Response of C:N:P stoichiometry to long-term drainage of peatlands: Evidence from plant, soil, and enzyme.

Drought induced by climate warming and human activities regulates carbon (C) cycling of peatlands by changing plant community composition and soil properties. Estimating the responses of peatlands C cycling to environmental changes requires further study of C: nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) stoichiometric ratios of soil, plants, and enzyme activities. However, systematic studies on the stoichiometry of above-ground and below-ground ecosystems of peatlands post drainage remain scarce.

Various configuration types of the foveal avascular zone with related factors in normal Chinese adults with or without myopia assessed by swept-source OCT angiography.

Aim: To describe the morphological characteristics of foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in normal Chinese adults with or without myopia by swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) and analyze the possible associated factors.

Methods: Normal Chinese adults with or without myopia aged between 18 and 60y were recruited into the study. One eye in each individual was randomly selected for scanning using SS-OCTA.

Optic nerve head astrocytes contribute to vascular associated effects.

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to test the expression of vasoactive substances within rat lamina cribrosa (LC) and optic nerve head (ONH) astrocytes, so as to investigate the role and potential mechanism of ONH astrocytes in vascular associated effects.

Methods: LC tissue sections and primary cultured ONH astrocytes were obtained from adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Immunofluorescent staining was then used to detect the expression of vasoactive substances.

Three new species of (Agaricomycetes, Agaricales, Psathyrellaceae) from the Yanshan Mountains in China.

Three new species, , and , were found and described from Yanshan Mountains in China. The identification is based on morphological observation combined with phylogenetic analysis of ITS-LSU--. This study enriched the species diversity of in Yanshan Mountains and provided important data support for the systematic study of in the future.

Comparison between image texture and polarization features in histopathology.

Digital pathology has shown great importance for diagnostic purposes in the digital age by integrating basic image features into multi-modality information. We quantify the degree of correlation between the multiple texture features from H&E images and polarization parameter sets derived from Mueller matrix images of the same sample to provide more microstructural information for assisting diagnosis. The experimental result shows the correlations between texture feature and polarization parameter via Pearson coefficients.

Deriving Polarimetry Feature Parameters to Characterize Microstructural Features in Histological Sections of Breast Tissues.

Objective: Mueller matrix polarimetry technique has been regarded as a powerful tool for probing the microstructural information of tissues. The multiplying of cells and remodeling of collagen fibers in breast carcinoma tissues have been reported to be related to patient survival and prognosis, and they give rise to observable patterns in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) sections of typical breast tissues (TBTs) that the pathologist can label as three distinctive pathological features (DPFs)-cell nuclei, aligned collagen, and disorganized collagen. The aim of this paper is to propose a pixel-based extraction approach of polarimetry feature parameters (PFPs) using a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier.

The ATP-binding cassette transporter OsPDR1 regulates plant growth and pathogen resistance by affecting jasmonates biosynthesis in rice.

Jasmonates (JAs) are important regulators of plant growth, development, and defense. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters participate in disease resistance by transporting JAs or antimicrobial secondary metabolites in dicotyledons. Here, we functionally characterized a JAs-inducible rice gene (OsPDR1) that encodes a member of the pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) subfamily of ABC transporters.

Neferine induces mitochondrial dysfunction to exert anti-proliferative and anti-invasive activities on retinoblastoma.

Retinoblastoma is common primary intraocular malignancy of infants and childhood. Neferine is a major bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid derived from the lotus plumule in . This study evaluated the mitigation role of Neferine on retinoblastoma and .

Shifts in renin-angiotensin system components, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress-related protein expression in the lamina cribrosa region of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyse shifts in renin-angiotensin system (RAS) components, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress-related protein expression in the lamina cribrosa (LC) region in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.

Methods: Six months after diabetes induction, the retinal vessels of male C57BL/6 J mice were observed by colour photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), and immunofluorescent staining following incubation with CD31. Immunofluorescence for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA),and NG2 was also performed.

Discovery and Optimization of N-Substituted 2-(4-pyridinyl)thiazole carboxamides against Tumor Growth through Regulating Angiogenesis Signaling Pathways.

Inhibition of angiogenesis is considered as one of the desirable pathways for the treatment of tumor growth and metastasis. Herein we demonstrated that a series of pyridinyl-thiazolyl carboxamide derivatives were designed, synthesized and examined against angiogenesis through a colony formation and migration assays of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) study was carried out and optimization toward this series of compounds resulted in the discovery of N-(3-methoxyphenyl)-4-methyl-2-(2-propyl-4-pyridinyl)thiazole-5-carboxamide (3k).

Shifts in retinal vessel diameter and oxygen saturation in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the shifts in retinal vessel diameter and oxygen saturation in diabetic patients with and without diabetic retinopathy (DR), as well as to assess the association between diabetes duration and either vessel diameter or oxygen saturation.

Methods: In total, 99 Type 2 DM patients were recruited for the study and were divided into three groups: DM with non-obvious retinopathy (DM, n = 29), non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR, n = 40), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR, n = 30). In addition, 78 age-matched healthy individuals were chosen as the control.

Study of retinal vessel oxygen saturation in ischemic and non-ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion.

Aim: To explore how oxygen saturation in retinal blood vessels is altered in ischemic and non-ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Methods: Fifty BRVO eyes were divided into ischemic (n=26) and non-ischemic (n=24) groups, based on fundus fluorescein angiography. Healthy individuals (n=52 and n=48, respectively) were also recruited as controls for the two groups.

Physiological characterisation and fine mapping of a salt-tolerant mutant in rice (Oryza sativa).

Salt-tolerant mutants are valuable resources for basic and applied research on plant salt tolerance. Here, we report the isolation and characterisation of a salt-tolerant rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant.

Age-related cataract and macular degeneration: Oxygen receptor dysfunction diseases.

Age-related cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness in developing and developed countries, respectively. Oxidative stress and oxidation products have been verified to play important roles in these two aging diseases. Recent research has demonstrated that there are significant oxygen gradients in the eye.

Retinal vessel oxygen saturation and vessel diameter in retinitis pigmentosa at various ages.

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine whether oxygen saturation and retinal blood vessel diameter are affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at various ages.

Methods: Relative oxygen saturation was measured in retinal blood vessels in 68 RP patients and 136 normal subjects using the Oxymap T1 retinal oximeter. Subjects were divided into two age groups: Group A (20-40 years) and Group B (> 40 years).

Oridonin inhibits tumor growth and metastasis through anti-angiogenesis by blocking the Notch signaling.

While significant progress has been made in understanding the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of the natural diterpenoid component Oridonin on tumor cells, little is known about its effect on tumor angiogenesis or metastasis and on the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, Oridonin significantly suppressed human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation, migration, and apillary-like structure formation in vitro. Using aortic ring assay and mouse corneal angiogenesis model, we found that Oridonin inhibited angiogenesis ex vivo and in vivo.

A natural small molecule harmine inhibits angiogenesis and suppresses tumour growth through activation of p53 in endothelial cells.

Activation of p53 effectively inhibits tumor angiogenesis that is necessary for tumor growth and metastasis. Reactivation of the p53 by small molecules has emerged as a promising new strategy for cancer therapy. Several classes of small-molecules that activate the p53 pathway have been discovered using various approaches.

Cucurbitacin E inhibits breast tumor metastasis by suppressing cell migration and invasion.

Tumor metastasis is the main cause of cancer-related deaths of patients. Breast cancer is highly malignant with considerable metastatic potential, which urges the necessity for developing novel potential drug candidate to prevent tumor metastasis. Here, we report our finding with Cucurbitacin E (CuE, α-elaterin), a tetracyclic triterpenes compound isolated from Cucurbitaceae.

Usnic acid inhibits breast tumor angiogenesis and growth by suppressing VEGFR2-mediated AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways.

Tumor growth depends on angiogenesis and inducing angiogenesis is one of the most important hallmarks in the cancer development. Treatment with small molecules that inhibit angiogenesis has been an effective strategy for anti-cancer therapy. Some anti-angiogenic factors are derived from traditional Chinese herbs.

Community health service capacity in China: a survey in three municipalities.

Rationale: China is reforming its health care system. It aims to strengthen primary health care through building community health facilities and assigning a 'gate-keeper' role to primary care providers. However, it remains unknown whether community health facilities are able to fulfil such a mission.

Plumbagin inhibits tumour angiogenesis and tumour growth through the Ras signalling pathway following activation of the VEGF receptor-2.

Background And Purpose: Angiogenesis-based therapy is an effective anti-tumour strategy and previous reports have shown some beneficial effects of a naturally occurring bioactive compound plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1, 4-naphthoquinone). Here, we sought to determine the biological effects of plumbagin on signalling mechanisms during tumour angiogenesis.

Experimental Approach: The effects of plumbagin were evaluated in various in vitro assays which utilised human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) proliferation, migration and tube formation.

Indirubin inhibits tumor growth by antitumor angiogenesis via blocking VEGFR2-mediated JAK/STAT3 signaling in endothelial cell.

Tumor angiogenesis is one of the hallmarks of the development in malignant neoplasias and metastasis. Many angiogenesis inhibitors are small molecules from natural products. Indirubin, the active component of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, Banlangen, has been shown to exhibit antitumor and anti-inflammation effects.

[Influence of LDAO on the conformation and release of bacteriochlorophyll of peripheral light-harvesting complex (LH2) from Rhodobacter azotoformans].

The aim of this study is to reveal the interaction relationships between lauryl dimethylamine N-oxide (LDAO) and peripheral light-harvesting complex (LH2) as well as the influence of LDAO on structure and function of LH2. In the present work, the effects of LDAO on the conformation and release processes of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) of LH2 when incubated under different temperature and pH in the presence and absence of LDAO were investigated by spectroscopy. The results indicated that (1) the presence of LDAO resulted in alterations in the conformation, alpha-helix content, and spectra of Tyr and B850 band of LH2 at room temperature and pH 8.