Conventional and biodegradable microplastics affected arsenic mobility and methylation in paddy soils through distinct chemical-microbial pathways.

The presence of microplastics (MPs) in paddy soil has become a growing concern, yet the influence of MPs on arsenic (As) dynamics in paddy soil remains largely unexplored. A 98-day microcosm experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of MPs on As behavior in As-contaminated paddy soil. The results revealed that conventional microplastics (CMPs) reduced As concentration in porewater by 25-38 %, but substantially increased the percentage of methylated As (% MeAs) in soil by 8-23 times under 5 % dosages after 98-day incubation.

Penicillium fungi mediate behavioral responses of the yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée) to apple fruits via altering the emissions of host plant VOCs.

Plant-associated microbes have been reported as important but overlooked drivers of plant-herbivorous insect interactions. Influence of plant-associated microbes on plant-insect interactions is diverse, including beneficial, detrimental, and neutral. Here, we determined the effects of three Penicillium fungi, including Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium sumatrense, and Penicillium digitatum, on the oviposition selection and behavior of the yellow peach moth (YPM), Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée).

Purification and Characterization of a Thermo- and pH-Stable Laccase From the Litter-Decomposing Fungus and Laccase Mediator Systems for Dye Decolorization.

An extracellular laccase (GLL) was purified from fermentation broth of the litter-decomposing fungus by four chromatography steps, which resulted in a high specific activity of 118.82 U/mg, purification fold of 41.22, and recovery rate of 42.

An extracellular laccase with potent dye decolorizing ability from white rot fungus Trametes sp. LAC-01.

A novel laccase was purified from fermentation broth of white rot fungus Trametes sp. LAC-01 using an isolation procedure involving three ion-exchange chromatography steps on DEAE-cellulose, SP-Sepharose, and Q-Sepharose, and one gel-filtration step. The purified enzyme (TSL) was proved as a monomeric protein with a Mr of 59kDa based on SDS-PAGE and FPLC.

Raltitrexed induces mitochondrial‑mediated apoptosis in SGC7901 human gastric cancer cells.

Raltitrexed is a specific inhibitor of thymidylate synthase (TS), which has been considered as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. In the present study, the apoptosis mechanisms of raltitrexed in SGC7901 human gastric cancer cells were investigated. The cytotoxic activity of raltitrexed on SGC7901 cells was determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay.

Serological thymidine kinase 1 is a biomarker for early detection of tumours--a health screening study on 35,365 people, using a sensitive chemiluminescent dot blot assay.

Serological thymidine kinase 1 (STK1) is a reliable proliferation marker for prognosis, monitoring tumour therapy, and relapse. Here we investigated the use of STK1 in health screening for early detection of pre-malignant and malignant diseases. The investigation was based on 35,365 participants in four independent health screening studies in China between 2005-2011.

Specific binding of activated Vip3Aa10 to Helicoverpa armigera brush border membrane vesicles results in pore formation.

Helicoverpa armigera is one of the most harmful pests in China. Although it had been successfully controlled by Cry1A toxins, some H. armigera populations are building up resistance to Cry1A toxins in the laboratory.

Proteomic analysis of peach endocarp and mesocarp during early fruit development.

The development of the stone and formation of peach (Prunus persica) fruit were explored in this work using a proteomic approach. Sixty-eight proteins with different expression patterns were identified in both the endocarp and mesocarp during early fruit development (from 28 to 59 days after flowering) and the majority were involved in primary or secondary metabolism. In contrast to most proteins associated with primary metabolism in the endocarp, whose expression is down-regulated, expression of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) unexpectedly increased exponentially.

mRNA expression of chemokine receptors on peripheral blood mononuclear cells and correlation with clinical features in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Objective: To investigate the expressions of chemokine receptors and interleukin (IL) receptors on the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their correlations with clinical features as well as SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI).

Methods: The mRNA expressions of chemokine receptors and IL receptors on PBMCs of 93 SLE patients and 30 healthy controls were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, including CCR2, CCR3, CCR4, CCR5, CCR6, CCR8, CXCR3, CXCRS, CX3CR1, XCR1, IL-4R, and IL-10R. The clinical features of SLE patients were recorded.

[Effects of exogenous betaine on physiological responses of peach tree under water stress].

With four-year-old potted Prunus persica L. cv. Qingfeng as test material, this paper studied the change pattern of its leaf betaine content under water stress, and its physiological responses under effects of foliage-spraying exogenous betaine.

[Phenomena and pathological significances of the methylated p16 promotor in DNA derived from plasma and blood cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

Objective: To detect the methylation status of p16 gene promotor in DNA derived from plasma and blood cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) , and it's relationship with clinical symptoms.

Methods: p16 promotor methylation in plasma and peripheral blood cells (PBCs) DNA were simultaneously detected with the methylation specific PCR (MSP) method in 24 active SLE patients, 21 inactive SLE patients, as well as 20 healthy controls.

Results: In the plasma DNA, p16 gene methylation ratio (MP%) was higher in SLE patients than in the healthy controls (64.