Neural representation of different mandarin tones in the inferior colliculus of the guinea pig.

Mandarin speech has four different tones and the coding mechanism underlying tone identification still remain unclear. Here in the inferior colliculus (IC) of anesthetized guinea pigs, we recorded single neuron activities to one word with four tones using tungsten electrode. Peri-stimulus time histograms (PSTHs) and inter-spike-interval (ISI) were used to evaluate the neural response.

Association Between Telomere Length and Risk of Cancer and Non-Neoplastic Diseases: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Importance: The causal direction and magnitude of the association between telomere length and incidence of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases is uncertain owing to the susceptibility of observational studies to confounding and reverse causation.

Objective: To conduct a Mendelian randomization study, using germline genetic variants as instrumental variables, to appraise the causal relevance of telomere length for risk of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases.

Data Sources: Genomewide association studies (GWAS) published up to January 15, 2015.

Cytogenetic study and stripe rust response of the derivatives from a wheat - Thinopyrum intermedium - Psathyrostachys huashanica trigeneric hybrid.

To transfer multiple desirable alien genes into common wheat, we previously reported a new trigeneric hybrid synthesized by crossing a wheat - Thinopyrum intermedium partial amphiploid with wheat - Psathyrostachys huashanica amphiploid. Here, the meiotic behavior, chromosome constitution, and stripe rust resistance of F derivatives from the wheat - Th. intermedium - P.

Genomic constitution and intergenomic translocations in the Elymus dahuricus complex revealed by multicolor GISH.

Multicolor genomic in situ hybridization was used to investigate the genomic constitution and intergenomic translocations in the Elymus dahuricus complex. The genomic constitution of species of the E. dahuricus complex was confirmed as StYH.

The Anti-Warburg Effect Elicited by the cAMP-PGC1α Pathway Drives Differentiation of Glioblastoma Cells into Astrocytes.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is among the most aggressive of human cancers. Although differentiation therapy has been proposed as a potential approach to treat GBM, the mechanisms of induced differentiation remain poorly defined. Here, we established an induced differentiation model of GBM using cAMP activators that specifically directed GBM differentiation into astroglia.

Genome origin, historical hybridization and genetic differentiation in Anthosachne australasica (Triticeae; Poaceae), inferred from chloroplast rbcL, trnH-psbA and nuclear Acc1 gene sequences.

Background And Aims: Anthosachne Steudel is a group of allopolyploid species that was derived from hexaploidization between the Asian StY genome Roegneria entity and the Australasia W genome Australopyrum species. Polyploidization and apomixis contribute to taxonomic complexity in Anthosachne Here, a study is presented on the phylogeny and evolutionary history of Anthosachne australasica The aims are to demonstrate the process of polyploidization events and to explore the differentiation patterns of the St genome following geographic isolation.

Methods: Chloroplast rbcL and trnH-psbA and nuclear Acc1 gene sequences of 60 Anthosachne taxa and nine Roegneria species were analysed with those of 33 diploid taxa representing 20 basic genomes in Triticeae.

Analysis of soluble components in coals and interpretations for the complex mass spectra.

Rationale: The deduction of useful information from the mass spectra of a complex mixture like coals remains difficult, which limits the clean and efficient utilization of coals. It is necessary to explore the data interpretation methods for mass spectra and visualize the analytical data of coals for industrial utilization such as feedstock selection.

Methods: Coal sample and methanol were mixed and heated to 310 °C and kept at that temperature for 2 h.

Internalization properties of the anti-tumor α-lactalbumin-oleic acid complex.

α-Lactalbumin (α-LA) can bind oleic acid (OA) to form the anti-tumor α-LA-OA complex. Previous studies suggested α-LA-OA induced apoptosis or autophagy in an independent way. Furthermore, as a large molecule, α-LA-OA could enter tumor cells and accumulated in the nucleus, which was speculated as the basis of its anti-tumor activity.

STAT3 Inhibition as a Therapeutic Strategy for Chordoma.

 Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins regulate key cellular fate decisions including proliferation and apoptosis. STAT3 overexpression induces tumor growth in multiple neoplasms. STAT3 is constitutively activated in chordoma, a tumor with a high recurrence rate despite maximal surgical and radiation treatment.

Common susceptibility variants are shared between schizophrenia and psoriasis in the Han Chinese population.

Background: Previous studies have shown that individuals with schizophrenia have a greater risk for psoriasis than a typical person. This suggests that there might be a shared genetic etiology between the 2 conditions. We aimed to characterize the potential shared genetic susceptibility between schizophrenia and psoriasis using genome-wide marker genotype data.

Tailorable and Wearable Textile Devices for Solar Energy Harvesting and Simultaneous Storage.

The pursuit of harmonic combination of technology and fashion intrinsically points to the development of smart garments. Herein, we present an all-solid tailorable energy textile possessing integrated function of simultaneous solar energy harvesting and storage, and we call it tailorable textile device. Our technique makes it possible to tailor the multifunctional textile into any designed shape without impairing its performance and produce stylish smart energy garments for wearable self-powering system with enhanced user experience and more room for fashion design.

Sulfur Mediated Alleviation of Mn Toxicity in Polish Wheat Relates to Regulating Mn Allocation and Improving Antioxidant System.

Sulfur (S) is an essential macronutrient that has been proved to play an important role in regulating plant responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of S status on polish wheat plant response to Mn toxicity. Results showed that Mn stress inhibited plant growth, disturbed photosynthesis and induced oxidative stress.

Proteomic Profiling of the Interactions of Cd/Zn in the Roots of Dwarf Polish Wheat (Triticum polonicum L.).

Cd and Zn have been shown to interact antagonistically or synergistically in various plants. In the present study of dwarf polish wheat (DPW)roots, Cd uptake was inhibited by Zn, and Zn uptake was inhibited by Cd, suggesting that Cd and Zn interact antagonistically in this plant. A study of proteomic changes showed that Cd, Zn, and Cd+Zn stresses altered the expression of 206, 303, and 190 proteins respectively.

TRPM7 channel inhibition mediates midazolam-induced proliferation loss in human malignant glioma.

The melastatin-like transient receptor potential 7 (TRPM7) has been implicated in proliferation or apoptosis of some cancers, indicating the potential of TRPM7 as an anti-anaplastic target. Here, we identified the characteristic TRPM7 channel currents in human malignant glioma MGR2 cells, which could be blocked by a pharmacologic inhibitor Gd. We mined the clinical sample data from Oncomine Database and found that human malignant glioma tissues expressed higher TRPM7 mRNA than normal brain ones.

Clinical Assessment of the Safety and Effectiveness of Nonablative Fractional Laser Combined with Transdermal Delivery of Botulinum Toxin A in Treating Periocular Wrinkles.

The upper and lower eyelids are traditionally contraindicated for subcutaneous botulinum toxin A (BTX) injection because of possible complications. We assessed the clinical safety and effectiveness of nonablative fractional laser (NAFL) combined with transdermal delivery of BTX in the treatment of periocular wrinkles. Thirty patients who had periocular wrinkles were treated with 1,565-nm NAFL in combination in the left periocular area and normal saline in the corresponding area of the right eye.

ADAM9 Expression Is Associate with Glioma Tumor Grade and Histological Type, and Acts as a Prognostic Factor in Lower-Grade Gliomas.

The A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 9 (ADAM9) protein has been suggested to promote carcinoma invasion and appears to be overexpressed in various human cancers. However, its role has rarely been investigated in gliomas and, thus, in the current study we have evaluated ADAM9 expression in gliomas and examined the relevance of its expression in the prognosis of glioma patients. Clinical characteristics, RNA sequence data, and the case follow-ups were reviewed for 303 patients who had histological, confirmed gliomas.

Putamen involvement and survival outcomes in patients with insular low-grade gliomas.

OBJECTIVE Insular glioma has a unique origin and biological behavior; however, the associations between its anatomical features and prognosis have not been well established. The object of this study was to propose a classification system of insular low-grade gliomas based on preoperative MRI findings and to assess the system's association with survival outcome. METHODS A total of 211 consecutively collected patients diagnosed with low-grade insular gliomas was analyzed.

Elevated O-GlcNAcylation promotes gastric cancer cells proliferation by modulating cell cycle related proteins and ERK 1/2 signaling.

O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is the only enzyme in mammals that catalyzes the attachment of β-D-N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) to serine or threonine residues of target proteins. Hyper-O-GlcNAcylation is becoming increasingly realized as a general feature of cancer and contributes to rapid proliferation of cancer cells. In this study, we demonstrated that O-GlcNAc and OGT levels were increased in all six gastric cancer (GC) cell lines as compared with immortal gastric epithelial cells.

Autophagic degradation of epidermal growth factor receptor in gefitinib-resistant lung cancer by celastrol.

Drug resistance of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is highly correlated to the mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Although EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are available clinically, the molecular complexity of NSCLC has made it necessary to search for alternative therapeutic approaches to overcome the drug resistance of NSCLC. In the present study, we identified a triterpene molecule derived from the herbal plant Tripterygium wilfordii, celastrol, as a novel autophagy inducer.

De Novo Sequencing and Characterization of the Transcriptome of Dwarf Polish Wheat (Triticum polonicum L.).

Construction as well as characterization of a polish wheat transcriptome is a crucial step to study useful traits of polish wheat. In this study, a transcriptome, including 76,014 unigenes, was assembled from dwarf polish wheat (DPW) roots, stems, and leaves using the software of Trinity. Among these unigenes, 61,748 (81.

Removal of hexavalent chromium from aqueous solution by calcined Zn/Al-LDHs.

In this study, Zn/Al-layered double hydroxides (Zn/Al-LDHs) were synthesized by a co-precipitation method and characterized with X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Then the hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) adsorption experiments on calcined Zn/Al-LDHs were carried out to analyze the effects of pH, temperature, adsorption time, initial Cr(VI) concentration and adsorbent dosage on the removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions. The maximum adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) on calcined Zn/Al-LDHs under optimal conditions was found to be over 120 mg/g.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as a Potential Iron Fertilizer for Peanut (Arachis hypogaea).

Nanomaterials are used in practically every aspect of modern life, including agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) as a fertilizer to replace traditional Fe fertilizers, which have various shortcomings. The effects of the Fe2O3 NPs and a chelated-Fe fertilizer (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-Fe; EDTA-Fe) fertilizer on the growth and development of peanut (Arachis hypogaea), a crop that is very sensitive to Fe deficiency, were studied in a pot experiment.

A classical PKA inhibitor increases the oncolytic effect of M1 virus via activation of exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1.

Oncolytic virotherapy is an emerging and promising treatment modality that uses replicating viruses as selective antitumor agents. Here, we report that a classical protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H89, synergizes with oncolytic virus M1 in various cancer cells through activation of Epac1 (exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 1). H89 substantially increases viral replication in refractory cancer cells, leading to unresolvable Endoplasmic Reticulum stress, and cell apoptosis.

γ-Secretase inhibitor-resistant glioblastoma stem cells require RBPJ to propagate.

Targeting glioblastoma stem cells with γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs) disrupts the Notch pathway and has shown some benefit in both pre-clinical models and in patients during phase I/II clinical trials. However, it is largely unknown why some glioblastoma (GBM) does not respond to GSI treatment. In this issue of the JCI, Xie et al.

Naturally Existing Oncolytic Virus M1 Is Nonpathogenic for the Nonhuman Primates After Multiple Rounds of Repeated Intravenous Injections.

Cancers figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The number of new cases is expected to rise by about 70% over the next 2 decades. Development of novel therapeutic agents is urgently needed for clinical cancer therapy.