Energy deprivation affects nitrogen assimilation and fatty acid biosynthesis leading to leaf chlorosis under waterlogging stress in the endangered Abies koreana.

Energy deprivation triggers various physiological, biochemical and molecular changes in plants under abiotic stress. We investigated the oxidative damages in the high altitude grown conifer Korean fir (Abies koreana) exposed to waterlogging stress. Our experimental results showed that waterlogging stress led to leaf chlorosis, 35 days after treatment. A significant decrease in leaf fresh weight, chlorophyll and sugar content supported this phenotypic change. Biochemical analysis showed a significant increase in leaf proline, lipid peroxidase and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical content of waterlogged plants. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms, we conducted RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and de novo assembly. Using RNA-seq analysis approach and filtering (P < 0.05 and false discovery rate <0.001), we obtained 134 unigenes upregulated and 574 unigenes downregulated. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis placed the obtained differentially expressed unigenes in α-linoleic pathway, fatty acid degradation, glycosis, glycolipid metabolism and oligosaccharide biosynthesis process. Mapping of unigenes with Arabidopsis using basic local alignment search tool for nucleotides showed several critical genes in photosynthesis and carbon metabolism downregulated. Following this, we found the repression of multiple nitrogen (N) assimilation and nucleotide biosynthesis genes including purine metabolism. In addition, waterlogging stress reduced the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids with a concomitant increase only in myristic acid. Together, our results indicate that the prolonged snowmelt may cause inability of A. koreana seedlings to lead the photosynthesis normally due to the lack of root intercellular oxygen and emphasizes a detrimental effect on the N metabolic pathway, compromising this endangered tree's ability to be fully functional under waterlogging stress.

Huge hypertrophic scar secondary to chronic ingrown toe nail mimicking tumor: A case report.

RATIONALE: A huge hypertrophic scar formation secondary to chronic ingrown toe nail mimicking tumor is a rare disease. It is not only causing concerns cosmetically, but also hindering normal daily activities physically and socially. In this paper, we present an unusual case of bilateral ingrown nails with different phases. One resulted in a large hypertrophic scar caused by stimulation from secondary to chronic ingrown nail. PATIENT CONCERNS AND DIAGNOSIS: A 44-year-old man with a huge mass (7 × 4 × 8.5 cm) in his right great toe and inflamed ingrown nail in his left great toe visited the clinic. The mass in the right toe showed an irregular and bizarre shape with a stellate ulcer (2 × 2 cm) at the distal end. After removing an ingrown nail 3 years ago with minor repetitive trauma, self-managed wound has grown into a tumor-like mass, resulting in intolerable discomfort. In gross appearance, a stalk appeared to originate from the lateral side of the nail bed with the ingrown nail in the great toe showing inflamed medial and lateral gutter and causing redness and tenderness. Huge hypertrophic scar formation secondary to chronic ingrown toe nail mimicking tumor is a rare disease that is not only causing a cosmetic concern, but also hindering normal daily activities physically and socially. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES: Excisional biopsy was performed for both great toes. Biopsy confirmed chronic ulcerative inflammation with a hypertrophic scar. The resection site healed and persisted well at 12 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our unusual case suggests that the natural course of an untreated ingrown toe nail may result in hypertrophic scar extending far to mimic tumorous conditions.

Absolute contents of aroma-affecting volatiles in cooked rice determined by one-step rice cooking and volatile extraction coupled with standard-addition calibration using HS-SPME/GC-MS.

To quantify volatiles in cooked rice, analysis methods for one-step rice cooking and volatile extraction in a single headspace vial, combined with standard addition calibration using solid-phase microextraction and GC-MS were developed and applied to 41 rice varieties with various fragrances and palatability. The newly developed methods significantly improved the qualitative and quantitative recovery of volatiles compared with conventional methods. Among 29 aroma-affecting volatiles, the highest average contents (ng/g) were observed for nonanal (39.30), octanal (13.29), and 1-octen-3-ol (13.18); the total volatile contents of aldehyde, base, and alcohol groups were 4156, 2481, and 1739 ng/g, respectively. Fifteen rice varieties contained 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in range of 41.37-421.70 ng/g. Although there were no linear correlations among volatiles and the Toyo taste-score, multivariate PLS-DA analysis of the volatile could discriminate between low- and high-palatability rice varieties. The results indicated the accuracy and practicality of the newly developed methods for quantifying volatiles in cooked rice.

Clinical Outcome after Clavicular Hook Plate Fixation for Displaced Medial-End Clavicle Fractures.

Background: Surgery of the medial end of the clavicle remains a challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Moreover, there is no standard surgical procedure for treating displaced fractures or dislocation of the medial clavicle. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using a hook plate for treating medial-end clavicular fractures and present functional outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively investigated 18 patients who underwent surgery with a hook plate from July 2016 to December 2021. There were 14 men and 4 women with a mean age of 57.4 years. Fracture union was assessed at follow-up by computed tomography (CT). Other outcome parameters were complications, including implant failure, infection, nonunion, osteolysis of sternal manubrium, and migration of the hook portion. Range of motion (ROM), visual analog scale (VAS), Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (Quick DASH), and American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES) scores were evaluated 6 months postoperatively and at the last follow-up. Results: The mean operation time was 43.8 minutes (range, 35-50 minutes) and the mean follow-up was 22.8 months (range, 12-42 months). Bone union was confirmed in all cases. The mean union time was 6.2 months (range, 6-7 months). Implant removal was performed routinely according to the clinical course in 17 cases. The mean implant removal time was 10.0 months (range, 6-14 months). Clinical and functional outcomes measured at the last follow-up were significantly improved compared to those at 6 months postoperatively (p < 0.05). Regarding complications, there were 6 cases (33.3%) of osteolysis of the sternal manubrium. Although the anteroposterior length of the manubrium and hook depth showed significant differences between the non-osteolysis group and the osteolysis group (p = 0.024), ROM, VAS, Quick DASH, and ASES scores were not significantly different between the two groups (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Clavicle hook plating can be a safe and effective method that can be easily applied with good outcomes if it is used with appropriate surgical planning and technique for medial-end clavicle fracture. CT scans are useful for preoperative planning and postoperative evaluation of bone union or complications.

Multi-omics analysis reveals the genetic basis of rice fragrance mediated by betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase 2.

INTRODUCTION: Fragrance is an important economic and quality trait in rice. The trait is controlled by the recessive gene betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (BADH2) via the production of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP). OBJECTIVES: Variation in BADH2 was evaluated at the population, genetic, transcriptional, and metabolic levels to obtain insights into fragrance regulation in rice. METHODS: Whole-genome resequencing of the Korean World Rice Collection of 475 rice accessions, including 421 breeding lines and 54 wild accessions, was performed. Transcriptome analyses of a subset of 279 accessions, proteome analyses of 64 accessions, and volatile profiling of 421 breeding lines were also performed. RESULTS: We identified over 3.1 million high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Korean rice collection. Most SNPs were present in intergenic regions (79%), and 190,148 SNPs (6%) were located in the coding sequence, of which 53% were nonsynonymous. In total, 38 haplotypes were identified in the BADH2 coding region, including four novel haplotypes (one in cultivated and three in wild accessions). Tajima's D values suggested that BADH2 was under balancing selection in japonica rice. Furthermore, we identified 316 expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), including 185 cis-eQTLs and 131 trans-eQTLs, involved in BADH2 regulation. A protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) analysis revealed the presence of trans-pQTLs; 13 pQTLs were mapped 1 Mbp from the BADH2 region. Based on variable importance in projection (VIP) scores, 15 volatile compounds, including 2AP, discriminated haplotypes and were potential biomarkers for rice fragrance. CONCLUSION: We generated a catalog of haplotypes based on a resequencing analysis of a large number of rice accessions. eQTLs and pQTLs associated with BADH2 gene expression and protein accumulation are likely involved in the regulation of 2AP variation in fragrant rice. These data improve our understanding of fragrance and provide valuable information for rice breeding.

Short-term severe drought influences root volatile biosynthesis in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L).

Climate change-related drought stress is expected to shift carbon partitioning toward volatile organic compound (VOC) biosynthesis. The effect of drought stress on VOC synthesis remains unknown in several tree species. Therefore, we exposed eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) plants to severe drought for 32 days and performed physiological analysis (chlorophyll content, leaf water content, and root/shoot index), biochemical analysis (non-structural carbohydrates, proline, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant assay), and total root VOC analysis. Drought stress decreased the relative water and soil moisture contents. Root proline accumulation and antioxidant activity increased significantly, whereas leaf chlorophyll synthesis and fresh weight decreased significantly in drought-treated plants. A non-significant increase in sugar accumulation (leaves and roots), proline accumulation (leaves), antioxidant activity (leaves), and lipid peroxidation (leaves and roots) was observed in drought-treated plants. Drought stress caused a non-significant decline in root/shoot ratio and starch accumulation (leaves and roots) and caused a significant increase in root abscisic acid content. Drought-treated plants showed an increase in overall monoterpene synthesis (16%) and decline in total sesquiterpene synthesis (3%). Our findings provide an overall assessment of the different responses of VOC synthesis to severe water deficit that may help unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance in P. strobus.

Metabolite and Elastase Activity Changes in Beach Rose (Rosa rugosa) Fruit and Seeds at Various Stages of Ripeness.

Rose hips are the fruits of the beach rose (Rosa rugosa). To determine the optimal harvest time and to obtain the maximum functional compounds, rose hips at various stages of ripeness (immature, early, mid, and late) were harvested, and the flesh tissue and seeds were separated. The rose hip flesh showed the highest total phenolic content at the mid-ripeness stage (8.45 ± 0.62 mg/g gallic acid equivalent concentration (dry weight)). The early-, mid-, and late-ripeness stages of rose hip flesh did not show significantly different 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl antioxidant capacities. The elastase inhibitory activity of the 95% ethanol extract from the rose hip seeds was highest at the mid-ripeness stage; however, the elastase inhibitory activity of the rose hip tissue was not significantly different from that of the seeds. Pathway analysis using MetaboAnalyst showed that sucrose, fructose, and glucose gradually increased as the fruit ripened. Ursolic acid was detected in the seeds but not in the flesh. Of the fatty acids, linoleic acid concentrations were highest in rose hip seeds, followed by linolenic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid. Fatty acids and ursolic acid might be the active compounds responsible for elastase inhibitory activity and can be utilized as a functional cosmetic material.

Semi-Circumferential Decompression: Total En-Bloc Ligamentum Flavectomy to Treat Lumbar Spinal Stenosis with Two-Level Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.

INTRODUCTION: Despite technical developments in decompression without fusion, many studies still assert that instability could be increased in patients with spinal stenosis and lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis after spinal decompression surgery without fusion. Thus, this study aimed to describe and assess the clinical outcomes of the semi-circumferential decompression (SCD) technique used for microsurgical en-bloc total ligamentum flavectomy with preservation of the facet joint in treating patients who have lumbar spinal stenosis with two-level degenerative spondylolisthesis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and radiologic outcomes of 14 patients who had spinal stenosis with two-level Meyerding grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis. We evaluated improvements in back pain and radiating pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). We have also examined the occurrence of spinal instability on a radiological exam using slip percentage and slip angle. RESULTS: The mean VAS score of back pain and radiating pain has been determined to decrease significantly from 6.7 to 3.3 and from 8.6 to 2.7, respectively. Meanwhile, the ODI score significantly improved from 27.3 preoperatively to 9.8 postoperatively. Statistically significant change was not observed in the slip percentage in both upper and lower levels. Dynamic slip percentage, which is defined as the difference in the slip percentage between flexion and extension, also did not significantly change. No statistically significant change was found in the slip angle and dynamic slip angle. CONCLUSIONS: SCD is a recommendable procedure that can improve clinical results. This procedure does not cause spinal instability when treating patients who have spinal stenosis with two-level degenerative spondylolisthesis.

FgPKS7 is an essential player in mating-type-mediated regulatory pathway required for completing sexual cycle in Fusarium graminearum.

Secondary metabolism is intimately linked to developmental processes in filamentous fungi. In a previous study, we revealed that several polyketide synthase (PKS) genes, including FgPKS7, are specifically induced during formation of the sexual fruiting body (perithecium) in the cereal pathogen Fusarium graminearum. The function of PKS7, which is essential for perithecial development and hyphal growth, is interchangeable between two phylogenetically related species, F. graminearum and F. asiaticum, but not conserved in the more distantly related species F. fujikuroi and F. neocosmosporiellum. FgPKS7 is under the control of global or upstream regulators including the mating-type (MAT) locus and regulates numerous downstream genes that are transcriptionally specific to and functionally essential for sexual development, several other PKS genes, and ABC transporter genes for azole resistance in F. graminearum. FgPKS7 is an essential element for proper sexual development and participates in a regulatory network controlled by the MAT locus. Although the chemical identity of FgPKS7 remains unclear, FgPKS7 is likely involved in chemical reaction(s) for synthesis of metabolite(s) that control or promote perithecial maturation in F. graminearum. This study provides in-depth insights into the direct role of secondary metabolites in sexual development of filamentous fungi.

Regorafenib Versus Nivolumab After Sorafenib Failure: Real-World Data in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Regorafenib and nivolumab are drugs approved for second-line treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after sorafenib failure. However, the effectiveness of regorafenib and nivolumab following sorafenib has not been directly compared. This study retrospectively evaluated 373 patients with HCC who were treated with regorafenib (n = 223) or nivolumab (n = 150) after sorafenib failure between July 2017 and February 2019. Progression-free survival (PFS; hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69-1.06; P = 0.150), time to progression (TTP; HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.77-1.19; P = 0.680), and overall survival (OS; HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.64-1.07; P = 0.154) did not differ significantly between groups of patients treated with regorafenib and nivolumab, findings consistently observed by multivariable-adjusted, propensity score-matched, and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) analyses. However, the objective response rate was significantly higher in the nivolumab than in the regorafenib group (13.3% vs. 4.0%; P = 0.002). When the effectiveness of regorafenib and nivolumab was compared in nonprogressors to treatment, defined as patients who achieved complete response, partial response, or stable disease after first response evaluation, PFS (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.33-0.75; P = 0.001), TTP (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.73; P < 0.001), and OS (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.31-0.87; P = 0.013) were significantly longer in the 59 nonprogressors to nivolumab than in the 104 nonprogressors to regorafenib, findings also observed by multivariable-adjusted and IPTW analyses. Conclusion: Survival outcomes in patients treated with regorafenib and nivolumab after sorafenib failure did not differ significantly. However, nivolumab may be more effective than regorafenib in nonprogressors.

Genome-Wide Association Study for Squalene Contents and Functional Haplotype Analysis in Rice.

Squalene is an isoprenoid compound that acts as the intermediate metabolite in cholesterol synthesis. Squalene is not very susceptible to peroxidation, and it quenches singlet oxygen in the skin, which is caused by UV exposure and other ionizing radiation sources. Squalene is a precursor to phytosterol synthesis, and it has been widely studied for its ability to reduce oxidation, cancer activity, and cholesterol levels. We performed a genome-wide association study for squalene in rice using 1.6 million high-quality SNPs extracted from 295 accessions' resequencing data. The candidate gene locus Os09g0319800-an orthologue of terpene synthase in Arabidopsis-showed up as the most likely candidate gene amongst the identified loci. Nucleotide variations in the promoter were associated with squalene content variations within the japonica group. The results of this study can provide clues for understanding the mechanisms of squalene biosynthesis in rice.

Combination therapy with c-met inhibitor and TRAIL enhances apoptosis in dedifferentiated liposarcoma patient-derived cells.

BACKGROUND: Liposarcoma (LPS) is a tumor derived from adipose tissue, and has the highest incidence among soft tissue sarcomas. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is a malignant tumor with poor prognosis. Recurrence and metastasis rates in LPS remain high even after chemotherapy and radiotherapy following complete resection. Therefore, the development of advanced treatment strategies for LPS is required. In the present study, we investigated the effect of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) treatment, and of combination treatment using TRAIL and a c-Met inhibitor on cell viability and apoptosis in LPS and DDLPS cell lines of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) treatment, and of combination treatment using TRAIL and a c-Met inhibitor. METHODS: We analyzed cell viability after treatment with TRAIL and a c-Met inhibitor by measuring CCK8 and death receptor 5 (DR5) expression levels via fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) in both sarcoma cell lines and DDLPS patient-derived cells (PDCs). Moreover, we validated the effects of TRAIL alone and in combination with c-Met inhibitor on apoptosis in LPS cell lines and DDLPS PDCs via FACS. RESULTS: Our results revealed that combination treatment with a c-Met inhibitor and human recombinant TRAIL (rhTRAIL) suppressed cell viability and induced cell death in both sarcoma cell lines and DDLPS PDCs, which showed varying sensitivities to rhTRAIL alone. Also, we confirmed that treatment with a c-Met inhibitor upregulated DR5 levels in sarcoma cell lines and DDLPS PDCs. In both TRAIL-susceptible and TRAIL-resistant cells subjected to combination treatment, promotion of apoptosis was dependent on DR5 upregulation. CONCLUSION: From these results, our findings validated that DR5 up-regulation caused by combination therapy with a c-Met inhibitor and rhTRAIL enhanced TRAIL sensitization and promoted apoptosis. We propose the use of this approach to overcome TRAIL resistance and serve as a novel treatment strategy for clinical trials.

Quantitation of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline in aseptic-packaged cooked fragrant rice by HS-SPME/GC-MS.

Aseptic-packaged cooked rice (APCR) is a rice-based food product with a rapidly increasing market size, and APCR made of fragrant rice (FR) has recently appeared on the market. The fragrance of FR is produced by a combination of odoriferous compounds, among which 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2AP) has been identified as the most important contributor to overall aroma. This study describes the development of a method to quantify 2AP in FR-based APCR using headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The recovery of 2AP spiked into APCR was lower than 10%, which suggests significant matrix effects and inappropriateness of external standard-based calibration. For standard addition calibration method, up to 1,000 ng of 2AP were spiked into APCR containing 0% to 100% FR. Subsequent regression analyses of recovered peak area (Y) as a function of the amount of 2AP spiked (X) yielded highly linear calibration curves (R 2 > 0.9917) with consistent slopes (RSD = 2.7%), regardless of FR composition. Y-intercepts, however, which represent the amount of 2AP in APCR without spiking, increased linearly (R 2 = 0.9898) in proportion to the composition of FR in the APCR. The amount of 2AP in APCR, determined by extrapolating the standard addition calibration curves, also increased linearly (R 2 = 0.9963) as a function of FR composition. Practicality of developed method was tested by monitoring 2AP contents in APCR under realistic storage conditions, which successfully demonstrated 38% and 60% 2AP reductions in APCR of 20% FR after 1 and 2 months of storage at 25°C, respectively. The present study demonstrates that a standard addition method, whereby up to 1,000 ng of 2AP standard is spiked into 4 g of APCR containing 5%-100% FR in a 20-mL headspace vial followed by SPME/GC-MS, may serve as an effective means of quantitating 2AP in fragrant rice-based APCR.

Establishment of a Novel PDX Mouse Model and Evaluation of the Tumor Suppression Efficacy of Bortezomib Against Liposarcoma.

The patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model has been adopted as a major tool for studying tumorigenesis and differentiation in various carcinomas. In addition, it has been used in the development of anticancer agents. PDX models have been among the most meaningful tools used to understand the role of stromal cells and vascular cells in the body, which are major factors in cancer development and the application of therapeutic agents. Also, the establishment of PDX models from liposarcoma patients is considered to be important for understanding lipomagenesis and following drugs development. For these reasons, we developed patient-derived cell (PDC) and PDX models derived from 20 liposarcoma patients. The tissues of these patients were obtained in accordance with the principles of the Samsung Medical Center's ethics policy, and cell culture and xenografting onto the mice were performed under these principles. High-throughput drug screening (HTS) was carried out using established PDCs to select candidate drugs. Among the different candidate anticancer drugs, we tested the effect of bortezomib, which was expected to inhibit MDM2 amplification. First, we confirmed that the PDCs maintained the characteristics of liposarcoma cells by assessing MDM2 amplification and CDK4 overexpression using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Analysis of short tandem repeats and an array using comparative genomic hybridization confirmed that the PDX model exhibited the same genomic profile as that of the patient. Immunohistochemistry for MDM2 and CDK4 showed that the overexpression patterns of both proteins were similar in the PDX models and the PDCs. Specifically, MDM2 amplification was observed to be significantly correlated with the successful establishment of PDX mouse models. However, CDK4 expression did not show such a correlation. Of the anticancer drugs selected through HTS, bortezomib showed a strong anticancer effect against PDC. In addition, we observed that bortezomib suppressed MDM2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, p21 tended to elicit an increase in PDC expression. Treatment of the PDX model with bortezomib resulted in an anticancer effect similar to that seen in the PDCs. These results support that PDCs and PDX models are among the most powerful tools for the development and clinical application of anticancer drugs for the treatment of liposarcoma patients.

Effects of milling on aromatics, lipophilic phytonutrients, and fatty acids in unprocessed white rice of scented rice 'Cheonjihyang-1-se'.

To understand effects of milling, scented rice 'Cheonjihyang-1-se' was milled from 10 to 140 s and changes in volatiles, phytonutrients, and fatty acids were evaluated. Among 43 identified odor-active compounds, four volatiles, including hexan-3-one, exhibited decreases of up to 78%, while four others including (E)-non-2-enal, increased following milling. Levels of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, the most distinctive popcorn-flavoring compound in scented rice, were not affected by the degree of milling (DM). Partial least squares discriminant analyses of volatiles were able to differentiate white rice according to the DM. Benzene and 2-pentylfuran showed the highest variable importance in projection scores, which could be applied in estimating the DM of rice. Milling significantly decreased tocopherols, tocotrienols, squalene, phytosterols contents and oleic acid composition, while palmitic acid composition was increased. These results suggest milling-dependent variations in phytonutrient levels and lipid composition, as well as changes in aroma and subsequent market quality, in 'Cheonjihyang-1-se' rice.

Chemopreventive glucosinolate accumulation in various broccoli and collard tissues: Microfluidic-based targeted transcriptomics for by-product valorization.

Floret, leaf, and root tissues were harvested from broccoli and collard cultivars and extracted to determine their glucosinolate and hydrolysis product profiles using high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromotography. Quinone reductase inducing bioactivity, an estimate of anti-cancer chemopreventive potential, of the extracts was measured using a hepa1c1c7 murine cell line. Extracts from root tissues were significantly different from other tissues and contained high levels of gluconasturtiin and glucoerucin. Targeted gene expression analysis on glucosinolate biosynthesis revealed that broccoli root tissue has elevated gene expression of AOP2 and low expression of FMOGS-OX homologs, essentially the opposite of what was observed in broccoli florets, which accumulated high levels of glucoraphanin. Broccoli floret tissue has significantly higher nitrile formation (%) and epithionitrile specifier protein gene expression than other tissues. This study provides basic information of the glucosinolate metabolome and transcriptome for various tissues of Brassica oleracea that maybe utilized as potential byproducts for the nutraceutical market.

Semi-Circumferential Decompression: Microsurgical Total en-bloc Ligamentum Flavectomy to Treat Lumbar Spinal Stenosis with Grade I Degenerative Spondylolisthesis.

BACKGROUND: To describe and assess clinical outcomes of the semi-circumferential decompression technique for microsurgical en-bloc total ligamentum flavectomy with preservation of the facet joint to treat the patients who have a lumbar spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and radiologic outcomes of 19 patients who have a spinal stenosis with Meyerding grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis. They were treated using the "semi-circumferential decompression" method. We evaluated improvements in back and radiating pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). We also evaluated occurrence of spinal instability on radiological exam using percentage slip and slip angle. RESULTS: The mean VAS score for back pain decreased significantly from 6.3 to 4.3, although some patients had residual back pain. The mean VAS for radiating pain decreased significantly from 8.3 to 2.5. The ODI score improved significantly from 25.3 preoperatively to 10.8 postoperatively. No significant change in percentage slip was observed (10% preoperatively vs. 12.2% at the last follow-up). The dynamic percentage slip (gap in percentage slip between flexion and extension X-ray exams) did not change significantly (5.2% vs. 5.8%). Slip angle and dynamic slip angle did not change (3.2° and 8.2° vs. 3.6° and 9.2°, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that semi-circumferential decompression is a clinically recommendable procedure that can improve pain. This procedure does not cause spinal instability when treating patients who have a spinal stenosis with degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Resequencing Reveals Different Domestication Rate for BADH1 and BADH2 in Rice (Oryza sativa).

BADH1 and BADH2 are two homologous genes, encoding betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase in rice. In the present study, we scanned BADHs sequences of 295 rice cultivars, and 10 wild rice accessions to determine the polymorphisms, gene functions and domestication of these two genes. A total of 16 alleles for BADH1 and 10 alleles for BADH2 were detected in transcribed region of cultivars and wild species. Association study showed that BADH1 has significant correlation with salt tolerance in rice during germination stage, the SNP (T/A) in exon 4 is highly correlated with salt tolerance index (STI) (P<10(-4)). While, BADH2 was only responsible for rice fragrance, of which two BADH2 alleles (8 bp deletion in exon 7 and C/T SNP in exon 13) explain 97% of aroma variation in our germplasm. Theses indicate that there are no overlapping functions between the two homologous genes. In addition, a large LD block was detected in BADH2 region, however, there was no large LD blocks in a 4-Mb region of BADH1. We found that BADH2 region only showed significant bias in Tajima's D value from the balance. Extended haplotype homozygosity study revealed fragrant accessions had a large LD block that extended around the mutation site (8 bp deletion in exon 7) of BADH2, while both of the BADH1 alleles (T/A in exon 4) did not show large extended LD block. All these results suggested that BADH2 was domesticated during rice evolution, while BADH1 was not selected by human beings.

Endovascular stenting of the inferior vena cava in a patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome and main hepatic vein thrombosis: a case report.

Endovascular stenting is accepted as an effective treatment for patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). We herein present a case of successful endovascular treatment. A 46-year-old woman, who was followed up for 10 years after a diagnosis of BCS, showed progression progressive of liver cirrhosis and deterioration deteriorated of liver function. Three main hepatic veins were thrombosed with complete occlusion of the suprahepatic of the inferior vena cava (IVC); thus, hepatic venous blood flow was draining into the inferior right hepatic veins through the intrahepatic collaterals and passed passing through the subcutaneous venous collaterals. She underwent endovascular stenting of the IVC for palliation. A septoplasty needle was passed through the occluded IVC through into the internal jugular vein access and then to access the femoral vein using a snare wire. Severe elastic recoiling was observed after balloon dilatation; thus, a 28×80 mm stenting was done inserted across the occlusion, and repeat double ballooning was performed. The final venogram shows showed restored IVC inflow. The patient began to lose body weight 1 day after stenting, and edema disappeared within 1 week. She is was doing well at the 6 month follow-up visit with nearly normal liver function and marked resolution of cutaneous venous engorgement. In conclusion, endovascular stenting appeared to be an effective treatment to alleviate portal pressure and to prevent BCS-associated complications; thus, endovascular stenting should be considered before marked hepatic vein stenosis or complete occlusion occurs in patients with BCS.

Natural variations in OsγTMT contribute to diversity of the α-tocopherol content in rice.

Tocopherols and tocotrienols, collectively known as tocochromanols, are lipid-soluble molecules that belong to the group of vitamin E compounds. Among them, α-tocopherol (αΤ) is one of the antioxidants with diverse functions and benefits for humans and animals. Thus, understanding the genetic basis of these traits would be valuable to improve nutritional quality by breeding in rice. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) has emerged as a powerful strategy for identifying genes or quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying complex traits in plants. To discover the genes or QTLs underlying the naturally occurring variations of αΤ content in rice, we performed GWAS using 1.44 million high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms acquired from re-sequencing of 137 accessions from a diverse rice core collection. Thirteen candidate genes were found across 2-year phenotypic data, among which gamma-tocopherol methyltransferase (OsγTMT) was identified as the major factor responsible for the αΤ content among rice accessions. Nucleotide variations in the coding region of OsγTMT were significantly associated with the αΤ content variations, while nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter region of OsγTMT also could partly demonstrate the correlation with αΤ content variations, according to our RNA expression analyses. This study provides useful information for genetic factors underlying αΤ content variations in rice, which will significantly contribute the research on αΤ biosynthesis mechanisms and αΤ improvement of rice.