BRASSINOSTEROID-SIGNALING KINASE 1 phosphorylating CALCIUM/CALMODULIN-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE functions in drought tolerance in maize.

Drought stress seriously limits crop productivity. Although studies have been carried out, it is still largely unknown how plants respond to drought stress. Here we find that drought treatment can enhance the phosphorylation activity of brassinosteroid-signaling kinase 1 (ZmBSK1) in maize (Zea mays). Our genetic studies reveal that ZmBSK1 positively affects drought tolerance in maize plants. ZmBSK1 localizes in plasma membrane, interacts with calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+ /CaM)-dependent protein kinase (ZmCCaMK), and phosphorylates ZmCCaMK. Ser-67 is a crucial phosphorylation site of ZmCCaMK by ZmBSK1. Drought stress enhances not only the interaction between ZmBSK1 and ZmCCaMK but also the phosphorylation of Ser-67 in ZmCCaMK by ZmBSK1. Furthermore, Ser-67 phosphorylation in ZmCCaMK regulates its Ca2+ /CaM binding, autophosphorylation and transphosphorylation activity, and positively affects its function in drought tolerance in maize. Our results reveal an important role for ZmBSK1 in drought tolerance and suggest a direct regulatory mode of ZmBSK1 phosphorylating ZmCCaMK.

BIOMASS YIELD 1 regulates sorghum biomass and grain yield via the shikimate pathway.

Biomass and grain yield are key agronomic traits in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor); however, the molecular mechanisms that regulate these traits are not well understood. Here, we characterized the biomass yield 1 (by1) mutant, which displays a dramatically altered phenotype that includes reduced plant height, narrow stems, erect and narrow leaves, and abnormal floral organs. Histological analysis suggested that these phenotypic defects are mainly caused by inhibited cell elongation and abnormal floral organ development. Map-based cloning revealed that BY1 encodes a 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) that catalyses the first step of the shikimate pathway. BY1 was localized in chloroplasts and was ubiquitously distributed in the organs examined, particularly in the roots, stems, leaves, and panicles, which was consistent with its role in biomass production and grain yield. Transcriptome analysis and metabolic profiling revealed that BY1 was involved in primary metabolism and that it affected the biosynthesis of various secondary metabolites, especially flavonoids. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that BY1 affects biomass and grain yield in sorghum by regulating primary and secondary metabolism via the shikimate pathway. Moreover, our results provide important insights into the relationship between plant development and metabolism.

Performance and Mechanism for the Selective Separation of Trivalent Americium from Lanthanides by a Tetradentate Phenanthroline Ligand in Ionic Liquid.

The selective separation of trivalent americium from lanthanides in a nitric acid medium by a tetradentate ligand, N,N'-diethyl-N,N'-ditolyl-2,9-diamide-1,10-phenanthroline (Et-Tol-DAPhen), in an ionic liquid (IL), C4mimNTf2, was studied by batch solvent extraction and spectroscopic approaches. The effect of various parameters such as the contact time, temperature, extractant concentration, and acidity on the extraction of Am3+ and Eu3+ have been evaluated. A significant enhancement in the extraction ability of Et-Tol-DAPhen dissolved in IL was observed as compared to that in molecular diluents under low-acid conditions. The chemical stoichiometry of Am3+ and Eu3+ complexes during extraction was determined to be 1:2 (metal/ligand) by slope analysis of the extraction data. The extraction mechanism of Am3+ and Eu3+ by Et-Tol-DAPhen in IL was determined to be cation exchange on the basis of the effect of nitrate, NTf2-, and C4mim+ ions on extraction. The coordination chemistry of Ln3+ with the ligand in C4mimNTf2 was studied by spectroscopic titrations, which helped to further identify and confirm the extracted species as well as the extraction mechanism. Results from the present study emphasize the unique role of IL in altering the extraction behavior and suggest that the Et-Tol-DAPhen/IL system has potential applications in trivalent actinide/lanthanide separation under low-acid conditions.

Radiotherapy-related quality of life in patients with head and neck cancers: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare effects of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with those of conventional radiotherapy on quality of life (QoL) and severity of xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched to July 1, 2019, to identify relevant studies, using the following terms: radiotherapy, head and neck cancer, quality of life, cognition, xerostomia, two-/three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, IMRT, conformal proton beam radiation therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, and volumetric modulated arc therapy. The outcomes of interest were QoL measured by global health status; emotional, social, and cognitive function; and severity of xerostomia. RESULTS: Seven studies with a total of 761 patients (n = 369 with IMRT; n = 392 with conventional RT) were included in this study. Median patient age was 18-65 years. IMRT group patients had better global health status (pooled standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.80, 95% CI 0.26 to 1.35, P = 0.004) and cognitive function (pooled SMD = 0.30, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.54, P = 0.013) than the conventional RT group. Patients receiving IMRT also had significantly lower scores for xerostomia than those receiving conventional RT (pooled SMD = - 0.60, 95% CI - 0.97 to - 0.24, P = 0.001). No differences were found in emotional function (P = 0.531) and social function (P = 0.348) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: IMRT significantly improves QoL and reduces the severity of xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancer. Results of this study provide clinicians with guidelines for decisions on the use of IMRT versus conventional RT.

Structural and Stability Trends of the Complexation of Hexavalent Actinides with Two Dipicolinic Acid Derivatives: An Experimental and Theoretical Study.

Revealing the complexation behavior of high-valent actinides in solutions is of great importance to better understand the fundamental chemistry of actinides as well as to control the separation property of actinides in nuclear fuel cycles. In this work, the complexation of hexavalent actinide cations U(VI), Np(VI), and Pu(VI) with two dipicolinic acid derivatives, 6-(dimethylcarbamoyl)picolinic acid (DMAPA, denoted as HL) and N2,N2,N6,N6-tetramethylpyridine-2,6-dicarboxamide (TMPDA), in aqueous solutions were investigated by absorption spectrophotometry, X-ray crystallography, and DFT calculations. Formation of 1/1 and 1/2 (metal:ligand) complexes of U(VI), Np(VI), and Pu(VI) with DMAPA were identified and the corresponding stability constants were determined. The binding strengths of the three hexavalent actinide cations with DMAPA follow the order of U(VI) > Np(VI) > Pu(VI) in both 1/1 and 1/2 complexes, indicating that the driving force for the complexation is mainly electrostatic interactions. In addition, the relationships between the features of the absorption spectra and the symmetry of Pu(VI) and Np(VI) complexes with DMAPA have been established. The crystal structure of the 1/2 U(VI)/DMAPA complex as well as the DFT optimized structures of An(VI)/DMAPA complexes shed additional light on the structural characters of the hexavalent actinide cation complexes. In contrast to DMAPA, TMPDA exhibits no observable complexation with the three hexavalent actinide cations in aqueous solution, which could be attributed to low electron density on the donor atoms of TMPDA as well as steric hindrance effect by dimethyl carbamoyl groups as elucidated by DFT calculations. The results from this work provide new insights into the complexation trends of hexavalent actinide cations in aqueous solutions.

Exogenous Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor at a 50 ng/mL Concentration has a Significant Protective Effect on Bilirubin-Induced Cerebral Cortex Neuronal Injury.

BACKGROUND: Bilirubin encephalopathy is a common disabling disease in neonates. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in the repair and regeneration of nerves following injury, as well as the maintenance of neuronal growth and differentiation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exogenous BDNF on the apoptosis and survival of in vitro cultured neurons injured by bilirubin as well as determine the optimal BDNF concentration. METHODS: Rat cerebral cortex neurons cultured for 8 days were randomly divided into the control, bilirubin, and BDNF groups. A bilirubin injury model was established. BDNF was added to the BDNF group at a final concentration of 5, 50, and 100 ng/mL 4 hours prior to the addition of bilirubin. The cell morphology was observed via phase contrast microscopy, and the cell viability and apoptotic rate were detected using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium method and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The neuronal viability in the bilirubin group was significantly decreased and the apoptotic rate was significantly increased compared with the control group. BDNF significantly improved the impact of bilirubin on neuronal activity; the apoptotic rate was significantly decreased (p < 0.05); however, within 24 - 48 hours, BDNF had no significant effect on the nerve cell viability (p > 0.05). Moreover, the protective effect of different BDNF concentrations also varied (p < 0.05), with the most substantial protective effect at a final concentration of 50 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Bilirubin may damage rat cerebral cortex neurons and induce their apoptosis, whereas BDNF has a protective effect on bilirubin-induced cerebral cortex neuronal injury.

Efficacy and complication of keyhole surgery and open surgery for repairing fibular collateral ligament in the persistent lateral ankle joint instability treatment: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Over the past few years, there has been growing interest in identifying and treating persistent lateral ankle joint instability. Many medical professionals believe that early intervention is important to address this instability. METHODS: Four databases on the outcomes of open and keyhole surgery for repairing the fibular collateral ligament in the treatment of chronic lateral ankle joint instability were acquired from the computer during controlled trials. Data analysis was conducted after the rigorous literature quality evaluation using Stata software. RESULTS: This meta-analysis finally included 11 articles. Eleven studies reported complications were significantly lower in the treated group (odds ratio: 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32-0.94; P < .05) compared to the untreated group, as were American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society scores (standard mean difference [SMD]: 3.77; 95% CI: 1.17-6.37; P < .01), visual analog scale scores (SMD: -0.69; 95% CI: -1.24 to -0.14; P < .05), Karlsson scores (SMD: 2.78; 95% CI: 0.35-5.21; P < .05), and Tegner scores (SMD: 0.41; 95% CI: -0.13 to 0.95; P = .139). CONCLUSION: According to complications, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society scores, visual analog scale scores, and Karlsson scores, the study findings suggested that keyhole surgery may be beneficial in patients with persistent lateral ankle joint instability. Following this, the growing number of high-quality studies needs to confirm the results reported in this study.

Exploration of the potential mechanism of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction in osteoarthritis treatment by using network pharmacology and molecular dynamics simulation.

In this study, the active ingredients of 15 Chinese herbal medicines of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction and their corresponding targets were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) database. The microarray data of Osteoarthritis (OA) were obtained through the GEO database for differential analysis and then a drug target-OA-related gene protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established. The potential targets of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction in the treatment of OA were acquired by intersecting the OA-associated genes with the target genes of active ingredients. Random walk with restart (RWR) analysis of PPI networks was performed using potential targets as seed, and the top 50 genes of affinity coefficients were used as key action genes of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction in the treatment of OA. A drug-active ingredient-gene interaction network was established. AKT1, a key target of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction in the treatment of OA, was obtained by topological analysis of the gene interaction network. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics verified the binding of AKT1 to its corresponding drug active ingredients. CETSA assay demonstrated that the combination of luteolin and AKT1 increased the stability of AKT1, and the combination efficiency was high. In conclusion, the molecular mechanism of Duhuo Jisheng Decoction in treating OA featured by multiple components, targets, and pathways had been further investigated in this study, which is of significance for discovering as well as developing new drugs for this disease. The findings can also offer personalized diagnosis and treatment strategies for patients with OA in clinical practice.

3D grape string-like heterostructures enable high-efficiency sodium ion capture in Ti3C2Tx MXene/fungi-derived carbon nanoribbon hybrids.

2D transition metal carbides and carbonitrides (MXenes) have emerged as promising electrode materials for electrochemistry ion capture but always suffer from severe layer-restacking and irreversible oxidation that restrains their electrochemical performance. Here we design a dual strategy of microstructure tailoring and heterostructure construction to synthesize a unique 3D grape string-like heterostructure consisting of Ti3C2Tx MXene hollow microspheres wrapped by fungi-derived N-doping carbon nanoribbons (denoted as GMNC). The 3D grape string-like heterostructure effectively avoids the aggregation of Ti3C2Tx MXene sheets and enhances the stability of MXenes, providing abundant active sites for ion capture, and an interconnected conductive bionic nanofiber network for high-rate electron transport. In consequence, GMNC achieves a superior adsorption capacity for sodium ions (Na+) in capacitive deionization (CDI) (162.37 mg gNaCl-1) with an ultra-high instantaneous adsorption rate (30.52 mg g-1 min-1) at an applied voltage of 1.6 V and satisfactory cycle stability over 100 cycles, which is a strong performer among the state-of-the-art values for MXene-based CDI electrodes. In addition, in situ electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (EQCM-D) measurement combined with density functional theory (DFT) reveals the mechanisms of the Na+ capture process in the GMNC heterostructure. This work opens a new avenue for designing high-performance MXenes with a 3D hierarchical heterostructure for advanced electrochemical applications.

Investigating the causal relationship and potential shared diagnostic genes between primary biliary cholangitis and systemic lupus erythematosus using bidirectional Mendelian randomization and transcriptomic analyses.

Background: The co-occurrence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been consistently reported in observational studies. Nevertheless, the underlying causal correlation between these two conditions still needs to be established. Methods: We performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess their causal association. Five MR analysis methods were utilized for causal inference, with inverse-variance weighted (IVW) selected as the primary method. The Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) and the IVW Radial method were applied to exclude outlying SNPs. To assess the robustness of the MR results, five sensitivity analyses were carried out. Multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis was also employed to evaluate the effect of possible confounders. In addition, we integrated transcriptomic data from PBC and SLE, employing Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to explore shared genes between the two diseases. Then, we used Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment methods to perform on the shared genes. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression algorithm was utilized to identify potential shared diagnostic genes. Finally, we verified the potential shared diagnostic genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)-specific cell populations of SLE patients by single-cell analysis. Results: Our MR study provided evidence that PBC had a causal relationship with SLE (IVW, OR: 1.347, 95% CI: 1.276 - 1.422, P < 0.001) after removing outliers (MR-PRESSO, rs35464393, rs3771317; IVW Radial, rs11065987, rs12924729, rs3745516). Conversely, SLE also had a causal association with PBC (IVW, OR: 1.225, 95% CI: 1.141 - 1.315, P < 0.001) after outlier correction (MR-PRESSO, rs11065987, rs3763295, rs7774434; IVW Radial, rs2297067). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the MR findings. MVMR analysis indicated that body mass index (BMI), smoking and drinking were not confounding factors. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis identified PARP9, ABCA1, CEACAM1, and DDX60L as promising diagnostic biomarkers for PBC and SLE. These four genes are highly expressed in CD14+ monocytes in PBMCs of SLE patients and potentially associated with innate immune responses and immune activation. Conclusion: Our study confirmed the bidirectional causal relationship between PBC and SLE and identified PARP9, ABCA1, CEACAM1, and DDX60L genes as the most potentially shared diagnostic genes between the two diseases, providing insights for the exploration of the underlying mechanisms of these disorders.

[Comprehensive evaluation of AIDS spending in Dehong prefecture of Yunnan province in 2010].

OBJECTIVE: To comprehensive evaluate the rationality of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) expenditure through the analysis of AIDS expenditure circumstances based on the application of National AIDS Spending Assessment in Dehong prefecture in 2010. METHODS: Demographic and economic indicators of Mang City, Yingjiang, Longchuan, Ruili City, Lianghe and Wanting zone in Dehong prefecture of Yunnan province were collected from the reports issued by Dehong Statistical Bureau of 2010, and HIV/AIDS epidemic indicators were collected from the annual report of national AIDS prevention and control data.NASA method was used to analyze the actual spending and demand index was used to calculate the demand of AIDS funding in these counties (cities). The correlations between HIV/AIDS expenditures and demographic, economic and HIV/AIDS epidemic index were analyzed, respectively, as well as the correlation between the expenditures of AIDS prevention and control and proportion of major transmission approaches. RESULTS: In 2010, the actual expenditures on HIV/AIDS in the 5 counties (cities) of Dehong prefecture was ¥28 752 772, the population was 1 211 400, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was ¥11 693. The intervention expenditures in injection drug users, sexually transmitted people, and prevention of mother to child transmission in Ruili county were ¥130 345, ¥71 484 and ¥164 100, the proportions of HIV transmission in these groups were 23.9% (49/205), 73.7% (151/205), and 0.5% (1/205), respectively; and in Lianghe county was ¥141 665, ¥257 142, and ¥99 961, and the proportions of HIV transmission were 17.1% (6/35), 80.0% (28/35) and 0.0% (0/35), respectively. The intervention expenditures in Ruili and Lianghe counties were positive related to the proportion of corresponding people with HIV infection (both r values were 0.99, all P values < 0.05). In the other 4 counties (cities) and the development zone, no correlations. The expenditures of government departments, international projects, domestic research programs and personal and family pays (r value were 0.94, 0.83, 0.99 and 0.88, respectively, all P values < 0.05) were positive related to the number.Except the personal and family pays, other sources of expenditures were all positive related to the number of reported HIV/AIDS cases (r values were 0.94, 0.89 and 0.81, respectively, all P values < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Population and HIV/AIDS epidemic index were considered as factors in AIDS spending. The expenditures corresponded with the demand of different areas basically.

Teaching NeuroImages: Absence of bilateral internal carotid arteries with multiple aneurysms.

Absence of bilateral internal carotid arteries is a rare congenital vascular dysplasia. We reported the case and present some typical and exquisite neuroimges for teaching.

Highly Robust Vehicle Lateral Localization Using Multilevel Robust Network.

Vision-based vehicle lateral localization has been extensively studied in the literature. However, it faces great challenges when dealing with occlusion situations where the road is frequently occluded by moving/static objects. To address the occlusion problem, we propose a highly robust lateral localization framework called multilevel robust network (MLRN) in this article. MLRN utilizes three deep neural networks (DNNs) to reduce the impact of occluding objects on localization performance from the object, feature, and decision levels, respectively, which shows strong robustness to varying degrees of road occlusion. At the object level, an attention-guided network (AGNet) is designed to achieve accurate road detection by paying more attention to the interested road area. Then, at the feature level, a lateral-connection fully convolutional denoising autoencoder (LC-FCDAE) is proposed to learn robust location features from the road area. Finally, at the decision level, a long short-term memory (LSTM) network is used to enhance the prediction accuracy of lateral position by establishing the temporal correlations of positioning decisions. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed framework in improving the reliability and accuracy of vehicle lateral localization.

Selection of Reference Genes in Evodia rutaecarpa var. officinalis and Expression Patterns of Genes Involved in Its Limonin Biosynthesis.

E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant known for its therapeutic effects, which encompass the promotion of digestion, the dispelling of cold, the alleviation of pain, and the exhibition of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. The principal active component of this plant, limonin, is a potent triterpene compound with notable pharmacological activities. Despite its significance, the complete biosynthesis pathway of limonin in E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis remains incompletely understood, and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unexplored. The main purpose of this study was to screen the reference genes suitable for expression analysis in E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis, calculate the expression patterns of the genes in the limonin biosynthesis pathway, and identify the relevant enzyme genes related to limonin biosynthesis. The reference genes play a pivotal role in establishing reliable reference standards for normalizing the gene expression data, thereby ensuring precision and credibility in the biological research outcomes. In order to identify the optimal reference genes and gene expression patterns across the diverse tissues (e.g., roots, stems, leaves, and flower buds) and developmental stages (i.e., 17 July, 24 August, 1 September, and 24 October) of E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis, LC-MS was used to analyze the limonin contents in distinct tissue samples and developmental stages, and qRT-PCR technology was employed to investigate the expression patterns of the ten reference genes and eighteen genes involved in limonin biosynthesis. Utilizing a comprehensive analysis that integrated three software tools (GeNorm ver. 3.5, NormFinder ver. 0.953 and BestKeeper ver. 1.0) and Delta Ct method alongside the RefFinder website, the best reference genes were selected. Through the research, we determined that Act1 and UBQ served as the preferred reference genes for normalizing gene expression during various fruit developmental stages, while Act1 and His3 were optimal for different tissues. Using Act1 and UBQ as the reference genes, and based on the different fruit developmental stages, qRT-PCR analysis was performed on the pathway genes selected from the "full-length transcriptome + expression profile + metabolome" data in the limonin biosynthesis pathway of E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis. The findings indicated that there were consistent expression patterns of HMGCR, SQE, and CYP450 with fluctuations in the limonin contents, suggesting their potential involvement in the limonin biosynthesis of E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis. This study lays the foundation for further research on the metabolic pathway of limonin in E. rutaecarpa var. officinalis and provides reliable reference genes for other researchers to use for conducting expression analyses.

Evaluating the Genetic Background Effect on Dissecting the Genetic Basis of Kernel Traits in Reciprocal Maize Introgression Lines.

Maize yield is mostly determined by its grain size. Although numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for kernel-related traits, the application of these QTL in breeding programs has been strongly hindered because the populations used for QTL mapping are often different from breeding populations. However, the effect of genetic background on the efficiency of QTL and the accuracy of trait genomic prediction has not been fully studied. Here, we used a set of reciprocal introgression lines (ILs) derived from 417F × 517F to evaluate how genetic background affects the detection of QTLassociated with kernel shape traits. A total of 51 QTL for kernel size were identified by chromosome segment lines (CSL) and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) methods. These were subsequently clustered into 13 common QTL based on their physical position, including 7 genetic-background-independent and 6 genetic-background-dependent QTL, respectively. Additionally, different digenic epistatic marker pairs were identified in the 417F and 517F ILs. Therefore, our results demonstrated that genetic background strongly affected not only the kernel size QTL mapping via CSL and GWAS but also the genomic prediction accuracy and epistatic detection, thereby enhancing our understanding of how genetic background affects the genetic dissection of grain size-related traits.

[The application of National AIDS spending assessment in a county of Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China].

OBJECTIVE: To calculate the actual expenditures in a county of Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province, China by using the method of National AIDS Spending Assessment (NASA) in 2010. METHODS: Data were collected through NASA data collection form based on adapted NASA classification in the county of Dehong prefecture from October to December, 2011, and complemented by semi-structured interview with 16 well trained programmatic and financial representatives in 8 spending units. Data were entered in Resource Tracking Software (RTS) V 2009.3.0, and SPSS 13.0 was used for data processing and analysis. RESULTS: The NASA estimations showed that the county spent a total of ¥16 235 954 on HIV/AIDS in 2010. Public funds constituted 96.3% of the total expenditure (¥15 630 937), followed by Global Fund which accounted for 3.0% (¥484 585) and private sources which accounted for 0.7% (¥120 432). Findings based on NASA categories showed that AIDS spendings were mainly on 4 areas, and expenditure on Care & Treatment was ¥12 401 382 (76.4% of total expenditure), followed by Prevention which accounted for 14.3% (¥2 325 707), Program Management & Administration which accounted for 7.8% (¥1 268 523) and human resources which accounted for 1.5% (¥240 342). The most beneficial population group was People Living with HIV (PLHIV), accounting for 84.7% of total expenditure. (¥13 753 428), followed by 4.8% for high risk population, including female sex workers and their partners (¥297 333), injection drug users and their partners (¥293 143), men having sex with men and their partners (¥185 136) and 1.5% (¥241 429) for the general population. CONCLUSION: The local funds for HIV/AIDS in this county was insufficient. The local government should increase corresponding funds based on central government funding. Care and treatment was the first spending priority in the county and the investment of prevention services needs to be increased. Prevention and treatment and care should be combined to ensure the effectiveness of comprehensive prevention and treatment of AIDS.

Villous adenoma of gallbladder in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Villous adenomas occur most frequently in the rectum and colon. These tumors are rarely seen in the gallbladder. We report a case of gallbladder villous adenomas in a 69-year-old patient who has systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The patient was admitted for investigation of a gallbladder mass. Ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging showed two well-circumscribed lobulated masses in the gallbladder. Open cholecystectomy was performed and histological examination revealed typical features of villous adenoma. This report describes the first case of villous adenomas of gallbladder with SLE, and documents its imaging findings comprehensively.

Overexpression of a Zea mays Brassinosteroid-Signaling Kinase Gene ZmBSK1 Confers Salt Stress Tolerance in Maize.

Salinity has become a crucial environmental factor seriously restricting maize (Zea mays L.) growth, development and productivity. However, how plants respond to salt stress is still poorly understood. In this study, we report that a maize brassinosteroid-signaling kinase gene ZmBSK1 plays a significant role in salt stress response. Expression pattern analysis revealed that the transcript level of ZmBSK1 was upregulated by NaCl treatment both in maize leaves, roots, and stems. Phenotypic and physiological analysis showed that overexpression of ZmBSK1 in maize improved salt tolerance by reducing the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, the percentage of electrolyte leakage, O2 - and H2O2 accumulation under salt stress, relying on the increases of antioxidant defense enzyme activities and proline content. qRT-PCR analysis showed that overexpression of ZmBSK1 also positively modulated the expression levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging and proline biosynthesis-related genes under salt stress. Moreover, immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) assay and firefly luciferase complementation imaging (LCI) assay showed that ZmBSK1 could associate with heat shock protein ZmHSP8 and 14-3-3-like protein ZmGF14-6, and their gene expression levels could be significantly induced by NaCl treatment in different maize tissues. Our findings unravel the new function of ZmBSK1 in salt stress response, which provides the theoretical bases for the improvement of maize salt resistance.

ZmBSK1 positively regulates BR-induced H2O2 production via NADPH oxidase and functions in oxidative stress tolerance in maize.

Brassinosteroid (BR) has been indicated to induce the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in plants in response to various environmental stimuli. However, it remains largely unknown how BR induces H2O2 production. In this study, we found that BR treatment significantly raised the kinase activity of maize (Zea mays L.) brassinosteroid-signaling kinase 1 (ZmBSK1) using the immunoprecipitation kinase assay. ZmBSK1 could modulate the gene expressions and activities of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases (EC 1.6.3.1) to modulate BR-induced H2O2 production. BR could enhance the interaction between ZmBSK1 and maize calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (ZmCCaMK), a previously identified substrate of ZmBSK1. The BR-induced phosphorylation and kinase activity of ZmCCaMK are dependent on ZmBSK1. Moreover, we showed that ZmBSK1 regulated the NADPH oxidase gene expression and activity via directly phosphorylating ZmCCaMK. Genetic analysis suggested that ZmBSK1-ZmCCaMK module strengthened plant tolerance to oxidative stress induced by exogenous application of H2O2 through improving the activities of antioxidant defense enzyme and alleviating the malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation and electrolyte leakage rate. In conclusion, these findings provide the new insights of ZmBSK1 functioning in BR-induced H2O2 production and the theoretical supports for breeding stress-tolerant crops.

[Initial experience of 640-slice CT coronary angiography in pacemaker patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and image quality of coronary artery angiography with 640-slice CT system in the pacemaker patients. METHODS: ECG-triggered 640-slice CT coronary angiography was performed in 16 pacemaker patients. Image quality of the fifteen coronary segments and metal-related artifact originating from pacemaker were assessed by two experienced radiologists in consensus. Image quality was assessed using a 4-point grading scale. ECG trigger information was recorded. RESULTS: The rate of available diagnostic images was 99.07% (Grade 1 in 83.64%, Grade 2 in 15.42%, Grade 3 in 0.47% and Grade 4 in 0.47% of patients, respectively). Image quality and the effect of streak artifact were similar between the high heart rate group and low heart rate group (P > 0.05) and between normal pacing group and arrhythmia group (P > 0.05). In coronary MSCT angiography, streak artifact of the pacemaker can render segments of the coronary artery uninterpretable, especially on S1, S2, S3, S4 and S8 segments of the coronary artery. Small shifts in the reconstruction window resulted in significance reduction of streak artifact (χ(2) = 151.818, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: 640-slice gated CT coronary angiography could provide excellent image quality for patients with pacemaker. The streak artifact induced by pacemaker on some segments of the coronary artery could be improved by small shifts in the reconstruction window.