Genomic Dissection and Diurnal Expression Analysis Reveal the Essential Roles of the PRR Gene Family in Geographical Adaptation of Soybean.

Pseudo-response regulator (PRR) family members serve as key components of the core clock of the circadian clock, and play important roles in photoperiodic flowering, stress tolerance, growth, and the development of plants. In this study, 14 soybean PRR genes were identified, and classified into three groups according to phylogenetic analysis and structural characteristics. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis revealed that 13 GmPRRs exhibited obvious rhythmic expression under long-day (LD) and short-day (SD) conditions, and the expression of 12 GmPRRs was higher under LD in leaves. To evaluate the effects of natural variations in GmPRR alleles on soybean adaptation, we examined the sequences of GmPRRs among 207 varieties collected across China and the US, investigated the flowering phenotypes in six environments, and analyzed the geographical distributions of the major haplotypes. The results showed that a majority of non-synonymous mutations in the coding region were associated with flowering time, and we found that the nonsense mutations resulting in deletion of the CCT domain were related to early flowering. Haplotype analysis demonstrated that the haplotypes associated with early flowering were mostly distributed in Northeast China, while the haplotypes associated with late flowering were mostly cultivated in the lower latitudes of China. Our study of PRR family genes in soybean provides not only an important guide for characterizing the circadian clock-controlled flowering pathway but also a theoretical basis and opportunities to breed varieties with adaptation to specific regions and farming systems.

Characteristics of Invasive Pulmonary Fungal Diseases Diagnosed by Pathological Examination.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the characteristics of invasive pulmonary fungal disease and the spectrum of pathogens causing invasive pulmonary fungal disease diagnosed by pathological examination using fungal stains. METHODS: Patients with an invasive pulmonary fungal disease diagnosed by histopathological analysis through the use of fungal stains (including Grocott's methenamine silver and periodic acid-Schiff stains) were included in this study. The clinical records, radiological reports, pathology, and fungal culture results were reviewed. RESULTS: Forty-eight invasive pulmonary fungal disease patients diagnosed by histopathological analysis in the Tianjin Haihe Hospital (including 8 cases obtained by pulmonary resection, 35 cases by fiberoptic bronchoscopic biopsy, and 5 cases by percutaneous lung biopsy) were included. There were 24 male and 24 female patients, aged 21-80 years (53 ± 13 years). There were 37 cases of pulmonary aspergillosis, 4 cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis, 2 cases of pulmonary mucormycosis, and 5 in which pathogens were not determined due to limited tissue availability. Among 48 cases, 32 specimens were submitted to fungal culture. No fungus was detected in culture, although 26 cases of fungus infections were diagnosed by histopathological analysis. Only 3 cases were consistent between histopathological and culture results. In 3 cases, the pathogen was identified as Aspergillus spp. by the histopathological analysis, while the contrasting fungal culture results identified Candida albicans. CONCLUSION: Candida albicans pneumonia was rare, while aspergillosis was common in invasive pulmonary fungal disease diagnosed by histopathological analysis. The majority of patients with an invasive pulmonary fungal disease were culture-negative. Although culture can clarify the fungal pathogen species, it has low sensitivity. Pathological examination with fungal stains has its advantages in diagnosing fungal disease; therefore, more attention should be paid to the role of pathological examination in the diagnosis of fungal disease.

Thermally Induced trans-to-cis Isomerization and Its Photoinduced Reversal Monitored using Absorption and Luminescence: Cooperative Effect of Metal Coordination and Steric Substituent.

For ethene derivatives with large groups the cis-isomer is often quite unstable and unavailable. Herein, we report an exception of two stable coordination complexes, (cis-L)ZnCl2 , starting from trans-1,2-bis(1-R-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)ethene (R=H, L1; R=CH3 , L2) ligands under solvothermal condition (T ≥140 °C). Using the intensity of the absorption and luminescence spectra as probes we proposed its progressive cis-to-trans reversal upon irradiation with UV light, which was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Similar results observed in the series of (cis-L2)MII Cl2 [M=Fe (4), Co (5), Ni (6)] demonstrate the universal strategy. The results of PXRD, NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS and DFT calculations support the above conclusion. NMR spectroscopy indicates that irradiation of 1 converts an optimized 71 % of the cis-isomer to trans, whereas the free trans-L1 ligand transforms to only 15 % cis-isomer under similar conditions.

[Eleven fatal cases with A H1N1 influenza in Tianjin].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical characteristics of fatal cases with confirmed A H1N1 influenza so as to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this severe disease. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 11 fatal cases with A H1N1 influenza in Tianjin between September 1 and November 4 2009. RESULTS: There were 6 males and 5 females with a median age of 25 (21 - 36) years old. Two cases were pregnant women and 3 patients suffered such concurrent disorders as dilated cardiomyopathy, multiple myeloma or atrophic gastritis. Over 3 lung fields were involved on chest imaging studies and the oxygenation index was less than 300 mm Hg at admission. The therapies of oseltamivir and methylprednisolone were administered and mechanical ventilation was initiated within 24 hours. Refractory hypoxemia and a higher level of lactate dehydrogenase were present during treatment. Pneumothorax or mediastinal emphysema occurred in 4 patients, acute renal failure in 1 and pneumopyothorax in 1. The culture of airway secretion at 3 - 7 days after mechanical ventilation showed Staphylococcus aureus in 4 patients and Aspergillus in 2. The progress of disease was so quick that the duration from onset of clinical symptoms to hospitalization was a median of 4 (3 - 6) days and the duration from onset of clinical symptoms to death a median of 12 days. CONCLUSION: The fatal cases with A H1N1 influenza in Tianjin occurred mostly in young individuals and pregnant women. This severe disease had a rapid progression. And bacterial co-infections were quite common. Refractory hypoxemia resulting in respiratory failure was the main mortality reason.

Inhibition of STAT3 and ErbB2 suppresses tumor growth, enhances radiosensitivity, and induces mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in glioma cells.

PURPOSE: Constitutively activated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and ErbB2 are involved in the pathogenesis of many tumors, including astrocytoma. Inactivation of these molecules is reported to result in radiosensitization. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether inhibition of STAT3, ErbB2, or both could enhance radiotherapy in the human glioma model (U251 and U87 cell lines). METHODS AND MATERIALS: The RNAi plasmids targeting STAT3 or ErbB2 were constructed, and their downregulatory effects on target proteins were examined by immunoblotting. After combination treatment of RNAi with or without irradiation, the cell viability was determined using 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and clonogenic assays. The in vivo effect of combined treatment was determined using the U251 xenograft model. The apoptosis caused by the inhibition of STAT3 and ErbB2 was detected, and the mechanism involved in the apoptosis was investigated, including increases in caspase proteins, mitochondrial damage, and the expression of key modulating protein of different apoptosis pathways. RESULTS: Transfection of U251 cells with STAT3 or ErbB2 siRNA plasmids specifically reduced their target gene expressions. Inhibition of STAT3 or ErbB2 greatly decreased glioma cell survival after 2, 4, or 6 Gy irradiation. Inhibition of STAT3 and ErbB2 also enhanced radiation-induced tumor growth inhibition in the U251 xenograft model. Furthermore, the suppression of either STAT3 or ErbB2 could induce U251 cell apoptosis, which was related primarily to the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that simultaneous inhibition of STAT3 and ErbB2 expression can promote potent antitumor activity and radiosensitizing activity in human glioma.

[Biological effect of gamma-rays and LPS on the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 in mice].

AIM: To explore the effect of activating the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7 by both gamma-rays and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and to study the expression of calcium-binding protein S100A8 induced by gamma-rays and LPS. METHODS: The RAW264.7 cells were observed by phase contrast microscope. The cell cycle and the level of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) were detected by flow cytometry (FCM). The production of NO was measured by colorimetric Griess reaction. The mRNA expression of S100A8 was recorded by real-time quantitative RT-PCR method. RESULTS: The exposure of RAW264.7 cells to gamma-rays and LPS resulted in the morphological change of cells, the rise of cells number of aneuploid and apoptosis, and the rise of the level of ROI, NO and S100A8 mRNA. The effect of using both gamma-rays and LPS was stronger than that of single gamma-rays or LPS treatment. CONCLUSION: The mechanism of using both gamma-rays and LPS for activating macrophages is owing to the various biological effects including the change of cell cycle, the change of the level of messenger molecules and the expression of inflammation factor such as S100A8. The expression of S100A8 gene is closely correlated with the function and state of macrophages.

Reliability and validity of Job Content Questionnaire in Chinese petrochemical employees.

To evaluate psychometric properties the Chinese (mainland) version of the 30-item Job Content Questionnaire was administered to 889 employees in 4 industries of PetroChina. A retest at 3 months with 296 randomly chosen employees showed reliabilities ranged from .76 to .93. Cronbach coefficients alpha for the 8 dimensions ranged from .43 to .88, indicating that the Job Insecurity subscale had low internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis showed 8 meaningful factors corresponding to the 8 theoretical dimensions of this questionnaire. This version has variable a but suitable retest to be a reliable and valid measure of job strain, applicable to the Chinese industrial working population of PetroChina.