Green Selective Oxidation of Substituted Indoles Catalyzed by CuCl.

An efficient and convenient method for copper-catalyzed green selective oxidative functionalization of indoles using atmospheric O2 as the terminal oxidant has been developed. This method can be applied to Witkop oxidation and oxidation homocoupling of indoles with good functional group tolerance and substrate scope. Various indoles reacted with molecular oxygen to give the corresponding products in moderate to good yields. A gram-scale experiment can be successfully operated. This protocol provides a sustainable and practical strategy for green oxidation of indoles. By employing this method, multifarious structurally important 2-ketoacetanilide derivatives were efficiently synthesized from simple indoles and complex bioactive molecule derivatives.

Genome-wide association study of ear tip barrenness in waxy maize.

Ear tip-barrenness (ETB), which results from aborted kernels or infertile florets at the ear tip, is an undesirable factor affecting the yield and quality of waxy maize. To uncover the genetic basis of ETB, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using the genotype with 27,354 SNPs and phenotype with three environments. Five SNPs that distributed on chromosomes 1, 3 and 6, were identified to be significantly associated with ETB based on the threshold of false discovery rate (FDR) at 0.05. Among these significant loci, three SNPs were clustered together and colocalized with genomic regions previously reported. The average length of ETB decreased almost linearly from the inbred lines containing no favorable alleles across the three loci (1.75 cm) to those with one (1.18 cm), two (0.94 cm) and three (0.65 cm) favorable alleles. Moreover, three important genes, Zm00001d030028, Zm00001d041510 and Zm00001d038676 were predicted for three significant QTLs, respectively. These results promote the understanding genetic basis for ETB and will be useful for breeding waxy maize varieties with high-quality and high-yield.

LncRNA HULC promotes lung squamous cell carcinoma by regulating PTPRO via NF-κB.

Accumulating studies have implicated that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays a vital role in lung cancer. However, little is known of the role of lncRNA highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC) in the pathogenesis of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). In this study, we investigated the modifying effects and underlying mechanisms of lncRNA HULC in LSCC. Significantly decreased level of lncRNA HULC was observed in LSCC samples compared with adjacent tissues. Besides, the expression of lncRNA HULC was negatively associated with protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (PTPRO) in LSCC. Moreover, lncRNA HULC could promote the proliferation of LSCC cells by downregulating the expression PTPRO dependent on the phosphorylation and activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). The present study firstly shows strong evidence supporting a critical role of lncRNA HULC in promoting LSCC by regulating PTPRO/NF-κB signaling pathway, which provides new promising biomarkers for LSCC.

Combined linkage and association mapping reveal candidate loci for kernel size and weight in maize.

Yield improvement is a top priority for maize breeding. Kernel size and weight are important determinants of maize grain yield. In this study, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population and an association panel were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for four maize kernel-related traits: kernel length, width, thickness and 100-kernel weight. Twenty-seven QTLs were identified for kernel-related traits across three environments and the best linear unbiased predictions (BLUPs) of each trait by linkage analysis, and four QTLs were stably detected in more than two environments. Additionally, 29 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as significantly associated with the four kernel-related traits and BLUPs by genome-wide association study, and two loci could be stably detected in both environments. In total, four QTLs/SNPs were co-associated with various traits in both populations. Using combined-linkage analysis and association mapping, PZE-101066560 on chromosome 1, associated with kernel width and with 100-kernel weight in the association panel, was co-localized within the QTL interval of qKW1-3 for kernel width in the RILs. Two annotated genes in the candidate region were considered as potential candidate genes. The QTLs and candidate genes identified here will facilitate molecular breeding for grain yield improvement in maize.

HiFinger: One-Handed Text Entry Technique for Virtual Environments Based on Touches between Fingers.

We present a text entry technique called HiFinger, which is an eyes-free, one-handed wearable text entry technique for immersive virtual environments by thumb-to-fingers touch. This technique enables users to input text quickly, accurately, and comfortably with the sense of touch and a two-step input mode. It is especially suitable for mobile scenarios where users need to move (such as walking) in virtual environments. Various input signals can be triggered by moving the thumb towards ultra-thin pressure sensors placed on other fingers. After acquiring the comfort range of the touch between the thumb and other fingers, six placement modes for text entry are designed and tested, resulting in an optimal placement mode that leverages six pressure sensors for the text entry and two for the control function. A three-day study is conducted to evaluate the proposed technique, and experimental results show that novices can achieve an average text entry efficiency of 9.82 words per minute (WPM) in virtual environments based on head-mounted displays after a training period of 25 min.

Genome-wide association study of kernel moisture content at harvest stage in maize.

Kernel moisture content at harvest stage (KMC) is an important factor affecting maize production, especially for mechanical harvesting. We investigated the genetic basis of KMC using an association panel comprising of 144 maize inbred lines that were phenotypically evaluated at two field trial locations. Significant positive or negative correlations were identified between KMC and a series of other agronomic traits, indicating that KMC is associated with other such traits. Combining phenotypic values and the Maize SNP3K Beadchip to perform a genome-wide association study revealed eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with KMC at P ≤ 0.001 using a mixed linear model (PCA+K). These significant SNPs could be converted into five quantitative trait loci (QTLs) distributed on chromosomes 1, 5, 8, and 9. Of these QTLs, three were colocalized with genomic regions previously reported. Based on the phenotypic values of the alleles corresponding to significant SNPs, the favorable alleles were mined. Eight maize inbred lines with low KMC and harboring favorable alleles were identified. These QTLs and elite maize inbred lines with low KMC will be useful in maize breeding.

Role of Methylprednisolone in Treatment of Spinal Cord Injured with Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Transplantation in Rats and Its Effect on the Expressions of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and Interleukin-1ß.

Objective To investigate the role of methylprednisolone (MP) in treatment of spinal cord injured (SCI) with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation in rats and its effect on the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß) at the local tissues.Methods Forty male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were used to establish the models of SCI according to the modified Allen's contusion method and then divided into four groups (n=10 in each group) by using random numbers table:MP group,BMSCs group,BMSCs+MP group,and control group.MP was intravenously administrated immediately after SCI.BMSCs labeled by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine(BrdU)were transplanted into the injured sites of spinal cord after two hours of SCI.On the 1 st,7 th,and 14th days after SCI,when functional outcome measurements were evaluated by the Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) score.On the 14th day after treatment,the spine cord tissues were harvested for the TNF-α/IL-1ß immunohistochemistry,and Tunel staining method was used to detect cell apoptosis rate.BrdU-positive BMSCs were examined in BMSCs group and BMSCs+MP group.Results Functional recovery of hind limb in MP+BMSCs group was the best among the four group.On the 1 st day after injury,the BBB scores showed no significant difference among four group(χ2=1.0756,P=0.7829).On the 7th and 14th day,the BBB score of MP+BMSCs group was significantly higher than MP group (χ2=17.7186,P=0.0002;χ2= 24.7259,P<0.0001) and BMSCs group (χ2=15.8110,P=0.0024;χ2=25.6014,P<0.0001),respectively.The BBB score of the control group was significantly lower than MP group (χ2=8.3265,P=0.0325;χ2=13.5060,P=0.0062) and BMSCs group (χ2=14.1166,P=0.0036;χ2=8.9613,P=0.0299),respectively.On the 14th day,immunohistochemical staining presented that the TNF-α and IL-1ß-positive cells in MP+BMSCs group were significantly lower than MP group (q=5.573,P=0.0004;q=4.596,P=0.0025) and BMSCs group (q=13.780,P<0.0001;q=8.456,P<0.0001),and control group was significantly higher than MP group (q=14.710,P<0.0001;q=6.710,P<0.0001) and BMSCs group (q=6.502,P=0.0001;q=2.849,P=0.0514).Tunel staining showed the apoptotic rate of spinal cord cells in four group were (48.47±5.70)%,(31.95±3.58)%,(41.39±2.33)%,and (23.48±2.69)%.The number of apoptotic cells in MP+BMSCs group was least in four groups;compared with the control group,the apoptotic rate significantly decreased in MP group (q=14.840,P<0.0001) and BMSCs group (q=6.716,P=0.0002);compared with the MP+BMSCs group,the apoptotic rate was significantly increased in the MP group (q=7.332,P=0.0001) and BMSCs group (q=15.460,P<0.0001). BrdU staining revealed BrdU-positive rate in MP+BMSCs group [(9.3000±0.5175)%] was significantly higher than that in BMSCs group [(6.6000±0.3399)%](t=4.361,P=0.0004).Conclusion MP can improve the function of the hind limbs of SCI rats treated with BMSCs transplantation and lower the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß in injured tissue.

Characterization of Rubisco activase genes in maize: an α-isoform gene functions alongside a ß-isoform gene.

Rubisco activase (RCA) catalyzes the activation of Rubisco in vivo and plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth. In maize (Zea mays), only ß-form RCA genes have been cloned and characterized. In this study, a genome-wide survey revealed the presence of an α-form RCA gene and a ß-form RCA gene in the maize genome, herein referred to as ZmRCAα and ZmRCAß, respectively. An analysis of genomic DNA and complementary DNA sequences suggested that alternative splicing of the ZmRCAß precursor mRNA (premRNA) at its 3' untranslated region could produce two distinctive ZmRCAß transcripts. Analyses by electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry showed that ZmRCAα and ZmRCAß encode larger and smaller polypeptides of approximately 46 and 43 kD, respectively. Transcriptional analyses demonstrated that the expression levels of both ZmRCAα and ZmRCAß were higher in leaves and during grain filling and that expression followed a specific cyclic day/night pattern. In 123 maize inbred lines with extensive genetic diversity, the transcript abundance and protein expression levels of these two RCA genes were positively correlated with grain yield. Additionally, both genes demonstrated a similar correlation with grain yield compared with three C4 photosynthesis genes. Our data suggest that, in addition to the ß-form RCA-encoding gene, the α-form RCA-encoding gene also contributes to the synthesis of RCA in maize and support the hypothesis that RCA genes may play an important role in determining maize productivity.

The homomorphisms and operations of rough groups.

Based on the light relation between a normal subgroup and a complete congruence relation of a group, we consider the homomorphism problem of rough groups and rough quotient groups and investigate their operational properties. Some new results are obtained.

Effects of multidisciplinary model of damage control on acute cervical spinal cord injury in winter Olympic sports.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of multidisciplinary model of damage control (MMDC) in patients with acute cervical spinal cord injury (ACSCI) in winter Olympic sports. METHODS: A total of 110 patients with ACSCI who participated in winter Olympic sports were selected as the study subjects, and were divided into the study group (SG, n=60, MMDC) and the control group (CG, n=50, conventional intervention) according to the intervention mode. The clinical effects of intervention, changes in neurological function and muscle tone before and after intervention, the changes in motor function and activity of daily living during intervention, and patient satisfaction towards intervention were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The effective rate of intervention in the SG was 98.33%, higher than 88.00% in the CG (P < 0.05), and the percentage of patients with Grade E injuries in the SG after intervention was 30.00%, significantly higher than 12.00% in the CG (P < 0.05). The scores of all dimensions of Ashworth scale in the SG were lower than those in the CG (P < 0.05). The patients in the SG exhibited higher FMA scale and modified Barthel index (MBI) scores than the CG from 1 to 6 months of intervention (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: MMDC showed better efficacy, the patients' neurological function, muscle tone and motor function could be better restored, and patients' abilities of daily activities were improved after intervention.

BMSC-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Induce Cartilage Reconstruction of Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis via Autotaxin-YAP Signaling Axis.

Background: Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) seriously affects the health of patients, and the current treatments are invasive and only used for advanced cases. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC)-derived small extracellular vesicles (BMSC-sEVs) may represent a safer and more effective treatment, but their role in TMJOA has not been elucidated. This study attempted to analyze the cartilage reconstruction effect of BMSC-sEVs on TMJOA and the mechanism underlying this effect. Methods: BMSC-sEVs were isolated and purified by microfiltration and ultrafiltration and were subsequently characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, electron microscopy, and immunoblotting. TMJOA models were established in vivo and in vitro, and hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and histological scoring were performed to analyze the histological changes in TMJOA cartilage tissues treated with BMSC-sEVs. The proliferation, migratory capacity, and cell cycle distribution of TMJOA cartilage cells treated with BMSC-sEVs were detected. Furthermore, the related mechanisms were studied by bioinformatic analysis, immunoblotting, and quantitative PCR, and they were further analyzed by knockdown and inhibitor techniques. Results: The acquisition and identification of BMSC-sEVs were efficient and satisfactory. Compared with the osteoarthritis (OA) group, the condylar tissue of the OA group treated with BMSC-sEV (OAsEV) showed an increase in cartilage lacuna and hypertrophic cartilage cells in the deep area of the bone under the cartilage. Significantly upregulated expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cartilage-forming factors and downregulated expression of cartilage inflammation-related factors in OAsEV were observed. In addition, we found higher rates of cell proliferation and migratory activity and alleviated G1 stagnation of the cell cycle of OAsEV. Autotaxin was found in the BMSC-sEVs, and key factors of the Hippo pathway, Yes-associated protein (YAP), phosphorylated Yes-associated protein (p-YAP), etc. were upregulated in the OAsEV group. Treatment with BMSC-sEVs after autotaxin knockdown or inhibition no longer resulted in expression changes in cartilage-forming and inflammation-related factors and key factors of the Hippo pathway. Conclusions: These results suggest that the autotaxin-YAP signaling axis plays an important role in the mechanism by which BMSC-sEVs promote cartilage reconstruction in TMJOA, which may provide guidance regarding their therapeutic applications as early and minimally invasive therapies for TMJOA, and provide insight into the internal mechanisms of TMJOA.

Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Study and Genomic Selection of Kernel Moisture Content at the Harvest Stage in Maize.

Kernel moisture content at the harvest stage (KMC) is an important trait that affects the mechanical harvesting of maize grain, and the identification of genetic loci for KMC is beneficial for maize molecular breeding. In this study, we performed a multi-locus genome-wide association study (ML-GWAS) to identify quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) for KMC using an association mapping panel of 251 maize inbred lines that were genotyped with an Affymetrix CGMB56K SNP Array and phenotypically evaluated in three environments. Ninety-eight QTNs for KMC were detected using six ML-GWAS models (mrMLM, FASTmrMLM, FASTmrEMMA, PLARmEB, PKWmEB, and ISIS EM-BLASSO). Eleven of these QTNs were considered to be stable, as they were detected by at least four ML-GWAS models under a uniformed environment or in at least two environments and BLUP using the same ML-GWAS model. With qKMC5.6 removed, the remaining 10 stable QTNs explained <10% of the phenotypic variation, suggesting that KMC is mainly controlled by multiple minor-effect genetic loci. A total of 63 candidate genes were predicted from the 11 stable QTNs, and 10 candidate genes were highly expressed in the kernel at different time points after pollination. High prediction accuracy was achieved when the KMC-associated QTNs were included as fixed effects in genomic selection, and the best strategy was to integrate all KMC QTNs identified by all six ML-GWAS models. These results further our understanding of the genetic architecture of KMC and highlight the potential of genomic selection for KMC in maize breeding.

[Studies on the chemical constituents of Rumex crispus].

OBJECTIVE: To study the chemical constituents of Rumex crispus. METHODS: Compounds were isolated and purified repeatedly by silica gel, Sephadex gel and ODS C18 column chromatographies, and structure identifications of compounds were carried out by physical, chemical methods and spectral data. RESULTS: Fifteen compounds were obtained from the petroleum ether and ethyl acetate fractions of R. crispus, and were identified as beta-sitosterol(1), hexadecanoic acid(2), hexadecanoic-2,3-dihydroxy propyleste(3), chrysophanol(4), physcion(5), emodin(6), chrysophanol-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(7), physcion-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(8), emodin-8O-beta-D-glucopyranoside(9), gallic acid(10), (+)-catechin(11), kaempferol(12), quercetin(13), kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside(14), quercetin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside(15). CONCLUSION: Compounds 3,8-12,14 and 15 are obtained from R. crispus for the first time.

Transcriptome profiling analysis reveals key genes of different coat color in sheep skin.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the molecular mechanisms determining the coat color of native breed sheep in Xinjiang. METHODS: Bashibai sheep, Yemule white sheep and Tulufan black sheep were selected. Illumina HiSeq X Ten sequencing technology was used to detect the genes responsible for the white, light brown, black and cyan gray coat colors in sheep. Sequence analysis and functional gene annotation analysis were performed to analyze the results. The signal pathways and differentially expressed genes related to sheep hair color production regulation were screened and finally verified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Functional annotation by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed significant differences in enrichment of immunity-related pathways as well as melanogenesis synthetic and tyrosine metabolism pathways. Our results showed that the DCT, TYR, TYRP1, PMEL, SLC45A2 and MLANA six genes may be associated with the regulation of coat color development and provide a theoretical basis for selecting natural coat colors of sheep.

KIF3B Promotes the Proliferation of Pancreatic Cancer.

Background: Kinesin Family Member 3B (KIF3B) is one of the most ubiquitously expressed KIFs, which is related to numerous physiological responses. KIF3B has also been implicated in carcinogenesis such as in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. However, the expression of KIF3B has not been studied in pancreatic cancer along with its clinical significance. Methods: Immunohistochemical assays were performed to detect the expression levels of KIF3B in the tumor tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues. Patients were sequentially divided into different expression levels of KIF3B group based on the staining intensity of FKIF3B in tumor tissues. The link between KIF3B expression and clinical characteristics were investigated, and the role of KIF3B on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation was detected by colony formation and 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide, respectively. And the proliferation related proteins such as Ki67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were detected by Western blot. The possible effects of KIF3B on tumor growth were assessed in vivo. Results: KIF3B was highly expressed in human pancreatic cancer tissues. We also found KIF3B was significantly associated to the pTNM stage (*p = 0.018), lymph node metastasis (*p = 0.040) and vascular invasion (*p = 0.034). We reported that increased expression of KIF3B was significantly correlated with poor clinical outcome in our clinical cohort of pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, functional assays revealed that knockdown KIF3B in vitro and in vivo might inhibit cancer cells proliferation by affecting Ki67 and PCNA. Conclusions: Our data suggested that KIF3B was associated with pancreatic cancer malignant progression especially proliferation. Hence, KIF3B might serve as a potential therapy target of pancreatic cancer in clinical treatment.

Identification of Genetic Differentiation between Waxy and Common Maize by SNP Genotyping.

Waxy maize (Zea mays L. var. ceratina) is an important vegetable and economic crop that is thought to have originated from cultivated flint maize and most recently underwent divergence from common maize. In this study, a total of 110 waxy and 110 common maize inbred lines were genotyped with 3072 SNPs to evaluate the genetic diversity, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium decay as well as identify putative loci that are under positive selection. The results revealed abundant genetic diversity in the studied panel and that genetic diversity was much higher in common than in waxy maize germplasms. Principal coordinate analysis and neighbor-joining cluster analysis consistently classified the 220 accessions into two major groups and a mixed group with mixed ancestry. Subpopulation structure in both waxy and common maize sets were associated with the germplasm origin and corresponding heterotic groups. The LD decay distance (1500-2000 kb) in waxy maize was lower than that in common maize. Fourteen candidate loci were identified as under positive selection between waxy and common maize at the 99% confidence level. The information from this study can assist waxy maize breeders by enhancing parental line selection and breeding program design.

Improvement of enamel bond strengths for conventional and resin-modified glass ionomers: acid-etching vs. conditioning.

OBJECTIVE: This study deals with the effect of phosphoric acid etching and conditioning on enamel micro-tensile bond strengths (µTBSs) of conventional and resin-modified glass ionomer cements (GICs/RMGICs). METHODS: Forty-eight bovine incisors were prepared into rectangular blocks. Highly-polished labial enamel surfaces were either acid-etched, conditioned with liquids of cements, or not further treated (control). Subsequently, two matching pre-treated enamel surfaces were cemented together with one of four cements [two GICs: Fuji I (GC), Ketac Cem Easymix (3M ESPE); two RMGICs: Fuji Plus (GC), RelyX Luting (3M ESPE)] in preparation for µTBS tests. Pre-treated enamel surfaces and cement-enamel interfaces were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS: Phosphoric acid etching significantly increased the enamel µTBS of GICs/RMGICs. Conditioning with the liquids of the cements produced significantly weaker or equivalent enamel µTBS compared to the control. Regardless of etching, RMGICs yielded stronger enamel µTBS than GICs. A visible hybrid layer was found at certain enamel-cement interfaces of the etched enamels. CONCLUSIONS: Phosphoric acid etching significantly increased the enamel µTBSs of GICs/RMGICs. Phosphoric acid etching should be recommended to etch the enamel margins before the cementation of the prostheses such as inlays and onlays, using GICs/RMGICs to improve the bond strengths. RMGICs provided stronger enamel bond strength than GICs and conditioning did not increase enamel bond strength.

The contribution of chemical bonding to the short- and long-term enamel bond strengths.

OBJECTIVES: MDP (10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogenphosphate) has been proven to possess chemical bonding ability to tooth hard tissues, but its contribution to the enamel bond strength has not been recognized. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of chemical bonding to the short- and long-term bovine enamel micro-tensile bond strengths (µTBS). METHODS: The acid-etched enamel surfaces were treated without any primer (control) or with one of three MDP-containing primers (containing different ratio of MDP/HEMA/Bis-GMA, Kuraray Co.) for 5s, water-sprayed and air-dried. Subsequently, the pretreated enamel surfaces were applied with an etch-and-rinse adhesive Durafill Bond (Heraeus Kulzer) and placed with composite resin Durafill VS (Heraeus Kulzer). The specimens were prepared for µTBS tests after 24-h or 1-yr water storage. The etched enamel surfaces treated with or without MDP-containing primers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). RESULTS: The acid-etched enamel treated with the MDP-primers for a very short time could produce the greater enamel µTBS than the control did (p<0.05), and change enamel micromorphology. No significant different µTBS were found between 24-h and 1-yr water storage (p>0.05). The chemical bonding of MDP on the enamel surfaces was re-confirmed by XPS. SIGNIFICANCE: The additional chemical bonding of MDP around the enamel crystallites of the etched enamel substrate could significantly increase the short- and long-term enamel µTBS, and their µTBS surpass those of the etch-and-rinse adhesive alone.