Effects of plant growth regulators on transient expression of foreign gene in Nicotiana benthamiana L. leaves.

Background: In the last decades, replicating expression vectors based on plant geminivirus have been widely used for enhancing the efficiency of plant transient expression. By using the replicating expression vector derived from bean yellow dwarf virus and green fluorescent protein as a reporter, we investigated the effects of α-naphthalene acetic acid, gibberellins, and 6-benzyladenine, as three common plant growth regulators, on the plant biomass and efficiency of transient expression during the process of transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana L. leaves.

Lower Serum Irisin Levels Are Associated with Increased Abdominal Aortic Calcification in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Introduction: Vascular calcification (VC), with the mechanisms remaining unclear, is closely related with dialysis patients' cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality. Irisin is a newly identified myokine. This study aims to evaluate the serum irisin levels of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and their relationship with VC.

Serum Sphingosine-1-phosphate level and peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: Given the important role of Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in maintaining the hemostasis in intestinal barrier function and regulation of inflammation and immune, we hypothesize that S1P might be a biomarker to predict peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: In this case-control study, 78 stable, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients were enrolled and followed for the episode of PD associated peritonitis. Patients were divided into two groups by whether or not they had peritonitis during follow-up: non-peritonitis ( = 65) and peritonitis ( = 13) group.

Peritoneal dialysis outcomes in patients with nephrotic syndrome: a propensity score-matched cohort study.

Introduction: It is unclear whether patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and nephrotic syndrome (NS) can be treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Objectives: To investigate the outcomes of PD treatment in ESRD patients with or without NS.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, all incident patients with ESRD and NS who started PD from 1 February 2006 to 31 December 2017, were matched with patients without NS using propensity scores based on age, sex, diabetes mellitus status, and serum albumin.

[Regulation of extracellular ATP onchlorophyll content and fluorescence characteristics of Angelica sinensis seedlings under drought and low temperature stress].

As an important signal molecule, extracellular ATP(eATP) can regulate many physiological and biochemical responses to plant stress. In this study, the regulation of extracellular ATP(eATP) on chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of Angelica sinensis seedlings were studied under drought and low temperature stress. The results showed that all the chlorophyll content, the actual photochemical efficiency [Y(Ⅱ)], the electron transfer rate(ETR), the photochemical quenching coefficient(qP and qL) of A.

Effects of extracellular ATP on local and systemic responses of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) leaves to wounding.

Wounding increased the extracellular Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (eATP) level of kidney bean leaves. Treatment with wounding or exogenous ATP increased the hydrogen peroxide (HO) content, activities of catalase and polyphenol oxidase, and malondialdehyde content in both the treated and systemic leaves. Pre-treatment with ATP-degrading enzyme, apyrase, to the wounded leaves reduced the wound-induced local and systemic increases in HO content, activities of catalase and polyphenol oxidase, and malondialdehyde content.

Extracellular ATP released by copper stress could act as diffusible signal in alleviating the copper stress-induced cell death.

In the present work, by using tobacco cell suspension and wheat seedlings, we studied that eATP (extracellular ATP) released by copper (Cu) stress could act as diffusible signal in alleviating the Cu stress-induced cell death. A semipermeable membrane was fixed in the middle of a plastic box to divide the box into two equal compartments (A and B, respectively). This semipermeable membrane can prevent direct cell-to-cell (or seedling-to-seedling) contact and the diffusion of the macromolecules [such as ATPase (adenosine 5'-triphosphatase)] between these two compartments.

[Physiological effects of cadmium stress on Astragalus membranaceus seedlings and alleviative effects of attapulgite clay on cadmium stress].

In this study we investigate the effects of cadmium stress on Astragalus membranaceus seedlings and the alleviative effects of attapulgite clay in growth substrate on cadmium stress to A. membranaceus seedlings. The results showed that the Y (Ⅱ) (effective photochemical quantum yield of PSⅡ photosynthetic), qP(photochemical quenching coefficient), ETR(the rate of non-cyclic electrontransport through PSⅡ), and chlorophyll content of the leaves were significantly decreased with the increase of cadmium concentrations, while the cadmium content, non-photochemical quenching(NPQ, qN) of the leaves and cadmium content, MDA content, plasma membrane permeability, and the damage degree of root apical membrane of the roots were significantly increased.

Irisin and Volume Overload are Associated with Protein Energy Wasting in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Background/aims: Protein energy wasting (PEW) is a common medical phenomenon that is observed in maintenance dialysis patients. PEW also increases morbidity and mortality of these patients. Its pathogenesis is unclear.

The responses of photosystem II and intracellular ATP production of Arabidopsis leaves to salt stress are affected by extracellular ATP.

Hypertonic salt stress with different concentrations of NaCl increased the levels of extracellular ATP of Arabidopsis leaves. And, hypertonic salt stress decreased the levels of F /F (the maximal efficiency of photosystem II), Φ (the photosystem II operating efficiency), qP (photochemical quenching), and intracellular ATP (iATP) production. The treatment with β,γ-methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate (AMP-PCP), which can exclude extracellular ATP from its binding sites of extracellular ATP receptors, caused a further decrease in the levels of F /F , Φ qP, and iATP production of the salt-stressed Arabidopsis leaves, while the addition of exogenous ATP rescued the inhibitory effects of AMP-PCP on Φ , qP, and iATP production under hypertonic salt stress.

What's the Optimal Lipids Level for Dialysis Patients? A Cohort Study from a Chinese Dialysis Center in a University Hospital.

Background: With lipid level being a major contributing factor for cardiovascular health, the high cardiovascular mortality among dialysis patients has raised substantial concerns in regard to the optimal lipid level in these patient population.

Objective: To explore the optimal lipid level for the survival of dialysis patients.

Methods: The lipid profile was measured for each patient.

Pre-dialysis renal clinic visits and patients' outcomes on peritoneal dialysis.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of pre-dialysis renal care on peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients' outcomes in China.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients who started PD during January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2014, were included. Patients' medical charts were reviewed to extract the information.

The Association of Individual and Regional Socioeconomic Status on Initial Peritonitis and Outcomes in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Study.

Unlabelled: ♦

Background: Research indicates that the socioeconomic status (SES) of individuals and the area where they live are related to initial peritonitis and outcomes in peritoneal dialysis (PD). We conducted a retrospective, multi-center cohort study in China to examine these associations. ♦

Methods: Data on 2,171 PD patients were collected from 7 centers, including baseline demographic, socioeconomic, and laboratory data.

The associations between the family education and mortality of patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Aims: To investigate whether education level of family members predicts all-cause and cardiovascular death and initial-episode peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Methods: A total of 2264 patients on chronic PD were collected from seven centers affiliated with the Socioeconomic Status on the Outcome of Peritoneal Dialysis (SSOP) Study. All demographic, socioeconomic and laboratory data of patients and the education level of all family members were recorded at baseline.

The associations of uric acid, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Aims: To investigate whether uric acid (UA) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) and all-cause mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients after controlling for recognized CV risk factors.

Methods: A total of 2264 patients on chronic PD were collected from seven centers affiliated with the Socioeconomic Status on the Outcome of Peritoneal Dialysis (SSOP) Study. All demographic and laboratory data were recorded at baseline.

Diabetic patients could do as well as non-diabetic patients without inflammation on peritoneal dialysis.

Background: Diabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) have lower survival and are more likely complicated with inflammation than their non-diabetic counterparts. Here, we explored the interaction effects between diabetes and inflammation on the survival of PD patients.

Methods: Overall, 2,264 incident patients were enrolled from a retrospective cohort study in China.

[Analysis of clinical state for arteriosclerosis obliterans in lower extremity of diabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of arteriosclerosis obliterans in lower extremity and its influence factors in diabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Method: In this single center cross-sectional study, 74 with diabetic patients on peritoneal dialysis were recruited. The general information, dialysis program, laboratory examination and dialysis adequacy test results were recorded.

Impact of individual and environmental socioeconomic status on peritoneal dialysis outcomes: a retrospective multicenter cohort study.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the impacts of individual and environmental socioeconomic status (SES) on the outcome of peritoneal dialysis (PD) in regions with significant SES disparity, through a retrospective multicenter cohort in China.

Methods: Overall, 2,171 incident patients from seven PD centers were included. Individual SES was evaluated from yearly household income per person and education level.

Peripheral arterial disease predicts overall and cardiovascular mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an important manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis and is common among dialysis patients. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for the leading cause of mortality in dialysis patients, and PAD has been found as a predictor for cardiovascular as well as overall mortality in general population. However, the study on the role of PAD in the prognosis of peritoneal dialysis patients is rather limited.

Presence of peripheral arterial disease predicts loss of residual renal function in incident CAPD patients.

Background: Accelerated cardiovascular disease (CVD), including peripheral arterial disease (PAD), is very common in patients with end-stage renal disease. Residual renal function (RRF) is a strong predictor of patient survival that is suggested to be linked to the degree of CVD. However, the relationship between PAD and decline in RRF has not previously been measured.

Prevalence and risk factors for peripheral artery disease among patients on maintenance peritoneal dialysis.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is common in end-stage renal disease patients and accounts for more than half of the mortalities. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is frequently found in this population and is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality. However, there have been limited studies reporting the prevalence and risk factors for PAD among patients on maintenance continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) therapy.

Refractory ascites due to portal hypertension in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) patients successfully treated with peritoneal dialysis.

Refractory ascites is uncommon in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) but it usually makes the patient physically and psychologically handicapped. Two uremic ADPKD patients in our hospital developed refractory ascites after 1 year on hemodialysis. The refractory ascites was due to portal hypertension, which was caused primarily by portal outflow obstruction due to the numerous enlarged cysts in the liver and secondarily by increased portal inflow.

Enhanced expression of alternative oxidase genes is involved in the tolerance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings to drought stress.

Drought stress significantly enhanced the capacity of the alternative respiratory pathway and induced AOX1a and AOX1b transcripts in rice seedling leaves. The drought-stressed seedlings pretreated with the inhibitor of the alternative respiratory pathway, 1 mM salicylhydroxamic acid, had a lower level of relative water content than the seedlings either subjected to drought or salicylhydroxamic acid treatment alone. This observation suggests that the alternative respiratory pathway could play a role in the tolerance of rice seedlings to drought stress.

[Analysis of nonenzymic source of superoxide anion in pathogenic Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae].

With electron spin resonance and chemical assay, the production of superoxide anion in the Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae strain OS-14 suspension is extracellularly localized. It was found that superoxide anion produced in the filtrate.