A RAMP marker linked to the tobacco black shank resistant gene

Bulk segregant analysis (BSA) and randomly amplified microsatellite polymorphism (RAMP) were employed to analyze F2 individuals of the Yunyan 317×Hubei 517 to screen and characterize molecularmarkers linked to black shank resistant gene. A total of 800 arbitrary decamer oligonucleotide primerpairs were used for RAMP analysis. Primer pair GT (CA) 4/S89, producing one RAMP marker GT (CA)4/S89550, was tightly linked to the black shank resistant gene. Results of Southern blot suggest that the fragment GT (CA) 4/S89550 was existed in Yunyan 317 and resistant plants, and absent in Hubei 517.Linkage analysis was carried out using marker GT (CA) 4/S89550 on 752 black shank high-resistant individuals of F2 progenies from crossing between Yunyan 317 and Hubei 517. Our results indicated thatthe genetic distances between GT (CA) 4/S89550 and black shank resistant gene was 1.4cM

Initial validation of Chinese Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (C-PAINAD)

2007-2008 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Entanglement of single-photons and chiral phonons in atomically thin WSe2_2

Quantum entanglement is a fundamental phenomenon which, on the one hand, reveals deep connections between quantum mechanics, gravity and the space-time; on the other hand, has practical applications as a key resource in quantum information processing. While it is routinely achieved in photon-atom ensembles, entanglement involving the solid-state or macroscopic objects remains challenging albeit promising for both fundamental physics and technological applications. Here, we report entanglement between collective, chiral vibrations in two-dimensional (2D) WSe$_2$ host --- chiral phonons (CPs) --- and single-photons emitted from quantum dots (QDs) present in it. CPs which carry angular momentum were recently observed in WSe$_2$ and are a distinguishing feature of the underlying honeycomb lattice. The entanglement results from a "which-way" scattering process, involving an optical excitation in a QD and doubly-degenerate CPs, which takes place via two indistinguishable paths. Our unveiling of entanglement involving a macroscopic, collective excitation together with strong interaction between CPs and QDs in 2D materials opens up ways for phonon-driven entanglement of QDs and engineering chiral or non-reciprocal interactions at the single-photon level

Shining Emitter in a Stable Host: Design of Halide Perovskite Scintillators for X-ray Imaging from Commercial Concept

Halide perovskite (HP) nanocrystals (NCs) have recently shown great potential for X-ray detection and imaging. However, the practical application still has a long way to go with many technical requirements waiting to be fulfilled, including structure optimization, stability enhancement, and cost reduction. A design principle in this beginning stage is urgently needed but still lacking. Herein, with an “emitter-in-matrix” principle refined from commercial scintillators, CsPbBr3@Cs4PbBr6 with emissive CsPbBr3 NCs embedded inside a solid-state Cs4PbBr6 host is subjected to X-ray sensing and imaging. The Cs4PbBr6 matrix not only enhances the attenuation of X-rays but also dramatically improves the stability of CsPbBr3 NCs. A favorable optical design with the Cs4PbBr6 matrix being transparent to the emission from CsPbBr3 NCs enables efficient light output. As a result, stable and sensitive scintillation response to X-ray signals is demonstrated with superior linearity and ultrahigh time resolution. In order to show the huge potential for practical applications, X-ray imaging using a large-area film (360 mm × 240 mm) by the blade-coating technique is carried out to obtain a high-quality image of interior structures invisible to the human eye. In addition to the above advantages in optics, CsPbBr3@Cs4PbBr6 also enjoys facile solution synthesis with large scalability, excellent repeatability, and low cost

Pseudogap temperature as a Widom line in doped Mott insulators

The pseudogap refers to an enigmatic state of matter with unusual physical properties found below a characteristic temperature $T^*$ in hole-doped high-temperature superconductors. Determining $T^*$ is critical for understanding this state. Here we study the simplest model of correlated electron systems, the Hubbard model, with cluster dynamical mean-field theory to find out whether the pseudogap can occur solely because of strong coupling physics and short nonlocal correlations. We find that the pseudogap characteristic temperature $T^*$ is a sharp crossover between different dynamical regimes along a line of thermodynamic anomalies that appears above a first-order phase transition, the Widom line. The Widom line emanating from the critical endpoint of a first-order transition is thus the organizing principle for the pseudogap phase diagram of the cuprates. No additional broken symmetry is necessary to explain the phenomenon. Broken symmetry states appear in the pseudogap and not the other way around.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures and supplementary information; published versio

Mechanistic Investigation of the Specific Anticancer Property of Artemisinin and Its Combination with Aminolevulinic Acid for Enhanced Anticolorectal Cancer Activity.

The antimalarial artemisinin (ART) possesses anticancer activity, but its underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. Using a chemical proteomics approach with artemisinin-based activity probes, we identified over 300 specific ART targets. This reveals an anticancer mechanism whereby ART promiscuously targets multiple critical biological pathways and leads to cancer cell death. The specific cytotoxicity of ART against colorectal cancer (CRC) cells rather than normal colon epithelial cells is due to the elevated capacity of heme synthesis in the cancer cells. Guided by this mechanism, the specific cytotoxicity of ART toward CRC cells can be dramatically enhanced with the addition of aminolevulinic acid (ALA), a clinically used heme synthesis precursor, to increase heme levels. Importantly, this novel ART/ALA combination therapy proves to be more effective than an ART monotherapy in a mouse xenograft CRC model. Thus, ART can be repurposed and potentiated by exploitation of its mechanism of action and the metabolic features of the CRC cells

Identification and Characterization of Novel Mutations in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) in Saudi Subjects by Whole-Exome Sequencing

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a condition usually caused by a single gene mutation and manifested by both renal and extrarenal features, eventually leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by the median age of 60 years worldwide. Approximately 89% of ADPKD patients had either PKD1 or PKD2 gene mutations. The majority (85%) of the mutations are in the PKD1 gene, especially in the context of family history. Objectives: This study investigated the genetic basis and the undiscovered genes that are involved in ADPKD development among the Saudi population. Materials and Methods: In this study, 11 patients with chronic kidney disease were enrolled. The diagnosis of ADPKD was based on history and diagnostic images: CT images include enlargement of renal outlines, renal echogenicity, and presence of multiple renal cysts with dilated collecting ducts, loss of corticomedullary differentiation, and changes in GFR and serum creatinine levels. Next-generation whole-exome sequencing was conducted using the Ion Torrent PGM platform. Results: Of the 11 Saudi patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and ADPKD, the most common heterozygote nonsynonymous variant in the PKD1 gene was exon15: (c.4264G > A). Two missense mutations were identified with a PKD1 (c.1758A > C and c.9774T > G), and one patient had a PKD2 mutation (c.1445T > G). Three detected variants were novel, identified at PKD1 (c.1758A > C), PKD2L2 (c.1364A > T), and TSC2 (deletion of a'a at the 3'UTR, R1680C) genes. Other variants in PKD1L1 (c.3813_381 4delinsTG) and PKD1L2 (c.404C > T) were also detected. The median age of end-stage renal disease for ADPK patients in Saudi Arabia was 30 years. Conclusion: This study reported a common variant in the PKD1 gene in Saudi patients with typical ADPKD. We also reported (to our knowledge) for the first time two novel missense variants in PKD1 and PKD2L2 genes and one indel mutation at the 3'UTR of the TSC2 gene. This study establishes that the reported mutations in the affected genes resulted in ADPKD development in the Saudi population by a median age of 30. Nevertheless, future protein-protein interaction studies to investigate the influence of these mutations on PKD1 and PKD2 functions are required. Furthermore, large-scale population-based studies to verify these findings are recommended

Architecture of Pol II(G) and molecular mechanism of transcription regulation by Gdown1.

Tight binding of Gdown1 represses RNA polymerase II (Pol II) function in a manner that is reversed by Mediator, but the structural basis of these processes is unclear. Although Gdown1 is intrinsically disordered, its Pol II interacting domains were localized and shown to occlude transcription factor IIF (TFIIF) and transcription factor IIB (TFIIB) binding by perfect positioning on their Pol II interaction sites. Robust binding of Gdown1 to Pol II is established by cooperative interactions of a strong Pol II binding region and two weaker binding modulatory regions, thus providing a mechanism both for tight Pol II binding and transcription inhibition and for its reversal. In support of a physiological function for Gdown1 in transcription repression, Gdown1 co-localizes with Pol II in transcriptionally silent nuclei of early Drosophila embryos but re-localizes to the cytoplasm during zygotic genome activation. Our study reveals a self-inactivation through Gdown1 binding as a unique mode of repression in Pol II function

Protocol for the Foot in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis trial (FiJIA): a randomised controlled trial of an integrated foot care programme for foot problems in JIA

<b>Background</b>: Foot and ankle problems are a common but relatively neglected manifestation of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Studies of medical and non-medical interventions have shown that clinical outcome measures can be improved. However existing data has been drawn from small non-randomised clinical studies of single interventions that appear to under-represent the adult population suffering from juvenile idiopathic arthritis. To date, no evidence of combined therapies or integrated care for juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients with foot and ankle problems exists. <b>Methods/design</b>: An exploratory phase II non-pharmacological randomised controlled trial where patients including young children, adolescents and adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and associated foot/ankle problems will be randomised to receive integrated podiatric care via a new foot care programme, or to receive standard podiatry care. Sixty patients (30 in each arm) including children, adolescents and adults diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis who satisfy the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be recruited from 2 outpatient centres of paediatric and adult rheumatology respectively. Participants will be randomised by process of minimisation using the Minim software package. The primary outcome measure is the foot related impairment measured by the Juvenile Arthritis Disability Index questionnaire's impairment domain at 6 and 12 months, with secondary outcomes including disease activity score, foot deformity score, active/limited foot joint counts, spatio-temporal and plantar-pressure gait parameters, health related quality of life and semi-quantitative ultrasonography score for inflammatory foot lesions. The new foot care programme will comprise rapid assessment and investigation, targeted treatment, with detailed outcome assessment and follow-up at minimum intervals of 3 months. Data will be collected at baseline, 6 months and 12 months from baseline. Intention to treat data analysis will be conducted. A full health economic evaluation will be conducted alongside the trial and will evaluate the cost effectiveness of the intervention. This will consider the cost per improvement in Juvenile Arthritis Disability Index, and cost per quality adjusted life year gained. In addition, a discrete choice experiment will elicit willingness to pay values and a cost benefit analysis will also be undertaken