Maize GOLDEN2-LIKE proteins enhance drought tolerance in rice by promoting stomatal closure.

Drought has become one of the most severe abiotic stresses experienced in agricultural production across the world. Plants respond to water deficit via stomatal movements in the leaves, which are mainly regulated by abscisic acid (ABA). A previous study from our lab showed that constitutive expression of maize (Zea mays L.) GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors in rice (Oryza sativa L.) can improve stomatal conductance and plant photosynthetic capacity under field conditions. In the present study, we uncovered a function of ZmGLK regulation of stomatal movement in rice during drought stress. We found that elevated drought tolerance in rice plants overexpressing ZmGLK1 or GOLDEN2 (ZmG2) was conferred by rapid ABA-mediated stomatal closure. Comparative analysis of RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data from the rice leaves and DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) results obtained in vitro revealed that ZmGLKs played roles in regulating ABA-related and stress-responsive pathways. Four upregulated genes closely functioning in abiotic stress tolerance with strong binding peaks in the DAP-seq data were identified as putative target genes of ZmGLK1 and ZmG2 in rice. These results demonstrated that maize GLKs play an important role in regulating stomatal movements to coordinate photosynthesis and stress tolerance. This trait is a valuable target for breeding drought-tolerant crop plants without compromising photosynthetic capacity.

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery of 1,166 pituitary adenomas.

AIM: To report the results of a series of patients undergoing pure endoscopic endonasal pituitary surgery and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of 1,166 patients that underwent endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal adenoma removal between December 2006 and June 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Pre- and postoperative hormonal status (3 months after surgery) were analyzed and compared with the clinical parameters originally presented by the patients. The incidences of tumor removal, hormonal control, and tumor removal complications were retrospectively analyzed. RESULT: Out of 577 nonfunctioning adenomas, 180 were growth hormone (GH) secreting, 308 prolactin (PRL) secreting, 26 mixed GH/PRL adenomas, 68 adrenocorticotropin secreting, and 7 thyroid-stimulating hormone-secreting adenomas. The gross total removal of pituitary adenomas was achieved in 98 % of microadenomas, 92 % of macroadenomas, and 76 % of giant adenomas. Hormonal control was achieved in 47 (69 %) cases of ACTH adenomas, 119 (66 %) GH adenomas, 262 (85 %) PRL adenomas, and 6 (86 %) TSH adenomas. Postoperative complications were observed in 168 (14.4 %) patients. The most frequent complications were diabetes insipidus (7 %), epistaxis (1.7 %), hyposmia (1.5 %), anterior lobe insufficiency (1.3 %) ,and CSF leaks (0.6 %). CONCLUSION: The pure endoscopic approach is a safe, efficacious, and minimally invasive technique for the removal of pituitary adenomas. A higher gross total resection rate is vital for non-functional and functional adenomas. For patients with functional adenomas, while hormonal remission is unlikely to be achieved by surgery, the use of adjuvant therapy is advocated to obtain long-term hormonal control.

A transcriptional regulator that boosts grain yields and shortens the growth duration of rice.

Complex biological processes such as plant growth and development are often under the control of transcription factors that regulate the expression of large sets of genes and activate subordinate transcription factors in a cascade-like fashion. Here, by screening candidate photosynthesis-related transcription factors in rice, we identified a DREB (Dehydration Responsive Element Binding) family member, OsDREB1C, in which expression is induced by both light and low nitrogen status. We show that OsDREB1C drives functionally diverse transcriptional programs determining photosynthetic capacity, nitrogen utilization, and flowering time. Field trials with OsDREB1C-overexpressing rice revealed yield increases of 41.3 to 68.3% and, in addition, shortened growth duration, improved nitrogen use efficiency, and promoted efficient resource allocation, thus providing a strategy toward achieving much-needed increases in agricultural productivity.

[High-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging suite with neuronavigation system: implementation and preliminary experience in the pituitary adenoma operation with transsphenoidal approach].

OBJECTIVES: To review the preliminary clinical experience with high-field-strength intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) suite with neuronavigation system in the pituitary adenoma operation with transsphenoidal approach. METHODS: From March 2009 to December 2010, 31 patients [range, 29 - 76 years, mean age (47 ± 11) years]of pituitary adenoma were operated with transsphenoidal approach and intraoperatively with a movable 1.5 T high-field-strength iMRI suite in combination with neuronavigation system. Tumor size was 1.8 - 7.3 cm, mean (3.5 ± 1.2) cm. Twenty-five cases were non-functional pituitary adenoma, 4 cases were prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma, 2 cases were growth hormone-secreting pituitary adenoma. Thirty patients' resection with transnasal transsphenoidal approach were performed, one patient with transoral transsphenoidal approach was performed. RESULTS: In 12 cases of 30 patients who planed to totally remove tumor, iMRI had revealed residual lesions and resulted in the change of the surgical strategy, 2 invasive cavernous sinus cases no further resection of the tumor because of internal carotid artery encasement, the other 10 cases resected further, eventually. Finally, 8 cases were totally removed. The ratio of total removal tumor was enhanced to 86.7% (26/30) from 60.0% (18/30). There was no perioperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: High-field-strength iMRI suite with neuronavigation system provides valuable information of tumor resection that allows intraoperative modification of the surgical strategy. It could be very helpful to maximize the resection of the pituitary adenoma and minimize the injury to neurological function.

[Implementation and preliminary experience of high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging in the endoscopic chordoma operation with transsphenoidal or transoral approach].

OBJECTIVE: To review the preliminary clinical experience with high-field-strength intra-operative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) in the endoscopic chordoma operation with transsphenoidal or transoral approach. METHODS: From January 2009 to December 2010, 23 patients [range, 29 - 64 years, mean age (42 ± 3) years] of chordoma were operated with endoscopic transsphenoidal or transoral approach and examined intraoperatively with a movable 1.5 T iMRI magnet. Tumor size range was 2.0 - 5.7 cm, mean (3.5 ± 0.8) cm. A navigation system based on iMRI was used in 20 cases. RESULTS: iMRI scan were performed in each operation from 1 time to 5 times. Neuronavigation system were used in 20 operations and the data renewed in 12 cases by the information from iMRI. In 15 of 23 patients, iMRI had revealed residual lesions and resulted in 12 cases further treatment, eventually, 9 tumors were totally removed and 3 tumors were further removed. The ratio of total removal tumor was enhanced to 73.9% (17/23) from 34.8% (8/23). Among 15 cases of partial chordoma removal detected by scanning in operation, 9 were huge chordoma. The residual of huge chordoma detected by scanning in operation was 9/11, and other chordoma contributed to 6/12. There were no iMRI related safety issue or accident recorded in this study. CONCLUSIONS: High-field-strength iMRI provide high-quality images of tumor resection that allows intraoperative modification of the surgical strategy. Combined with the navigation system, iMRI is helpful to maximize the resection of the chordoma and benefit for the safety of endoscopic operation.

[Pure endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach for 375 pituitary adenomas].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the experience with surgical treatment of pituitary adenomas via a fully transnasal endoscopic approach. METHODS: Clinical records of 375 cases with pituitary adenomas underwent pure endoscopic operations between December 2006 and December 2009 were carefully assembled. Among 375 pure endoscopic operations of pituitary adenomas, 201 cases were nonfunctional adenomas and 174 cases were functional adenomas. There were 27 giant pituitary adenomas (7.2%) and 41 pituitary adenoma invaded cavernous sinus (10.9%). Intraoperative 1.5 T MRI and neuro-navigation system were used during some operations. The postoperative and follow-up data of patients were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 234 (79.3%) cases of total resection, 56 (19.0%) cases of subtotal resection, 5 (1.7%) cases of partial resection. Sixty-eight patients had vision improved in 73 patients with vision decreasing before operation. Sixty-eight (77.3%) patients got normal endocrine in 88 hyper-prolactin patient. Fifty-five (84.1%) patients got normal growth hormone in 63 patients with somatotrophinomas. Eighteen (78.2%) patients got normal in 23 patients with corticotrophinoma. These was no death case in this group. One case (0.3%) suffered post-operative coma. Transient decreasing of vision occurred in 2 cases (0.5%). Transient palsy of oculomotor nerve or abducens nerve occurred in 7 cases of operations involved cavernous sinus. Three (0.8%) patients had cerebral meningitis. Two patients (0.5%) suffered from cerebrospinal fluid leak but none underwent operation to repair. Fourteen patients (3.7%) had transient diabetes insipidus. Six patients (1.6%) had nose bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Trans-nasal endoscopy provides a new device for operation of pituitary adenomas which is effective and safe. Comparing with microscope, endoscopic visual field is clearer, closer and wider.

Maize GOLDEN2-LIKE genes enhance biomass and grain yields in rice by improving photosynthesis and reducing photoinhibition.

Photosynthetic efficiency is a major target for improvement of crop yield potential under agricultural field conditions. Inefficiencies can occur in many steps of the photosynthetic process, from chloroplast biogenesis to functioning of the light harvesting and carbon fixation reactions. Nuclear-encoded GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors regulate some of the earliest steps by activating target genes encoding chloroplast-localized and photosynthesis-related proteins. Here we show that constitutive expression of maize GLK genes in rice leads to enhanced levels of chlorophylls and pigment-protein antenna complexes, and that these increases lead to improved light harvesting efficiency via photosystem II in field-grown plants. Increased levels of xanthophylls further buffer the negative effects of photoinhibition under high or fluctuating light conditions by facilitating greater dissipation of excess absorbed energy as heat. Significantly, the enhanced photosynthetic capacity of field-grown transgenic plants resulted in increased carbohydrate levels and a 30-40% increase in both vegetative biomass and grain yield.

[Vision deterioration after transsphenoidal surgery for removal of pituitary adenoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism and strategies of prevention and treatment of vision deterioration after transsphenoidal surgery for removal of pituitary adenoma. METHODS: From January 1980 to February 2001, 1 412 patients were operated on by transsphenoidal surgery to remove pituitary adenoma. Fourteen patients experienced vision deterioration after operation. Clinical data from the 14 patients with vision deterioration were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: In this group, the incidence of vision deterioration was 0.99%. Over packing of the adenoma bed was seen in 5 patients, apoplexy of residual tumor in 3, high intracranial pressure in 2, vascular spasm in 2, injury of the optic nerve in the cannel in 1 and unknown reason in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Vision deterioration is a severe complication after transsphenoidal surgery. Early diagnosis and treatment can greatly improve the vision.

Outcome of endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery in combination with somatostatin analogues in patients with growth hormone producing pituitary adenoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of endoscopic surgery in combination with long-acting somatostatin analogues (SSAs) in treating patients with growth hormone (GH)-secreting pituitary tumor. METHODS: We performed retrospective analysis of 133 patients with GH producing pituitary adenoma who underwent pure endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery in our center from January 2007 to July 2012. Patients were followed up for a range of 3-48 months. The radiological remission, biochemical remission and complication were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 110 (82.7%) patients achieved radiological complete resection, 11 (8.2%) subtotal resection, and 12 (9.0%) partial resection. Eighty-eight (66.2%) patients showed nadir GH level less than 1 ng/mL after oral glucose administration. No mortality or severe disability was observed during follow up. Preoperative long-acting SSA successfully improved left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and blood glucose in three patients who subsequently underwent success operation. Long-acting SSA (20 mg every 30 days) achieved biochemical remission in 19 out 23 (82.6%) patients who showed persistent high GH level after surgery. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery can biochemically cure the majority of GH producing pituitary adenoma. Post-operative use of SSA can improve biochemical remission.