Development of 'multiresistance rice' by an assembly of herbicide, insect and disease resistance genes with a transgene stacking system.

Background: Weeds, diseases and pests pose serious threats to rice production and cause significant economic losses. Cultivation of rice varieties with resistance to herbicides, diseases and pests is believed to be the most economical and environmentally friendly method to deal with these problems.

Results: In this study, a highly efficient transgene stacking system was used to assembly the synthetic glyphosate-tolerance gene (I.

[Clinical and ultrasonographic features of testis tumor in children of different ages].

Objective: To explore the ultrasonographic characteristics of testis tumor in children of different ages.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data, ultrasonographic results, surgical methods and pathological findings of 76 children with testis tumor treated in Shanghai Children's Hospital between April 2013 and March 2018. According to the age at the first diagnosis, we divided the patients into a 0－4 yr (n = 57) and a 5－12 yr group (n = 19), and compared the clinical manifestations, tumor markers, ultrasonographic features such as the tumor size, echogenicity, calcification and color flow images, pathological findings, and surgical methods between the two groups of patients.

Expression of adenosine receptors in human retinal pigment epithelium cells in vitro.

Background: Adenosine receptors (ADORs) have been reported to play a role in experimental myopia. This study aimed to determine the distribution of ADORs in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells cultured in vitro.

Methods: Human RPE cells (cell line D407) were cultured in vitro.

All-trans retinoic acid regulates the expression of the extracellular matrix protein fibulin-1 in the guinea pig sclera and human scleral fibroblasts.

Purpose: Fibulin-1 (FBLN1) mRNA is expressed in human sclera and is an important adhesion modulatory protein that can affect cell-matrix interactions and tissue remodeling. Scleral remodeling is influenced by all-trans retinoic acid (RA). Our purpose was to confirm the presence of fibulin-1 protein in guinea pig sclera and investigate the effect of RA on the expression of fibulin-1 in guinea pig sclera in vivo and in cultured human scleral fibroblasts (HSFs).

Bone morphogenetic protein-2: a potential regulator in scleral remodeling.

Purpose: Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) is a member of the main subgroup of bone morphogenetic proteins within the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily. BMP-2 is involved in numerous cellular functions including development, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix synthesis. We examined BMP-2 expression in human scleral fibroblasts (HSF) and assessed the effects of recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) on HSF proliferation, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2).