Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the BZR gene family in Zanthoxylum armatum DC and functional analysis of ZaBZR1 in drought tolerance.

MAIN CONCLUSION: In this study, six ZaBZRs were identified in Zanthoxylum armatum DC, and all the ZaBZRs were upregulated by abscisic acid (ABA) and drought. Overexpression of ZaBZR1 enhanced the drought tolerance of transgenic Nicotiana benthamian. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a pivotal class of sterol hormones in plants that play a crucial role in plant growth and development. BZR (brassinazole resistant) is a crucial transcription factor in the signal transduction pathway of BRs. However, the BZR gene family members have not yet been identified in Zanthoxylum armatum DC. In this study, six members of the ZaBZR family were identified by bioinformatic methods. All six ZaBZRs exhibited multiple phosphorylation sites. Phylogenetic and collinearity analyses revealed a closest relationship between ZaBZRs and ZbBZRs located on the B subgenomes. Expression analysis revealed tissue-specific expression patterns of ZaBZRs in Z. armatum, and their promoter regions contained cis-acting elements associated with hormone response and stress induction. Additionally, all six ZaBZRs showed upregulation upon treatment after abscisic acid (ABA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), indicating their participation in drought response. Subsequently, we conducted an extensive investigation of ZaBZR1. ZaBZR1 showed the highest expression in the root, followed by the stem and terminal bud. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that ZaBZR1 is present in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Overexpression of ZaBZR1 in transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana improved seed germination rate and root growth under drought conditions, reducing water loss rates compared to wild-type plants. Furthermore, ZaBZR1 increased proline content (PRO) and decreased malondialdehyde content (MDA), indicating improved tolerance to drought-induced oxidative stress. The transgenic plants also showed a reduced accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Importantly, ZaBZR1 up-regulated the expression of drought-related genes such as NbP5CS1, NbDREB2A, and NbWRKY44. These findings highlight the potential of ZaBZR1 as a candidate gene for enhancing drought resistance in transgenic N. benthamiana and provide insight into the function of ZaBZRs in Z. armatum.

Dietary sinensetin and polymethoxyflavonoids: Bioavailability and potential metabolic syndrome-related bioactivity.

Sinensetin is among the most ubiquitous polyphenols in citrus fruit and recently has been extensively studied for its ability to prevent or treat diseases. The current literature on the bioavailability of sinensetin and its derivatives was reviewed and the potential ameliorative effects of metabolic syndrome in humans were evaluated. Sinensetin and its derivatives mainly aggregated in the large intestine and extensively metabolized through gut microbiota (GM) and the liver. So intestinal microorganisms had a significant influence on the absorption and metabolism of sinensetin. Interestingly, not only GM acted on sinensetin to metabolize them, but sinensetin also regulated the composition of GM. Thus, sinensetin was metabolized as methyl, glucuronide and sulfate metabolites in the blood and urine. Furthermore, sinensetin was reported to have the beneficial effect of ameliorating metabolic syndromes, including disorders of lipid metabolism (obesity, NAFLD, atherosclerosis), glucose metabolism disorder (insulin resistant) and inflammation, in terms of improving the composition of intestinal flora and modulating metabolic pathway factors in relevant tissues. The present work strongly elucidated the potential mechanism of sinensetin in improving metabolic disorders and supported the contribution of sinensetin to health benefits, thus offering a better perspective in understanding the role played by sinensetin in human health.

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease in Sjogren's syndrome: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with connective tissue disease (CTD) belongs to Group 1 pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD), which is characterized by venous system aberrations, has been previously reported in CTD-PAH; however, it has rarely been observed in Sjogren's syndrome (SS). CASE PRESENTATION: Our 28-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital with recurrent shortness of breath even after minimal physical activity. Her chest high-resolution CT scan demonstrated pulmonary artery dilatation and bilateral ground-glass nodules. A subsequent right heart catheterization confirmed pulmonary hypertension because her mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 62 mmHg. Our inquisitive genomic assessment identified a novel EIF2AK4 mutation at c.1021 C > T (p. Gln341*), the dominant causal gene of PVOD. Histological examination demonstrated stenosis and occlusions in the pulmonary veins. Because she presented with features such as dry eyes and Raynaud's phenomenon, we performed a biopsy on the labial salivary gland, which confirmed SS. Her treatment regimen included PAH-targeted therapies (tadalafil and macitentan) in combination with hydroxychloroquine. Although she was hospitalized several times due to acute exacerbation of PAH, her disease progression was under control, and she did not demonstrate any signs of pulmonary edema even after a three-year treatment period. CONCLUSION: Here, we report the case of an SS-PAH patient with PVOD who carried a novel biallelic EIF2AK4 mutation, and PAH-targeted therapies were well tolerated by our patient.

Chain-Length- and Concentration-Dependent Isomerization of Bithiophenyl-Based Diaminotriazine Derivatives in Two-Dimensional Polymorphic Self-Assembly§.

Bithiophenyl-based diaminotriazine derivatives (2TDT-n, n = 10, 12, 16, and 18) with different chain lengths display colhex/p6mm mesophases. Their supramolecular self-assembled mechanism is investigated using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at the 1-octanoic acid/graphite interface at various concentrations. The chain length effect on the two-dimensional adlayers is observed in this system, and 2TDT-n molecules show a structural phase transition from the four-leaf arrangement to the two-row linear nanostructure accompanied by the emergence of molecular isomerization with the increase of the side-chain length. The self-assembled structure of 2TDT-10 is composed of a four-leaf pattern with uniform s-cis conformers. In 2TDT-12, three kinds of nanostructures (bamboo-like, two-row linear pattern-I, and flower-like) are observed. These nanostructures are randomly constituted by cis and trans conformers, and the ratios of the s-cis conformer in three kinds of patterns are 55.7, 42.3, and 62.5%, respectively. Furthermore, when n = 16 and 18, the ratio of the s-cis conformer further decreases to 19.0 and 4.3%, respectively. Those molecules mainly form linear nanostructures consisting of s-trans conformers. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the side-chain length has a great effect on the self-assembled patterns and the molecular conformation of bithiophenyl-based diaminotriazine derivatives. Density functional theory calculations are applied to optimize molecular conformers and assess their single-point energies, showing that the s-cis conformation has higher energy than the s-trans conformer. We speculate that the ratio of two conformers in nanostructures might be similar to that of the liquid crystalline phase.

Upregulation of a novel LncRNA AC104958.2 stabilized by PCBP2 promotes proliferation and microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were reported to be involved in tumorigenesis and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Microvascular invasion (MVI) is an independent predictor for early recurrence and overall survival in postoperative patients with HCC. However, the mechanisms how lncRNAs affect HCC and MVI remain elusive. By RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in a series of 65 HCC samples and 30 paired adjacent non-tumor liver tissue, we identified a novel lncRNA AC104958.2 that was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and associated with MVI. Overexpression of AC104958.2 obviously elevated cell viability, metastasis, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), while knockout of AC104958.2 mediated by CRISPR/Cas9 technique showed the opposite effects. In addition, the interaction between AC104958.2 and Poly (rC) binding protein 2 (PCBP2) was identified by RNA pull down and mass spectrometry (MS), which was further validated by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP). PCBP2 was also upregulated in HCC and associated with MVI. High expression of both AC104958.2 and PCBP2 was correlated with tumor size, TNM stage and MVI in HCC. Overexpression of PCBP2 greatly increased the cell viability, metastasis, invasion and EMT. Moreover, actinomycin D assay showed that overexpression of PCBP2 enhanced the RNA stability of AC104958.2. In conclusion, our study showed that a novel lncRNA AC104958.2 exerted oncogenic roles in HCC and might be a promising biomarker and therapeutic target.

Efficacy and safety of pulsed dye laser for the treatment of surgical scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Various clinical trials have explored whether the pulsed dye laser (PDL) method is safe to treat scars, especially surgical scars. However, comprehensive evidence confirming the exact outcomes of PDL for treating surgical scars is lacking. The efficacy and safety of PDL in the treatment of surgical scars were determined through a review of several studies. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched, and the main clinical outcomes were Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) scores in terms of pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and height. Review Manager 5.4 software was used for statistical analyses of the data; we chose a standardized mean difference (SMZ) to present the results with 95% confidence interval (CI). Overall, seven randomized controlled trials were used for this meta-analysis, all of these papers used 585 nm or 595 nm PDL with 7 mm or 10 mm spot size and a fluence of 3.5 to 10 J/cm2 for treating surgical scars; besides, the pulse duration ranged from 450 µs to 10 ms. We found that PDL significantly resulted in decreased VSS scores (P = 0.02) in four aspects: pigmentation (P = 0.0002), vascularity (P < 0.00001), pliability (P = 0.0002), and height (P = 0.0002). Moreover, scar improvement was similar when using 585 nm and 595 nm PDL in terms of pigmentation (P = 0.76), vascularity (P = 0.34), pliability (P = 0.64), and height (P = 0.57). Furthermore, our review indicated that PDL has no obvious adverse effects for most people, except transitory erythema and purpura. The meta-analysis showed that both 585 nm and 595 nm PDL therapy can effectively reduce the VSS score, suggesting that PDL can be a safe and effective method for the treatment of surgical scars.

BRITTLE CULM17, a Novel Allele of TAC4, Affects the Mechanical Properties of Rice Plants.

Lodging resistance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) has always been a hot issue in agricultural production. A brittle stem mutant, osbc17, was identified by screening an EMS (Ethylmethane sulfonate) mutant library established in our laboratory. The stem segments and leaves of the mutant were obviously brittle and fragile, with low mechanical strength. Examination of paraffin sections of flag leaf and internode samples indicated that the number of cell layers in mechanical tissue of the mutant was decreased compared with the wild type, Pingtangheinuo, and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the mechanical tissue cell walls of the mutant were thinner. Lignin contents of the internodes of mature-stage rice were significantly lower in the mutant than in the wild type. By the MutMap method, we found candidate gene OsBC17, which was located on rice chromosome 2 and had a 2433 bp long coding sequence encoding a protein sequence of 810 amino acid residues with unknown function. According to LC-MS/MS analysis of intermediate products of the lignin synthesis pathway, the accumulation of caffeyl alcohol in the osbc17 mutant was significantly higher than in Pingtangheinuo. Caffeyl alcohol can be polymerized to the catechyl lignin monomer by laccase ChLAC8; however, ChLAC8 and OsBC17 are not homologous proteins, which suggests that the osbc17 gene is involved in this process by regulating laccase expression.

Overexpression of the Eucommia~ulmoides Aquaporin, EuPIP1;1, Promotes Leaf Growth, Flowering and Bolting, and Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) is one of the largest subfamilies of Aquaporins (AQPs) and plays an important role in plant growth and development, and resistance to abiotic stress. In this study, the full length of the EuPIP1;1 cDNA was cloned from Eucommia ulmoides using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The EuPIP1;1 gene was induced by drought treatment and expressed in all tested tissues, with the highest expression level in fruit. The subcellular localization showed that EuPIP1;1 was located in the plasma membrane. Constitutive overexpression of EuPIP1;1 in Arabidopsisthaliana could promote leaf growth and development, and accelerate bolting and flowering. Six genes related to growth and flowering (AtPIF4, AtTCP14, AtCRY1, AtCRY2, AtFCA and AtFT) were significantly up-regulated in transgenic lines. Further, EuPIP1;1 gene improved resistance to drought and salt stress in transgenic Arabidopsis. Under drought and salt stress treatment, the transgenic lines had a higher germination rate and accumulation of osmotic substances, lower membrane damage, and could maintain ion homeostasis. Our results suggest that EuPIP1;1 plays an essential role in plant growth and development and in the response to drought and salt stress.

Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the Growth-Regulating Factor Family in Zanthoxylum armatum DC and Functional Analysis of ZaGRF6 in Leaf Size and Longevity Regulation.

Growth-regulating factors (GRFs) are plant-specific transcription factors that play an important role in plant growth and development. In this study, fifteen GRF gene members containing QLQ and WRC domains were identified in Zanthoxylum armatum. Phylogenetic and collinearity analysis showed that ZaGRFs were closely related to CsGRFs and AtGRFs, and distantly related to OsGRFs. There are a large number of cis-acting elements related to hormone response and stress induction in the GRF gene promoter region of Z. armatum. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that except for ZaGRF7, all the ZaGRFs were highly expressed in young parts with active growth and development, including terminal buds, seeds, and young flowers, suggesting their key roles in Z. armatum growth and development. Eight ZaGRFs were selected to investigate the transcriptional response to auxin, gibberellin and drought treatments. A total of six ZaGRFs in the NAA treatment, four ZaGRFs in the GA3 treatment, and six ZaGRFs in the PEG treatment were induced and significantly up-regulated. Overexpression of ZaGRF6 increased branching and chlorophyll content and delayed senescence of transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana. ZaGRF6 increased the expression of CRF2 and suppressed the expression of ARR4 and CKX1, indicating that ZaGRF6 is involved in cytokinin metabolism and signal transduction. These research results lay a foundation for further analysis of the GRF gene function of Z. armatum and provide candidate genes for growth, development, and stress resistance breeding of Z. armatum.

Integrative Analysis of Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Reveals Molecular Mechanisms of Anthocyanin Metabolism in the Zikui Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis cv. Zikui).

In this study, we performed an association analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics to reveal the anthocyanin biosynthesis mechanism in a new purple-leaf tea cultivar Zikui (Camellia sinensis cv. Zikui) (ZK). Three glycosylated anthocyanins were identified, including petunidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, and their contents were the highest in ZK leaves at 15 days. This is the first report on petunidin 3-O-glucoside in purple-leaf tea. Integrated analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome identified eleven dependent transcription factors, among which CsMYB90 had strong correlations with petunidin 3-O-glucoside, cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside (PCC > 0.8). Furthermore, we also identified key correlated structural genes, including two positively correlated F3'H (flavonoid-3'-hydroxylase) genes, two positively correlated ANS (anthocyanin synthase) genes, and three negatively correlated PPO (polyphenol oxidase) genes. Overexpression of CsMYB90 in tobacco resulted in dark-purple transgenic calluses. These results showed that the increased accumulation of three anthocyanins in ZK may promote purple-leaf coloration because of changes in the expression levels of genes, including CsMYB90, F3'Hs, ANSs, and PPOs. These findings reveal new insight into the molecular mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis in purple-leaf tea plants and provide a series of candidate genes for the breeding of anthocyanin-rich cultivars.

In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy for evaluating common facial hyperpigmentation.

BACKGROUND: In clinical settings, atypical facial hyperpigmentation such as nevus of Ota, acquired bilateral nevus of Ota-like macules (ABNOM), melasma, and café-au-lait spots are often missed and misdiagnosed. Summarizing in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) features of the hyperpigmentation is helpful in the diagnosis of ambiguous lesions. METHODS: We recruited 196 patients referred for unequivocal facial hyperpigmentation, including 55 patients with nevus of Ota, 45 patients with ABNOM, 62 patients with melasma, and 34 patients with café-au-lait spots. The RCM images were evaluated at the epidermis, the dermis-epidermis junction (DEJ), and the upper papillary dermis from both hyperpigmented patches and normal skin. RESULTS: In the superficial and middle dermis, 41 of 55 patients (74.5%) with nevus of Ota were characterized by a cord-like or lumpy structure between the collagen fibers. And there was no melanin deposition detected in the dermis in 14 of 55 (25.5%) patients. In ABNOM, 37 of 45 (82.2%) patients were characterized by a cord-like or lumpy structure in the superficial dermis and 8 of 45 patients (17.8%) was no melanin deposition detected in the dermis. The epidermis was no difference between nevus of Ota, ABNOM, and the normal skin. Melasma was detected increased cobblestone pattern in the epidermis of all patients, branching architecture in 21 of 62 patients (33.9%), and focally aggregated round to triangular cells in the upper dermis of 18 of 62 patients (29.0%). In all patients with afé-au-lait spots, increased cobblestone pattern in the epidermis and regular and increased density of ringed pattern in the DEJ were visualized. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that RCM may be useful in the auxiliary diagnosis of nevus of Ota, ABNOM, melasma, and café-au-lait spots.

Rapid disease progress in a PVOD patient carrying a novel EIF2AK4 mutation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) share an overlapping disease phenotype. Hence it is necessary to distinguish them. CASE PRESENTATION: Our 14-year-old female patient admitted with progressive shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue even after minimal physical activity was clinically suspected for PAH, based on her previous history. Her chest computed tomography artery reported the presence of PVOD triad features - subpleural thickened septal lines, ground-glass nodules/opacities and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Because of her weak physical stature, a lung biopsy was not performed; however, the genetic testing identified a novel heterozygous EIF2AK4 mutation at c.4833_4836dup (p.Q1613Kfs*10) - the dominant susceptible factor driving PVOD. Combination of genetic testing and computed tomography artery facilitated us to distinguish PVOD from PAH. Her disease symptoms advanced aggressively so that she died even before the lung transplantation, which was less than 6 months from the onset of disease symptoms. CONCLUSION: This case report highlights that novel EIF2AK4 mutation at [c.4833_4836dup (p.Q1613Kfs*10)] would predict an aggressive phenotype of PVOD. Hence, we conclude that a genetic test identifying EIF2AK4 mutation would serve as a tool for the early diagnosis of PVOD, circumventing lung biopsy.

Potential carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) in foodstuffs: Formation, extraction, analytical methods, and mitigation strategies.

During the heat treatment of proteinaceous food, heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), a kind of strong mutagens/carcinogens are formed. HAAs can be classified into two major groups based on the heating temperature, which are thermic HAAs generally formed in 150 to 300 °C and pyrolytic HAAs produced above 300 °C. This review focuses on the formation mechanisms of HAAs and identifies different mechanisms of the formation of HAAs in foodstuffs. Moreover, an overview of the available extraction, purification methods, and instrumental analytical methods in the last two decades is shown to determine the HAAs in various foodstuffs. Finally, based on the factors that affect the formation of HAAs in heat-processed foodstuffs, such as the cooking method, food type, the recipe, and the content of substances with enhancing or inhibiting effects on the formation of HAAs, this review also highlights the most promising strategies for mitigating HAAs, which include adjusting cooking methods or process conditions, adding natural product extracts, antioxidants or other compounds, or reasonable selection of types of foodstuff. The review intends to provide a broad but comprehensive understanding of the formation, extraction, purification, analytical methods, and possible mitigation strategies for isolated and identified HAAs.

Increased Risk of Hypertension in Young Adults in Southwest China: Impact of the 2017 ACC/AHA High Blood Pressure Guideline.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To examine the impact of the new 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline on the prevalence of hypertension, its constituent ratio, and their associated factors in southwest China. RECENT FINDINGS: A total of 14,220 permanent residents ≥ 18 years were enrolled in this survey. According to the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline, the hypertension prevalence was substantially increased (46.9% vs. 24.5%); consistent across different age and gender groups, while the hypertension awareness (23.8% vs. 45.6%); treatment (18.6% vs. 35.5%); control (2.3% vs. 11.2%); and control among treatment (9.6% vs. 24.0%) patients were decreased in southwest of China. In our cohort, 31.1% participants were newly diagnosed as hypertension. Young adults accounted considerable proportion in this newly diagnosed hypertension population. The proportion of young hypertensive individuals substantially increased, whereas those of the older hypertensive subjects decreased. Among the hypertensive subjects aged ≥ 65 years undergoing treatment, 90% of the elderly subjects were not eligible for hypertension control and 32.5% have systolic blood pressure control at 130-149 mmHg, and thus need to intensify antihypertensive treatment according to 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline. Smoking, drinking, body fat percentage, and body mass index were considered the factors associated with hypertension according to the Chinese hypertension guideline but not in the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline. The adoption of the 2017 ACC/AHA hypertension guideline will substantially increase hypertension prevalence in southwest of China. The new definition of hypertension implies that more young adults will likely suffer from high cardiovascular risks, while additional one third of elder hypertensive subjects will likely need intensified antihypertension treatments.

Efficacy and Safety of Ranolazine in Diabetic Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have discovered that the antiangina agent ranolazine exerts a glucometabolic effect. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to further understand the efficacy and safety profile of ranolazine in patients with diabetes. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched in PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases and in ClinicalTrials.gov up to July 2017. Efficacy end points were defined as the change in hemoglobin A1C (A1C) and fasting serum glucose (FSG) levels. Safety end points included the incidence of hypoglycemia, persistent hyperglycemia, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Sensitive and subgroup analyses were also conducted. RESULTS: Seven RCTs with 4461 diabetic patients were selected. Compared with placebo, the use of ranolazine significantly reduced the levels of A1C (weighted mean difference [WMD] = -0.49%; 95% CI = -0.58 to -0.40; P < 0.00001) and FSG (WMD = -6.70 mg/dL; 95% CI = -11.87 to -1.52; P = 0.01). No significant differences were observed in the rates of hypoglycemia (relative risk [RR] = 1.17; 95% CI = 0.76 to 1.80; P = 0.47), persistent hyperglycemia (RR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.47 to 1.31; P = 0.35), and MACE (RR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.32 to 1.32; P = 0.23). CONCLUSION: Ranolazine exerts a positive effect on glucose control and is a well-tolerated agent for patients with diabetes.

Constitutive expression of McCHIT1-PAT enhances resistance to rice blast and herbicide, but does not affect grain yield in transgenic glutinous rice.

To produce new rice blast- and herbicide-resistant transgenic rice lines, the McCHIT1 gene encoding the class I chitinase from Momordica charantia and the herbicide resistance gene PAT were introduced into Lailong (Oryza sativa L. ssp. Japonica), a glutinous local rice variety from Guizhou Province, People's Republic of China. Transgenic lines were identified by ß-glucuronidase (GUS) histochemical staining, PCR, and Southern blot analyses. Agronomic traits, resistance to rice blast and herbicide, chitinase activities, and transcript levels of McCHIT1 were assessed in the T2 progeny of three transgenic lines (L1, L8, and L10). The results showed that the introduction of McCHIT1-PAT into Lailong significantly enhanced herbicide and blast resistance. After infection with the blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, all of the T2 progeny exhibited less severe lesion symptoms than those of wild type. The disease indices were 100% for wild type, 65.66% for T2 transgenic line L1, 59.69% for T2 transgenic line L8, and 79.80% for T2 transgenic line L10. Transgenic lines expressing McCHIT1-PAT did not show a significant difference from wild type in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the leaves. However, after inoculation with M. oryzae, transgenic plants showed significantly higher SOD and PPO activities and lower MDA contents in leaves, compared with those in wild-type leaves. The transgenic and the wild-type plants did not show significant differences in grain yield parameters including plant height, panicles per plant, seeds per panicle, and 1000-grain weight. Therefore, the transgenic plants showed increased herbicide and blast resistance, with no yield penalty.

Expression of IPT in Asakura-sanshoo (Zanthoxylum piperitum (L.) DC. f. inerme Makino) Alters Tree Architecture, Delays Leaf Senescence, and Changes Leaf Essential Oil Composition.

The IPT gene encodes isopentenyl pyrophosphate transferase, a key enzyme in cytokinin biosynthesis. We introduced IPT under the control of the CaMV35S promoter into Asakura-sanshoo (Zanthoxylum piperitum (L.) DC. f. inerme Makino) via stable Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Three of 3-year-old transgenic Asakura-sanshoo lines Y5, Y16, and Y17 were used to evaluate the effects of IPT expression on the morphological characteristics, leaf senescence, and essential oil composition. Introduced IPT into Asakura-sanshoo stimulated an increase in cytokinin content and a decrease in auxin level. The increase in the cytokinin/auxin ratio affected the tree architecture in 3-year-old transgenic lines. The phenotypes of transgenic lines included reduced stem elongation, decreased leaf surface area, increased branching, and delayed leaf senescence. The expression of IPT in Asakura-sanshoo also affected the leaf essential oil composition. The amount of oxygenated sesquiterpenoid compounds in Y5 and Y16 was 21.1 and 15.8 % higher, respectively, than that in wild type (WT). The amount of aromatic compounds in Y5 and Y16 was 2.9 and 24.6 % lower, respectively, than that in WT. These results show that ipt expression in Asakura-sanshoo conferred desirable traits, including a dwarf growth habit, delayed senescence, and increased concentrations of some sesquiterpenoid compounds.

The effects of statins on benign prostatic hyperplasia in elderly patients with metabolic syndrome.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of simvastatin and atorvastatin in elderly male patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) accompanied by metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: Eligible patients aged >60 year with BPH accompanied by MetS were randomly assigned to receive 40 mg of simvastatin daily, 20 mg of atorvastatin daily or placebo (control group) treatment for 12 months. Serum lipids, interleukin 6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume (PV) and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were tested before and after treatment. RESULTS: The levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hs-CRP, IL-6 and IPSS was decreased, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was increased, and PV was reduced in the patients following treatments with statins. The PV of the patients who received simvastatin were reduced more than those of the patients who received atorvastatin. The decrease in PV was more significant in the obesity patients than in the normal weight patients and in the hyperlipidemia patients than in the normal-lipid patients following the statin interventions. The reduction in PV was positively related to the decreases in the levels of TC and IL-6 and to the increase in the level of HDL-C. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin and atorvastatin significantly reduced PV, improved lower urinary tract symptoms, and slowed the clinical progression of BPH possibly by lowering cholesterol and anti-inflammatory factors.