The chloroplast genome of : genome structure and comparative analysis.

is one of the most widely distributed mangrove species worldwide. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of was sequenced and assembled; its phylogenetic position was confirmed in Lythraceae. The total size of cp genome was 153,052 bp, exhibiting a typical quadripartite structure with a large single copy (LSC) region of 87,238 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,002 bp, two inverted repeats (IRs) regions of 23,906 bp each.

Effect of the Transition Metal Ions on the Single-Molecule Magnet Properties in a Family of Air-Stable 3d-4f Ion-Pair Compounds with Pentagonal Bipyramidal Ln(III) Ions.

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are expected to be promising candidates for the applications of high-density information storage materials and quantum information processing. Lanthanide SMMs have attracted considerable interest in recent years due to their excellent performance. It has always been interesting but not straightforward to study the relaxation and blocking mechanisms by embedding 3d ions into 4f SMMs.

Genetic diversity and population structure of the endangered species Paeonia decomposita endemic to China and implications for its conservation.

Background: Paeonia decomposita, endemic to China, has important ornamental, medicinal, and economic value and is regarded as an endangered plant. The genetic diversity and population structure have seldom been described. A conservation management plan is not currently available.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Elicits Antidepressant- and Anxiolytic-like Effect via Nuclear Factor-E2-related Factor 2-mediated Anti-inflammation Mechanism in Rats.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment is widely accepted as an evidence-based treatment option for depression and anxiety. However, the underlying mechanism of this treatment maneuver has not been clearly understood. The chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) procedure was used to establish depression and anxiety-like behavior in rats.

Inbreeding and inbreeding depression of Paeonia decomposita (Paeoniaceae), a threatened endemic plant to China.

Background: Small populations are predominantly vulnerable to inbreeding and inbreeding depression (ID). Owing to increased levels of inbreeding on individuals in small populations, ID could decrease the population growth rate, as well as its effective size, and exacerbate the extinction risk. Inbreeding depression remains a crucial area of research in conservation biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology.

Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of CuC₂O₄·H₂O and CuC₂O₄·H₂O/Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Pure CuC₂O₄·H₂O and CuC₂O₄·H₂O/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composites are synthesized by a low-temperature hydrothermal process. The structure and morphology of the products are analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and Raman spectrum. The results demonstrate that the as-prepared CuC₂O₄·H₂O takes on a microsphere-like morphology, all CuC₂O₄·H₂O/CNTs nanocomposites are constructed by the intertwining of tabular CuC₂O₄·H₂O nanoparticles (NPs) and CNTs to form a tanglesome net.

Copper Phthalocyanine-Functionalized Graphitic Carbon Nitride: A Hybrid Heterostructure toward Photoelectrochemical and Photocatalytic Degradation Applications.

In this work, alcian blue 8GX (AB), a copper(II) phthalocyanine derivative, was employed to functionalize graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3 N4 ) for the preparation of a highly efficient photocatalyst. The approach relies on a facile AB-assisted ethanol/water mixed-solvent exfoliation of bulk g-C3 N4 . The as-prepared g-C3 N4 /AB hybrid possesses significantly enhanced solution dispersibility and photoelectrochemical performance resulting from the synergistic effect between g-C3 N4 and AB, which involves the optimization of intimate interfacial contact, extension of light absorption range, and enhancement of charge-transfer efficiency.

The effects of different doses of estradiol (E2) on cerebral ischemia in an in vitro model of oxygen and glucose deprivation and reperfusion and in a rat model of middle carotid artery occlusion.

Background: Because neuroprotective effects of estrogen remain controversial, we aimed to investigate the effect of different doses of estradiol (E2) on cerebral ischemia using both in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Results: PC12 cells were cultured at physiological (10 nM and 20 nM) or pharmacological (10 μM and 20 μM) dosages of E2 for 24 hours (h). The results of 5-bromodeoxyuridine (Brdu) incorporation and flow cytometric analysis showed that physiological doses of E2 enhanced cell proliferation and pharmacological doses of E2 inhibited cell proliferation.

G-protein-coupled receptor 30 mediates rapid neuroprotective effects of estrogen via depression of NR2B-containing NMDA receptors.

17-β-estradiol (E2) is a steroid hormone involved in neuroprotection against excitotoxicity and other forms of brain injury. Through genomic and nongenomic mechanisms, E2 modulates neuronal excitability and signal transmission by regulating NMDA and non-NMDA receptors. However, the mechanisms and identity of the receptors involved remain unclear, even though studies have suggested that estrogen G-protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) is linked to protection against ischemic injury.

Microsatellite analysis of homozygosity progression of heterozygous genotypes segregating in the rice subspecies cross Pei'ai64s/Nipponbare.

Progression to homozygosity of heterozygous genotypes was studied in a cross of the rice subspecies Pei'ai64s and Nipponbare, using a set of 157 polymorphic microsatellite (SSR) markers. The segregation of heterozygous genotypes ranged from 49.13% in the F(2) population to 4.

[Imbalance of immunological functions of Treg and TGF-β1 aggravated cerebral ischemia damage in mice].

Aim: To investigate the changes of proportion of CD4(+);CD25(+); regulatory T cells (Treg) in Splenocytes and concentration of serum TGF-β1 in diverse period after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion(tMCAO) in mice and correlation between Treg and TGF-β1, so as to elucidate their roles in the immunological injury of acute ischemic stroke.

Methods: 60 male Kunming mice were randomly divided into six groups, i.e.

Porous silicon affinity chips for biomarker detection by MALDI-TOF-MS.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is an important biomarker in early diagnosis of congestive heart failure. Many efforts have been made previously to evaluate the BNP level in human plasma. We developed a porous silicon (PSi) affinity chip to detect BNP present at low concentrations in human plasma by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) directly.

Genetic analysis and molecular tagging on a novel excessive tillering mutant in rice.

A rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant with an excessive tiller number, designated ext-M1B, was found in the F2 progenies generated from the cross between M1B and GMS-1 (a genetic male sterile), whose number of tillers was 121. The excessive tillering mutant also resulted in significant changes in plant height, flag leaf, stem, filled grains per panicle, and productive panicles per plant.

Native anti-tumor responses elicited by immunization with a low dose of unmodified live tumor cells.

The present study demonstrates that immunization with a low dose of unmodified live myeloma tumor cells (FO) elicited tumor-specific immunity. BALB/c mice were vaccinated with 10(4) live dendritic cells (DC)-FO fusion cells or 10(3) live FO cells. 80% of vaccinated mice survived from the later challenge with 1 x 10(6) FO cells, whereas all control mice developed tumors.

[Cloning and analysis of a new NBS-LRR resistance gene family in rice].

Sequence-based gene isolation has been a practical approach for plant resistance gene cloning. In this study, RS13, a cloned rice sequence with the NBS (nucleotide-binding site) domain of resistance genes, was used as a probe to screen a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of rice variety IR64,and four positive clones were obtained. Of them the clone 14E19 covered the other three clones and was sequenced through a shotgun approach.

A novel method to isolate and map endothelial membrane proteins from pulmonary vasculature.

Vascular endothelium has attracted extensive attention due to its important role in many physiological and pathological processes. Many methods have been developed to study the components and their functions in vascular endothelium. Here we report a novel approach to investigate vascular endothelium using normal rat lungs as the model.

[Specific molecular markers of the rust resistance gene M4 in flax].

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important fiber and oil-producing crop. Flax rust, caused by Melampsora lini Ehrenb.

[Attachment and growth of cultured fibroblast cells on chitosan/PHEA-blended hydrogels].

The chitosan/PHEA-blended hydrogels were prepared from PHEA and chitosan in various blend ratios. The water contents of the hydrogels were in the range of 50%-80% (wt). The attachment and growth of fibroblast cells(L929) on the hydrogels were studied.