The present study examined the influence of expression configuration on cross-identity expression... more The present study examined the influence of expression configuration on cross-identity expression aftereffect. The expression configuration refers to the spatial arrangement of facial features in a face for conveying an emotion, e.g., an open-mouth smile vs. a closed-mouth smile. In the first of two experiments, the expression aftereffect is measured using a cross-identity/cross-expression configuration factorial design. The facial identities of test faces were the same or different from the adaptor, while orthogonally, the expression configurations of those facial identities were also the same or different. The results show that the change of expression configuration impaired the expression aftereffect when the facial identities of adaptor and tests were the same; however, the impairment effect disappears when facial identities were different, indicating the identity-independent expression representation is more robust to the change of the expression configuration in comparison with the identity-dependent expression representation. In the second experiment, we used schematic line faces as adaptors and real faces as tests to minimize the similarity between the adaptor and tests, which is expected to exclude the contribution from the identity-dependent expression representation to expression aftereffect. The second experiment yields a similar result as the identity-independent expression aftereffect observed in Experiment 1. The findings indicate the different neural sensitivities to expression configuration for identity-dependent and identity-independent expression systems.
Zhi Wu Sheng Li Yu Fen Zi Sheng Wu Xue Xue Bao Journal of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, Mar 1, 2006
With K(2)SiO(4) (1.0 mmol/L) treatment, the effects of Si on the distribution of Na(+), K(+) to c... more With K(2)SiO(4) (1.0 mmol/L) treatment, the effects of Si on the distribution of Na(+), K(+) to chloroplasts and antioxidant system of cucumber leaves under 50 mmol/L NaCl stress were studied. The results showed that there was a selective transport of K(+) into the chloroplasts so that Na(+) content of chloroplasts was lower under Si treatment (Table 1); H(2)O(2) and MDA contents in chloroplasts were significantly decreased (Fig.1), and the activities of SOD, APX, GR and DHAR were increased simultaneity (Fig.2), and AsA, GSH contents were also increased in chloroplasts of salt-stressed cucumber by additional Si treatment (Fig.3). It may be concluded that Si could decrease absorption of Na(+) and increase ability of active oxygen scavenging in chloroplasts, therefore the injury of chloroplast membrane under salinity stress in cucumber was alleviated.
Proper flowering time is essential for plant reproduction. Winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana nee... more Proper flowering time is essential for plant reproduction. Winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana needs vernalization before flowering, during which AtVILs (VIN3 and VRN5, components of PRC2 complex) mediate the H3K27 tri-methylation at the FLC locus (a floral repressor) to repress the FLC expression and hence to induce flowering. However, how VILs (VIL, VERNALIZATION INSENSITIVE 3-LIKE) function in rice is unknown. Here we demonstrated that rice LC2 (OsVIL3) and OsVIL2 (two OsVILs, possible components of PRC2 complex) promote rice flowering. Our results showed that expressions of LC2 and OsVIL2 are induced by SD (short-day) conditions and both lc2 mutant and OsVIL2-RNAi lines display delayed heading date, consistent with the reduced expression levels of Hd1 and Hd3a. Interestingly, LC2 binds to the promoter region of a floral repressor OsLF and represses the OsLF expression via H3K27 tri-methylation modification. In addition, OsLF directly regulates the Hd1 expression through binding to Hd1 promoter. These results first demonstrated that the putative PRC2 in rice is involved in photoperiod flowering regulation, which is different from that of Arabidopsis, and revealed that LC2 binds the promoter region of target gene, presenting a possible mechanism of the recruitment process of PRC2 complex to its target genes. The studies provide informative clues on the epigenetic control of rice flowering.
Copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with changes in gene expression levels and contribute ... more Copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with changes in gene expression levels and contribute to various adaptive traits. Here we show that a CNV at the Grain Length on Chromosome 7 (GL7) locus contributes to grain size diversity in rice (Oryza sativa L.). GL7 encodes a protein homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana LONGIFOLIA proteins, which regulate longitudinal cell elongation. Tandem duplication of a 17.1-kb segment at the GL7 locus leads to upregulation of GL7 and downregulation of its nearby negative regulator, resulting in an increase in grain length and improvement of grain appearance quality. Sequence analysis indicates that allelic variants of GL7 and its negative regulator are associated with grain size diversity and that the CNV at the GL7 locus was selected for and used in breeding. Our work suggests that pyramiding beneficial alleles of GL7 and other yield- and quality-related genes may improve the breeding of elite rice varieties.
In anemic patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ES... more In anemic patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) raise hemoglobin levels and reduce transfusion requirements, but ESA-related safety concerns exist. To evaluate the overall risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with the use of ESAs, a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCT) was performed. The databases of PubMed and Web of Science were searched from January 1966 until December 2012 and abstracts presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology conferences held between January 2000 and December 2012 were searched to identify relevant clinical trials. Summary incidence rates, relative risks (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Data from a total of 11,632 patients with cancer in 50 RCTs were identified and included for meta-analysis. Among those patients receiving ESAs, the summary incidences of all-grade VTE were 7.62%. Patients with cancer who received ESA...
The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, Jan 13, 2015
Despite the importance of host-microbe interactions in natural ecosystems, agriculture and medici... more Despite the importance of host-microbe interactions in natural ecosystems, agriculture and medicine, the impact of long-term (especially decades or longer) microbial colonization on the dynamics of host genomes is not well understood. The vegetable crop "Jiaobai" with enlarged edible stems was domesticated from wild Zizania latifolia (Oryzeae) approximately 2,000 years ago as a result of persistent infection by a fungal endophyte, Ustilago esculenta. Asexual propagation via infected rhizomes is the only means of Jiaobai production and the Z. latifolia-endophyte complex has been maintained continuously for two centuries. Here, genomic analysis revealed that cultivated Z. latifolia has a significantly smaller repertoire of immune receptors compared with wild Z. latifolia. There are widespread gene losses/mutations and expression changes in the plant-pathogen interaction pathway in Jiaobai. These results show that continuous long-standing endophyte association can have a majo...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Jan 29, 2014
Tiller angle, a key agronomic trait for achieving ideal plant architecture and increasing grain y... more Tiller angle, a key agronomic trait for achieving ideal plant architecture and increasing grain yield, is regulated mainly by shoot gravitropism. Strigolactones (SLs) are a group of newly identified plant hormones that are essential for shoot branching/rice tillering and have further biological functions as yet undetermined. Through screening for suppressors of lazy1 (sols), a classic rice mutant exhibiting large tiller angle and defective shoot gravitropism, we identified multiple SOLS that are involved in the SL biosynthetic or signaling pathway. We show that SL biosynthetic or signaling mutants can rescue the spreading phenotype of lazy1 (la1) and that SLs can inhibit auxin biosynthesis and attenuate rice shoot gravitropism, mainly by decreasing the local indoleacetic acid content. Although both SLs and LA1 are negative regulators of polar auxin transport, SLs do not alter the lateral auxin transport of shoot base, unlike LA1, which is a positive regulator of lateral auxin transp...
A rice tiller is a specialized grain-bearing branch that contributes greatly to grain yield. The ... more A rice tiller is a specialized grain-bearing branch that contributes greatly to grain yield. The MONOCULM 1 (MOC1) gene is the first identified key regulator controlling rice tiller number; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here we report a novel rice gene, Tillering and Dwarf 1 (TAD1), which encodes a co-activator of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C), a multi-subunit E3 ligase. Although the elucidation of co-activators and individual subunits of plant APC/C involved in regulating plant development have emerged recently, the understanding of whether and how this large cell-cycle machinery controls plant development is still very limited. Our study demonstrates that TAD1 interacts with MOC1, forms a complex with OsAPC10 and functions as a co-activator of APC/C to target MOC1 for degradation in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. Our findings uncovered a new mechanism underlying shoot branching and shed light on the understanding of how the cell-cycle machine...
Rice is sensitive to cold and can be grown only in certain climate zones. Human selection of japo... more Rice is sensitive to cold and can be grown only in certain climate zones. Human selection of japonica rice has extended its growth zone to regions with lower temperature, while the molecular basis of this adaptation remains unknown. Here, we identify the quantitative trait locus COLD1 that confers chilling tolerance in japonica rice. Overexpression of COLD1(jap) significantly enhances chilling tolerance, whereas rice lines with deficiency or downregulation of COLD1(jap) are sensitive to cold. COLD1 encodes a regulator of G-protein signaling that localizes on plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It interacts with the G-protein α subunit to activate the Ca(2+) channel for sensing low temperature and to accelerate G-protein GTPase activity. We further identify that a SNP in COLD1, SNP2, originated from Chinese Oryza rufipogon, is responsible for the ability of COLD(jap/ind) to confer chilling tolerance, supporting the importance of COLD1 in plant adaptation.
Tangzhiqing fomula (TZQ-F), the mixture of Red Paeony root, Mulberry leaf, Lotus leaf, Danshen ro... more Tangzhiqing fomula (TZQ-F), the mixture of Red Paeony root, Mulberry leaf, Lotus leaf, Danshen root and Hawthorn leaf, regulates the abnormal glucose and lipids in prediabetic patients. In this study, we focus on the mechanism of TZQ-F and its fractions on glucose metabolism. After orally administration of TZQ-F for 4 weeks in KK-Ay mice, we dissected out the liver and muscle, and employed PCR and western blotting to screening the PI3K/AKT pathway. The following PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were performed in L-6 myotube and HepG2 cells. In the liver of KK-Ay mice, no significance was observed on PI3K, AKT and their phosphorylation between TZQ-F and controls , while, in the muscle, up-regulation of PI3K, AKT, Glycogen synthase (GYS) and their phosphorylation type, as well as GluT4, was deteced in TZQ-F. In HepG2 cells, TZQ-F increased IRS-2 by 10 folds, without interrupting AKT, IRS-1 and GluT4. In L-6 myotube cells, TZQ-F and its fractions treatment significantly increased IRS-1 and A...
Calcium phosphate (CaP) materials are widely used in various biomedical areas such as drug/gene d... more Calcium phosphate (CaP) materials are widely used in various biomedical areas such as drug/gene delivery and bone repair/tissue engineering. In this study, amorphous CaP nanospheres synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method are used to prepare the CaP-polylactide (CaP-PLA) composite. Then, the as-prepared CaP-PLA composite is used to coat tantalum (Ta) plates and porous scaffolds. Compared with bare Ta plate, CaP-PLA coated Ta plates show a high performance of surface biomineralization in simulated body fluid (SBF). In addition, the hydrophilicity of the CaP-PLA coated Ta plates is significantly improved. CaP-PLA coated Ta plates with bovine serum albumin (BSA) are prepared and used for the investigation of BSA release in vitro. The experimental results indicate a sustained BSA release property and simultaneous biomineralization of the as-prepared BSA-containing CaP-PLA coated Ta plates. Furthermore, CaP-PLA coated Ta scaffolds are favorable for the human osteoblast-like MG63 ...
The present study examined the influence of expression configuration on cross-identity expression... more The present study examined the influence of expression configuration on cross-identity expression aftereffect. The expression configuration refers to the spatial arrangement of facial features in a face for conveying an emotion, e.g., an open-mouth smile vs. a closed-mouth smile. In the first of two experiments, the expression aftereffect is measured using a cross-identity/cross-expression configuration factorial design. The facial identities of test faces were the same or different from the adaptor, while orthogonally, the expression configurations of those facial identities were also the same or different. The results show that the change of expression configuration impaired the expression aftereffect when the facial identities of adaptor and tests were the same; however, the impairment effect disappears when facial identities were different, indicating the identity-independent expression representation is more robust to the change of the expression configuration in comparison with the identity-dependent expression representation. In the second experiment, we used schematic line faces as adaptors and real faces as tests to minimize the similarity between the adaptor and tests, which is expected to exclude the contribution from the identity-dependent expression representation to expression aftereffect. The second experiment yields a similar result as the identity-independent expression aftereffect observed in Experiment 1. The findings indicate the different neural sensitivities to expression configuration for identity-dependent and identity-independent expression systems.
Zhi Wu Sheng Li Yu Fen Zi Sheng Wu Xue Xue Bao Journal of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, Mar 1, 2006
With K(2)SiO(4) (1.0 mmol/L) treatment, the effects of Si on the distribution of Na(+), K(+) to c... more With K(2)SiO(4) (1.0 mmol/L) treatment, the effects of Si on the distribution of Na(+), K(+) to chloroplasts and antioxidant system of cucumber leaves under 50 mmol/L NaCl stress were studied. The results showed that there was a selective transport of K(+) into the chloroplasts so that Na(+) content of chloroplasts was lower under Si treatment (Table 1); H(2)O(2) and MDA contents in chloroplasts were significantly decreased (Fig.1), and the activities of SOD, APX, GR and DHAR were increased simultaneity (Fig.2), and AsA, GSH contents were also increased in chloroplasts of salt-stressed cucumber by additional Si treatment (Fig.3). It may be concluded that Si could decrease absorption of Na(+) and increase ability of active oxygen scavenging in chloroplasts, therefore the injury of chloroplast membrane under salinity stress in cucumber was alleviated.
Proper flowering time is essential for plant reproduction. Winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana nee... more Proper flowering time is essential for plant reproduction. Winter annual Arabidopsis thaliana needs vernalization before flowering, during which AtVILs (VIN3 and VRN5, components of PRC2 complex) mediate the H3K27 tri-methylation at the FLC locus (a floral repressor) to repress the FLC expression and hence to induce flowering. However, how VILs (VIL, VERNALIZATION INSENSITIVE 3-LIKE) function in rice is unknown. Here we demonstrated that rice LC2 (OsVIL3) and OsVIL2 (two OsVILs, possible components of PRC2 complex) promote rice flowering. Our results showed that expressions of LC2 and OsVIL2 are induced by SD (short-day) conditions and both lc2 mutant and OsVIL2-RNAi lines display delayed heading date, consistent with the reduced expression levels of Hd1 and Hd3a. Interestingly, LC2 binds to the promoter region of a floral repressor OsLF and represses the OsLF expression via H3K27 tri-methylation modification. In addition, OsLF directly regulates the Hd1 expression through binding to Hd1 promoter. These results first demonstrated that the putative PRC2 in rice is involved in photoperiod flowering regulation, which is different from that of Arabidopsis, and revealed that LC2 binds the promoter region of target gene, presenting a possible mechanism of the recruitment process of PRC2 complex to its target genes. The studies provide informative clues on the epigenetic control of rice flowering.
Copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with changes in gene expression levels and contribute ... more Copy number variants (CNVs) are associated with changes in gene expression levels and contribute to various adaptive traits. Here we show that a CNV at the Grain Length on Chromosome 7 (GL7) locus contributes to grain size diversity in rice (Oryza sativa L.). GL7 encodes a protein homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana LONGIFOLIA proteins, which regulate longitudinal cell elongation. Tandem duplication of a 17.1-kb segment at the GL7 locus leads to upregulation of GL7 and downregulation of its nearby negative regulator, resulting in an increase in grain length and improvement of grain appearance quality. Sequence analysis indicates that allelic variants of GL7 and its negative regulator are associated with grain size diversity and that the CNV at the GL7 locus was selected for and used in breeding. Our work suggests that pyramiding beneficial alleles of GL7 and other yield- and quality-related genes may improve the breeding of elite rice varieties.
In anemic patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ES... more In anemic patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy, erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) raise hemoglobin levels and reduce transfusion requirements, but ESA-related safety concerns exist. To evaluate the overall risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) associated with the use of ESAs, a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCT) was performed. The databases of PubMed and Web of Science were searched from January 1966 until December 2012 and abstracts presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology conferences held between January 2000 and December 2012 were searched to identify relevant clinical trials. Summary incidence rates, relative risks (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Data from a total of 11,632 patients with cancer in 50 RCTs were identified and included for meta-analysis. Among those patients receiving ESAs, the summary incidences of all-grade VTE were 7.62%. Patients with cancer who received ESA...
The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, Jan 13, 2015
Despite the importance of host-microbe interactions in natural ecosystems, agriculture and medici... more Despite the importance of host-microbe interactions in natural ecosystems, agriculture and medicine, the impact of long-term (especially decades or longer) microbial colonization on the dynamics of host genomes is not well understood. The vegetable crop "Jiaobai" with enlarged edible stems was domesticated from wild Zizania latifolia (Oryzeae) approximately 2,000 years ago as a result of persistent infection by a fungal endophyte, Ustilago esculenta. Asexual propagation via infected rhizomes is the only means of Jiaobai production and the Z. latifolia-endophyte complex has been maintained continuously for two centuries. Here, genomic analysis revealed that cultivated Z. latifolia has a significantly smaller repertoire of immune receptors compared with wild Z. latifolia. There are widespread gene losses/mutations and expression changes in the plant-pathogen interaction pathway in Jiaobai. These results show that continuous long-standing endophyte association can have a majo...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Jan 29, 2014
Tiller angle, a key agronomic trait for achieving ideal plant architecture and increasing grain y... more Tiller angle, a key agronomic trait for achieving ideal plant architecture and increasing grain yield, is regulated mainly by shoot gravitropism. Strigolactones (SLs) are a group of newly identified plant hormones that are essential for shoot branching/rice tillering and have further biological functions as yet undetermined. Through screening for suppressors of lazy1 (sols), a classic rice mutant exhibiting large tiller angle and defective shoot gravitropism, we identified multiple SOLS that are involved in the SL biosynthetic or signaling pathway. We show that SL biosynthetic or signaling mutants can rescue the spreading phenotype of lazy1 (la1) and that SLs can inhibit auxin biosynthesis and attenuate rice shoot gravitropism, mainly by decreasing the local indoleacetic acid content. Although both SLs and LA1 are negative regulators of polar auxin transport, SLs do not alter the lateral auxin transport of shoot base, unlike LA1, which is a positive regulator of lateral auxin transp...
A rice tiller is a specialized grain-bearing branch that contributes greatly to grain yield. The ... more A rice tiller is a specialized grain-bearing branch that contributes greatly to grain yield. The MONOCULM 1 (MOC1) gene is the first identified key regulator controlling rice tiller number; however, the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. Here we report a novel rice gene, Tillering and Dwarf 1 (TAD1), which encodes a co-activator of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C), a multi-subunit E3 ligase. Although the elucidation of co-activators and individual subunits of plant APC/C involved in regulating plant development have emerged recently, the understanding of whether and how this large cell-cycle machinery controls plant development is still very limited. Our study demonstrates that TAD1 interacts with MOC1, forms a complex with OsAPC10 and functions as a co-activator of APC/C to target MOC1 for degradation in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. Our findings uncovered a new mechanism underlying shoot branching and shed light on the understanding of how the cell-cycle machine...
Rice is sensitive to cold and can be grown only in certain climate zones. Human selection of japo... more Rice is sensitive to cold and can be grown only in certain climate zones. Human selection of japonica rice has extended its growth zone to regions with lower temperature, while the molecular basis of this adaptation remains unknown. Here, we identify the quantitative trait locus COLD1 that confers chilling tolerance in japonica rice. Overexpression of COLD1(jap) significantly enhances chilling tolerance, whereas rice lines with deficiency or downregulation of COLD1(jap) are sensitive to cold. COLD1 encodes a regulator of G-protein signaling that localizes on plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It interacts with the G-protein α subunit to activate the Ca(2+) channel for sensing low temperature and to accelerate G-protein GTPase activity. We further identify that a SNP in COLD1, SNP2, originated from Chinese Oryza rufipogon, is responsible for the ability of COLD(jap/ind) to confer chilling tolerance, supporting the importance of COLD1 in plant adaptation.
Tangzhiqing fomula (TZQ-F), the mixture of Red Paeony root, Mulberry leaf, Lotus leaf, Danshen ro... more Tangzhiqing fomula (TZQ-F), the mixture of Red Paeony root, Mulberry leaf, Lotus leaf, Danshen root and Hawthorn leaf, regulates the abnormal glucose and lipids in prediabetic patients. In this study, we focus on the mechanism of TZQ-F and its fractions on glucose metabolism. After orally administration of TZQ-F for 4 weeks in KK-Ay mice, we dissected out the liver and muscle, and employed PCR and western blotting to screening the PI3K/AKT pathway. The following PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were performed in L-6 myotube and HepG2 cells. In the liver of KK-Ay mice, no significance was observed on PI3K, AKT and their phosphorylation between TZQ-F and controls , while, in the muscle, up-regulation of PI3K, AKT, Glycogen synthase (GYS) and their phosphorylation type, as well as GluT4, was deteced in TZQ-F. In HepG2 cells, TZQ-F increased IRS-2 by 10 folds, without interrupting AKT, IRS-1 and GluT4. In L-6 myotube cells, TZQ-F and its fractions treatment significantly increased IRS-1 and A...
Calcium phosphate (CaP) materials are widely used in various biomedical areas such as drug/gene d... more Calcium phosphate (CaP) materials are widely used in various biomedical areas such as drug/gene delivery and bone repair/tissue engineering. In this study, amorphous CaP nanospheres synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method are used to prepare the CaP-polylactide (CaP-PLA) composite. Then, the as-prepared CaP-PLA composite is used to coat tantalum (Ta) plates and porous scaffolds. Compared with bare Ta plate, CaP-PLA coated Ta plates show a high performance of surface biomineralization in simulated body fluid (SBF). In addition, the hydrophilicity of the CaP-PLA coated Ta plates is significantly improved. CaP-PLA coated Ta plates with bovine serum albumin (BSA) are prepared and used for the investigation of BSA release in vitro. The experimental results indicate a sustained BSA release property and simultaneous biomineralization of the as-prepared BSA-containing CaP-PLA coated Ta plates. Furthermore, CaP-PLA coated Ta scaffolds are favorable for the human osteoblast-like MG63 ...
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