Selection for a Zinc-Finger Protein Contributes to Seed Oil Increase during Soybean Domestication.

Seed oil is a momentous agronomical trait of soybean () targeted by domestication in breeding. Although multiple oil-related genes have been uncovered, knowledge of the regulatory mechanism of seed oil biosynthesis is currently limited. We demonstrate that the seed-preferred gene , encoding a tandem CCCH zinc finger protein, is selected during domestication.

Bioconjugatable, PEGylated Hydroporphyrins for Photochemistry and Photomedicine. Narrow-Band, Red-Emitting Chlorins.

Chromophores that absorb and emit in the red spectral region (600-700 nm), are water soluble, and bear a bioconjugatable tether are relatively rare yet would fulfill many applications in photochemistry and photomedicine. Here, three molecular designs have been developed wherein stable synthetic chlorins - analogues of chlorophylls - have been tailored with PEG groups for use in aqueous solution. The designs differ with regard to order of the installation (pre/post-formation of the chlorin macrocycle) and position of the PEG groups.

Tau reduction prevents neuronal loss and reverses pathological tau deposition and seeding in mice with tauopathy.

Accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau directly correlates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and other primary tauopathies. One therapeutic strategy may be to reduce total tau expression. We identified antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that selectively decreased human tau mRNA and protein in mice expressing mutant P301S human tau.

Clinical Outcome of Double Kissing Crush Versus Provisional Stenting of Coronary Artery Bifurcation Lesions: The 5-Year Follow-Up Results From a Randomized and Multicenter DKCRUSH-II Study (Randomized Study on Double Kissing Crush Technique Versus Provisional Stenting Technique for Coronary Artery Bifurcation Lesions).

Background: Provisional stenting is effective for anatomic simple bifurcation lesions. Double kissing crush stenting reduces the 1-year rate of target lesion revascularization. This study aimed to investigate the 5-year clinical results of the DKCRUSH-II study (Randomized Study on Double Kissing Crush Technique Versus Provisional Stenting Technique for Coronary Artery Bifurcation Lesions).

IRREGULAR POLLEN EXINE1 Is a Novel Factor in Anther Cuticle and Pollen Exine Formation.

Anther cuticle and pollen exine are protective barriers for pollen development and fertilization. Despite that several regulators have been identified for anther cuticle and pollen exine development in rice (Oryza sativa) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), few genes have been characterized in maize (Zea mays) and the underlying regulatory mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report a novel male-sterile mutant in maize, irregular pollen exine1 (ipe1), which exhibited a glossy outer anther surface, abnormal Ubisch bodies, and defective pollen exine.

Investigation of diverse bacteria in cloud water at Mt. Tai, China.

Bacteria are abundant in atmospheric water phase with the potential to influence atmospheric processes and human health, yet relatively little information is known about the bacterial characteristics at high altitudes. Here we investigated the bacterial community by high throughput sequencing in 24 cloud water samples collected from September 26 to October 31, at the summit of Mt. Tai (36°15' N, 117°06' E, 1534m a.

Weak co-ordination between vein and stomatal densities in 105 angiosperm tree species along altitudinal gradients in Southwest China.

Leaf-level water balance, as revealed by a correlation between stomatal density (SD) and vein density (VD), has been reported in some plants. However, the generality of this correlation and how it may be affected by altitude changes are unclear. Here, we investigated whether this balance is maintained across tree species of diverse families along a large altitudinal gradient.

Human soleus sarcomere lengths measured using in vivo microendoscopy at two ankle flexion angles.

The forces generated by the soleus muscle play an important role in standing and locomotion. The lengths of the sarcomeres of the soleus affect its force-generating capacity, yet it is unknown how sarcomere lengths in the soleus change as a function of ankle flexion angle. In this study, we used microendoscopy to measure resting sarcomere lengths at 10° plantarflexion and 20° dorsiflexion in 7 healthy individuals.

Remediation of acid mine drainage using microbial fuel cell based on sludge anaerobic fermentation.

The aim of this work is to utilize the microbial fuel cell for removing metals and sulfate from acid mine drainage using sewage sludge organics and simultaneous electricity generation. The enriched sulfate-reducing mixed culture was used as the cathodic biofilm and the sludge as the substrate. Under anaerobic conditions, 71.

PET of Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Activity in Cancer: Preclinical Assessment and First In-Human Studies.

Purpose To demonstrate that positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorine 18 (F) fluorthanatrace (FTT) depicts activated poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose)polymerase (PARP) expression and is feasible for clinical trial evaluation. Materials and Methods All studies were conducted prospectively from February 2012 through July 2015 under protocols approved by the local animal studies committee and institutional review board. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC, in g/mL· min) for F-FTT was assessed in normal mouse organs before and after treatment with olaparib (n = 14), a PARP inhibitor, or iniparib (n = 11), which has no PARP inhibitory activity.

Opposing Roles of Wnt Inhibitors IGFBP-4 and Dkk1 in Cardiac Ischemia by Differential Targeting of LRP5/6 and β-catenin.

Background: Myocardial infarction is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, triggering irreversible myocardial cell damage and heart failure. The role of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related proteins 5 and 6 (LRP5/6) as coreceptors of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the adult heart remain unknown. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 and dickkopf-related protein 1 (Dkk1) are 2 secreted LRP5/6 binding proteins that play a crucial role in heart development through preventing Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation.

Multifocal repetitive TMS for motor and mood symptoms of Parkinson disease: A randomized trial.

Objective: To assess whether multifocal, high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of motor and prefrontal cortex benefits motor and mood symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods: Patients with PD and depression were enrolled in this multicenter, double-blind, sham-controlled, parallel-group study of real or realistic (electric) sham rTMS. Patients were randomized to 1 of 4 groups: bilateral M1 ( + sham dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC]), DLPFC ( + sham M1), M1 + DLPFC, or double sham.

Noninvasive chromosome screening of human embryos by genome sequencing of embryo culture medium for in vitro fertilization.

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is widely used to select in vitro-fertilized embryos free of chromosomal abnormalities and to improve the clinical outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF). A disadvantage of PGS is that it requires biopsy of the preimplantation human embryo, which can limit the clinical applicability of PGS due to the invasiveness and complexity of the process. Here, we present and validate a noninvasive chromosome screening (NICS) method based on sequencing the genomic DNA secreted into the culture medium from the human blastocyst.

Early Fluid Resuscitation by Lactated Ringer's Solution Alleviate the Cardiac Apoptosis in Rats with Trauma-Hemorrhagic Shock.

Cardiac trauma has been recognized as a complication associated with blunt chest trauma involving coronary artery injury, myocardium contusion and myocardial rupture. Secondary cardiac injuries after trauma supposed to be a critical factor in trauma patients, but the mechanism is not fully explored. Overproduction of TNF-alpha had been reported in multiple trauma animals, this induces oxidative stress resulting in cardiac apoptosis.

Endogenous Bioactive Jasmonate Is Composed of a Set of (+)-7-iso-JA-Amino Acid Conjugates.

Jasmonates (JAs) regulate a wide range of plant defense and development processes. The bioactive JA is perceived by its receptor COI1 to trigger the degradation of JASMONATE ZIM-DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins and subsequently derepress the JAZ-repressed transcription factors for activation of expression of JA-responsive genes. So far, (+)-7-iso-JA-l-Ile has been the only identified endogenous bioactive JA molecule.

A remarkable new species of winter stonefly (Plecoptera: Capniidae) from Southeastern China.

A new species of the genus Capnia s.l., C.

Pleiotrophin overexpression regulates amphetamine-induced reward and striatal dopaminergic denervation without changing the expression of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors: Implications for neuroinflammation.

It was previously shown that mice with genetic deletion of the neurotrophic factor pleiotrophin (PTN-/-) show enhanced amphetamine neurotoxicity and impair extinction of amphetamine conditioned place preference (CPP), suggesting a modulatory role of PTN in amphetamine neurotoxicity and reward. We have now studied the effects of amphetamine (10mg/kg, 4 times, every 2h) in the striatum of mice with transgenic PTN overexpression (PTN-Tg) in the brain and in wild type (WT) mice. Amphetamine caused an enhanced loss of striatal dopaminergic terminals, together with a highly significant aggravation of amphetamine-induced increase in the number of GFAP-positive astrocytes, in the striatum of PTN-Tg mice compared to WT mice.

Quantitative Evaluation of Medial Temporal Lobe Morphology in Children with Febrile Status Epilepticus: Results of the FEBSTAT Study.

Background And Purpose: The pathogenesis of febrile status epilepticus is poorly understood, but prior studies have suggested an association with temporal lobe abnormalities, including hippocampal malrotation. We used a quantitative morphometric method to assess the association between temporal lobe morphology and febrile status epilepticus.

Materials And Methods: Brain MR imaging was performed in children presenting with febrile status epilepticus and control subjects as part of the Consequences of Prolonged Febrile Seizures in Childhood study.

Validation of a Modified CHA2DS2-VASc Score for Stroke Risk Stratification in Asian Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background And Purpose: The age threshold for an increased stroke risk for patients with atrial fibrillation may be different for Asians and non-Asians. We hypothesized that a modified CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75, diabetes mellitus, prior stroke or transient ischemic attack, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, female) scheme, mCHA2DS2-VASc, which assigned one point for patients aged 50 to 74 years, may perform better than CHA2DS2-VASc score for stroke risk stratification in Asians.

Methods: This study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, which included 224 866 newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation patients.

A novel multilocus phylogenetic estimation reveals unrecognized diversity in Asian horned toads, genus Megophrys sensu lato (Anura: Megophryidae).

The horned toad assemblage, genus Megophrys sensu lato, currently includes three groups previously recognized as the genera Atympanophrys, Xenophrys and Megophrys sensu stricto. The taxonomic status and species composition of the three groups remain controversial due to conflicting phenotypic analyses and insufficient phylogenetic reconstruction; likewise, the position of the monotypic Borneophrys remains uncertain with respect to the horned toads. Further, the diversity of the horned toads remains poorly understood, especially for widespread species.