Cholelithiasis and cholecystectomy increase the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's esophagus.

Background: Cholelithiasis or cholecystectomy may contribute to the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus (BE), and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) through bile reflux; however, current observational studies yield inconsistent findings. We utilized a novel approach combining meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, to assess the association between them.

Methods: The literature search was done using PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases, up to 3 November 2023.

Functional characterization of D-type cyclins involved in cell division in rice.

Background: D-type cyclins (CYCD) regulate the cell cycle G/S transition and are thus closely involved in cell cycle progression. However, little is known about their functions in rice.

Results: We identified 14 CYCD genes in the rice genome and confirmed the presence of characteristic cyclin domains in each.

Stacking Multiple Genes Improves Resistance to , , and in Transgenic Rice.

The ability of various pests and diseases to adapt to a single plant resistance gene over time leads to loss of resistance in transgenic rice. Therefore, introduction of different pest and disease resistance genes is critical for successful cultivation of transgenic rice strains with broad-spectrum resistance to multiple pathogens. Here, we produced resistance rice lines with multiple, stacked resistance genes by stacking breeding and comprehensively evaluated their resistance to (striped rice stemborer), (rice blast), and (brown planthopper) in a pesticide-free environment.

Analysis of the Genetic Stability of Insect and Herbicide Resistance Genes in Transgenic Rice Lines: A Laboratory and Field Experiment.

A lack of stability in the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis genes (CRY) and the dialaninophosphate resistance gene (BAR) in transgenic rice plants can lead to the loss of important characters. The genetic stability of transgenic expression in high-generation lines is thus critically important for ensuring the success of molecular breeding efforts. Here, we studied the genetic stability of resistance to insect pests and herbicides in transgenic rice lines at the molecular and phenotypic levels in a pesticide-free environment.

Advances in BBB on Chip and Application for Studying Reversible Opening of Blood-Brain Barrier by Sonoporation.

The complex structure of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which blocks nearly all large biomolecules, hinders drug delivery to the brain and drug assessment, thus decelerating drug development. Conventional in vitro models of BBB cannot mimic some crucial features of BBB in vivo including a shear stress environment and the interaction between different types of cells. There is a great demand for a new in vitro platform of BBB that can be used for drug delivery studies.

Comparison of the Phenotypic Performance, Molecular Diversity, and Proteomics in Transgenic Rice.

The extent of molecular diversity and differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in transgenic lines provide valuable information to understand the phenotypic performance of transgenic crops compared with their parents. Here, we compared the differences in the phenotypic variation of twelve agronomic and end-use quality traits, the extent of microsatellite diversity, and DEPs of a recurrent parent line with three transgenic rice restorer lines carrying either gene on chromosome 11 or gene on chromosome 12 or both genes. The three transgenic lines had significantly smaller stem borer infestation than the recurrent parent without showing significant differences among most agronomic traits, yield components, and end-use quality traits.

Genome-Wide Analysis and Functional Characterization of Pyruvate Kinase (PK) Gene Family Modulating Rice Yield and Quality.

Pyruvate kinase (PK) is one of the three rate-limiting enzymes of glycolysis, and it plays a pivotal role in energy metabolism. In this study, we have identified 10 PK genes from the rice genome. Initially, these genes were divided into two categories: cytoplasmic pyruvate kinase (PKc) and plastid pyruvate kinase (PKp).

Physiological and Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal the Mechanisms of Compensatory Growth Ability for Early Rice after Low Temperature and Weak Light Stress.

"Late spring coldness" (T) is a frequent meteorological disaster in the spring in southern China, often causing severe yield losses of direct-seeded early rice. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the differences in the compensatory growth ability of different rice genotypes by focusing on agronomic traits, physiological indicators, and transcriptome. The results showed that there were significant differences in the compensatory growth recovery ability of different genotypes after a combination of four days of low temperature and weak light stress.

Fine Mapping of a Novel Major Quantitative Trait Locus, , That Controls Panicle Apical Abortion in Rice.

The panicle apical abortion (PAA) causes severe yield losses in rice production, but details about its development and molecular basis remain elusive. Here, we detected PAA quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in three environments using a set of chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) that was constructed with Changhui121 as the recurrent parent and Koshihikari as the donor parent. First, we identified a novel major effector quantitative trait locus, , and selected a severe PAA line, CSSL176, which had the highest PAA rate among CSSLs having Koshihikari segments at this locus.

Ribosome profiling reveals the effects of nitrogen application translational regulation of yield recovery after abrupt drought-flood alternation in rice.

Abrupt drought-flood alternation is a frequent meteorological disaster during the summer in Southern China. The study of physiological and translation mechanisms of rice yield recovery after abrupt drought-flood alternation has great potential benefits in field production. Our results showed that yield recovery upon nitrogen (N) application after abrupt drought-flood alternation was due to the increase in effective panicle numbers per plant.

A -3 Fatty Acid Desaturase Gene, Enhances Cold Tolerance and Seed Germination Rate under Low Temperature in Rice.

Low temperature is an environmental stress factor that is always been applied in research on improving crop growth, productivity, and quality of crops. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) play an important role in cold tolerance, so its genetic manipulation of the PUFA contents in crops has led to the modification of cold sensitivity. In this study, we over-expressed an fatty acid desaturase from () drove by a maize ubiquitin promoter in rice.

Generation of a new thermo-sensitive genic male sterile rice line by targeted mutagenesis of TMS5 gene through CRISPR/Cas9 system.

Background: Two-line hybrid rice with high yield potential is increasingly popular and the photo- and temperature-sensitive male sterile line is one of the basic components for two-line hybrid rice breeding. The development of male sterile lines through conventional breeding is a lengthy and laborious process, whereas developing thermo-sensitive genic male sterile (TGMS) lines for two-line hybrid breeding by editing a temperature-sensitivity gene by CRISPR/Cas9 is efficient and convenient.

Results: Here, thermo-sensitive genic male sterility (TGMS) was induced by employing the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to modify the gene TMS5.

Rice Morphogenesis and Chlorophyll Accumulation Is Regulated by the Protein Encoded by and Its Interaction With NAL9.

Rice yield is closely related to plant leaf shape and chlorophyll content. In this study, we isolated and identified a narrow and rolled leaf mutant, temporarily named with darker green leaves. Histological analysis showed that has a reduced number of vascular bundles and undergoes abnormal abaxial sclerenchymatous cell differentiation.

The chimeric mitochondrial gene orf182 causes non-pollen-type abortion in Dongxiang cytoplasmic male-sterile rice.

D1-cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) rice is a sporophytic cytoplasmic male-sterile rice developed from Dongxiang wild rice that exhibits a no-pollen-grain phenotype. A mitochondrial chimeric gene (orf182) was detected by mitochondrial genome sequencing and a comparative analysis. Orf182 is composed of three recombinant fragments, the largest of which is homologous to Sorghum bicolor mitochondrial sequences.

OsPK2 encodes a plastidic pyruvate kinase involved in rice endosperm starch synthesis, compound granule formation and grain filling.

Starch is the main form of energy storage in higher plants. Although several enzymes and regulators of starch biosynthesis have been defined, the complete molecular machinery remains largely unknown. Screening for irregularities in endosperm formation in rice represents valuable prospect for studying starch synthesis pathway.