Background:The cancer burden in the United States of America(USA)has decreased gradually.However,China is experiencing a transition in its cancer profiles,with greater incidence of cancers that were previously more co...Background:The cancer burden in the United States of America(USA)has decreased gradually.However,China is experiencing a transition in its cancer profiles,with greater incidence of cancers that were previously more common in the USA.This study compared the latest cancer profiles,trends,and determinants between China and USA.Methods:This was a comparative study using open-source data.Cancer cases and deaths in 2022 were calculated using cancer estimates from GLOBOCAN 2020 and population estimates from the United Nations.Trends in cancer incidence and mortality rates in the USA used data from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results program and National Center for Health Statistics.Chinese data were obtained from cancer registry reports.Data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 and a decomposition method were used to express cancer deaths as the product of four determinant factors.Results:In 2022,there will be approximately 4,820,000 and 2,370,000 new cancer cases,and 3,210,000 and 640,000 cancer deaths in China and the USA,respectively.The most common cancers are lung cancer in China and breast cancer in the USA,and lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both.Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for lung cancer and colorectal cancer in the USA have decreased significantly recently,but rates of liver cancer have increased slightly.Rates of stomach,liver,and esophageal cancer decreased gradually in China,but rates have increased for colorectal cancer in the whole population,prostate cancer in men,and other seven cancer types in women.Increases in adult population size and population aging were major determinants for incremental cancer deaths,and case-fatality rates contributed to reduced cancer deaths in both countries.Conclusions:The decreasing cancer burden in liver,stomach,and esophagus,and increasing burden in lung,colorectum,breast,and prostate,mean that cancer profiles in China and the USA are converging.Population aging is a growing determinant of incremental cancer burden.Progre展开更多
CRISPR/Cas9 genome targeting systems have been applied to a variety of species. However, most CRISPR/Cas9 systems reported for plants can only modify one or a few target sites. Here, we report a robust CRISPR/Cas9 vec...CRISPR/Cas9 genome targeting systems have been applied to a variety of species. However, most CRISPR/Cas9 systems reported for plants can only modify one or a few target sites. Here, we report a robust CRISPR/Cas9 vector system, utilizing a plant codon optimized Cas9 gene, for convenient and high- efficiency multiplex genome editing in monocot and dicot plants. We designed PCR-based procedures to rapidly generate multiple sgRNA expression cassettes, which can be assembled into the binary CRISPR/ Cas9 vectors in one round of cloning by Golden Gate ligation or Gibson Assembly. With this system, we edi- ted 46 target sites in rice with an average 85.4% rate of mutation, mostly in biallelic and homozygous status. We reasoned that about 16% of the homozygous mutations in rice were generated through the non-homol- ogous end-joining mechanism followed by homologous recombination-based repair. We also obtained uni- form biallelic, heterozygous, homozygous, and chimeric mutations in Arabidopsis T1 plants. The targeted mutations in both rice and Arabidopsis were heritable. We provide examples of loss-of-function gene mu- tations in To rice and T1Arabidopsis plants by simultaneous targeting of multiple （up to eight） members of a gene family, multiple genes in a biosynthetic pathway, or multiple sites in a single gene. This system has provided a versatile toolbox for studying functions of multiple genes and gene families in plants for basic research and genetic improvement.展开更多
China faces the greatest challenge from stroke in the world.The death rate for cerebrovascular diseases in China was 149.49 per 100000,accounting for 1.57 million deaths in 2018.It ranked third among the leading cause...China faces the greatest challenge from stroke in the world.The death rate for cerebrovascular diseases in China was 149.49 per 100000,accounting for 1.57 million deaths in 2018.It ranked third among the leading causes of death behind malignant tumours and heart disease.The age-standardised prevalence and incidence of stroke in 2013 were 1114.8 per 100000 population and 246.8 per 100000 person-years,respectively.According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017,the years of life lost(YLLs)per 100000 population for stroke increased by 14.6%;YLLs due to stroke rose from third highest among all causes in 1990 to the highest in 2017.The absolute numbers and rates per 100000 population for all-age disability-adjusted life years(DALYs)for stroke increased substantially between 1990 and 2017,and stroke was the leading cause of all-age DALYs in 2017.The main contributors to cerebrovascular diseases include behavioural risk factors(smoking and alcohol use)and pre-existing conditions(hypertension,diabetes mellitus,dyslipidaemia and atrial fibrillation(AF)).The most prevalent risk factors among stroke survivors were hypertension(63.0%-84.2%)and smoking(31.7%-47.6%).The least prevalent was AF(2.7%-7.4%).The prevalences for major risk factors for stroke are high and most have increased over time.Based on the latest national epidemiological data,26.6%of adults aged≥15 years(307.6 million adults)smoked tobacco products.For those aged≥18 years,age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 25.2%;adjusted prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia was 5.8%;and the standardised prevalence of diabetes was 10.9%.For those aged≥40 years,the standardised prevalence of AF was 2.31%.Data from the Hospital Quality Monitoring System showed that 3010204 inpatients with stroke were admitted to 1853 tertiary care hospitals during 2018.Of those,2466785(81.9%)were ischaemic strokes(ISs);447609(14.9%)were intracerebral haemorrhages(ICHs);and 95810(3.2%)were subarachnoid haemorrhages(SAHs).The average age of patients admitted was 66 years old,and展开更多
The genome sequence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-associated virus provides essential information for the identification of pathogen(s), exploration of etiology and evolution, interpretation of trans...The genome sequence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-associated virus provides essential information for the identification of pathogen(s), exploration of etiology and evolution, interpretation of transmission and pathogenesis, development of diagnostics, prevention by future vaccination, and treatment by developing new drugs. We report the complete genome sequence and comparative analysis of an isolate (BJ01) of the coronavirus that has been recognized as a pathogen for SARS. The genome is 29725 nt in size and has 11 ORFs (Open Reading Frames). It is composed of a stable region encoding an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (composed of 2 ORFs) and a variable region representing 4 CDSs (coding sequences) for viral structural genes (the S, E, M, N proteins) and 5 PUPs (putative uncharacterized proteins). Its gene order is identical to that of other known coronaviruses. The sequence alignment with all known RNA viruses places this virus as a member in the family of Coronaviridae. Thirty putative substitutions have been identified by comparative analysis of the 5 SARS- associated virus genome sequences in GenBank. Fifteen of them lead to possible amino acid changes (non-synonymous mutations) in the proteins. Three amino acid changes, with predicted alteration of physical and chemical features, have been detected in the S protein that is postulated to beinvolved in the immunoreactions between the virus and its host. Two amino acid changes have been detected in the Mprotein, which could be related to viral envelope formation. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the possibility of non-human origin of the SARS-associated viruses but provides noevidence that they are man-made. Further efforts should focus on identifying the etiology of the SARS-associated virus and ruling out conclusively the existence of otherpossible SARS-related pathogen(s).展开更多
This paper aims at exploring the tectonic characteristics of the South China Continent （SCC） and extracting the universal tec- tonic rules from these characteristics,to help enrich the plate tectonic theory and bett...This paper aims at exploring the tectonic characteristics of the South China Continent （SCC） and extracting the universal tec- tonic rules from these characteristics,to help enrich the plate tectonic theory and better understand the continental dynamic system. For this purpose, here we conduct a multi-disciplinary investigation and combine it with the previous studies to reas- sess the tectonics and evolution of SCC and propose that the tectonic framework of the continent comprises two blocks, three types of tectonic units, four deformation systems, and four evolutionary stages with distinctive mechanism and tectonic characteris- tics since the Neoproterozoic. The four evolutionary stages are： （1） The amalgamation and break-up of the Neoproterozoic plates, typically the intracontinental rifting. （2） The early Paleozoic and Mesozoic intracontinental orogeny confined by plate tectonics, forming two composite tectonic domains. （3） The parallel operation of the Yangtze cratonization and intracontinental orogeny, and multi-phase reactivation of the Yangtze craton. （4） The association and differentiation evolution of plate tectonics and intraconti- nental tectonics, and the dynamic characteristics under the Meso-Cenozoic modem global plate tectonic regime.展开更多
Background:Human infections with zoonotic coronaviruses(CoVs),including severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS)-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS)-CoV,have raised great public health concern globally.Here,...Background:Human infections with zoonotic coronaviruses(CoVs),including severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS)-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS)-CoV,have raised great public health concern globally.Here,we report a novel batorigin CoV causing severe and fatal pneumonia in humans.Methods:We collected clinical data and bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL)specimens from five patients with severe pneumonia from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital,Hubei province,China.Nucleic acids of the BAL were extracted and subjected to next-generation sequencing.Virus isolation was carried out,and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic trees were constructed.Results:Five patients hospitalized from December 18 to December 29,2019 presented with fever,cough,and dyspnea accompanied by complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome.Chest radiography revealed diffuse opacities and consolidation.One of these patients died.Sequence results revealed the presence of a previously unknownβ-CoV strain in all five patients,with 99.8%to 99.9%nucleotide identities among the isolates.These isolates showed 79.0%nucleotide identity with the sequence of SARS-CoV(GenBank NC_004718)and 51.8%identity with the sequence of MERS-CoV(GenBank NC_019843).The virus is phylogenetically closest to a bat SARS-like CoV(SL-ZC45,GenBank MG772933)with 87.6%to 87.7%nucleotide identity,but is in a separate clade.Moreover,these viruses have a single intact open reading frame gene 8,as a further indicator of bat-origin CoVs.However,the amino acid sequence of the tentative receptor-binding domain resembles that of SARS-CoV,indicating that these viruses might use the same receptor.Conclusion:A novel bat-borne CoV was identified that is associated with severe and fatal respiratory disease in humans.展开更多
Artificial intelligence(AI)aims to mimic human cognitive functions.It is bringing a paradigm shift to healthcare,powered by increasing availability of healthcare data and rapid progress of analytics techniques.We surv...Artificial intelligence(AI)aims to mimic human cognitive functions.It is bringing a paradigm shift to healthcare,powered by increasing availability of healthcare data and rapid progress of analytics techniques.We survey the current status of AI applications in healthcare and discuss its future.AI can be applied to various types of healthcare data(structured and unstructured).Popular AI techniques include machine learning methods for structured data,such as the classical support vector machine and neural network,and the modern deep learning,as well as natural language processing for unstructured data.Major disease areas that use AI tools include cancer,neurology and cardiology.We then review in more details the AI applications in stroke,in the three major areas of early detection and diagnosis,treatment,as well as outcome prediction and prognosis evaluation.We conclude with discussion about pioneer AI systems,such as IBM Watson,and hurdles for real-life deployment of AI.展开更多
In 2010, a panel of Chinese pathologists reported the first expert consensus for the pathological diagnosis of primary liver cancers to address the many contradictions and inconsistencies in the pathological character...In 2010, a panel of Chinese pathologists reported the first expert consensus for the pathological diagnosis of primary liver cancers to address the many contradictions and inconsistencies in the pathological characteristics and diagnostic criteria for PLC. Since then considerable clinicopathological studies have been conducted globally, prompting us to update the practice guidelines for the pathological diagnosis of PLC. In April 18, 2014, a Guideline Committee consisting of 40 specialists from seven Chinese Societies(including Chinese Society of Liver Cancer, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Liver Cancer Study Group, Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association; Chinese Society of Pathology, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Digestive Disease Group, Chinese Society of Pathology, Chinese Medical Association; Chinese Society of Surgery, Chinese Medical Association; Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Pathological Group of Hepatobiliary Tumor and Liver Transplantation, Chinese Society of Pathology, Chinese Medical Association) was created for the formulation of the first guidelines for the standardization of the pathological diagnosis of PLC, mainly focusing on the following topics: gross specimen sampling, concepts and diagnostic criteria of small hepatocellular carcinoma(SHCC), microvascular invasion(MVI), satellite nodules,and immunohistochemical and molecular diagnosis. The present updated guidelines are reflective of current clinicopathological studies, and include a novel 7-point baseline sampling protocol, which stipulate that at least four tissue specimens should be sampled at the junction of the tumor and adjacent liver tissues in a 1:1 ratio at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock reference positions. For the purposes of molecular pathological examination, at least one specimen should be sampled at the intratumoral zone, but more specimens should be sampled for tumors harboring different textures or colors. Specimens should be sampled at both adjacent and distant peri展开更多
This review summarizes main research findings in soil fauna eco-geography in China in the past 30 years. The subject areas and main results were overviewed including biodiversity and eco-geological distribution of soi...This review summarizes main research findings in soil fauna eco-geography in China in the past 30 years. The subject areas and main results were overviewed including biodiversity and eco-geological distribution of soil fauna communities. Studies of ecological distributions of soil fauna and dynamic ranges in space from tropical, subtropical to temperate regions, and in categories from forest, grassland, desert, wetland, farmland to urban ecosystems, the responses and indications of soil fauna to soil environments. Effects of intensive disturbance such as fire, grazing, farming, fertilization on soil fauna include sensitive （e.g. nematode） and rare groups and community indexes. The functions of soil fauna were discussed including environmental construction, environmental purification, litter decomposition and elements cycling. Interactions between soil fauna and other biota in soil ecosystems and linking between aboveground and belowground diversity and the effects of global change on soil fauna community in China were also included. Finally, the authors pointed out common interests in soil fauna eco-geographical studies, which include application of molecule biology into soil fauna taxa; function and mechanism of soil fauna community diversity; interaction between aboveground and belowground ecosystems; effects of disturbance, pollution, biological invasion, and global change on soil fauna community and function. The review is to provide a scientific basis for promoting soil fauna eco-geographical studies in China.展开更多
BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is known to be essential to the survival, growth, invasion, and metastasis of tumor cells. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are an important angiogenic factor regulating tumor angioge...BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is known to be essential to the survival, growth, invasion, and metastasis of tumor cells. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are an important angiogenic factor regulating tumor angiogenesis, but its significance and tumor pathologic features are un- clear in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we analyzed expression of tissue VEGF, alteration of microvascular density (MVD) in microvessel angiogenesis, development and metastasis of HCC, and level of serum VEGF in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant liv- er diseases. METHODS: Tumor specimens were prospectively collected from HCC patients undergoing resection. Total RNAs were extracted and the expression levels were detected from different parts of HCC tissues. The cellular distributions of VEGF and MVD of liver tumors and their paracancerous and distal cancerous tissues were investigated by streptavi- din peroxidase (S-P) immunohistochemistry, respectively. The VEGF levels of circulating blood and hepatoma tissues were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The incidence of VEGF expression was 63.9% in HCCs (23/36 cases), 78.3% in non-encapsulated HCCs (18/23), and 90.9% in HCCs with extrahepatic metastasis (10/11), respectively. The VEGF expression was tightly correlated with MVD (P <0.01). The MVD in HCC with metastasis, low differentiation or non-encapsulation was significantly higher than that in HCC with intact capsule, high differentiation, or no metastasis. No significant diffe- rence was found between VEGF, MVD, tumor size, and hepatitis virus infection. The level of total RNA in HCC tis- sues was significantly lower but the VEGF level significantly higher than those in paracancerous or distal cancerous ones (P<0.01). The abnormal expression levels of VEGF in sera of HCC patients were directly correlated with the me- tastasis and recurrence of tumors. CONCLUSION: The high expression of VEGF and abnor- mality of tissue MVD are useful predictors for vascular inva- sion and metastas展开更多
A vortex is intuitively recognized as the rotational/swirling motion of fluids,but a rigorous and universally-accepted definition is still not available.Vorticity tube/filament has been regarded equivalent to a vortex...A vortex is intuitively recognized as the rotational/swirling motion of fluids,but a rigorous and universally-accepted definition is still not available.Vorticity tube/filament has been regarded equivalent to a vortex since Helmholtz proposed the concepts of vorticity tube/filament in 1858 and the vorticity-based methods can be categorized as the first generation of vortex identification methods.During the last three decades,a lot of vortex identification methods,including 0,A,and Aci criteria,have been proposed to overcome the problems associated with the vorticity-based methods.Most of these criteria are based on the Cauchy-Stokes decomposition and/or eigenvalues of the velocity gradient tensor and can be considered as the second generation of vortex identification methods.Starting from 2014,the Vortex and Turbulence Research Team at the University of Texas at Arlington(the UTA team)focus on the development of a new generation of vortex identification methods.The first fruit of this effort,a new Omega(/2)vortex identification method,which defined a vortex as a connected region where the vorticity overtakes the deformation,was published in 2016.In 2017 and 2018,a Liutex(previously called Rortex)vector was proposed to provide a mathematical definition of the local rigid rotation part of the fluid motion,including both the local rotational axis and the rotational strength.Liutex/Rortex is a new physical quantity with scalar,vector and tensor forms exactly representing the local rigid rotation of fluids.Meanwhile,a decomposition of the vorticity to a rotational part namely Liutex/Rortex and an anti-symmetric shear part(RS decomposition)was introduced in 2018,and a universal decomposition of the velocity gradient tensor to a rotation part(7?)and a non-rotation part(NR、was also given in 2018 as a counterpart of the traditional Cauchy-Stokes decomposition.Later in early 2019,a Liutex/Rortex based Omega method called Omega-Liutex,which combines the respective advantages of both Liutex/Rortex and Omega methods,was dev展开更多
Background Fluid therapy for severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） should not only resolve deficiency of blood volume, but also prevent fluid sequestration in acute response stage. Up to date, there has not a strategy for...Background Fluid therapy for severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） should not only resolve deficiency of blood volume, but also prevent fluid sequestration in acute response stage. Up to date, there has not a strategy for fluid therapy dedicated to SAP. So, this study was aimed to investigate the effects of fluid therapy treatment on prognosis of SAP. Methods Seventy-six patients were admitted prospectively according to the criteria within 72 hours of SAP onset. They were randomly assigned to a rapid fluid expansion group （Group I, n=36） and a controlled fluid expansion group （Group II n=-40）. Hemodynamic disorders were either quickly （fluid infusion rate was 10-15 ml.kg-1-h-1, Group I） or gradually improved （fluid infusion rate was 5-10 ml-kg1.h-1, Group II） through controlling the rate of fluid infusion. Parameters of fluid expansion, blood lactate concentration were obtained when meeting the criteria for fluid expansion. And APACHE II scores were obtained serially for 72 hours. Rate of mechanical ventilation, incidence of abdominal compartment syndrome （ACS）, sepsis, and survival rate were obtained. Results The two groups had statistically different （P 〈0.05） time intervals to meet fluid expansion criteria （Group I, 13.5±6.6 hours; Group II, （24.0±5.4） hours）. Blood lactate concentrations were both remarkably lower as compared to the level upon admission （P 〈0.05） and reached the normal level in both groups upon treatment. It was only at day 1 that hematocrit was significantly lower in Group I （35.6%±6.8%） than in Group II （38.5%±5.4%） （P〈0.01）. Amount of crystalloid and colloid in group I （（4028±1980）ml and （1336±816）ml） on admission day was more than those of group II （（2472±1871）ml and （970±633）ml）. No significant difference was found in the total amount of fluids within four days of admission between the two groups （P〉0.05）. Total amount of fluid sequestration within 4 days was higher in Group I （（5378±2751）ml�展开更多
The expansion of inland Asia deserts has considerably influenced the environmental, social and economic activities in Asia. Aridification of inland Asia, especially timing of the initiation of Asian desertification, i...The expansion of inland Asia deserts has considerably influenced the environmental, social and economic activities in Asia. Aridification of inland Asia, especially timing of the initiation of Asian desertification, is a contentious topic in paleoclimatology. Late Cenozoic eolian loess-red clay sequences on the Chinese Loess Plateau, which possess abundant paleoclimatic and paleo-environmental information, can be regarded as an indicator of inland Asia desertification. Here we present a detailed magnetostratigraphic investigation of a new red clay sequence about 654 m in Zhuanglang located at the western Chinese Loess Plateau. Sedimentological, geochemical, mineralogical, and quartz morphological lines of evidence show that the red clay is of eolian origin. Magnetostratigraphic correlations indicate that this core sequence spans from 25.6 to 4.8 Ma, and typical eolian red clay appears as early as 25 Ma. This extends the lower limit of the red clay on the Chinese Loess Plateau from the previously thought early Miocene back into the late Oligocene. This new red clay record further implies that the inland Asia desertification was initiated at least by the late Oligocene. This sequence provides a unique high-resolution geological record for understanding the inland Asia desertification process since the late Oligocene.展开更多
Background Respiratory distress syndrome （RDS） is one of the most common causes of neonatal respiratory failure and neonatal death, however, its clinical characteristics are very different from premature RDS, and th...Background Respiratory distress syndrome （RDS） is one of the most common causes of neonatal respiratory failure and neonatal death, however, its clinical characteristics are very different from premature RDS, and these characteristics have not been well documented as yet. This study was to investigate the pathogenesis, clinical characteristics and management strategies of RDS in full-term neonates, with the aim of developing a working protocol for improving the outcome in full-term neonates with RDS. Methods A total of 125 full-term infants with RDS were enrolled in this study. Their clinical and laboratory data were collected for analyzing the characteristics of full-term neonatal RDS. Results （1） The 125 cases included 94 male and 31 female infants, vaginal delivery occurred in 80 cases and cesarean section in 45 cases. （2） The onset time of RDS was （3.11±3.59） hours after birth. （3）The possible reasons included severe perinatal infections in 63 patients, elective cesarean section in 34 cases, severe birth asphyxia in 12 patients, meconium aspiration syndrome in 9 patients, pulmonary hemorrhage in 4 patients and maternal diabetes in 3 patients. （4） Complications included multiple organ system failure （MOSF） in 49 patients, persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn （PPHN） in 25 patients, acute renal failure in 18 patients, severe hyperkalemia in 25 patients, severe metabolic acidosis in 6 cases, severe myocardial injury in 9 cases, pulmonary hemorrhage in 3 cases, disseminated intravascular coagulation in 14 patients and shock in 12 patients.（5） Four patients died, the mortality was therefore 3.2% with the main cause of septicemia complicating of MOSF, but their prognosis was improved while comprehensive treatment measures including early mechanical ventilation and broad spectrum antibiotics were taken into account. Conclusions RDS is not an uncommon disease in full-term infants and is associated with a higher mortality, its clinical characteristics are very different from展开更多
Phenylpropanoid metabolism is one of the most important metabolisms in plants, yielding more than 8,000 metabolites contributing to plant development and plant-environment interplay.Phenylpropanoid metabolism material...Phenylpropanoid metabolism is one of the most important metabolisms in plants, yielding more than 8,000 metabolites contributing to plant development and plant-environment interplay.Phenylpropanoid metabolism materialized during the evolution of early freshwater algae that were initiating terrestrialization and land plants have evolved multiple branches of this pathway, which give rise to metabolites including lignin, flavonoids, lignans, phenylpropanoid esters, hydroxycinnamic acid amides, and sporopollenin.Recent studies have revealed that many factors participate in the regulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism, and modulate phenylpropanoid homeostasis when plants undergo successive developmental processes and are subjected to stressful environments. In this review, we summarize recent progress on elucidating the contribution of phenylpropanoid metabolism to the coordination of plant development and plant–environment interaction, and metabolic flux redirection among diverse metabolic routes. In addition, our review focuses on the regulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, post-translational,and epigenetic levels, and in response to phytohormones and biotic and abiotic stresses.展开更多
Grain size determines grain weight and affects grain quality. Several major quantitative trait loci （QTLs） regulating grain size have been cloned; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism that regulate...Grain size determines grain weight and affects grain quality. Several major quantitative trait loci （QTLs） regulating grain size have been cloned; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism that regulates the size of rice grains remains fragmentary. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a dominant QTL, GRAIN SIZE ON CHROMOSOME 2 （GS2）, which encodes Growth-Regulating Factor 4 （OsGRF4）, a transcriptional regulator. GS2 localizes to the nucleus and may act as a transcription activator. A rare mutation of GS2 affecting the binding site of a microRNA, OsmiR396c, causes elevated expression of GS2/OsGRF4. The increase in GS2 expression leads to larger cells and increased numbers of cells, which thus enhances grain weight and yield. The introduction of this rare allele of GS2/OsGRF4 into rice cultivars could significantly enhance grain weight and increase grain yield, with possible applications in breeding high-yield rice varieties.展开更多
Autoimmune chronic pancreatitis （AIP） is increasingly being recognized worldwidely, as knowledge of this entity builds up. Above all, AIP is a very attractive disease to clinicians in terms of its dramatic response ...Autoimmune chronic pancreatitis （AIP） is increasingly being recognized worldwidely, as knowledge of this entity builds up. Above all, AIP is a very attractive disease to clinicians in terms of its dramatic response to the oral steroid therapy in contrast to ordinary chronic pancreatitis. Although many characteristic findings of AIP have been described, definite diagnostic criteria have not been fully established. In the year 2002, the Japan Pancreas Society published the diagnostic criteria of AIP and many clinicians around the world use these criteria for the diagnosis of AIP. The diagnostic criteria proposed by the Japan Pancreas Society, however, are not completely satisfactory and some groups use their own criteria in reporting AIP. This review discusses several potential limitations of current diagnostic criteria for this increasingly recognized condition. The manuscript is organized to emphasize the need for convening a consensus to develop improved diagnostic criteria.展开更多
基金Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(No.2021-I2M-1-033)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81974492)+1 种基金Jing-jin-ji Special Projects for Basic Research Cooperation(No.J200017)Sanming Project of the Medicine in Shenzhen(No.SZSM201911015)。
文摘Background:The cancer burden in the United States of America(USA)has decreased gradually.However,China is experiencing a transition in its cancer profiles,with greater incidence of cancers that were previously more common in the USA.This study compared the latest cancer profiles,trends,and determinants between China and USA.Methods:This was a comparative study using open-source data.Cancer cases and deaths in 2022 were calculated using cancer estimates from GLOBOCAN 2020 and population estimates from the United Nations.Trends in cancer incidence and mortality rates in the USA used data from the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results program and National Center for Health Statistics.Chinese data were obtained from cancer registry reports.Data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 and a decomposition method were used to express cancer deaths as the product of four determinant factors.Results:In 2022,there will be approximately 4,820,000 and 2,370,000 new cancer cases,and 3,210,000 and 640,000 cancer deaths in China and the USA,respectively.The most common cancers are lung cancer in China and breast cancer in the USA,and lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both.Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for lung cancer and colorectal cancer in the USA have decreased significantly recently,but rates of liver cancer have increased slightly.Rates of stomach,liver,and esophageal cancer decreased gradually in China,but rates have increased for colorectal cancer in the whole population,prostate cancer in men,and other seven cancer types in women.Increases in adult population size and population aging were major determinants for incremental cancer deaths,and case-fatality rates contributed to reduced cancer deaths in both countries.Conclusions:The decreasing cancer burden in liver,stomach,and esophagus,and increasing burden in lung,colorectum,breast,and prostate,mean that cancer profiles in China and the USA are converging.Population aging is a growing determinant of incremental cancer burden.Progre
文摘CRISPR/Cas9 genome targeting systems have been applied to a variety of species. However, most CRISPR/Cas9 systems reported for plants can only modify one or a few target sites. Here, we report a robust CRISPR/Cas9 vector system, utilizing a plant codon optimized Cas9 gene, for convenient and high- efficiency multiplex genome editing in monocot and dicot plants. We designed PCR-based procedures to rapidly generate multiple sgRNA expression cassettes, which can be assembled into the binary CRISPR/ Cas9 vectors in one round of cloning by Golden Gate ligation or Gibson Assembly. With this system, we edi- ted 46 target sites in rice with an average 85.4% rate of mutation, mostly in biallelic and homozygous status. We reasoned that about 16% of the homozygous mutations in rice were generated through the non-homol- ogous end-joining mechanism followed by homologous recombination-based repair. We also obtained uni- form biallelic, heterozygous, homozygous, and chimeric mutations in Arabidopsis T1 plants. The targeted mutations in both rice and Arabidopsis were heritable. We provide examples of loss-of-function gene mu- tations in To rice and T1Arabidopsis plants by simultaneous targeting of multiple （up to eight） members of a gene family, multiple genes in a biosynthetic pathway, or multiple sites in a single gene. This system has provided a versatile toolbox for studying functions of multiple genes and gene families in plants for basic research and genetic improvement.
基金This study was funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China,National Key R&D Programme of China(2017YFC1310901,2016YFC0901002,2017YFC1307905,and 2015BAI12B00)the Youth Programme(QML20180501)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(81801152)Beijing Talents Project(2018000021223ZK03 and 2018A13).
文摘China faces the greatest challenge from stroke in the world.The death rate for cerebrovascular diseases in China was 149.49 per 100000,accounting for 1.57 million deaths in 2018.It ranked third among the leading causes of death behind malignant tumours and heart disease.The age-standardised prevalence and incidence of stroke in 2013 were 1114.8 per 100000 population and 246.8 per 100000 person-years,respectively.According to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017,the years of life lost(YLLs)per 100000 population for stroke increased by 14.6%;YLLs due to stroke rose from third highest among all causes in 1990 to the highest in 2017.The absolute numbers and rates per 100000 population for all-age disability-adjusted life years(DALYs)for stroke increased substantially between 1990 and 2017,and stroke was the leading cause of all-age DALYs in 2017.The main contributors to cerebrovascular diseases include behavioural risk factors(smoking and alcohol use)and pre-existing conditions(hypertension,diabetes mellitus,dyslipidaemia and atrial fibrillation(AF)).The most prevalent risk factors among stroke survivors were hypertension(63.0%-84.2%)and smoking(31.7%-47.6%).The least prevalent was AF(2.7%-7.4%).The prevalences for major risk factors for stroke are high and most have increased over time.Based on the latest national epidemiological data,26.6%of adults aged≥15 years(307.6 million adults)smoked tobacco products.For those aged≥18 years,age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 25.2%;adjusted prevalence of hypercholesterolaemia was 5.8%;and the standardised prevalence of diabetes was 10.9%.For those aged≥40 years,the standardised prevalence of AF was 2.31%.Data from the Hospital Quality Monitoring System showed that 3010204 inpatients with stroke were admitted to 1853 tertiary care hospitals during 2018.Of those,2466785(81.9%)were ischaemic strokes(ISs);447609(14.9%)were intracerebral haemorrhages(ICHs);and 95810(3.2%)were subarachnoid haemorrhages(SAHs).The average age of patients admitted was 66 years old,and
文摘The genome sequence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-associated virus provides essential information for the identification of pathogen(s), exploration of etiology and evolution, interpretation of transmission and pathogenesis, development of diagnostics, prevention by future vaccination, and treatment by developing new drugs. We report the complete genome sequence and comparative analysis of an isolate (BJ01) of the coronavirus that has been recognized as a pathogen for SARS. The genome is 29725 nt in size and has 11 ORFs (Open Reading Frames). It is composed of a stable region encoding an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (composed of 2 ORFs) and a variable region representing 4 CDSs (coding sequences) for viral structural genes (the S, E, M, N proteins) and 5 PUPs (putative uncharacterized proteins). Its gene order is identical to that of other known coronaviruses. The sequence alignment with all known RNA viruses places this virus as a member in the family of Coronaviridae. Thirty putative substitutions have been identified by comparative analysis of the 5 SARS- associated virus genome sequences in GenBank. Fifteen of them lead to possible amino acid changes (non-synonymous mutations) in the proteins. Three amino acid changes, with predicted alteration of physical and chemical features, have been detected in the S protein that is postulated to beinvolved in the immunoreactions between the virus and its host. Two amino acid changes have been detected in the Mprotein, which could be related to viral envelope formation. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the possibility of non-human origin of the SARS-associated viruses but provides noevidence that they are man-made. Further efforts should focus on identifying the etiology of the SARS-associated virus and ruling out conclusively the existence of otherpossible SARS-related pathogen(s).
基金supported by the special grant of Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China for State Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics,Northwest University,the key research project of Sinopec Group(Grant No.YPH08012)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41190072,41190073,41190074,41190070)
文摘This paper aims at exploring the tectonic characteristics of the South China Continent （SCC） and extracting the universal tec- tonic rules from these characteristics,to help enrich the plate tectonic theory and better understand the continental dynamic system. For this purpose, here we conduct a multi-disciplinary investigation and combine it with the previous studies to reas- sess the tectonics and evolution of SCC and propose that the tectonic framework of the continent comprises two blocks, three types of tectonic units, four deformation systems, and four evolutionary stages with distinctive mechanism and tectonic characteris- tics since the Neoproterozoic. The four evolutionary stages are： （1） The amalgamation and break-up of the Neoproterozoic plates, typically the intracontinental rifting. （2） The early Paleozoic and Mesozoic intracontinental orogeny confined by plate tectonics, forming two composite tectonic domains. （3） The parallel operation of the Yangtze cratonization and intracontinental orogeny, and multi-phase reactivation of the Yangtze craton. （4） The association and differentiation evolution of plate tectonics and intraconti- nental tectonics, and the dynamic characteristics under the Meso-Cenozoic modem global plate tectonic regime.
基金This study was supported by grants from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences(CAMS)Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(No.2016-I2M-1-014)the National Major Science&Technology Project for Control and Prevention of Major Infectious Diseases in China(Nos.2017ZX10103004,2018ZX10305409,2017ZX10204401)the National Natural Science Foundation(No.81930063)
文摘Background:Human infections with zoonotic coronaviruses(CoVs),including severe acute respiratory syndrome(SARS)-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome(MERS)-CoV,have raised great public health concern globally.Here,we report a novel batorigin CoV causing severe and fatal pneumonia in humans.Methods:We collected clinical data and bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL)specimens from five patients with severe pneumonia from Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital,Hubei province,China.Nucleic acids of the BAL were extracted and subjected to next-generation sequencing.Virus isolation was carried out,and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic trees were constructed.Results:Five patients hospitalized from December 18 to December 29,2019 presented with fever,cough,and dyspnea accompanied by complications of acute respiratory distress syndrome.Chest radiography revealed diffuse opacities and consolidation.One of these patients died.Sequence results revealed the presence of a previously unknownβ-CoV strain in all five patients,with 99.8%to 99.9%nucleotide identities among the isolates.These isolates showed 79.0%nucleotide identity with the sequence of SARS-CoV(GenBank NC_004718)and 51.8%identity with the sequence of MERS-CoV(GenBank NC_019843).The virus is phylogenetically closest to a bat SARS-like CoV(SL-ZC45,GenBank MG772933)with 87.6%to 87.7%nucleotide identity,but is in a separate clade.Moreover,these viruses have a single intact open reading frame gene 8,as a further indicator of bat-origin CoVs.However,the amino acid sequence of the tentative receptor-binding domain resembles that of SARS-CoV,indicating that these viruses might use the same receptor.Conclusion:A novel bat-borne CoV was identified that is associated with severe and fatal respiratory disease in humans.
文摘Artificial intelligence(AI)aims to mimic human cognitive functions.It is bringing a paradigm shift to healthcare,powered by increasing availability of healthcare data and rapid progress of analytics techniques.We survey the current status of AI applications in healthcare and discuss its future.AI can be applied to various types of healthcare data(structured and unstructured).Popular AI techniques include machine learning methods for structured data,such as the classical support vector machine and neural network,and the modern deep learning,as well as natural language processing for unstructured data.Major disease areas that use AI tools include cancer,neurology and cardiology.We then review in more details the AI applications in stroke,in the three major areas of early detection and diagnosis,treatment,as well as outcome prediction and prognosis evaluation.We conclude with discussion about pioneer AI systems,such as IBM Watson,and hurdles for real-life deployment of AI.
基金Supported by the Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China No.81221061the National Natural Science Foundation of China No.81072026,No.81272662 and No.81472278
文摘In 2010, a panel of Chinese pathologists reported the first expert consensus for the pathological diagnosis of primary liver cancers to address the many contradictions and inconsistencies in the pathological characteristics and diagnostic criteria for PLC. Since then considerable clinicopathological studies have been conducted globally, prompting us to update the practice guidelines for the pathological diagnosis of PLC. In April 18, 2014, a Guideline Committee consisting of 40 specialists from seven Chinese Societies(including Chinese Society of Liver Cancer, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Liver Cancer Study Group, Chinese Society of Hepatology, Chinese Medical Association; Chinese Society of Pathology, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Digestive Disease Group, Chinese Society of Pathology, Chinese Medical Association; Chinese Society of Surgery, Chinese Medical Association; Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology, Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Pathological Group of Hepatobiliary Tumor and Liver Transplantation, Chinese Society of Pathology, Chinese Medical Association) was created for the formulation of the first guidelines for the standardization of the pathological diagnosis of PLC, mainly focusing on the following topics: gross specimen sampling, concepts and diagnostic criteria of small hepatocellular carcinoma(SHCC), microvascular invasion(MVI), satellite nodules,and immunohistochemical and molecular diagnosis. The present updated guidelines are reflective of current clinicopathological studies, and include a novel 7-point baseline sampling protocol, which stipulate that at least four tissue specimens should be sampled at the junction of the tumor and adjacent liver tissues in a 1:1 ratio at the 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock reference positions. For the purposes of molecular pathological examination, at least one specimen should be sampled at the intratumoral zone, but more specimens should be sampled for tumors harboring different textures or colors. Specimens should be sampled at both adjacent and distant peri
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40871120 National Key Technology Research and De- velopment Program, No.2007BAC06B03
文摘This review summarizes main research findings in soil fauna eco-geography in China in the past 30 years. The subject areas and main results were overviewed including biodiversity and eco-geological distribution of soil fauna communities. Studies of ecological distributions of soil fauna and dynamic ranges in space from tropical, subtropical to temperate regions, and in categories from forest, grassland, desert, wetland, farmland to urban ecosystems, the responses and indications of soil fauna to soil environments. Effects of intensive disturbance such as fire, grazing, farming, fertilization on soil fauna include sensitive （e.g. nematode） and rare groups and community indexes. The functions of soil fauna were discussed including environmental construction, environmental purification, litter decomposition and elements cycling. Interactions between soil fauna and other biota in soil ecosystems and linking between aboveground and belowground diversity and the effects of global change on soil fauna community in China were also included. Finally, the authors pointed out common interests in soil fauna eco-geographical studies, which include application of molecule biology into soil fauna taxa; function and mechanism of soil fauna community diversity; interaction between aboveground and belowground ecosystems; effects of disturbance, pollution, biological invasion, and global change on soil fauna community and function. The review is to provide a scientific basis for promoting soil fauna eco-geographical studies in China.
基金This study was supported in part by grant from the KeyProject Foundation of Medical Sciences of Jiangsu province(RC2003100)
文摘BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is known to be essential to the survival, growth, invasion, and metastasis of tumor cells. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are an important angiogenic factor regulating tumor angiogenesis, but its significance and tumor pathologic features are un- clear in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we analyzed expression of tissue VEGF, alteration of microvascular density (MVD) in microvessel angiogenesis, development and metastasis of HCC, and level of serum VEGF in differential diagnosis of benign and malignant liv- er diseases. METHODS: Tumor specimens were prospectively collected from HCC patients undergoing resection. Total RNAs were extracted and the expression levels were detected from different parts of HCC tissues. The cellular distributions of VEGF and MVD of liver tumors and their paracancerous and distal cancerous tissues were investigated by streptavi- din peroxidase (S-P) immunohistochemistry, respectively. The VEGF levels of circulating blood and hepatoma tissues were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The incidence of VEGF expression was 63.9% in HCCs (23/36 cases), 78.3% in non-encapsulated HCCs (18/23), and 90.9% in HCCs with extrahepatic metastasis (10/11), respectively. The VEGF expression was tightly correlated with MVD (P <0.01). The MVD in HCC with metastasis, low differentiation or non-encapsulation was significantly higher than that in HCC with intact capsule, high differentiation, or no metastasis. No significant diffe- rence was found between VEGF, MVD, tumor size, and hepatitis virus infection. The level of total RNA in HCC tis- sues was significantly lower but the VEGF level significantly higher than those in paracancerous or distal cancerous ones (P<0.01). The abnormal expression levels of VEGF in sera of HCC patients were directly correlated with the me- tastasis and recurrence of tumors. CONCLUSION: The high expression of VEGF and abnor- mality of tissue MVD are useful predictors for vascular inva- sion and metastas
文摘A vortex is intuitively recognized as the rotational/swirling motion of fluids,but a rigorous and universally-accepted definition is still not available.Vorticity tube/filament has been regarded equivalent to a vortex since Helmholtz proposed the concepts of vorticity tube/filament in 1858 and the vorticity-based methods can be categorized as the first generation of vortex identification methods.During the last three decades,a lot of vortex identification methods,including 0,A,and Aci criteria,have been proposed to overcome the problems associated with the vorticity-based methods.Most of these criteria are based on the Cauchy-Stokes decomposition and/or eigenvalues of the velocity gradient tensor and can be considered as the second generation of vortex identification methods.Starting from 2014,the Vortex and Turbulence Research Team at the University of Texas at Arlington(the UTA team)focus on the development of a new generation of vortex identification methods.The first fruit of this effort,a new Omega(/2)vortex identification method,which defined a vortex as a connected region where the vorticity overtakes the deformation,was published in 2016.In 2017 and 2018,a Liutex(previously called Rortex)vector was proposed to provide a mathematical definition of the local rigid rotation part of the fluid motion,including both the local rotational axis and the rotational strength.Liutex/Rortex is a new physical quantity with scalar,vector and tensor forms exactly representing the local rigid rotation of fluids.Meanwhile,a decomposition of the vorticity to a rotational part namely Liutex/Rortex and an anti-symmetric shear part(RS decomposition)was introduced in 2018,and a universal decomposition of the velocity gradient tensor to a rotation part(7?)and a non-rotation part(NR、was also given in 2018 as a counterpart of the traditional Cauchy-Stokes decomposition.Later in early 2019,a Liutex/Rortex based Omega method called Omega-Liutex,which combines the respective advantages of both Liutex/Rortex and Omega methods,was dev
文摘Background Fluid therapy for severe acute pancreatitis （SAP） should not only resolve deficiency of blood volume, but also prevent fluid sequestration in acute response stage. Up to date, there has not a strategy for fluid therapy dedicated to SAP. So, this study was aimed to investigate the effects of fluid therapy treatment on prognosis of SAP. Methods Seventy-six patients were admitted prospectively according to the criteria within 72 hours of SAP onset. They were randomly assigned to a rapid fluid expansion group （Group I, n=36） and a controlled fluid expansion group （Group II n=-40）. Hemodynamic disorders were either quickly （fluid infusion rate was 10-15 ml.kg-1-h-1, Group I） or gradually improved （fluid infusion rate was 5-10 ml-kg1.h-1, Group II） through controlling the rate of fluid infusion. Parameters of fluid expansion, blood lactate concentration were obtained when meeting the criteria for fluid expansion. And APACHE II scores were obtained serially for 72 hours. Rate of mechanical ventilation, incidence of abdominal compartment syndrome （ACS）, sepsis, and survival rate were obtained. Results The two groups had statistically different （P 〈0.05） time intervals to meet fluid expansion criteria （Group I, 13.5±6.6 hours; Group II, （24.0±5.4） hours）. Blood lactate concentrations were both remarkably lower as compared to the level upon admission （P 〈0.05） and reached the normal level in both groups upon treatment. It was only at day 1 that hematocrit was significantly lower in Group I （35.6%±6.8%） than in Group II （38.5%±5.4%） （P〈0.01）. Amount of crystalloid and colloid in group I （（4028±1980）ml and （1336±816）ml） on admission day was more than those of group II （（2472±1871）ml and （970±633）ml）. No significant difference was found in the total amount of fluids within four days of admission between the two groups （P〉0.05）. Total amount of fluid sequestration within 4 days was higher in Group I （（5378±2751）ml�
基金supported by National Basic Research Program of China (Grants Nos. 2010CB833400, 2004CB720200)Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-Q09-04)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants Nos. 41072142, 40921120406 and 40772116)State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG)
文摘The expansion of inland Asia deserts has considerably influenced the environmental, social and economic activities in Asia. Aridification of inland Asia, especially timing of the initiation of Asian desertification, is a contentious topic in paleoclimatology. Late Cenozoic eolian loess-red clay sequences on the Chinese Loess Plateau, which possess abundant paleoclimatic and paleo-environmental information, can be regarded as an indicator of inland Asia desertification. Here we present a detailed magnetostratigraphic investigation of a new red clay sequence about 654 m in Zhuanglang located at the western Chinese Loess Plateau. Sedimentological, geochemical, mineralogical, and quartz morphological lines of evidence show that the red clay is of eolian origin. Magnetostratigraphic correlations indicate that this core sequence spans from 25.6 to 4.8 Ma, and typical eolian red clay appears as early as 25 Ma. This extends the lower limit of the red clay on the Chinese Loess Plateau from the previously thought early Miocene back into the late Oligocene. This new red clay record further implies that the inland Asia desertification was initiated at least by the late Oligocene. This sequence provides a unique high-resolution geological record for understanding the inland Asia desertification process since the late Oligocene.
基金This work was supported by the grants from China Postdoctoral Science Foundation （No. 20080431405＆ No. 200801041）.
文摘Background Respiratory distress syndrome （RDS） is one of the most common causes of neonatal respiratory failure and neonatal death, however, its clinical characteristics are very different from premature RDS, and these characteristics have not been well documented as yet. This study was to investigate the pathogenesis, clinical characteristics and management strategies of RDS in full-term neonates, with the aim of developing a working protocol for improving the outcome in full-term neonates with RDS. Methods A total of 125 full-term infants with RDS were enrolled in this study. Their clinical and laboratory data were collected for analyzing the characteristics of full-term neonatal RDS. Results （1） The 125 cases included 94 male and 31 female infants, vaginal delivery occurred in 80 cases and cesarean section in 45 cases. （2） The onset time of RDS was （3.11±3.59） hours after birth. （3）The possible reasons included severe perinatal infections in 63 patients, elective cesarean section in 34 cases, severe birth asphyxia in 12 patients, meconium aspiration syndrome in 9 patients, pulmonary hemorrhage in 4 patients and maternal diabetes in 3 patients. （4） Complications included multiple organ system failure （MOSF） in 49 patients, persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn （PPHN） in 25 patients, acute renal failure in 18 patients, severe hyperkalemia in 25 patients, severe metabolic acidosis in 6 cases, severe myocardial injury in 9 cases, pulmonary hemorrhage in 3 cases, disseminated intravascular coagulation in 14 patients and shock in 12 patients.（5） Four patients died, the mortality was therefore 3.2% with the main cause of septicemia complicating of MOSF, but their prognosis was improved while comprehensive treatment measures including early mechanical ventilation and broad spectrum antibiotics were taken into account. Conclusions RDS is not an uncommon disease in full-term infants and is associated with a higher mortality, its clinical characteristics are very different from
基金supported by the grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (31788103,31630052)the Chinese Academy of Sciences (QYZDY-SSWSMC023, XDB27010104, 159231KYSB20200008)+2 种基金the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2016YFD0100902)the Shanghai Science and Technology Development(18JC1415000)the support of the SA-SIBS scholarship program。
文摘Phenylpropanoid metabolism is one of the most important metabolisms in plants, yielding more than 8,000 metabolites contributing to plant development and plant-environment interplay.Phenylpropanoid metabolism materialized during the evolution of early freshwater algae that were initiating terrestrialization and land plants have evolved multiple branches of this pathway, which give rise to metabolites including lignin, flavonoids, lignans, phenylpropanoid esters, hydroxycinnamic acid amides, and sporopollenin.Recent studies have revealed that many factors participate in the regulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism, and modulate phenylpropanoid homeostasis when plants undergo successive developmental processes and are subjected to stressful environments. In this review, we summarize recent progress on elucidating the contribution of phenylpropanoid metabolism to the coordination of plant development and plant–environment interaction, and metabolic flux redirection among diverse metabolic routes. In addition, our review focuses on the regulation of phenylpropanoid metabolism at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, post-translational,and epigenetic levels, and in response to phytohormones and biotic and abiotic stresses.
文摘Grain size determines grain weight and affects grain quality. Several major quantitative trait loci （QTLs） regulating grain size have been cloned; however, our understanding of the underlying mechanism that regulates the size of rice grains remains fragmentary. Here, we report the cloning and characterization of a dominant QTL, GRAIN SIZE ON CHROMOSOME 2 （GS2）, which encodes Growth-Regulating Factor 4 （OsGRF4）, a transcriptional regulator. GS2 localizes to the nucleus and may act as a transcription activator. A rare mutation of GS2 affecting the binding site of a microRNA, OsmiR396c, causes elevated expression of GS2/OsGRF4. The increase in GS2 expression leads to larger cells and increased numbers of cells, which thus enhances grain weight and yield. The introduction of this rare allele of GS2/OsGRF4 into rice cultivars could significantly enhance grain weight and increase grain yield, with possible applications in breeding high-yield rice varieties.
文摘Autoimmune chronic pancreatitis （AIP） is increasingly being recognized worldwidely, as knowledge of this entity builds up. Above all, AIP is a very attractive disease to clinicians in terms of its dramatic response to the oral steroid therapy in contrast to ordinary chronic pancreatitis. Although many characteristic findings of AIP have been described, definite diagnostic criteria have not been fully established. In the year 2002, the Japan Pancreas Society published the diagnostic criteria of AIP and many clinicians around the world use these criteria for the diagnosis of AIP. The diagnostic criteria proposed by the Japan Pancreas Society, however, are not completely satisfactory and some groups use their own criteria in reporting AIP. This review discusses several potential limitations of current diagnostic criteria for this increasingly recognized condition. The manuscript is organized to emphasize the need for convening a consensus to develop improved diagnostic criteria.
