Transcriptomic and targeted metabolomic analyses provide insights into the flavonoids biosynthesis in the flowers of Lonicera macranthoides.

Background: Flavonoids are one of the bioactive ingredients of Lonicera macranthoides (L. macranthoides), however, their biosynthesis in the flower is still unclear. In this study, combined transcriptomic and targeted metabolomic analyses were performed to clarify the flavonoids biosynthesis during flowering of L.

Pro-aromatic Dihydroquinazolinones - From Multigram Synthesis to Reagents for Gram-scale Metallaphotoredox Reactions.

Dihydroquinazolinone (DHQZ) has recently been harnessed as a ketone-derived pro-aromatic reagent extensively employed in (metalla)photoredox reactions as versatile group transfer agents. In this work, we outline a column chromatography-free protocol for the multigram-scale synthesis of pro-aromatic DHQZs as well as its use in a gram-scale nickel/photoredox dual-catalyzed cross-coupling in single-batch, photoflow, and simultaneous multiple smaller batches. While the single-batch approach leveraged moderate yields, a simple plug-flow photoreactor also exhibited amenable productivity (up to 45 % yield) despite the use of a heterogeneous base.

Optimization of mammalian expression vector by cis-regulatory element combinations.

The regulation of gene expression in mammalian cells by combining various cis-regulatory features has rarely been discussed. In this study, we constructed expression vectors containing various combinations of regulatory elements to examine the regulation of gene expression by different combinations of cis-regulatory elements. The effects of four promoters (CMV promoter, PGK promoter, Polr2a promoter, and EF-1α core promoter), two enhancers (CMV enhancer and SV40 enhancer), two introns (EF-1α intron A and hybrid intron), two terminators (CYC1 terminator and TEF terminator), and their different combinations on downstream gene expression were compared in various mammalian cells using fluorescence microscopy to observe fluorescence, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and western blot.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia associated with white matter hyperintensities in men.

Purpose: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) describes common noncancerous prostate enlargement. BPH is usually associated with lower urinary tract symptoms and an increased risk of cerebrovascular diseases, such as stroke and its recurrence. White matter hyperintensities (WMHs), markers of cerebral injury, increase the risk of stroke, cognitive impairment, dementia, and death.

Pseudorabies Virus Inhibits Expression of Liver X Receptors to Assist Viral Infection.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a contagious herpesvirus that causes Aujeszky's disease and economic losses worldwide. Liver X receptors (LXRs) belong to the nuclear receptor superfamily and are critical for the control of lipid homeostasis. However, the role of LXR in PRV infection has not been fully established.

Desulfurative Ni-Catalyzed Reductive Cross-Coupling of Benzyl Mercaptans/Mercaptoacetates with Aryl Halides.

The C-S activation and sulfur removal from native thiols is challenging, which limits their application as feedstock materials in organic synthesis despite their natural abundance. Herein, we introduce a per-/polyfluoroaryl moiety, which serves as a redox-active scaffold, into sp-hybridized thiols to activate the C-S bond. Using a Ni catalyst with MgBr as an additive, the S group can be removed to yield an aliphatic radical that can react with an aryl halide in a reductive cross-coupling.

Aromatization as an Impetus to Harness Ketones for Metallaphotoredox-Catalyzed Benzoylation/Benzylation of (Hetero)arenes.

Herein we report ketones as feedstock materials in radical cross-coupling reactions under Ni/photoredox dual catalysis. In this approach, simple condensation first converts ketones into prearomatic intermediates that then act as activated radical sources for cross-coupling with aryl halides. Our strategy enables the direct benzylation/benzoylation of (hetero)arenes under mild reaction conditions with high functional group tolerance.

negatively regulates peel coloring of eggplant () under high temperature.

The gene was cloned from eggplant and has an ORF of 1014 bp encoding 337 amino acids. The deduced protein sequence of was 88.07% and 84.

[Functional annotation of rice WRKY transcription factors based on their transcriptional features].

Transcription factors regulate alteration of transcription levels. Recently, huge amount of transcriptomic data are accumulated via the application of high throughput sequencing technology, and it is reasonable to postulate that in-depth analysis of transcription data could be used to enhance gene annotation. In this study, we chose the gene family of rice WRKY transcription factors.

Association between the ABCA1-565C/T gene promoter polymorphism and coronary heart disease severity and cholesterol efflux in the Chinese Han population.

Background: ABCA1 -565C/T gene promoter variants have been associated with the severity of coronary artery disease in Western populations. The purpose of our study was to investigate the association between the -565C/T gene polymorphism and coronary artery disease severity and cholesterol efflux in the Chinese Han population.

Methods: A cohort of 298 acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and 541 healthy controls was genotyped using the highly sensitive ligase detection reaction.

[Risk factors on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among greenhouse workers in Liaoning province].

Objective: To study the risk factors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among greenhouse farmers in Liaoning province.

Methods: According to geographical differences in Liaoning province, stratified-cluster-random sampling method was used. A total of 5420 greenhouse farmers working in more than 800 greenhouses were investigated with unified questionnaire, physical examination, blood routine examination, blood gas analysis, chest X-ray and pulmonary function tests.

[An epidemiological study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in greenhouse farmers in Liaoning Province from 2006 to 2009].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in greenhouse farmers in Liaoning Province from 2006 to 2009.

Methods: By stratified-cluster random sampling, a survey of 5420 greenhouse farmers working in 835 plastic greenhouses was performed using uniform questionnaires in Shenyang, Chaoyang, and Jinzhou during 2006 and 2009. Physical examination and lung function tests were performed for all of the farmer.

A polymorphism in the ABCG1 promoter is functionally associated with coronary artery disease in a Chinese Han population.

Objective: In this study, we examine the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the human ATP binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) gene with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) in a Chinese Han population.

Methods: 1021 patients with CAD and 1013 unaffected control subjects were enrolled. PCR-based ligation detection reaction (PCR-LDR) method was used to genotype four SNPs of ABCG1, three (rs2234714, rs2234715 and rs57137919) in the promoter region and one (rs1044317) in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR).

[Expression and autophosphorylation analysis of XA21 and PI-D2 protein kinases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae].

Rice bacterial blight and blast are the most crucial rice disease. Xa21 confers resistance to bacterial blight, while Pi-d2 confers resistance to rice blast. Both Xa21 and Pi-d2 encode receptor kinase-like proteins.

[Replacement of third-generation cephalosporins by piperacillin-tazobactam decreases colonization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing intestinal Escherichia coli].

Objective: To investigate the role of replacement of third-generation cephalosporins by piperacillin-tazobactam (pip-tazo) in influencing the colonization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) in intestinal tract.

Methods: The study was divided into two phases lasting altogether 9 months, namely the pre-replacement phase (phase I, 3 months) and replacement phase (phase II, 6 months).

[High throughput cloning, expression and autophosphorylation analysis of rice kinases].

Protein kinases are essential for the regulation of cell growth and development in plant. Based on rice genomic sequences obtained from the database, bioinformatics analysis of homology sequences suggested over 1500 kinases in rice. In this study, 32 PCR primers were synthesized based on conserved domains of known kinases, 30 intron-free kinase PCR products were obtained, among them, 27 kinases were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with visible band after separated by SDS-PAGE and stained by Coomassie Blue.

[Advances of rice bacterial blight disease resistance gene Xa21].

Gene Xa21 is the first disease resistance gene cloned from rice (Oryza sativa L.), which encodes a receptor-like kinase and confers broad spectrum resistance against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo).

Polyaspartamide gadolinium complexes containing sulfadiazine groups as potential macromolecular MRI contrast agents.

Both diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and sulfadiazine (SD) were incorporated into polyaspartamides with different side chains, including poly-alpha,beta-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-L-aspartamide] (PHEA), poly-alpha,beta-[N- (3-hydroxypropyl)-L-aspartamide] (PHPA), poly-alpha,beta-[N-(2-aminoethy1)-L-aspartamide] (PAEA), poly-alpha,beta-[N-(4-aminobuty1)-L-aspartamide] (PABA), and poly-alpha,beta-[N-(6-aminohexyl)-L-aspartamide] (PAHA). The polyaspartamide ligands containing DTPA and SD groups were further reacted with gadolinium chloride to give the corresponding macromolecular gadolinium complexes. Experimental data of 1H NMR, IR, UV, and elemental analysis exhibited the formation of the polyaspartamide ligands and gadolinium complexes.

Synthesis and evaluation of gadolinium complexes based on PAMAM as MRI contrast agents.

Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and pyridoxamine (PM) were incorporated into the amine groups on the surface of ammonia-core poly(amidoamine) dendrimers (PAMAM, Generation 2.0-5.0) to obtain dendritic ligands.

Correlation of behavior changes and BOLD signal in Alzheimer-like rat model.

To explore a potential means for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, we studied the relationship of resting T2* signal and tau hyperphosphorylation/spatial memory deficit. The rat model with tau hyperphosphorylation and spatial memory deficit was established by bilateral hippocampi injection of isoproterenol (IP). Then, the correlative alteration between resting T2* signal and spatial memory retention was assessed with blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study and Morris Water Maze test, and Western blot was employed to confirm tau hyperphosphorylation.

[The effects of Erigeron breviscapus preparation on the imaging and neuronal metabolites at the early time points after reperfusion following the ischemic cerebral injury in rats].

Objective: To investigate the effects of Erigeron breviscapus preparation on the imaging and neuronal metabolites after reperfusion in the ischemic cerebral injury in rats.

Method: Twenty-three male Sprague Dawley rats with an average body weight of (165 +/- 15) g (mean +/- S) were used, and were randomly divided into two groups: group A rats (n = 11) underwent an operation of ischemic brain injury, group B rats (n = 12) underwent the same operation and received the treatment of Erigeron breviscapus preparation (1.5 mg.

[Effects of Angelica sinensis injection on the neuronal metabolites and blood flow speed within reperfusion following the ischemic cerebral injury in rats].

Aim: To investigate the effects of Angelica sinensis injection on the neuronal metabolites and blood flow speed within reperfusion in the ischemic cerebral injury of rats.

Methods: Sixty-nine male Sprague Dawley rats with an average body weight of 150 to 170 g were used, and were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation group (n = 4), ischemia injury group (n = 30) underwent an operation of ischemic brain injury, Angelica-treated group (n = 35) underwent the same operation and received the treatment of Angelica sinensis injection (5 g/kg bw, i. p).

Molecular epidemiological study of alpha- and beta-thalassemia in Sihui city.

Objective: To investigate alpha- and beta-thalassemia (alpha- and beta-thal) gene frequencies and gene mutation spectrum in the population of Sihui City.

Methods: The umbilical cord blood samples from 1 007 neonates and peripheral blood samples from 1 524 apparently healthy adults for pre-marriage health check in Sihui city were collected for molecular epidemiologic study of alpha- and beta-thal respectively. The diagnostic standard for alpha-thal was the presence of Hb Bart's, and that for beta-thal was both the decrease of mean corpuscular volume (MCV<80 fl) and the increase of Hb A(2) level (> or = 3.