Leaf cDNA-AFLP analysis reveals novel mechanisms for boron-induced alleviation of aluminum-toxicity in Citrus grandis seedlings.

Little information is available on the molecular mechanisms of boron (B)-induced alleviation of aluminum (Al)-toxicity. 'Sour pummelo' (Citrus grandis) seedlings were irrigated for 18 weeks with nutrient solution containing different concentrations of B (2.5 or 20µM H3BO3) and Al (0 or 1.2mM AlCl3·6H2O). B alleviated Al-induced inhibition in plant growth accompanied by lower leaf Al. We used cDNA-AFLP to isolate 127 differentially expressed genes from leaves subjected to B and Al interactions. These genes were related to signal transduction, transport, cell wall modification, carbohydrate and energy metabolism, nucleic acid metabolism, amino acid and protein metabolism, lipid metabolism and stress responses. The ameliorative mechanisms of B on Al-toxicity might be related to: (a) triggering multiple signal transduction pathways; (b) improving the expression levels of genes related to transport; (c) activating genes involved in energy production; and (d) increasing amino acid accumulation and protein degradation. Also, genes involved in nucleic acid metabolism, cell wall modification and stress responses might play a role in B-induced alleviation of Al-toxicity. To conclude, our findings reveal some novel mechanisms on B-induced alleviation of Al-toxicity at the transcriptional level in C. grandis leaves.

[Problems and countermeasures in clinical studies on acupuncture and moxibustion in course of developing Guideline for Clinical Practice of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Insomnia].

To explore the problems and countermeasures existing in acupuncture and moxibustion clinical studies, in the perspective of the key steps of Guideline for Clinical Practice of Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Insomnia. The problems include: confusion of disease names and disunity of diagnostic criteria, inadequate refined clinical problems that need to be addressed, lack of targeted analysis of efficacy evaluation index, lack of adequate research on common acupuncture, difficulty to balance innovation and universality, lack of emphasis on the importance of timing for acupuncture, lack of attention to healthy lifestyles and self-care. We suggests that the disease name and diagnostic criteria should refer to the authoritative standards; the clinical study design should based on the realistic clinical problems; the efficacy evaluation index should based on the clinical needs and be analyzed targetedly; further research on common acupuncture or therapy should be carried out.

Timing and dose regimens of marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation affect the outcomes and neuroinflammatory response after ischemic stroke.

AIMS: Intravenous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) had been documented to improve functional outcome after ischemic stroke. However, the timing and appropriate cell number of transplantation to achieve better outcome after an episode of stroke remain further to be optimized. METHODS: To determine the optimal conditions, we transplanted different concentrations of BMSCs at different time points in a rat model of ischemic stroke. Infarction volume and neurological behavioral tests were performed after ischemia. RESULTS: We found that transplantation of BMSCs at 3 and 24 h, but not 7 days after focal ischemia, significantly reduced the lesion volume and improved motor deficits. We also found that transplanted cells at 1 × 10(6) to 10(7) , but not at 1 × 10(4) to 10(5) , significantly improved functional outcome after stroke. In addition to inhibiting macrophages/microglia activation in the ischemic brain, BMSC transplantation profoundly reduced infiltration of gamma delta T (γδT) cells, which are detrimental to the ischemic brain, and significantly increased regulatory T cells (Tregs), along with altered Treg-associated cytokines in the ischemic brain. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that timing and cell dose of transplantation determine the therapeutic effects after focal ischemia by modulating poststroke neuroinflammation.

Effects of granulation on organic acid metabolism and its relation to mineral elements in Citrus grandis juice sacs.

We investigated the effects of granulation on organic acid metabolism and its relation to mineral elements in 'Guanximiyou' pummelo (Citrus grandis) juice sacs. Granulated juice sacs had decreased concentrations of citrate and isocitrate, thus lowering juice sac acidity. By contrast, malate concentration was higher in granulated juice sacs than in normal ones. The reduction in citrate concentration might be caused by increased degradation, as indicated by enhanced aconitase activity, whilst the increase in malate concentration might be caused by increased biosynthesis, as indicated by enhanced phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC). Real time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the activities of most acid-metabolizing enzymes were regulated at the transcriptional level, whilst post-translational modifications might influence the PEPC activity. Granulation led to increased accumulation of mineral elements (especially phosphorus, magnesium, sulphur, zinc and copper) in juice sacs, which might be involved in the incidence of granulation in pummelo fruits.

Clinical trial on the characteristics of zheng classification of pulmonary diseases based on infrared thermal imaging technology.

Zheng classification study based on infrared thermal imaging technology has not been reported before. To detect the relative temperature of viscera and bowels of different syndromes patients with pulmonary disease and to summarize the characteristics of different Zheng classifications, the infrared thermal imaging technology was used in the clinical trial. The results showed that the infrared thermal images characteristics of different Zheng classifications of pulmonary disease were distinctly different. The influence on viscera and bowels was deeper in phlegm-heat obstructing lung syndrome group than in cold-phlegm obstructing lung syndrome group. It is helpful to diagnose Zheng classification and to improve the diagnosis rate by analyzing the infrared thermal images of patients. The application of infrared thermal imaging technology provided objective measures for medical diagnosis and treatment in the field of Zheng studies and provided a new methodology for Zheng classification.

[The characteristics of the insidious pathogen doctrine of Wu You-xing].

The concept of insidious pathogen originated in Nei jing ( Yellow Emperors Inner Classic). Wu You-xing put forward the concept of an epidemic noxious factor on the basis of predecessors' work and gave a new connotation to insidious pathogen in the late Ming dynasty. Wu You-xing held that the cold pathogen was invisible while the epidemic noxious factor was tangible and concrete; the hidden location of the pathogen is Mo yuan, and the pathogen concealed in Mo yuan is the elementary process of epidemic disease, not hidden and not attacking. It can be treated by Da yuan yin.

Identification of defense-related genes in rice responding to challenge by Rhizoctonia solani.

Rice sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani is one of the major diseases of rice. The pathogen infects rice plants directly through stomata or using lobate appressoria and hyphal masses called infection cushions. The infection structures were normally found at 36 h post-inoculation. During infection, the pathogenesis-related genes, PR1b and PBZ1 were induced in rice plants. To identify rice genes induced early in the defense response, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used to generate a cDNA library enriched for transcripts differentially expressed during infection by R. solani. After differential screening by membrane-based hybridization and subsequent confirmation by reverse Northern blot analysis, selected clones were sequenced. Fifty unique cDNA clones were found and assigned to five different functional categories. Most of the genes were not previously identified as being induced in response to pathogens. We examined expression of 100 rice genes induced by infection with Magnaporthe grisea, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryze (Xoo) and X. oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xooc). Twenty-five of them were found to be differentially expressed after the sheath blight infection, suggesting overlap of defense responses to different fungal and bacterial pathogens infection.