Interaction between TaNOX7 and TaCDPK13 Contributes to Plant Fertility and Drought Tolerance by Regulating ROS Production.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis is critical for both physiological processes and stress responses of plants. NADPH oxidases (NOXs) are the key producers of ROS in plants. However, their functions in ROS homeostasis and plant growth regulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum) are little investigated. Here, we cloned and characterized a NOX isoform TaNOX7 in wheat. Overexpression of TaNOX7 in rice led to enhanced root length, ROS production, drought tolerance as well as bigger panicles and higher yield but shorter growth period duration. Further results indicate that TaCDPK13, a member of calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), can directly interact with TaNOX7 and enhance ROS production in plants. These results demonstrate that TaNOX7 plays crucial roles in wheat development, fertility, and drought tolerance via interaction with TaCDPK13, which may act as an upstream regulator of TaNOX7 to regulate ROS production in wheat.

QTL Mapping and Validation of Adult Plant Resistance to Stripe Rust in Chinese Wheat Landrace Humai 15.

Stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is a devastating foliar disease that affects common wheat and barley throughout the world. The reasonable deployment of adult plant resistance (APR) wheat varieties is one of the best methods for controlling this disease. Wheat landraces are valuable resources for identifying the genes/QTLs responsible for disease resistance. Humai 15 is a Chinese spring wheat landrace and it has exhibited adequate levels of APR to the prevalent Pst races in field environments for many years. In this study, a population of 177 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) was derived from Humai 15 × Mingxian 169. After screening based on a 90K chip array using 45 RILs and Kompetitive Allelic Specific PCR marker genotyping for the population of RILs, a major effect QTL in Humai 15 was located on the centromere of chromosome 2B, where it accounted for up to 47.2% of the phenotypic variation. Two other minor QTL genes from Humai 15 were located on chromosome arms 3BS and 4BL. The Yr18 gene was identified on chromosome arm 7DS in Mingxian 169.

Total Endoscopic Thyroidectomy with Intraoperative Laryngeal Nerve Monitoring.

Objective. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of laryngeal nerve (LN) monitoring (LNM) during total endoscopic thyroidectomy via breast approach, with emphasis on the identification rates for RLN and EBSLN and the incidence of RLN paralysis. Materials and Methods. This retrospective study included 280 patients who underwent endoscopic thyroidectomy with or without LNM. RLN and EBSLN were identified using endoscopic magnification in the control group, while they were localized additionally by LNM in the LNM group. Demographic parameters and surgical outcomes were analyzed by statistical methods. Patients in the control group were also stratified by the side of thyroidectomy to determine difference in left and right RLN injury rates. Results. All procedures were successfully conducted without permanent LN damage. The identification rates for RLN and EBSLN were high in the LNM group compared to those of the control group, and the risk difference (RD) of temporary RLN injury between two groups was 6.3%. The risk of damage was slightly higher for the left RLN than for the right RLN in the control group, which was performed by a right-hand surgeon. Conclusion. The joint application of LNM and endoscopic magnified view endows total endoscopic thyroidectomy with ease, safety, and efficiency.

Heparanase regulates in vitro VEGF-C expression and its clinical significance to pancreatic ductal cell adenocarcinoma.

Heparanase (HPSE) and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) are important cytokines that promote metastasis and angiogenesis in numerous malignant neoplasms, however, their association remains unclear in pancreatic ductal cell adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The present study aimed to investigate whether HPSE has a positive correlation with VEGF-C expression and to uncover the role it plays in the in vitro invasion of BxPC-3 cells (a pancreatic carcinoma cell line), and to analyze the value of joint detection of HPSE and VEGF-C for PDAC patients. A recombinant plasmid, GV230/HPSE was constructed and BxPC-3 cells were transiently transfected with GV230/HPSE or siRNA against HPSE. The expression levels of HPSE and VEGF-C were compared using reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunoblotting. The metastatic potential of treated BxPC-3 cells was evaluated using a Transwell® invasion assay. The relative mRNA levels of HPSE and VEGF-C in 34 PDAC specimens were assessed by RT-qPCR. The results of the RT-qPCR demonstrated a 10.7- and 3.24-fold elevation (P<0.01) of HPSE mRNA and VEGF-C mRNA, respectively, in GV230/HPSE group, whereas the HPSE siRNA group were downregulated for these mRNAs (-2.45-fold, P<0.01; -1.84-fold, P<0.01). The same pattern for protein expression was detected using immunoblot assays. In Transwell® invasion assays 138±5 cells in GV230/HPSE group and 53±4 cells in siRNA group migrated through the Matrigel®. A negative correlation between the mRNA levels of HPSE and VEGF-C in PDAC specimens and the prognosis factors of the postoperative patients was identified. Spearman rank correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between HPSE and VEGF-C in PDAC (r=0.812, P<0.01). HPSE regulates the expression of VEGF-C and facilitates invasion of BxPC-3 in vitro. Joint detection of HPSE and VEGF-C may therefore be clinically useful in determining the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients.

[Clinical application study of modified Moore classification in lower cervical spine injuries].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical application of modified Moore classification in lower cervical spine injuries. METHODS: Modified Moore classification was applied in the morphologic description of 200 patients (including 165 males, 35 females,age ranging from 19 to 88 years,with an average age of 52 years) with lower cervical spine injuries from August 2006 to March 2010, cervical spine injury severity score (quantification of stability) in combination with yes/no neurological injury status to classify their clinical diagnosis and management. The treatment was selected according to the fracture type, stability, compression injury of spinal cord or nerve roots, stability of ligamentous injury and other reference factors. According to the ASIA score, 130 cases with injury of spinal cord or nerve root (i.e. 6 cases in Grade A,13 cases in Grade B,43 cases in Grade C, 68 cases in Grade D); and 70 cases with no injury of spinal cord or nerve root. The ASIA score was applied in the evaluation of curative effect in cases with injury of spinal cord or nerve root. Radiodiagnostics was used to observe sequential measurement of cervical vertebrae and height in cases without spinal cord or nerve root injuries. RESULTS: The cervical spine injury distribution is that 35 cases of anterior, left, right lateral and posterior column injury; 33 cases of anterior column injury; 90 cases of anterior and posterior column injury; 5 cases of anterior, left lateral and posterior column injury; 3 cases of anterior, right lateral and posterior column injuries; 3 cases of anterior, left and right lateral column injuries; 2 cases of anterior and right lateral column injuries; 5 cases of anterior and left lateral column injury; 12 cases of posterior column injury; 7 cases of left lateral column injury; 5 cases of right lateral column injury. Surgery operation was given in 98 patients out of 200 cases. Non-surgical treatment was given to 102 patients (including 39 patients who are qualified to receive operation, but patient's relative required non -surgical treatment). Three cases of complete injury of spinal cord showed no recovery of the spinal cord function after operation, no change on the ASIA score, but pain and numbness of limb relieved slightly. Three non-surgical treatment cases showed no change after the treatment. Cases of incomplete injury of spinal cord showed certain recovery on spinal cord function after operation, and the ASIA score was raised 1.2 grades averagely. The ASIA score of cases of incomplete injury of spinal cord after non-surgical treatment was raised 0.3 grades averagely. The alignment and height of cervical vertebras were normal on post-operative radiodiagnostics in patients without injury of spinal cord or nerve root. CONCLUSION: According to modified Moore classification, when the stability quantification score is higher than or equal to 4, it indicated that the cervical vertebras are instability in lower cervical spine injuries. Surgery operation is required in higher score and less stability cases. Cases associated with neurological injury must receive surgery operation. Cases with stability quantification score equals to 3 and neurological injury should also receive surgery operation in general. Surgery operation is not required in cases of stability quantification equal to 3 and without neurological injury,or cases of stability quantification score lower than 3. Applying modified Moore classification in the treatment of lower cervical spine injuries is beneficial for the clinical standardization, diagnosis and treatment and receives satisfactory therapeutic effects.

[Relationship between cytokine gene polymorphism and development of gastric adenocarcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) promoter genes and susceptibility to gastric adenocarcinoma or gastric adenocarcinoma with helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection. METHODS: The SNPs of the TNF-alpha (-238G/A and -308G/A) were determined by gene chip in 130 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma and 142 healthy controls. The sera concentrations of IgG, IgM and IgA of Hp antibodies were measured by ELISA in all cases and controls. RESULTS: H. pylori infection was detected in 69.2% of the 130 patients and 46.5% of the 142 controls (P < 0.01). The frequencies of TNF-alpha-238GA genotype and A allele in the patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were significantly higher than that in the healthy controls (P < 0.01, P < 0.01). The frequencies of TNF-alpha-238GA genotype and A allele in the patients with gastric adenocarcinoma with Hp infection were significantly higher than that in the Hp-negative patients with gastric adenocarcinoma (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). No association was found between any of the other polymorphisms and the patients with gastric adenocarcinoma or patients with gastric adenocarcinoma with Hp infection. CONCLUSION: TNF-alpha-238GA genotype and A allele are significantly related to susceptibility to gastric adenocarcinoma or susceptibility to gastric adenocarcinoma with Hp infection.