Description: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known to undergo endothelial differentiation in response to treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but their angiogenic ability is poorly characterized. In the present study, we aimed to further investigate the role of Rho/MRTF-A in angiogenesis by MSCs and the effect of the Rho/MRTF-A pathway on the expression of integrins α1β1 and α5β1, which are known to mediate physiological and pathological angiogenesis. Our results showed that increased expression of α1, α5, and β1 was observed during angiogenesis of differentiated MSCs, and the Rho/MRTF-A signaling pathway was demonstrated to be involved in regulating the expression of integrins α1, α5, and β1. Luciferase reporter assay and ChIP assay determined that MRTF-A could bind to and transactivate the integrin α1 and α5 promoters. Treatment with the Rho inhibitor C3 transferase, the Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y27632 or with shMRTF-A inhibited both the upregulation of α1, α5, and β1 as well as angiogenesis. Furthermore, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), MRTF-A deletion led to marked reductions in cell migration and vessel network formation compared with the control. These data demonstrate that Rho/MRTF-A signaling is an important mediator that controls integrin gene expression during MSC-mediated angiogenic processes.

Description: A tetrameric N-acetyl galactosaminyl (GalNAc) peptidomimetic was constructed by N-acetylation of repeating proline-based hydroxamic acid units, followed by a convergent ‘click chemistry’ coupling. This novel glycopeptidomimetic was determined to effectively antagonize the interaction between a transmembrane hepatic lectin and GalNAc on the cellular level. Scientific Reports 4 doi: 10.1038/srep05513

Description: Background: Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is usually caused by Enterovirus 71(EV71), and Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) in Guangzhou, the biggest city of South China. However, Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) were observed increased dramatically from 2010-2012. Methods: In order to understand and to describe the epidemiologic and genetic characteristics of CV-A6, specimens of 5482 suspected HFMD cases were collected and examined by real-time fluorescence PCR. All samples positive for enteroviruses were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Phylogenetic analysis of CV-A6 based on the VP1 sequences was performed to investigate molecular and evolutionary characteristics. Results: Coxsackievirus A6 increased dramatically from 9.04% in 2010 to 23.21% in 2012 and became one of the main causative agents of HFMD in Guangzhou. CV-A6 attack rates were highest in one to two year olds (33.14%). Typical clinic symptoms of CV-A6 HFMD include fever (589/720, 81.81%), maculopopular rash and vesicular exanthema around the perioral area (408/720, 56.66%), intraoral (545/720, 75.69%), the buttock (395/720, 54.86%), the trunk (244/720, 33.89%), the knee (188/720, 26.11%), and the dorsal aspects of hands (437/720, 60.69%). Phylogenetic analysis showed the CV-A6 isolates in this study belonged to Cluster A1 and were similar to those found in Shanghai in 2011 and 2012 (JX495148, KC414735), Shenzhen in 2011 (JX473394), Japan in 2011 (AB649243, AB649246), France in 2010(HE572928), Thailand in 2012(JX556564) and Israel in 2012 and 2013(.KF991010, KF991012).

Description: Intercellular ligand-receptor recognitions are crucial natural interactions that initiate a number of biological and pathological events. We present here the simple construction of a unique class of biomimetic interfaces based on a graphene-mediated self-assembly of glycosyl anthraquinones to a screen-printed electrode for the detection of transmembrane glycoprotein receptors expressed on a hepatoma cell line. We show that an electroactive interface confined with densely clustered galactosyl ligands is able to ingeniously recognize the asialoglycoprotein receptors on live Hep-G2 cells employing simple electrochemical techniques. The only facility used is a personal laptop in connection with a cheap and portable electrochemical workstation. Scientific Reports 3 doi: 10.1038/srep02293

Description: Background: In recent years, a disease caused by Southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) has resulted in significant loss in rice production in Southern China and has spread quickly throughout East and Southeast Asia. This virus is transmitted by an insect vector, white-backed planthopper (WBPH) Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), in a persistent propagative manner. Aside from rice, SRBSDV can also infect numerous Poaceae plants. However, the molecular mechanism of interaction between SRBSDV and its plant or insect vector remains unclear. In order to address this, we investigated the whole viral genome relative mRNA expression level in distinct hosts and monitored their expression level in real-time in rice plants. Methods: In this study, a reliable, rapid, and sensitive method for detecting viral gene expression transcripts is reported. A SYBR Green I based real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was adopted for the quantitative detection of SRBSDV gene expression in different hosts and real-time changes in gene expression in rice. Results: Compared to the relative mRNA expression level of the whole genome of SRBSDV, P3, P7-1, and P9-2 were dominantly expressed in rice and WBPH. Similarly, these genes also exhibited high expression levels in corn, suggesting that they have more important functions than other viral genes in the interaction between SRBSDV and hosts, and that they could be used as molecular detection target genes of SRBSDV. In contrast, the levels of P6 and P10 were relative low. Western blotting analysis partially was also verified our qPCR results at the level of protein expression. Analysis of the real-time changes in SRBSDV-infected rice plants revealed four distinct temporal expression patterns of the thirteen genes. Moreover, expression levels of P1 and other genes were significantly down-regulated on days 14 and 20, respectively. Conclusion: SRBSDV genes showed similar expression patterns in distinct hosts (rice, corn, and WBPH), indicating that SRBSDV uses the same infection strategy in plant and insect hosts. P3, P7-1, and P9-2 were the dominantly expressed genes in the three tested hosts. Therefore, they are likely to be genes with the most crucial function and could be used as sensitive molecular detection targets for SRBSDV. Furthermore, real-time changes in SRBSDV genes provided a basis for understanding the mechanism of interaction between SRBSDV and its hosts.

Description: Human activities have significantly altered nitrogen (N) availability in most terrestrial ecosystems, with consequences for community composition and ecosystem functioning. While studies of how changes in N availability affect biodiversity and community composition are relatively common, much less is known about the effects of N inputs on the coupled biogeochemical cycling of N and phosphorus (P), and still fewer data exist regarding how increased N inputs affect the internal cycling of these two elements in plants. Nutrient resorption is an important driver of plant nutrient economies and of the quality of litter plants produce. Accordingly, resorption patterns have marked ecological implications for plant population and community fitness, as well as for ecosystem nutrient cycling. In a semi-arid grassland in northern China, we studied the effects of a wide-range of N inputs on foliar nutrient resorption of two dominant grasses, Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis . After four years of treatments, N and P availability in soil and N and P concentrations in green and senesced grass leaves increased with increasing rates of N addition. Foliar N and P resorption significantly decreased along the N addition gradient, implying a resorption-mediated positive plant-soil feedback induced by N inputs. Furthermore, N:P resorption ratios were negatively correlated with the rates of N addition, indicating the sensitivity of plant N and P stoichiometry to N inputs. Taken together, the results demonstrate that N additions accelerate ecosystem uptake and turnover of both N and P in the temperate steppe and that N and P cycles are coupled in dynamic ways. The convergence of N and P resorption in response to N inputs emphasizes the importance of nutrient resorption as a pathway by which plants and ecosystems adjust in the face of increasing N availability. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Description: The travel time of right-turning vehicles on secondary street at unsignalized intersection is discussed in this paper. Under the assumption that the major-street through vehicles’ headway follows Erlang distribution and secondary-street right-turning vehicles’ headway follows Poisson distribution. The right-turning vehicles travel time model is established on the basis of gap theory and M/G/1 queue theory. Comparison is done with the common model based on the assumption that the major-street vehicles’ headway follows Poisson distribution. An intersection is selected to verify each model. The results show that the model established in this paper has stronger applicability, and its most relative error is less than 15%. In addition, the sensitivity analysis has been done. The results show that right-turning flow rate and major-street flow rate have a significant impact on the travel time. Hence, the methodology for travel time of right-turning vehicles at unsignalized intersection proposed in this paper is effective and applicable.

Description: Background: Leukocytes play an important role in cancer development. However, the impact of chemotherapy-associated neutropenia/lymphopenia on the prognosis of adjuvant chemotherapy is unknown. Here, we aimed to explore the impact of chemotherapy-associated neutrophil/lymphocyte counts on prognosis of adjuvant chemotherapy in colorectal cancer (CRC) and the risk factors for developing neutropenia/lymphopenia which showed impact on the prognosis of CRC receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: From February 2003 to January 2011, 243 stage II and III CRC patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in this retrospective study. The associations between neutrophil/ lymphocyte counts and disease free survival (DFS)/overall survival (OS) of CRC, and the risk factors for neutropenia/lymphopenia were investigated. Results: No association of chemotherapy-associated neutrophil counts and CRC recurrence (AUC = 0.474, P = 0.534), death (AUC = 0.449, P = 0.249) was found by ROC analysis. However, the chemotherapy-associated lymphocyte counts could significantly affect CRC recurrence(AUC = 0.634, P = 0.001), or death(AUC = 0.607, P = 0.015), with a optimized cut-off of 0.66 x 109/L for recurrence, and 0.91 x 109/L for death, respectively. Kaplan--Meier method showed chemotherapy-associated lymphopenia

Description: Organic Letters DOI: 10.1021/ol302430h

Description: Background: Our recent studies suggested that the chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 1-like (CHD1L) gene plays an oncogenic role in human hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the status of CHD1L protein expression in ovarian cancer and its clinical/prognostic significance are obscure. Methods: In this study, immunohistochemistry (IHC) for CHD1L was performed on a tissue microarray (TMA) containing 102 primary ovarian carcinomas and 44 metastatic lesions (omental metastasis). Receiver-operator curve (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate patients' survival status. Results: There is an augmented tendency of CHD1L expression in ovarian carcinoma metastasis than in primary lesions (P