Thrusting and exhumation of the southern Mongolian Plateau: Joint thermochronological constraints from the Langshan Mountains, western Inner Mongolia, China

The Mongolian Plateau has undergone multi-stage denudation since the Late Triassic, and the NE-trending Langshan Mountains in the southern margin of the Mongolian Plateau is crucial to unraveling the Meso-Cenozoic cooling and exhumation history of the Mongolian Plateau. The Langshan Mountains are dominated by Precambrian gneiss and Permian–Middle Triassic granitic plutons crosscut by a set of NE-striking thrust faults. A joint thermochronological study was conducted on 31 granitic and gneissic samples along the HQ and CU transects across the Langshan Mountains and other two samples from the BQ in the north of the Langshan Mountains. Four biotite/muscovite and three K-feldspar 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages range from 205 ± 1 to 161 ± 1 and 167 ± 1 to 131 ± 1 Ma, respectively. Thirty-three apatite fission track (AFT) ages are between 184 ± 11 and 79 ± 4 Ma, with mean track lengths from 11.1 ± 1.8 to 13.1 ± 1.4 μm of mostly unimodal distributions. Thirty-one single-grain raw AHe ages are in a range of 134 ± 8 to 21 ± 1 Ma. The AFT ages decrease monotonously from NW to SE until thrust faults along the two transects, with an age-jump across thrust F35. Joint thermal history modelling shows a three-stage cooling history as a result of denudation, especially with spatial differentiation in the first stage. Relative slow cooling at c. 0.6–1.0 °C/Ma occurred in the BQ and the northern part of the HQ transect during 220–100 Ma and the northern part of the CU transect during 160–100 Ma, respectively, with an amount of c. 2–3 km denudation between 160 and 100 Ma, implying little movement along the thrusts F13 and F33. In the middle and southern parts of the HQ transect and the southern part of the CU transect, rapid cooling at c. 4.0–7.0 °C/Ma, with c. 6–9 km denudation during 170–130 or 160–100 Ma, respectively, is probably influenced by thrusting of F35, F38 and F42 and the resultant tilting. A combination of thrusting, tilting, and denudation led to the youngering trends towards thrusts in different parts. However, there was no significant denudation across the Langshan Mountains in the second stage from c. 100 or 80 Ma until the last stage of rapid denudation (c. 2 km) since 20–10 Ma, which is simultaneous with the rapid uplift of the northern part of the Tibetan Plateau at c. 15 Ma. A youngering trend of AFT ages from the inner to the peripherals of the Mongolian Plateau implies the outward propagation of the Mongolian Plateau since the Mesozoic

An investigation of the health value and self-care capabilities of the elderly in urban-rural fringe area nursing homes and the related influencing factors

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the health value and self-care capabilities of the elderly living in urban-rural fringe area nursing homes and the factors that influence these variables.MethodsA cluster sampling method was used to select 280 elderly individuals from seven urban-rural fringe communities in Xianning to complete a survey regarding their health value and self-care capabilities.ResultsThe total health value and self-care capability scores of the elderly were 7.45 ± 1.45 and 100.25 ± 22.56, respectively. Both of these scores significantly differed by age, education level, marital status, and income (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Self-care capability was correlated with health value (r = 0.521). A multivariate linear regression analysis showed that health value, marital status, and age predicted self-care capability.ConclusionsElderly people living in the urban-rural fringe area with higher health values also had higher self-care capabilities. The self-care capabilities of the elderly can be enhanced by improving their health value using the “knowing-trusting-acting” model

Overexpression of DNA damage-induced 45 α gene contributes to esophageal squamous cell cancer by promoter hypomethylation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Environmental factors-induced dysfunction of esophageal squamous epithelium, including genomic DNA impairment and apoptosis, play an important role in the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell cancer. DNA damage-induced 45α (GADD45α) has been found promoting DNA repair and removing methylation marker, Therefore, in this study we will investigate whether GADD45α expression is induced and its mechanism in esophageal squamous cell cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two human esophageal squamous cell lines (ESCC), ECA109 and KYSE510 were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). Lipofectamine 2000 was used to transfect cells. mRNA level of GADD45α was measured by reverse transcription-quantitive PCR (RT-qPCR), protein level of GADD45α was detected by western blot and Immunohistochemistry. Global DNA methylation of tissue sample was measured using the Methylamp Global DNA Methylation Quantification Ultra kit (Epigentek Group) and promoter methylation was measured by bisulfite sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>GADD45a mRNA and protein levels were increased significantly in tumor tissue than that in adjacent normal tissue. Hypomethylation of global genomic DNA and GADD45α promoter were found in ESCC. The cell sensitivity to Cisplatin DDP was decreased significantly in Eca109 and Kyse510 cells, in which GADD45α expression was down-regulated by RNA interference (RNAi). In addition, silence of GADD45a expression in ESCC cells inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Overexpression of GADD45α gene is due to DNA hypomethylation in ESCC. GADD45α may be a protective factor in DDP chemotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.</p

Gelatinase-stimuli strategy enhances the tumor delivery and therapeutic efficacy of docetaxel-loaded poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ɛ-caprolactone) nanoparticles

Nanoscale drug carriers have been extensively developed to improve drug therapeutic efficiency. However, delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumor tissues and cells has not been favorably managed. In this study, we developed a novel “intelligent” nanoparticle, consisting of a gelatinase-cleavage peptide with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL)-based structure for tumor-targeted docetaxel delivery (DOC-TNPs). The docetaxel-loaded PEG-PCL nanoparticles (DOC-NPs) that did not display gelatinase-stimuli behaviors were used as a control. We found clear evidence that the DOC-TNPs were transformed by gelatinases, allowing drug release and enhancing the cellular uptake of DOC (P < 0.01). In vivo biodistribution study demonstrated that targeted DOC-TNPs could accumulate and remain in the tumor regions, whereas non-targeted DOC-NPs rapidly eliminated from the tumor tissues. DOC-TNPs exhibited higher tumor growth suppression than commercialized Taxotere® (docetaxel; Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Company, Jiangsu, China) and DOC-NPs on hepatic H22 tumor model via intravenous administration (P < 0.01). Both in vitro and in vivo experiments suggest that the gelatinase-mediated nanoscale delivery system is promising for improvement of antitumor efficacy in various overexpressed gelatinase cancers

Control of Cotton Fibre Elongation by a Homeodomain Transcription Factor GhHOX3

Cotton fibres are unusually long, single-celled epidermal seed trichomes and a model for plant cell growth, but little is known about the regulation of fibre cell elongation. Here we report that a homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIP) transcription factor, GhHOX3, controls cotton fibre elongation. GhHOX3 genes are localized to the 12th homoeologous chromosome set of allotetraploid cotton cultivars, associated with quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for fibre length. Silencing of GhHOX3 greatly reduces (\u3e80%) fibre length, whereas its overexpression leads to longer fibre. Combined transcriptomic and biochemical analyses identify target genes of GhHOX3 that also contain the L1-box cis-element, including two cell wall loosening protein genes GhRDL1 and GhEXPA1. GhHOX3 interacts with GhHD1, another homeodomain protein, resulting in enhanced transcriptional activity, and with cotton DELLA, GhSLR1, repressor of the growth hormone gibberellin (GA). GhSLR1 interferes with the GhHOX3–GhHD1 interaction and represses target gene transcription. Our results uncover a novel mechanism whereby a homeodomain protein transduces GA signal to promote fibre cell elongation

Transcriptome profiling and digital gene expression by deep-sequencing in normal/regenerative tissues of planarian Dugesia japonica

AbstractPlanarians exhibit an extraordinary ability to regenerate lost body parts which is attributed to an abundance of pluripotent somatic stem cells called neoblasts. In this article, we report a transcriptome sequence of a Planaria subspecies Dugesia japonica derived by high-throughput sequencing. In addition, we researched transcriptome changes during different periods of regeneration by using a tag-based digital gene expression (DGE) system. Consequently, 11,913,548 transcriptome sequencing reads were obtained. Finally, these reads were eventually assembled into 37,218 unique unigenes. These assembled unigenes were annotated with various methods. Transcriptome changes during planarian regeneration were investigated by using a tag-based DGE system. We obtained a sequencing depth of more than 3.5million tags per sample and identified a large number of differentially expressed genes at various stages of regeneration. The results provide a fairly comprehensive molecular biology background to the research on planarian development, particularly with regard to its regeneration progress

Clonal Spread of Escherichia coli ST93 Carrying mcr-1-Harboring IncN1-IncHI2/ST3 Plasmid Among Companion Animals, China

The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in Enterobacteriaceae isolates from companion animals in Guangzhou, China. Enterobacteriaceae isolated from 180 samples collected from cats and dogs were screened for mcr-1 by PCR and sequencing. MCR-1-producing isolates were further characterized by multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Plasmid characterization was performed by conjugation, replicon typing, S1-PFGE, and Southern blot hybridization. Plasmid pHN6DS2 as a representative IncN1-IncHI2/ST3 plasmid from ST93 E. coli was fully sequenced. pHN6DS2-like plasmids were screened by PCR-mapping and sequencing. The mcr-1 gene was detected in 6.25% (8/128) Escherichia coli isolates, of which, five belonged to E. coli ST93 and had identical PFGE patterns, resistance profiles and resistance genes. mcr-1 genes were located on ∼244.4 kb plasmids (n = 6), ∼70 kb plasmids, and ∼60 kb plasmids, respectively. Among them, five mcr-1-carrying plasmids were successfully transferred to recipient by conjugation experiments, and were classified as IncN1-IncHI2/ST3 (∼244.4 kb, n = 4, all obtained from E. coli ST93), and IncI2 (∼70 kb, n = 1), respectively. Plasmid pHN6DS2 contained a typical IncHI2-type backbone, with IncN1 segment (ΔrepA-Iterons I-gshB-ΔIS1294) inserted into the multiresistance region, and was similar to other mcr-1-carrying IncHI2/ST3 plasmids from Enterobacteriaceae isolates of various origins in China. The remaining five mcr-1-bearing plasmids with sizes of ∼244.4 kb were identified to be pHN6DS2-like plasmids. In conclusion, clonal spread of ST93 E. coli isolates was occurred in companion animals in Guangzhou, China

Combination of label-free quantitative proteomics and transcriptomics reveals intraspecific venom variation between the two strains of Tetrastichus brontispae, a parasitoid of two invasive beetles

The venom apparatus is a conserved organ in parasitoids that shows adaptations correlated with life-style diversification. Combining transcriptomics and label-free quantitative proteomics, here we explored the venom apparatus components of the endoparasitoid Tetrastichus brontispae (Eulophidae), and provide a comparison of the venom apparatus proteomes between its two closely related strains, T. brontispae-Octodonta nipae (Tb-On) and T. brontispae-Brontispa longissima (Tb-Bl). Tb-Bl targets the B. longissima pupa as its habitual host. However, Tb-On is an experimental derivative of Tb-Bl, which has been exposed to the O. nipae pupa as host consecutively for over 40 generation. Results showed that approximately 1505 venom proteins were identified in the T. brontispae venom apparatus. The extracts contained novel venom proteins, such as 4-coumarate-CoA ligase 4. A comparative venom proteome analysis revealed that significant quantitative and qualitative differences in venom composition exist between the two strains; although the most abundant venom proteins were shared between them. The differentially produced proteins were mainly enriched in fatty acid biosynthesis and melanotic encapsulation response. Six of these enriched proteins presented increased levels in Tb-On, and this result was validated by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) analysis. Overall, our data reveal that venom composition can evolve quickly and respond to host selection