Brassinosteroid and Hydrogen Peroxide Interdependently Induce Stomatal Opening by Promoting Guard Cell Starch Degradation.

Starch is the major storage carbohydrate in plants and functions in buffering carbon and energy availability for plant fitness with challenging environmental conditions. The timing and extent of starch degradation appear to be determined by diverse hormonal and environmental signals; however, our understanding of the regulation of starch metabolism is fragmentary. Here, we demonstrate that the phytohormone brassinosteroid (BR) and redox signal hydrogen peroxide (HO) induce the breakdown of starch in guard cells, which promotes stomatal opening.

Interferon-α-induced CD100 on naïve CD8 T cells enhances antiviral responses to hepatitis C infection through CD72 signal transduction.

Objectives We investigated the effects of CD100 on naïve CD8 T cells during hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after interferon-α (IFN-α) therapy to clarify the mechanism underlying the effect of IFN-α in enhancing the antiviral response. Methods The CD100 molecules on subsets of CD8 T cells were analysed with flow cytometry. The effects of CD100-overexpressing naïve CD8 T cells were determined with ELISAs and an MTT cytotoxicity assay.

Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma to the bladder: A case report.

Urothelial cancer is the most frequently diagnosed type of malignant tumor in the bladder, of which primary adenocarcinoma accounts for a small percentage. Secondary malignancies, in particular metastatic adenocarcinoma from the lung, are exceedingly rare, with only six cases previously reported in the literature. The present study describes the case of a 71-year-old Chinese male patient with known lung cancer for >2 years, who was diagnosed with metastatic adenocarcinoma to the bladder.

Diagnostic accuracy of intracellular mycobacterium tuberculosis detection for tuberculous meningitis.

Rationale: Early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculous meningitis saves lives, but current laboratory diagnostic tests lack sensitivity.

Objectives: We investigated whether the detection of intracellular bacteria by a modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain and early secretory antigen target (ESAT)-6 in cerebrospinal fluid leukocytes improves tuberculous meningitis diagnosis.

Methods: Cerebrospinal fluid specimens from patients with suspected tuberculous meningitis were stained by conventional Ziehl-Neelsen stain, a modified Ziehl-Neelsen stain involving cytospin slides with Triton processing, and an ESAT-6 immunocytochemical stain.

HIF-1α up-regulates NDRG1 expression through binding to NDRG1 promoter, leading to proliferation of lung cancer A549 cells.

Hypoxia-inducible signaling pathway is involved in many pathological processes, such as adaptiveness regulation of plateau environment, myocardial ischemia and tumorigenesis. NDRG1 is a member of the N-myc downregulated gene (NDRG) family, and it has strong hypoxia stress reaction functions. Although the cellular responses to hypoxia are well known, little is known about the interaction between hypoxia-inducible transcription factor (HIF)-1α and NDRG1.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 gene +49A/G polymorphism significantly associated with susceptibility to primary biliary cirrhosis: a meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate comprehensively the association of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) +49A/G polymorphism with susceptibility to primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

Methods: PubMed was used to search for the relevant published articles. The risk of PBC association with the CTLA-4+49A/G polymorphism was estimated for each study in a random-effects model.

[The construction and primary screening of a phage display library of HCV C and E1 genes evolved with an artificial pattern].

Objectives: To construct and screen a primarily phage display library of HCV C and E1 genes evolved with an artificial pattern.

Methods: Two genes of about 1 kb with different genotypes were evolved by DNA shuffling. The re-assembled HCV C and E1 genes were cloned into a phage vector.

[Experimental study on the effect of VEGF165 antisense RNA on human squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus].

Aim: To investigate the effect of antisense RNA against vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (VEGF165) on human esophagus squamous cell carcinoma cell line EC109.

Methods: Eukaryotic expression vector for VEGF165 antisense RNA was constructed and identified. Recombinant plasmid was transfected into EC109 cells and the transfected EC109 cells were inoculated subcutaneously to nude mice.

[Inhibition of momordica anti-HIV protein of MAP30 on HBeAg expression by laser scanning confocal microscopy].

Aim: To investigate the effect of momordica anti-HIV protein of M(r ) being 30 000 (MAP30) on HBV expression by laser scanning confocal microscopy.

Methods: HBV DNA-transfected hepatocarcinoma cells 2.2.

Synthesis of ribozyme against vascular endothelial growth factor165 and its biological activity in vitro.

Aim: To investigate the designation, synthesis and biological activity of against vascular endothelial growth factor165 (VEGF165) ribozyme.

Methods: The ribozyme against VEGF165 was designed with computer. The transcriptional vector was constructed which included the anti-VEGF165 ribozyme and 5', 3' self-splicing ribozymes.

[Construction, identification and expression of three kinds of shuttle plasmids of adenovirus expression vector of hepatitis C virus structure gene].

Objective: To construct three recombinant shuttle plasmids of adenovirus expression vector which can express hepatitis C virus(HCV) different structure genes(C, C+E1, C+E1+E2) in order to pack adenovirus expression vectors which can express HCV different structure gene effectively.

Methods: The different HCV structure genes derived from the plasmid pBRTM/HCV1-3011 by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were inserted into the backward position of cytomegalovirus(CMV) immediate early promotor element of shuttle plasmid(pAd.CMV-Link.

VEGF165 antisense RNA suppresses oncogenic properties of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the effect of antisense RNA to vascular endothelial growth factor165 (VEGF165) on human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line EC109 and the feasibility of gene therapy for esophageal carcinoma.

Methods: By using subclone technique, the full length of VEGF165 amino acid cDNA, which was cut from pGEM-3Zf+,was cloned inversely into the eukaryotic expression vector pCEP4. The recombinant plasmid pCEP-AVEGF165 was transfected into EC109 cell with lipofectamine.