardial I/R injury.

Phytoremediation potential of transplanted bare-root seedlings of trees for lead/zinc and copper mine tailings.

Selecting plant species that can overcome unfavorable conditions and increase the recovery of degraded mined lands remains a challenge. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using transplanted tree seedlings for the phytoremediation of lead/zinc and copper mine tailings. One-year-old bare-root of woody species (Rhus chinensis Mill, Quercus acutissima Carruth, Liquidambar formosana Hance, Vitex trifolia Linn. var. simplicifolia Cham, Lespedeza cuneata and Amorpha fruticosa Linn) were transplanted into pots with mine tailings and tested as potential metal-tolerant plants. Seedling survival, plant growth, root trait, nutrient uptake, and metal accumulation and translocation were assessed. The six species grew in both tailings and showed different tolerance level. A. fruticosa was highly tolerant of Zn, Pb and Cu, and grew normally in both tailings. Metal concentrations were higher in the roots than in the shoots of the six species. All of the species had low bioconcentration and translocation factor values. However, R. chinensis and L. formosana had significantly higher translocation factor values for Pb (0.88) and Zn (1.78) than the other species. The nitrogen-fixing species, A. fruticosa, had the highest tolerance and biomass production, implying that it has great potential in the phytoremediation of tailing areas in southern China.

Efficacy of dexmedetomidine on postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a frequent complication in postoperative period. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of dexmedetomidine on PONV. METHODS: Two researchers independently searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager. RESULTS: Eighty-two trials with 6,480 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Dexmedetomidine reduced postoperative nausea (Risk Ratio (RR) = 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50 to 0.73) and vomiting (RR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.64) compared with placebo, with an effective dose of 0.5 ug/kg (RR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.62) and 1.0 ug/kg (RR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.75), respectively. The antiemetic effect can only be achieved intravenously, not epidurally or intrathecally. The efficacy of dexmedetomidine was similar to that of widely used agents, such as propofol, midazolam etc., but better than opioid analgesics. Moreover, application of dexmedetomidine reduced intraoperative requirement of fentanyl (Standard Mean Difference = -1.91, 95% CI: -3.20 to -0.62). CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis indicates that dexmedetomidine shows superiority to placebo, but not to all other anesthetic agents on PONV. And this efficacy may be related to a reduced consumption of intraoperative opioids.

Efficacy of dexmedetomidine on postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a frequent complication in postoperative period. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy of dexmedetomidine on PONV. METHODS: Two researchers independently searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager. RESULTS: Eighty-two trials with 6,480 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Dexmedetomidine reduced postoperative nausea (Risk Ratio (RR) = 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50 to 0.73) and vomiting (RR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.64) compared with placebo, with an effective dose of 0.5 µg/kg (RR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.62) and 1.0 µg/kg (RR = 0.29, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.75), respectively. The antiemetic effect can only be achieved intravenously, not epidurally or intrathecally. The efficacy of dexmedetomidine was similar to that of widely used agents, such as propofol, midazolam etc., but better than opioid analgesics. Moreover, application of dexmedetomidine reduced intraoperative requirement of fentanyl (Standard Mean Difference = -1.91, 95% CI: -3.20 to -0.62). CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis indicates that dexmedetomidine shows superiority to placebo, but not to all other anesthetic agents on PONV. And this efficacy may be related to a reduced consumption of intraoperative opioids.

Da-cheng-qi decoction, a traditional Chinese herbal formula, for intestinal obstruction: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed at determining the effects and safety of Da-Cheng-Qi decoction (DCQD) or DCQD combined with conservative therapy in patients with intestinal obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and several other databases were searched. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of DCQD or DCQD plus conservative therapy in patients with intestinal obstruction were eligible. Therapeutic effect was estimated by the improvement of clinical manifestations and diagnostic imaging; dichotomous/ordinal data assessment of overall response to therapy, adverse effects; or continuous variable were identified, including time to first bowel movement, time to first flatus, length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Sixty eligible RCTs including 6,095 patients were identified. Response rate: (1) DCQD versus conservative therapy (6 RCTs, 361 patients, RR of respond =1.13; 95% CI 0.97 to 1.31). (2) DCQD plus conservative therapy versus conservative therapy (48 RCTs, 4,916 patients, RR of respond =1.25 which favoured DCQD plus conservative therapy; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.30). Treatment effect remained similar when RCTs at high risk of bias were excluded. Time to first flatus postoperatively: (1) DCQD versus conservative therapy (2 RCTs, 240 patients, SMD=-3.65; 95% CI -8.17 to 0.87). (2) DCQD plus conservative therapy versus conservative therapy (11 RCTs, 1,040 patients, SMD=-2.09 which favoured DCQD plus conservative therapy; 95% CI -3.04 to -1.15). CONCLUSION: DCQD combined with conservative therapy may increase the success rate of conservative therapy for intestinal obstruction significantly and can shorten the duration of postoperative ileus in patients undergoing abdominal surgery compared with conservative therapy alone.

Effects of sevoflurane and propofol on right ventricular function and pulmonary circulation in patients undergone esophagectomy.

OBJECT: Sevoflurane and propofol are both widely used in clinical anesthesia. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of sevoflurane and propofol on right ventricular function and pulmonary circulation in patients receiving esophagectomy. METHODS: Forty adult patients undergoing an elective open-chest thoracotomy for esophagectomy were randomized to receive either propofol (n=20) or sevoflurane (n=20) as the main anesthetic agent. The study was performed in Changzheng Hospital. Hemodynamic data were recorded at specific intervals: before the surgery (T0), BIS values reaching 40 after anesthesia induction (T1), two-lung ventilation (T2), ten minutes after one-lung ventilation (T3), the end of the operation (T4) using PiCCO2 and Swan-Ganz catheter. RESULTS: CI, RVEF, RVSWI and RVEDVI were significantly smaller in propofol group than those in sevoflurane group throughout the surgery (P<0.05). However, SVRI was significantly greater in propofol group than that in sevoflurane group (P<0.05). Compared with the patients in propofol group, the patients who received sevoflurane had a greater reduction in OI and increase in Os/Ot (P<0.05). And, PVRI was significantly smaller in sevoflurane group than in propofol group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Anesthesia with sevoflurane preserved better right ventricular function than propofol in patients receiving esophagectomy. However, propofol improved oxygenation and shunt fraction during one-lung ventilation compared with sevoflurane anesthesia. To have the best effect, anesthesiologists can choose the two anesthetics flexibly according to the monitoring results.

Rescue of cAMP response element-binding protein signaling reversed spatial memory retention impairments induced by subanesthetic dose of propofol.

AIMS: The intravenous anesthetic propofol caused episodic memory impairments in human. We hypothesized propofol caused episodic-like spatial memory retention but not acquisition impairments in rats and rescuing cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling using selective type IV phosphodiesterase (PDEIV) inhibitor rolipram reversed these effects. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into four groups: control; propofol (25 mg/kg, intraperitoneal); rolipram; and rolipram + propofol (pretreatment of rolipram 25 min before propofol, 0.3 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). Sedation and motor coordination were evaluated 5, 15, and 25 min after propofol injection. Invisible Morris water maze (MWM) acquisition and probe test (memory retention) were performed 5 min and 24 h after propofol injection. Visible MWM training was simultaneously performed to resist nonspatial effects. Hippocampal CREB signaling was detected 5 min, 50 min, and 24 h after propofol administration. RESULTS: Rolipram did not change propofol-induced anesthetic/sedative states or impair motor skills. No difference was found on the latency to the platform during the visible MWM. Propofol impaired spatial memory retention but not acquisition. Rolipram reversed propofol-induced spatial memory impairments and suppression on cAMP levels, CaMKIIα and CREB phosphorylation, brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and Arc protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: Propofol caused spatial memory retention impairments but not acquisition inability possibly by inhibiting CREB signaling.

Osteopontin promoter polymorphisms at locus -443 significantly affect the metastasis and prognosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

UNLABELLED: Osteopontin (OPN) plays a crucial role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis. However, little is known about the impact of OPN polymorphisms on cancer progression. In this study, we first identified the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the OPN promoter region by direct sequencing in 30 HCCs, and then evaluated the prognostic values of the selected ones in two large cohorts of 826 HCC patients. The identified SNPs were functionally analyzed using in vitro and in vivo assays and their correlations with OPN levels were also evaluated. Only SNP at locus -443 and their related haplotypes (Ht2: -1748A/-616G/-443T/-155* [*indicates base deletion]; Ht3: -1748A/-616G/-443C/-155*) were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and time to recurrence (TTR). The patients with the -443TT/TC genotype or Ht2 had a shorter OS and TTR compared with those with -443CC genotype or Ht3. This was further confirmed in the validation cohort. Moreover, this correlation remained significant in patients with small HCCs (≤5 cm). Multivariate analyses indicated that the prognostic performance of the -443 genotypes (OS, P=0.031; TTR, P=0.005) and their related haplotypes (OS, P=0.002; TTR, P=0.001) was independent of other clinicopathological factors. The Ht2 and -443TT genotype could significantly increase the promoter transcriptional activity and expression level of OPN compared with the Ht3 or -443CC genotype, and lead to an obvious increase in both in vitro invasion and in vivo tumor growth and lung metastasis of HCC cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The genetic variation at locus -443 of the OPN promoter plays important roles in the regulation of OPN expression and cancer progression of HCCs, which is a novel determinant and target for HCC metastasis and prognosis.

[Effects of treating with concentrated sulfuric acid on the seed germination of ten Hibiscus hamabo provenance families].

The seeds from ten Hibiscus hamabo provenance families were treated with concentrated sulfuric acid for different durations (0, 10, 15, and 20 min) , and the seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index, as well as the seed relative water adsorption rate, soluble sugar and starch contents, and alpha-amylase activity during the germination, were determined, aimed to study the effects of treating with concentrated sulfuric acid on the seed germination of H. hamabo and the differences of the seed germination among different H. hamabo provenance families. After treated with concentrated sulfuric acid, the seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index increased significantly, and the germination time shortened remarkably. Treating with concentrated sulfuric acid for 15 minutes had the best effect, i. e., the germination rate, germination energy, and germination index were up to 95.7%, 91.3%, and 13.28, respectively, and the germination time was the shortest. The seed germination rate, germination energy, and germination index differed significantly with different provenance families, the highest germination index (15.13) being 2.12 times of the lowest germination index (7.15), and the highest germination energy (98.0%) being 1.77 times of the lowest one (55.5%). Treating with concentrated sulfuric acid accelerated the physiological and biochemical processes of seed germination, and the relative water absorption rate, soluble sugar content, and a-amylase activity were decreased after an initial increase, with the maximum at the early stage of germination. There was a significant negative relationship between the seed starch content and the seed germination index.

Association of specific genotypes in metastatic suppressor HTPAP with tumor metastasis and clinical prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The phosphatidic acid phosphatase HTPAP has been defined as a metastatic suppressor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but little is known about its function or potential applications as a prognostic marker. In this study, we analyzed patterns of HTPAP genetic variation and gene expression in 864 patients who underwent HCC resection, assessing these patterns for correlations to tumor metastasis potential. Focusing on two tagSNPs that were selected (+357G/C and +1838A/G), we found that only the +357G/C genotype was significantly associated with HTPAP mRNA and protein expression levels and the probability of metastasis. In an independent cohort of 665 HCC patients, we determined that the +357G/C genotype was associated with shorter time to recurrence and overall survival. Together, these results indicated that the HTPAP tagSNP +357 GG+GC genotypes may influence HCC metastatic potential and clinical prognosis by down-regulating HTPAP expression. Extending these results, a global expression profiling analysis identified 41 genes including the pro-inflammatory genes IL-8 and TLR2 that were significantly overexpressed in the +357 GG+GC group, as possible coregulated markers with HTPAP. Together, our findings identify an HTPAP genotype and associated gene expression pattern that favors metastasis progression and that could be used to predict tumor metastasis and prognosis in HCC patients.

Protective effects of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

BACKGROUND: The effects of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (HES130/0.4) on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and its mechanism are uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of HES 130/0.4 on myocardial I/R injury. METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to sham-operation group (S group), ischemia-reperfusion group (I/R group), albumin-I/R group (A-I/R group) and HES130/0.4-I/R group (H-I/R group). The fluids were administered at 25 minutes after ischemia. H-I/R group was given 7.5 ml/kg of HES 130/0.4; I/R group and A-I/R group received the same volume of normal saline and 5% albumin, respectively. The rats in S group were sham operated and received the same fluid as I/R group. After 30 minutes of ischemia and 3 hours of reperfusion, blood samples were taken for cytokines assay, myocardium was excised for detection of NF-κB activity and myocardial infarction areas were taken for immunohistochemical analysis. RESULTS: Hemodynamic parameters of H-I/R group were better than I/R and A-I/R groups at all designated time points. The results of 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium (TTC) and HE staining were better in the H-I/R group. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), NF-κB activity and concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1ß were elevated markedly in I/R groups. HES130/0.4 lessened the release of TNF-α and IL-1ß consistent with the reduction of MPO activity, and HES 130/0.4 inhibited the activity of NF-κB in H-I/R group. The number of apoptotic cells in the H-I/R group was also significantly reduced compared with I/R and A-I/R group CONCLUSION: HES130/0.4 has a protective effect on I/R injured myocardium, probably by inhibiting NF-κB activity, reducing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and interfering with the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes.

Downregulation of HTPAP transcript variant 1 correlates with tumor metastasis and poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Our previous study has identified HTPAP as a novel metastasis suppressor from chromosome 8p which is often deleted in metastatic HCC. We sought to further evaluate the expression levels of transcript variants of HTPAP (HTPAP-1, HTPAP-2 and HTPAP-3) in 67 HCC tumor tissues and 11 normal liver tissues by RT-PCR with specific TaqMan probes and primer sets, and explore their association with HCC metastasis and survival. We found that the expression levels of three HTPAP transcript variants were quite different in HCCs. Only HTPAP-1 was found to be significantly associated with HCC metastasis (P=0.00053), overall survival (P=0.0023) and time to recurrence (P=0.010) of HCC. Patients with a lower expression of HTPAP-1 were inclined to accompany intrahepatic metastases and tumor thrombi (P<0.05) and had a poor prognosis. In vitro, three fusion pEGFP-N1 vectors encoding HTPAP-1, HTPAP-2 and HTPAP-3 were introduced into HCC cells respectively to track HTPAPs' expressions and identify their function. We found overexpression of HTPAP-1 conferred HCC cells reduced ability of invasion without significant impact on cell proliferation, and also displayed a distinct cell location on cell membrane and in cytoplasm, which were different from two other variants. Consequently, HTPAP-1 may be the transcript of HTPAP to exhibit a suppressive role on HCC metastasis, and can be a prognostic marker for HCC.

Human mesenchymal stem cells inhibit metastasis of a hepatocellular carcinoma model using the MHCC97-H cell line.

The effects of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on the growth and metastasis of human malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are controversial, and the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. The aim of this study was to explore the role of MSC in the progression of HCC. We investigated the effect of MSC on in vitro proliferation and invasion and in vivo tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis of MHCC97-H HCC cells with a high metastatic potential. The mRNA and protein levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGFß1) and MMP, and their association with the effects of MSC on HCC cells were also evaluated. Co-culture of MHCC97-H cells with MSC conditioned medium significantly enhanced in vitro proliferation but inhibited invasiveness. Following MSC treatment of a nude mouse model bearing human HCC, the MSC were predominantly located in the HCC tissues. Compared with controls, MSC-treated mice exhibited significantly larger tumors (3080.51 ± 1234.78 mm(3) vs 2223.75 ± 1000.60 mm(3), P = 0.045), but decreased cellular numbers of lung metastases (49.75 ± 18.86 vs 227.22 ± 74.67, P = 0.046). Expression of TGFß1 and MMP-2 was significantly downregulated in the MSC-treated HCC cells. TGFß siRNA concurrently downregulated expression of TGFß and MMP-2 in HCC cells and blocked the MSC-induced proliferation and invasiveness of MHCC97-H cells. The MSC enhanced tumor growth but significantly inhibited the invasiveness and metastasis of HCC, possibly through downregulation of TGFß1. These findings suggest that MSC could be useful in controlling metastatic recurrence of HCC.

[Photosynthetic characters of Quercus acutissima from different provenances under effects of salt stress].

The photosynthetic characteristics of Quercus acutissima from Feixian, Chuzhou and Wanyuan provenances were investigated under NaCl stress at 5 concentrations. For the three provenances, their leaf chlorophyll a (Chl a) and chlorophyll b (Chl b) contents and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) decreased with increasing salt stress, among which, the maximal decrement of Chl a content was 21.5%-36.1% for Feixian provenance, and 3.5%-19.8% for Wanyuan provenance. The diurnal variation of Pn, in control groups had a single peak, and no midday photosynthetic depression was observed. Under high salt stress, all the provenances presented midday photosynthetic depression. Path analysis indicated that the major factors affecting Pn were vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and leaf temperature (Tl) , while the minor factors were stomatal conductance (Gs) , intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and photosynthetically active radiation (PARi). In the control groups, the photosynthetic characteristics mainly depended on the climate factors of provenance location. Based on the variations of leaf chlorophyll contents and Pn among the provenances under different salt stress, Wanyuan provenance had the highest salt tolerance, followed by Chuzhou provenance, and Feixian provenance.

[Sensitivity evaluation and key sensitive factors identification of soil erosion around Hangzhou Bay based on RUSLE].

By using GIS and RS techniques and RUSLE, the rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), vegetation and management factor (C), and slope length and steepness factor (LS) around Hangzhou Bay of Zhejiang Province, China were calculated to make a comprehensive sensitivity evaluation of soil erosion in the study area. In the meantime, the contribution of each natural factor, i. e., rainfall, soil texture, slope, and elevation, was analyzed, and a new approach, overlapping and ordering method, was developed to identify the key affecting factors in the given sensitive areas. In the study area, soil erosion was mainly at non-sensitive and low sensitive levels. The percentages of the areas with different soil erosion sensitivity varied with the strength of the affecting factors. Soil erosion sensitivity increased with increasing rainfall and slope, and the percentage of the area with high soil erosion sensitivity was the largest at elevation 200-500 meters. The overlapping and ordering method was a practicable approach in identifying the key affecting factors in given sensitive areas, being helpful to understand the mechanisms causing soil erosion.

Lentiviral-mediated miRNA against osteopontin suppresses tumor growth and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

UNLABELLED: In our previous study, osteopontin (OPN) was identified as one of the leading genes that promote the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism by which OPN promotes metastasis of HCC is not understood. In this study, RNA interference mediated by viral vectors-which could induce a long-lasting down-regulation in gene expression-was applied to analyze the role of OPN in metastasis of HCC. Three lentiviral vectors encoding microRNA against OPN, Lenti.OPNi-1, Lenti.OPNi-2, and Lenti.OPNi-3, were constructed and found to down-regulate the OPN level by 62%, 78%, and 95%, respectively, in HCCLM3 cells which had an overexpression of OPN and a higher metastatic potential. Consequently, both Lenti.OPNi-2 and Lenti.OPNi-3 induced a significant decrease in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and urokinase plasminogen activator expression, and led to an obvious inhibition of both in vitro invasion and in vivo lung metastasis of HCCLM3 cells (P < 0.001). Moreover, Lenti.OPNi-3, rather than Lenti.OPNi-2, could also suppress in vitro proliferation and in vivo tumor growth of HCCLM3. Smaller detectable tumors were found in only 50% of mice after implantation of Lenti.OPNi-3-transfected HCCLM3 cells (341 +/- 502.6 mm(3) versus >3500 mm(3) in controls; P < 0.001). Lenti.OPNi-3, not Lenti.OPNi-2, significantly suppressed the MEK/ERK1/2 pathway in HCCLM3 cells. Recombinant OPN was found to induce translocation of p65 into the nucleus of HCC cells and activation of MMP-2 and MEK/ERK/1/2, which were suppressed by the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. CONCLUSION: OPN plays an important role in metastasis as well as tumor growth of HCC, in which different minimum threshold levels of OPN are needed. These effects may occur through activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase and NF-kappaB pathways, and MMP-2. OPN could be a hopeful target for the control of HCC.