Strigolactones: A promising tool for nutrient acquisition through arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi symbiosis and abiotic stress tolerance.

Strigolactones (SLs) constitute essential phytohormones that control pathogen defense, resilience to phosphate deficiency and abiotic stresses. Furthermore, SLs are released into the soil by roots, especially in conditions in which there is inadequate phosphate or nitrogen available. SLs have the aptitude to stimulate the root parasite plants and symbiotic cooperation with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in rhizosphere.

Chlorophyll fluorescence, physiology, and yield of winter wheat under different irrigation and shade durations during the grain-filling stage.

The uneven spatial and temporal distribution of light resources and water scarcity during the grain-filling stage pose significant challenges for sustainable crop production, particularly in the arid areas of the Loess Plateau in Northwest China. This study aims to investigate the combined effects of drought and shading stress on winter wheat growth and its physio-biochemical and antioxidative responses. Wheat plants were subjected to different drought levels- full irrigation (I100), 75% of full irrigation (I75), 50% of full irrigation (I50), and 25% of full irrigation (I25), and shading treatments - 12, 9, 6, 3 and 0 days (SD12, SD9, SD6, SD3, and CK, respectively) during the grain-filling stage.

Influence of preoperative radiotherapy on head and neck free-flap reconstruction: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effect of preoperative external radiotherapy (XRT) on head and neck free-flap reconstruction is still controversial. In this study, we aimed to determine the impact of preoperative XRT on the outcomes of head and neck microvascular free-flap reconstruction. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in concordance with the Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Recombinant Plectasin on Growth Performance, Intestinal Health and Innate Immunity Response in Broilers.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of recombinant plectasin (Ple) on the growth performance, intestinal health, and serum immune parameters in broilers. A total of 288 1-day-old male broilers (Arbor Acres) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments including the basal diet (NC) and basal diet supplemented with 10 mg enramycin/kg (PC), 100 mg Ple/kg (LPle), and 200 mg Ple/kg (HPle) diets. The results indicated Ple increased (P < 0.

[Effects of revegetation approach and terrain on plant species diversity as a result of converting croplands to forests in the Loess region of western Shanxi Province, China].

The plant species diversity of stands converted from croplands as affected by revegetation approaches and terrains was studied using the transect line plot sampling. The goal of the study was to provide reference for evaluation reforestation effects and forest management in the Loess region of western Shanxi Province. The results showed that revegetation approach had a great influence on plant species diversity in stands.

Decreased Coupling Between Functional Connectivity Density and Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation in Non-Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: a Resting-Stage Functional MRI Study.

In this study, we seek to explore alterations of coupling between functional connectivity density (FCD) and amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) in systemic lupus erythematosus patients without overt neuropsychiatric symptoms (non-NPSLE) by using resting-state functional MR imaging. This study was approved by the institutional ethical review board, and all participants signed written informed consent prior to the study. Twenty six non-NPSLE patients and 35 matched healthy controls underwent resting-state functional MR imaging.

A prospective multicenter clinical study of extralevator abdominoperineal resection for locally advanced low rectal cancer.

Background: Recent studies have shown that extralevator abdominoperineal resection has the potential for reduced circumferential resection margin involvement, intraoperative bowl perforation, and local recurrence rates; however, it has been suggested that extended resection may be associated with increased morbidity because of the formation of a larger perineal defect.

Objective: This study was undertaken to demonstrate the feasibility and complications of extralevator abdominoperineal resection for locally advanced low rectal cancer in China.

Design: This was a prospective cohort study.

Walleye dermal sarcoma virus: expression of a full-length clone or the rv-cyclin (orf a) gene is cytopathic to the host and human tumor cells.

Walleye dermal sarcoma virus (WDSV) is etiologically associated with a skin tumor, walleye dermal sarcoma (WDS), which develops in the fall and regresses in the spring. WDSV genome contains, in addition to gag, pol and env, three open reading frames (orfs) designated orf a (rv-cyclin), orf b and orf c. Unintegrated linear WDSV provirus DNA isolated from infected tumor cells was used to construct a full-length WDSV provirus clone pWDSV, while orf a was cloned into pSVK3 to construct the expression vector porfA.

Construction and identification of polycistron adenoviral expression vector PCA13/FasL-IRES-iNOS.

Objective: To construct the Fas ligand (FasL) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) coexpressed PCA13 plasmid used for packing of adenovirus, so as to observe the immunoprotective effect of FasL on the adenovirus vector.

Methods: By way of the internal ribosome entry site (IRES), gene engineering techniques such as preparation and transformation of competent cells, plasmid extraction, agarose gel electrophoresis and restriction enzymolysis were used for the construction of the polycistron adenoviral expression vector PCA13/FasL-IRES-iNOS, which could coexpress FasL and the iNOS gene after multisubcloning steps.

Results: FasL and iNOS connected with the IRES were successfully cloned to the PCA13 plasmid and verified by enzymolysis (600 bp FasL, 1000 bp IRES and 4000 bp iNOS) and the gene sequence was concordant with the gene bank.

Cisplatin-induced premature senescence with concomitant reduction of gap junctions in human fibroblasts.

To examine the role of gap junctions in cell senescence, the changes of gap junctions in cisplatin-induced premature senescence of primary cultured fibroblasts were studied and compared with the replicative senescent human fibroblasts. Dye transfer assay for gap junction function and immunofluorescent staining for connexin 43 protein distribution were done respectively. Furthermore, cytofluorimetry and DAPI fluorescence staining were performed for cell cycle and apoptosis analysis.

Stimulation of IKK-gamma oligomerization by the human T-cell leukemia virus oncoprotein Tax.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 oncoprotein Tax activates NF-kappaB through direct binding to IKK-gamma, the regulatory component of the IkappaB kinase complex. Mechanisms by which IKK-gamma adapts the Tax signal to the IkappaB kinase are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that IKK-gamma forms homodimer and homotrimer both in vitro and in yeast or mammalian cells through a C-terminal domain comprising amino acids 251-419.