Structural analysis reveals a "molecular calipers" mechanism for a LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN transcription factor protein from wheat.

LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN (LBD) proteins, a family of plant-specific transcription factors harboring a conserved Lateral Organ Boundaries (LOB) domain, are regulators of plant organ development. Recent studies have unraveled additional pivotal roles of the LBD protein family beyond defining lateral organ boundaries, such as pollen development and nitrogen metabolism. The structural basis for the molecular network of LBD-dependent processes remains to be deciphered.

A 3'-5' exonuclease activity embedded in the helicase core domain of Candida albicans Pif1 helicase.

3'-5' exonucleases are frequently found to be associated to polymerases or helicases domains in the same enzyme or could function as autonomous entities. Here we uncovered that Candida albicans Pif1 (CaPif1) displays a 3'-5' exonuclease activity besides its main helicase activity. These two latter activities appear to reside on the same polypeptide and the new exonuclease activity could be mapped to the helicase core domain.

The cytochrome P450 2D6*10 genetic polymorphism alters postoperative analgesia.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6*10 genetic polymorphism on postoperative patient-controlled morphine usage. A total of 114 patients were selected, and 102 patients completed the study. Polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine the CYP2D6*10 genotype, and patients were categorized into three groups according to CYP2D6 genotype: heterozygous (m/w), wild-type homozygous (w/w), and mutant homozygous (m/m).

Selected polymorphisms of GSTP1 and TERT were associated with glioma risk in Han Chinese.

Background: Current evidence suggests that a majority of the inherited risks play a major role in glioma susceptibility, and glioma is due to the co-inheritance of multiple low-risk variants. These variants can be identified through association studies including such as genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which has led the glioma epidemiology researchers to focus on identifying potential disease-causing factors.

Methods: We evaluated and validated 10 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) in seven genes associated with glioma susceptibility in a Han Chinese population, including 301 glioma cases and 302 controls, using a multiplexed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) MassEXTEND assay.

[Clinical study on the antioxidant effect of methylene blue in vivo].

Objective: To investigate the relationship of oxygen free radical (OFR) with per-oxidative injury of erythrocyte induced by intravenous procaine in vivo and the effect of methylene blue (MB) in removal of nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)).

Methods: Forty patients undergoing elective surgery were divided randomly into intravenous procaine anesthesia (IPA) group and fentanyl group. Blood sample was taken before anesthesia (T0), 120 minutes (T1) and 180 minutes (T2) after IPA and 30 minutes after treatment with MB (1-2 mg/kg, T3) to determine the changes in the levels of NO, OFR, lipid peroxide (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), NADH-Cyt b5-reductase (Cyt b5-R) and methemoglobin (MHb).