Efficient cross-protection against serotype 4/8a fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs): recombinant FAdV-4 with FAdV-8a Fiber.

IMPORTANCE: Epidemiological data reveal that FAdV-4 and FAdV-8a are the dominant serotypes of FAdVs in the poultry industry in China. Although three commercial inactivated vaccines against FAdV-4 have been licensed in China, the bivalent vaccine against both FAdV-4 and FAdV-8a is not available. Here, we used CRISPR-Cas9 and Cre-LoxP system to generate a recombinant virus FAdV4-F/8a-rF2 expressing the Fiber of FAdV-8a. Notably, FAdV4-F/8a-rF2 was highly attenuated and could provide efficient protection against both FAdV-4 and FAdV-8a in the chicken infection model, highlighting the applaudable application of FAdV4-F/8a-rF2 as a novel live-attenuated bivalent vaccine against the diseases caused by the infection of FAdV-4 and FAdV-8a.

Plasma metabolic fingerprints for large-scale screening and personalized risk stratification of metabolic syndrome.

Direct diagnosis and accurate assessment of metabolic syndrome (MetS) allow for prompt clinical interventions. However, traditional diagnostic strategies overlook the complex heterogeneity of MetS. Here, we perform metabolomic analysis in 13,554 participants from the natural cohort and identify 26 hub plasma metabolic fingerprints (PMFs) associated with MetS and its early identification (pre-MetS). By leveraging machine-learning algorithms, we develop robust diagnostic models for pre-MetS and MetS with convincing performance through independent validation. We utilize these PMFs to assess the relative contributions of the four major MetS risk factors in the general population, ranked as follows: hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity. Furthermore, we devise a personalized three-dimensional plasma metabolic risk (PMR) stratification, revealing three distinct risk patterns. In summary, our study offers effective screening tools for identifying pre-MetS and MetS patients in the general community, while defining the heterogeneous risk stratification of metabolic phenotypes in real-world settings.

An efficient double-fluorescence approach for generating fiber-2-edited recombinant serotype 4 fowl adenovirus expressing foreign gene.

Recently, the infection of serotype 4 fowl adenovirus (FAdV-4) in chicken flocks has become endemic in China, which greatly threatens the sustainable development of poultry industry. The development of recombinant FAdV-4 expressing foreign genes is an efficient strategy for controlling both FAdV-4 and other important poultry pathogens. Previous reverse genetic technique for generating the recombinant fowl adenovirus is generally inefficient. In this study, a recombinant FAdV-4 expressing enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP), FA4-EGFP, was used as a template virus and directly edited fiber-2 gene to develop an efficient double-fluorescence approach to generate recombinant FAdV-4 through CRISPR/Cas9 and Cre-Loxp system. Moreover, using this strategy, a recombinant virus FAdV4-HA(H9) stably expressing the HA gene of H9N2 influenza virus was generated. Chicken infection study revealed that the recombinant virus FAdV4-HA(H9) was attenuated, and could induce haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer against H9N2 influenza virus at early time points and inhibit the viral replication in oropharynx. All these demonstrate that the novel strategy for constructing recombinant FAdV-4 expressing foreign genes developed here paves the way for rapidly developing attenuated FAdV-4-based recombinant vaccines for fighting the diseases caused by both FAdV-4 and other pathogens.

A novel recombinant serotype 4 fowl adenovirus expressing fiber-2 protein of duck adenovirus 3.

Recently, the highly pathogenic serotype 4 fowl adenovirus (FAdV-4) and duck adenovirus 3 (DAdV-3) were outbroken and widespread, causing substantial economic losses to the duck industry. Therefore, there is an urgent need to generate a recombinant genetic engineering vaccine candidate against both FAdV-4 and DAdV-3. In this study, a novel recombinant FAdV-4 expressing the Fiber-2 protein of DAdV-3, designated as rFAdV-4-Fiber-2/DAdV-3, was generated based on CRISPR/Cas9 and Cre-LoxP systems. Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and western blot (WB) showed that the Fiber-2 protein of DAdV-3 in rFAdV-4-Fiber-2/DAdV-3 was expressed successfully. Moreover, the growth curve revealed that rFAdV-4-Fiber-2/DAdV-3 replicated efficiently in LMH cells and even showed a stronger replication ability compared to the wild type FAdV-4. The generation of the recombinant rFAdV-4-Fiber-2/DAdV-3 provides a potential vaccine candidate against both FAdV-4 and DAdV-3.

Transgenerational associations of parental famine exposure in early life with offspring risk of adult obesity in China.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the transgenerational associations between exposure to famine in early life and obesity. METHODS: This study used the longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey from 1989 to 2015. A total of 1113 fathers and 1207 mothers (946 mother-father pairs) born in 1955 to 1966 and 1895 adult offspring were included. Offspring were classified into subgroups according to the famine exposure of their parents (unexposed, maternal exposed, paternal exposed, parental exposed) and exposure timing (during fetal development, childhood). RESULTS: Maternal exposure to famine in early life was associated with elevated levels of BMI, waist circumference, overweight, and central obesity of their children, whereas paternal exposure was inversely associated with these measurements. Compared with children of unexposed parents (P0M0), the maternal exposed group (P0M1) had higher mean BMI, by 1.3 kg/m2 (95% CI: 0.3 to 2.4); waist circumference, by 1.5 cm (-1.0 to 3.9); overweight (odds ratio [OR] [95% CI]: 3.1 [1.6 to 6.1]); and central obesity (OR [95% CI]: 1.9 [1.02 to 3.7]). No significant heterogeneity was observed in the associations by sex of offspring. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal and early childhood exposure to famine in parents may be associated with their children's risk of obesity during adulthood. A better understanding of the transgenerational associations is important for developing strategies to reduce obesity risk in future generations.

Electroacupuncture attenuates ac4C modification of P16 mRNA in the ovarian granulosa cells of a mouse model premature ovarian failure.

BACKGROUND: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a type of pathological aging, which seriously interferes with the fertility of affected women. Electroacupuncture (EA) may have a beneficial effect; however, its mechanism of action is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of EA on ovarian function in ovarian granulosa cells (OGCs) in a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced mouse model of POF. METHODS: Mice were divided into three groups: wild type (WT) group, CTX group and CTX + EA group. EA was administered under isoflurane anesthesia at CV4, ST36 and SP6 for 30 min every 2 days, 2-3 times per week for a total of 4 weeks. Effects of EA on ovarian weight and level of estrogen were examined. The mRNA and protein expression levels of cell cycle-associated proteins were detected and mRNA modifications were analyzed. RESULTS: EA significantly increased ovarian weight and reduced the proportion of atretic follicles in mice with CTX-induced POF (p < 0.05). EA increased the level of estrogen in the peripheral blood of mice and inhibited the modification of total mRNA N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C). A significant increase in the expression of P16 and N-acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) and a significant decrease in the expression of Cyclin D (CCND1) and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) were observed in the OGCs of POF mice (p<0.05). After EA, P16 and NAT10 expression was decreased, and CCND1 and CDK6 expression was increased. Finally, EA reduced the ac4C modification of P16 mRNA-specific sites in the OGCs of POF mice. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that EA promoted the repair of the ovarian microenvironment by inhibiting the ac4C modification of P16 mRNA to decrease its stability and expression intensity, and by altering the activity of the P16/CDK6/CCND1 axis in OGCs.

Moxibustion attenuates inflammation in intestinal mucosal by regulating RAGE-mediated TLR4-NF-κBp65 signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of moxibustion on the RAGE/TLR4-NF-κBp65 pathways and mucosal damage in rat model of 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu)-induced intestinal mucositis (IM) and the underlying mechanisms. 5-Fu treatment significantly increased the expression of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its ligand, thehigh-mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), in the rat intestinal tissue. The inhibition of RAGE could induce the repair of intestinal mucosal damage and downregulate the expression of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 in intestinal tissues of 5-Fu-treated rats. Moxibustion treatment significantly improved the physical symptoms and repaired the intestinal mucosal damage of IM rats and increased the expression of tight junction proteins in these rats. The expression of RAGE, HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κBp65, and related downstream inflammatory factors, namely, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1ß, were significantly decreased after moxibustion treatment. A moxibustion dose of 15 min/day exerted a better therapeutic effect than a dose of 30 min/day. The phosphorylation of NF-κBp65 and IκBa is involved in reducing inflammation by regulating the RAGE signaling pathway. Moxibustion can reduce intestinal mucosal damage and inflammation in 5-Fu-induced IM rats via modulation of the RAGE/TLR4-NF-κBp65 signaling pathways.

Efficacy of Acupuncture Combined with Rehabilitation Training for Intensive Care Unit-Acquired Muscle Weakness: A Protocol for a Randomized, Sham-Procedure-Controlled Clinical Trial.

To evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training in patients with intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired muscle weakness (ICUAW), a single-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial is designed for execution. In total, 56 participants with ICUAW will be randomly assigned to the treatment and control groups with 28 participants in each group. The participants will be treated with acupunctures or sham procedures at LI15, LI11, ST36, GB34, and ST31, 5 times per week for a total of 20 sessions in 4 weeks while they will receive rehabilitation training. Patients will be followed up every month for 3 months after treatment. The primary outcomes include changes in quadriceps femoris muscle area, thickness, vastus intermediate muscle thickness, subcutaneous tissue thickness, and ultrasonic intensities of the rectus femoris. The secondary outcomes consist of the modified Barthel index score and the Medical Research Council total score. Participants' mechanical ventilation, the rate of detachment at the second week, the 28-day survival rate, and the occurrence of adverse reactions will be measured, and any side effects will be reported and recorded. Patient outcomes between the treatment and control groups will be compared and statistically tested. We anticipate that the therapeutic regimen of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training would be more effective than the rehabilitation training alone for the treatment of the ICUAW. The findings of this study could help develop a better strategy for the treatment of the ICUAW disease and explore a clinical application of an acupuncture technique. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR2000038779. Registered 30 September, 2020, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=62284.

Exposure to the Great Famine in Early Life and the Risk of Obesity in Adulthood: A Report Based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey.

Intrauterine malnutrition has a long-term effect on human health. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between exposure to famine in early life and obesity in adulthood in Chinese adults. A total of 5033 participants (22,132 observations) of the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) in 1991-2015 were classified into three famine exposure groups according to their birth year: unexposed (1963-1966), fetal-exposed (1959-1962) and childhood-exposed (1955-1958). Compared with the unexposed group, the fetal-exposed group had higher levels of body-mass-index (BMI) and waist-circumference (WC), and higher prevalence of overweight and central obesity, whereas the childhood-exposed group had lower levels of the measurements. However, the positive associations of fetal exposure with BMI, WC and prevalence of overweight and central obesity were attenuated by additionally adjusting for age at survey. Stratified analysis showed that the adverse effect of fetal exposure to famine was only observed in subjects at several specific age-groups, and in men living in rural areas and in women living in more severe famine exposed areas (p for interaction < 0.05). Our results provide evidence for the weak effect of fetal exposure to famine on body measurements in adulthood, and suggest the importance of severity of famine exposure and timing of exposure.

Embryo transcriptome and miRNA analyses reveal the regulatory network of seed dormancy in Ginkgo biloba.

Seed dormancy is crucial for plant survival and prevents seed germination out of season. However, little is known about the regulatory mechanism of morphophysiological seed dormancy. Ginkgo biloba L. is one of the most ancient gymnosperms, and the completion of seed germination in this species requires cold and moist stratification. Here, we observed that at the mature seed stage, the embryo was not fully developed in G. biloba seeds. During dormancy stages, the length and weight of the embryo significantly increased, and nutrients accumulated in cotyledons. We further found that abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellic acid (GA), cytokinin and ethylene were integrated in the seed dormancy induction, maintenance and release processes, and GA biosynthesis and signaling transduction specifically act on dormancy release. Combining mRNA and miRNA analyses, we demonstrated that miRNA156 is involved in the regulation of morphophysiological dormancy. Our analyses revealed that G. biloba seed dormancy belongs to the ancestral morphophysiological dormancy type, which is not only regulated by the balance of ABA/GA, but also by other hormones associated with embryo morphological development, as well as genes related to embryo differentiation and development. These findings helped with elucidating the comprehensive regulatory network of morphophysiological dormancy in tree seeds.

Performance and costs of multiple screening strategies for type 2 diabetes: two population-based studies in Shanghai, China.

INTRODUCTION: To compare the performance and the costs of various assumed screening strategies for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among Chinese adults, and identify an optimal one for the population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Two multistage-sampling surveys were conducted in Shanghai, China, in 2009 and 2017. All participants were interviewed, had anthropometry, measured fasting plasma glucose (FPG), hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and/or postprandial glucose. The 1999 WHO diagnostic criteria was used to identify undiagnosed T2DM. A previously developed Chinese risk assessment system and a specific risk assessment system developed in this study were applied to calculate diabetes risk score (DRS) 1 and 2. Optimal screening strategies were selected based on the sensitivity, Youden index and the costs using the 2009 survey data as the training set and the 2017 survey data as the validation set. A twofold cross-validation was also performed. RESULTS: Of numerous assumed strategies, FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L alone performed well (Youden index of 71.8%) and cost least (US$18.4 for each case detected), followed by the strategy of DRS2 ≥8 combining with FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L (Youden index of 71.7% and US$20.2 per case detected) and the strategy of DRS1 ≥17 combining with FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L (Youden index of 72.0% and US$21.6 per case detected). However, FPG alone resulted in more subjects requiring oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) than did combining with DRS. The strategy of FPG ≥5.6 mmol/L combining with A1c ≥4.7% achieved a Youden index of 72.1%, but had a cost as high as US$48.8 for each case identified. Twofold cross-validation also supported the use of FPG alone, but with an optimal cut-off of 6.1 mmol/L. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the use of FPG alone in T2DM screening in Chinese adults. DRS may be used combining with FPG in populations with available electronic health records to reduce the number of OGTT and save costs of screening.

Sensitivity of soil freeze/thaw dynamics to environmental conditions at different spatial scales in the central Tibetan Plateau.

An enhanced understanding of environmental controls on soil freeze/thaw (F/T) dynamics at different spatial scales is critical for projecting permafrost responses to future climate conditions. In this study, a 1-D soil thermal model and multi-scale observation networks were used to investigate the sensitivity of soil F/T dynamics in the central Tibetan Plateau (TP) to environmental conditions at local (~10 km)-, medium- (~30 km), and large (~100 km)- scales. Model simulated soil temperature profile generally agrees well with the observations, with root-mean-square errors (RMSE) lower than 1.3 °C and 2.0 °C for two in-situ networks, respectively. Model simulated maximum frozen depths (MFD) closely related to elevation (R2 = 0.23, p < 0.01), soil moisture content (R2 = 0.25, p < 0.01), and soil organic carbon (SOC) content (R2 = 0.18, p < 0.01); however, the impact of SOC on MFD may be due to the close correlation between SOC and soil moisture. The main factors affecting MFD vary with scale. Among the environmental factors examined, topography (especially elevation) is the first-order factor controlling the MFD at the large-scale, indicating the dominance of thermal control. Aspect shows sizeable impacts at the medium-scale, while soil moisture plays an important role at the local-scale. Soil thaw onset shows a close correlation with the examined environmental factors including soil moisture, while freeze onset seems to be influenced more by other factors. Besides the well-known thermal effect, our study highlights the importance of soil moisture in affecting soil F/T dynamics at different scales in the central TP region, and reliable soil moisture products are critical to better project the response of the TP frozen ground to future warming at finer scale.

Differential physiological, transcriptomic and metabolomic responses of Arabidopsis leaves under prolonged warming and heat shock.

BACKGROUND: Elevated temperature as a result of global climate warming, either in form of sudden heatwave (heat shock) or prolonged warming, has profound effects on the growth and development of plants. However, how plants differentially respond to these two forms of elevated temperatures is largely unknown. Here we have therefore performed a comprehensive comparison of multi-level responses of Arabidopsis leaves to heat shock and prolonged warming. RESULTS: The plant responded to prolonged warming through decreased stomatal conductance, and to heat shock by increased transpiration. In carbon metabolism, the glycolysis pathway was enhanced while the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle was inhibited under prolonged warming, and heat shock significantly limited the conversion of pyruvate into acetyl coenzyme A. The cellular concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the activities of antioxidant enzymes were increased under both conditions but exhibited a higher induction under heat shock. Interestingly, the transcription factors, class A1 heat shock factors (HSFA1s) and dehydration responsive element-binding proteins (DREBs), were up-regulated under heat shock, whereas with prolonged warming, other abiotic stress response pathways, especially basic leucine zipper factors (bZIPs) were up-regulated instead. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal that Arabidopsis exhibits different response patterns under heat shock versus prolonged warming, and plants employ distinctly different response strategies to combat these two types of thermal stress.

Efficacy of acupuncture at three nasal acupoints plus acupoint application for perennial allergic rhinitis: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown the potential therapeutic effect of acupuncture on allergic rhinitis. Most of these studies were limited by low-quality evidence. Preliminary experiments showed that the use of acupuncture at three nasal acupoints plus acupoint application (AAP) achieves a more persistent effect in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis than acupuncture alone. In this study, a multicenter, single-blind, randomized controlled trial will be performed, in which acupuncture at nonmeridian acupoints and sham AAP will be used as the control group to evaluate the effect of AAP through long-term observation. METHODS: The trial is designed on the basis of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials 2010 guidelines and Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture. A total of 120 participants with perennial allergic rhinitis will be randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. A specially appointed investigator will be in charge of randomization. The participants in the treatment group will be treated with acupuncture at EX-HN3, LI20, and EX-HN8 thrice per week for a total of 12 sessions. In addition, they will undergo AAP at DU14, BL13, EX-BI, and RN22. The participants in the control group will be treated with sham AAP. The primary outcome will be the change in the Total Nasal Symptom Score from baseline to the completion of 4-week treatment. Secondary outcomes include changes in visual analog scale and total non-nasal symptom scores from baseline to the second and fourth weeks of treatment, as well as 1, 3, and 6 months after the completion of treatment. Peripheral blood IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels will be measured, and any side effects related to treatment will be observed and recorded. DISCUSSION: It is expected that this randomized clinical trial will provide evidence to determine the effects of AAP compared with acupuncture at nonmeridian acupoints and sham AAP, particularly the long-term effect. These findings will help improve the clinical application of this technique. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Acupuncture-Moxibustion Clinical Trial Registry AMCTR-ICR-18000179. Registered on 12 April 2018.

Identification and characterization of long non-coding RNAs involved in embryo development of Ginkgo biloba.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulatory factors for plant growth and development. Despite this, little is known about the regulatory interactions of lncRNAs with mRNA during embryo development. Here, we used a bioinformatics genome-wide approach to identify lncRNAs involved in embryo development of Ginkgo biloba, based on RNA sequencing datasets from G. biloba embryos during early, middle, late developmental stages. In total, 2326 lncRNAs were identified in the G. biloba embryos, of which 1307 and 1019 could be classified as long intergenic non-coding RNAs and antisense lncRNAs, respectively. Among them, a total of 657 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified in the different developmental stages of the G. biloba embryos. Based on the functional annotation of potential target genes of lncRNAs, 50, 33, and 76 lncRNAs were predicted to target genes involved in plant hormone signal transduction, plant hormone biosynthesis, and circadian rhythm regulation, respectively. A lncRNA (17)-miRNA (25)-PCgene (52) network was constructed for the G. biloba embryo. Three lncRNAs (lnc000823, lnc002072, lnc000866) were predicted as target mimics of miR159, which targeted two transcription factors with variety of functions, Gb_11536 (MYB33) and Gb_23921 (MYB101). The data generated in this study provide a better understanding of the roles of lncRNAs in embryo development of G. biloba and plants in general.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Modalities in Chinese Population: Practice and Lessons in Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China.

Background: Parallel test of risk stratification and two-sample qualitative fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) are used to screen colorectal cancer (CRC) in Shanghai, China. This study was designed to identify an optimal initial screening modality based on available data. Methods: A total of 538,278 eligible residents participated in the program during the period of January 2013 to June 2017. Incident CRC was collected through program reporting system and by record linkage with the Shanghai Cancer Registry up to December 2017. Logistic regression model was applied to identify significant factors to calculate risk score for CRC. Cutoff points of risk score were determined based on Youden index and defined specificity. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values (PPVs) were computed to evaluate validity of assumed screening modalities. Results: A total of 446 CRC were screen-detected, and 777 interval or missed cases were identified through record linkage. The risk score system had an optimal cutoff point of 19 and performed better in detecting CRC and predicting long-term CRC risk than did the risk stratification. When using a cutoff point of 24, parallel test of risk score, and FIT were expected to avoid 56 interval CRCs with minimal decrease in PPV and increase in colonoscopy. However, the observed detection rates were much lower than those expected due to low compliance to colonoscopy. Conclusions: Risk score is superior to risk stratification used in the program, particularly when combined with FIT. Compliance to colonoscopy should be improved to guarantee the effectiveness of CRC screening in the population.

[A case-control study on the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome with needle Dao].

OBJECTIVE: To study clinical effects of needle Dao for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. METHODS: From July 2014 to December 2016, 60 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were divided into two groups: needle Dao treatment group(treatment group), and brace and medicine treatment group(control group), 30 cases in each group. There were 8 males and 22 females in the treatment group, with an average age of (49.38±7.43) years old. There were 7 males and 23 females in the control group, with an average age of (50.23±8.71) years old. There were no statistically significant differences between two groups before treatment in age, sex, course of disease, sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV), sensory nerve action potential (SNAP), and distal motor latency(DML). The patients in the treatment group were treated with needle Dao for 1 to 2 times, while the patients in the control group were given celecoxib, vitamin B1 and vitamin B12, with the brace fixed. After treatment, the changes of SCV, SNAP and DML in two groups were observed. RESULTS: After treatment, the SCV were (48.63±7.33) m/s and (41.24±6.15) m/s in treatment group and control group separately, the SNAP were (9.89±3.71) m/s and (8.22±2.19) m/s, and the DML were(5.11±2.28) m/s and (6.13±2.23) m/s. The SCV, SNAP and DML after treatment were better than those before treatment(P<0.05). And the results of SCV, SNAP and DML of patients in the treatment group were better than those of patients in the control group(P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Needle Dao can effectively improve the overall treatment efficiency of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and reduce the symptoms of patients, which is feasible and suitable to use in clinical.

Cloning and characterization of a novel Gladiolus hybridus AFP family gene (GhAFP-like) related to corm dormancy.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important phytohormone controlling seed dormancy. AFPs (ABA INSENSITIVE FIVE BINDING PROTEINS) are reported to be negative regulators of the ABA signaling pathway. The involvement of AFPs in dormant vegetative organs remains poorly understood. Here, we isolated and characterized a novel AFP family member from Gladiolus dormant cormels, GhAFP-like, containing three conserved domains of the AFP family. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that GhAFP-like was expressed in dormant organs and its expression was down-regulated along with corm storage. GhAFP-like was verified to be a nuclear-localized protein. Overexpressing GhAFP-like in Arabidopsis thaliana not only showed weaker seed dormancy with insensitivity to ABA, but also changed the expression of some ABA related genes. In addition, a primary root elongation assay showed GhAFP-like may involve in auxin signaling response. The results in this study indicate that GhAFP-like acts as a negative regulator in ABA signaling and is related to dormancy.

A systematic review of cross-cultural adaptation of the neck disability index.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review of cross-cultural adaptation. OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review of cross-cultural adaptations of the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and to give a critical assessment to improve its translation. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The NDI is used to assess functional capacity and physical activity in patients with neck pain, but the quality of its cross-cultural adaptations has not been systematically reviewed. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE were searched up through 2013 to identify studies of cross-cultural NDI adaptations. Search terms were "Neck Disability Index" or "NDI" and "cross-cultur*" or "cultur*" or "valid*" or "equivalence" or "transl*." Data were extracted and study quality was assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-four different NDI versions were identified from 14 different languages/cultures. Most reported forward and back translation and pretesting, but sample size was a problem for most studies. The Cronbach α was generally acceptable, and 13 versions met the criterion of reliability by reporting an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.70 or more, although some versions did not reach the minimal intraclass correlation coefficient. Eleven versions tested ceiling and floor effects, but only 1 Japanese version reported a floor effect. No study reported interpretability, and none provided the minimal important change or minimal important difference. CONCLUSION: The Arabic, Italian, and Thai versions were of higher quality than the other versions according to the overall assessment of the 3 checklists. The Catalan, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Turkish versions need more research according to the Quality Criteria for Psychometric Properties of Health Status Questionnaire. Pretest sample size was not large enough in most cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1.

Systematic review of randomized clinical trials of acupressure therapy for primary dysmenorrhea.

The evidence of acupressure is limited in the management of dysmenorrhea. To evaluate the efficacy of acupressure in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs), we searched MEDLINE, the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases from inception until March 2012. Two reviewers independently selected articles and extracted data. Statistical analysis was performed with RevMan 5.1 software. Eight RCTs were identified from the retrieved 224 relevant records. Acupressure improved pain measured with VAS (-1.41 cm 95% CI [-1.61, -1.21]), SF-MPQ at the 3-month followup (WMD -2.33, 95% CI [-4.11, -0.54]) and 6-month followup (WMD -4.67, 95% CI [-7.30, -2.04]), and MDQ at the 3-month followup (WMD -2.31, 95% CI [-3.74, -0.87]) and 6-month followup (WMD -4.67, 95% CI [-7.30, -2.04]). All trials did not report adverse events. These results were limited by the methodological flaws of trials.