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.

An improved approach for evaluating the semicrystalline lamellae of starch granules by synchrotron SAXS.

A fitting method combined with a linear correlation function was developed as an improved approach for the SAXS analysis of the semicrystalline lamellae of starch granules. Using a power-law function with two Gaussian plus Lorentz functions, the SAXS pattern was resolved into sub-patterns of the net lamellar peak and the power-law scattering plus scattering background (PL+B). The ratio of the net lamellar peak area (A) to the total scattering area (A) was proposed equal to the proportion of the lamellae within the starch granule (P).

Ultrashort Beryllium-Beryllium Distances Rivalling Those of Metal-Metal Quintuple Bonds Between Transition Metals.

Chemical bonding is at the heart of chemistry. Recent work on high bond orders between homonuclear transition metal atoms has led to ultrashort metal-metal (TM-TM) distances defined as d <1.900 Å.

Elevated Homocysteine Concentrations Decrease the Antihypertensive Effect of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in Hypertensive Patients.

Objective: We aimed to examine whether baseline homocysteine (Hcy) concentrations affect antihypertensive responses to enalapril treatment among previously untreated hypertensive patients (n=10 783) in the CSPPT (China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial).

Approach And Results: After a 3-week run-in treatment with a daily dose of 10 mg enalapril, eligible hypertensive patients were randomly assigned to a double-blind daily treatment of a tablet of either enalapril (10 mg) and folic acid (0.8 mg) or enalapril (10 mg) alone for a median of 4.

Genetic and Pharmacologic Inhibition of the Chemokine Receptor CXCR2 Prevents Experimental Hypertension and Vascular Dysfunction.

Background: The recruitment of leukocytes to the vascular wall is a key step in hypertension development. Chemokine receptor CXCR2 mediates inflammatory cell chemotaxis in several diseases. However, the role of CXCR2 in hypertension development and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

Lipopolysaccharide and Curcumin Co-Stimulation Potentiates Olfactory Ensheathing Cell Phagocytosis Via Enhancing Their Activation.

The gradual deterioration following central nervous system (CNS) injuries or neurodegenerative disorders is usually accompanied by infiltration of degenerated and apoptotic neural tissue debris. A rapid and efficient clearance of these deteriorated cell products is of pivotal importance in creating a permissive environment for regeneration of those damaged neurons. Our recent report revealed that the phagocytic activity of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) can make a substantial contribution to neuronal growth in such a hostile environment.

CXCL12-CXCR7 axis contributes to the invasive phenotype of pancreatic cancer.

Chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 7 (CXCR7) and its ligand, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12), were established to be involved in biological behaviors and associated with prognosis in many cancers. However, effects, underlying mechanisms of CXCL12-CXCR7 axis in invasive phenotype of pancreatic cancer (PC) and its clinicopathologic significances have not been comprehensively explored. In the present study, it was first found by tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry that CXCL12 and CXCR7 staining scores were significantly associated with vessel invasion and overall survival in two independent cohorts of PC.

Association between CXCR2 and IL-22BP expression indicate a poor outcome for gastric adenocarcinoma progression.

C-X-C motif chemokine receptor type 2 (CXCR2), a key regulatory protein, has been associated with multiple roles in the progression of numerous tumors, including gastric adenocarcinoma (GA). However, the mechanism of CXCR2 in the development of tumors remains controversial and unclear. In a previous study, the expression of CXCR2 and interleukin-22 receptor 2 (IL-22BP) was observed in GA.

Increased protein expression levels of pCREB, BDNF and SDF-1/CXCR4 in the hippocampus may be associated with enhanced neurogenesis induced by environmental enrichment.

Brain plasticity is very sensitive to the environment. Certain neurotrophic factors and neurotransmitter receptors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element‑binding protein (CREB), stromal cell‑derived factor‑1 (SDF‑1) and its specific receptor, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), are important in neurogenesis in adult animals. In the present study, the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) on neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) and subventricular zone (SVZ), and the protein expression levels of BDNF, CREB, SDF‑1 and CXCR4 were investigated.

BRD7 plays an anti-inflammatory role during early acute inflammation by inhibiting activation of the NF-кB signaling pathway.

Increasing evidence has shown a strong association between tumor-suppressor genes and inflammation. However, the role of BRD7 as a novel tumor suppressor in inflammation remains unknown. In this study, by observing BRD7 knockout mice for 6-12 months, we discovered that compared with BRD7 mice, BRD7 mice were more prone to inflammation, such as external inflammation and abdominal abscess.

Independent and Joint Effect of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity and Blood Pressure Control on Incident Stroke in Hypertensive Adults.

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) has been shown to influence the effects of antihypertensive drugs in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Data are limited on whether PWV is an independent predictor of stroke above and beyond hypertension control. This longitudinal analysis examined the independent and joint effect of brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) with hypertension control on the risk of first stroke.

The migration and differentiation of hUC-MSCs(CXCR4/GFP) encapsulated in BDNF/chitosan scaffolds for brain tissue engineering.

We previously developed a biomaterial scaffold that could effectively provide seed cells to a lesion cavity resulting from traumatic brain injury. However, we subsequently found that few transplanted human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) are able to migrate from the scaffold to the lesion boundary. Stromal derived-cell factor-1α and its receptor chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor (CXCR)4 are chemotactic factors that control cell migration and stem cell recruitment to target areas.

Volatile anaesthetics enhance the metastasis related cellular signalling including CXCR2 of ovarian cancer cells.

The majority of ovarian cancer patients relapse after surgical resection. Evidence is accumulating regarding the role of surgery in disseminating cancer cells; in particular anaesthesia may have an impact on cancer re-occurrence. Here, we have investigated the metastatic potential of volatile anaesthetics isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane on ovarian cancer cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells generate pericytes to promote tumor recurrence via vasculogenesis after stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Background: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is postulated to enhance the recruitment of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the tumor microenvironment, which promote tumor recurrence. The aim of this study is to determine the molecular mechanisms behind SBRT stimulating MSC migration and differentiation.

Methods: In vitro, mediated factors and migrated MSCs (post-SBRT) were generated.

Glycyrrhizin Protects against Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Injury via Alleviating Tumor Necrosis Factor α-Mediated Apoptosis.

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is the leading cause of drug-induced acute liver failure in Western countries. Glycyrrhizin (GL), a potent hepatoprotective constituent extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine liquorice, has potential clinical use in treating APAP-induced liver failure. The present study determined the hepatoprotective effects and underlying mechanisms of action of GL and its active metabolite glycyrrhetinic acid (GA).

Predictors of Outcome After Alcohol Septal Ablation for Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy: An Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Background: Alcohol septal ablation (ASA) is used for treatment of medically refractory hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy patients with severe left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. The current recommendations restrict the procedure to adults with favorable anatomy and no other coexisting surgically amenable disease. Some patients remain symptomatic with residual LVOT obstruction, thus better patient selection is required.

Six Versus 12 Months of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Implantation of Biodegradable Polymer Sirolimus-Eluting Stent: Randomized Substudy of the I-LOVE-IT 2 Trial.

Background: There are no reports on a large-scale randomized trial exploring optimal dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration after biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent implantation. We sought to report the outcomes of a randomized substudy of the prospective Evaluate Safety and Effectiveness of the Tivoli DES and the Firebird DES for Treatment of Coronary Revascularization (I-LOVE-IT 2) trial.

Methods And Results: In the prospective noninferiority randomized I-LOVE-IT 2 trial, 1829 patients allocated to the biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent group were also randomized to receive either 6-month (n=909) or 12-month DAPT (n=920).

CXCR4 overexpression correlates with poor prognosis in myasthenia gravis-associated thymoma.

Thymoma is 1 rare type of tumor developed on the thymic epithelium; patients with thymoma also might have myasthenia gravis (MG). Because of the scarcity and complexity of MG-associated thymoma, its pathogenesis and etiology still remain unclear nowadays. The expression of C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) is absent or low in most healthy tissues but highly expressed in various types of tumors.

LPS-induced CXCR4-dependent migratory properties and a mesenchymal-like phenotype of colorectal cancer cells.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide, and over 50% of patients will develop hepatic metastasis during the course of their disease. CXCR4 and its ligand, stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α)/chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12) have been revealed as regulatory molecules involved in the spreading and progression of a variety of tumors. Here we have shown that lipopolysaccharides (LPS) promoted the migratory capacity of colon cancer cells in vivo and in vitro, which correlated with the activation of SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurrence.

CXCL16 induces angiogenesis in autocrine signaling pathway involving hypoxia-inducible factor 1α in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 16 (CXCL16) is a new angiogenic factor inducing angiogenesis via extracellular signal-regulated kinases pathway. To further understand the molecular mechanism underlying CXCL16‑induced angiogenesis, we explored involvement of other relevant pathways in CXCL16-induced angiogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying CXCL16-induced angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Angiotensinogen Exerts Effects Independent of Angiotensin II.

Objective: This study determined whether angiotensinogen (AGT) has angiotensin II-independent effects using multiple genetic and pharmacological manipulations.

Approach And Results: All study mice were in low-density lipoprotein receptor -/- background and fed a saturated fat-enriched diet. In mice with floxed alleles and a neomycin cassette in intron 2 of the AGT gene (hypoAGT mice), plasma AGT concentrations were >90% lower compared with their wild-type littermates.

Impaired Interneuron Development after Foxg1 Disruption.

Interneurons play pivotal roles in the modulation of cortical function; however, the mechanisms that control interneuron development remain unclear. This study aimed to explore a new role for Foxg1 in interneuron development. By crossing Foxg1fl/fl mice with a Dlx5/6-Cre line, we determined that conditional disruption of Foxg1 in the subpallium results in defects in interneuron development.

Targeted silencing of CXCL1 by siRNA inhibits tumor growth and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive malignancy and a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Our previous study shows that chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 (CXCL1) was upregulated and CXCR1 was downregulated in tumor tissues as compared to peritumor tissues by chemotaxis assay. As the status of CXCL subgroups and their receptors affect progression of HCC, we evaluated potential mechanisms of CXCL1 associated with anticancer effects in HCC based on our previous study.

Solid phase polymerization of phenylenediamine toward a self-supported FeN(x)/C catalyst with high oxygen reduction activity.

Solid phase polymerization of phenylenediamine with a template toward a self-supported FeNx/C catalyst was introduced. Using ZnO nanoparticles as the hard template could increase the surface area of the catalyst, thus the oxygen reduction activity was radically enhanced, to 21.9 A g(-1) at 0.