The Effect of the Sloping Land Conversion Programme on Farm Household Productivity in Rural China

<p>The objective of this paper is to examine the treatment effect on farm household productivity induced by the Sloping Land Conversion Program. Using large balanced household level data from five provinces during 1996–2010, this study shows that the SLCP significantly improved the productivity of participants during the first round of funding of the programme until 2008, while the effects decreased gradually in the second round with most years not showing significant differences. Moreover, it is found that there are heterogeneous effects on farm household productivity between the south and north, as well as between poor and rich regions.</p

Facile Synthesis, Metastable Phase Induced Morphological Evolution and Crystal Ripening, and Structure-Dependent Photocatalytic Properties of 3D Hierarchical Anatase Superstructures

Unique 3D hierarchical anatase TiO₂ superstructures with evolvable morphologies and tunable sizes were successfully fabricated through a facile solvothermal route without using any structure-directing additives. A complex assembly process involving nucleation of nascent nanoparticles, agglomeration and ordered attachment of tiny nanocrystals, and regrowth induced by metastable crystal phase was put forward for the formation and morphology evolution of the anatase superstructures. It was revealed the crystalline phase experienced a ripening process from semicrystal to mesocrystal status accompanying the morphologies evolving from peony-like to chrysanthemum-like and eventually to spherical structures. The obtained 3D hierarchical anatase TiO₂ superstructures exhibited superior photocatalytic activities for organic pollutant degradation, which could be largely attributed to the more efficient light-harvesting ability and the high specific surface area of the unique structures

Source and Migration of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in the Coastal East China Sea Using Multiproxies of Marine Organic Geochemistry

Multiple proxies of terrestrial organic matters (TOM) were introduced to study the migration behaviors of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in the coastal East China Sea (ECS). The contents of SCCPs in the surface sediment collected from Changjiang (Yangtze) River Delta (CRD) and along the Zhejiang–Fujian coastline ranged from 9.0 to 37.2 ng/g (dry weight, d.w.), displaying a “band-style” distribution trend. Spatial distribution patterns of SCCP congeners presented an increasing trend seaward and southward along the coastline for shorter carbon length (C₁₀ + C₁₁) and lower chlorinated (Cl₅ + Cl₆ + Cl₇) congeners, suggesting a spreading tendency seaward and southward from the CRD and the north of the inner shelf. The significant relationship between ΣSCCPs and total organic carbons (TOC) (<i>r</i>² = 0.402, <i>p</i> < 0.05) indicated that the migration of SCCPs in sediments was markedly affected by TOC. The spatial patterns of the TOM proxies of TOC δ¹³C, the contents of ΣC₂₇ + C₂₉ + C₃₁ <i>n</i>-alkanes, terrestrial marine biomarker ratio (TMBR), and terrestrial TOC (T-TOC) were all similar to that of ΣSCCPs. Linear relationships between SCCP contents and both the contents of ΣC₂₇ + C₂₉ + C₃₁ <i>n</i>-alkanes (<i>r</i>² = 0.537, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and T-TOC (<i>r</i>² = 0.495, <i>p</i> < 0.05) were also observed. The consistence demonstrated that a major portion of sedimentary SCCPs in the coastal ECS should be from the river input of Changjiang River and deposited in the CRD and along the inner shelf of the ECS, but only a minor fraction was transported to the offshore areas

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Background and objective<p>Promoter status of O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) has been widely established as a clinically relevant factor in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. However, in addition to varied therapy schedule, the prognosis of GBM patients is also affected by variations of age, race, primary or recurrent tumor. This study comprehensively investigated the association between MGMT promoter status and prognosis in overall GBM patients and in different GBM subtype including new diagnosed patients, recurrent patients and elderly patients.</p>Methods<p>A comprehensive search was performed using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane databases to identify literatures (published from January 1, 2005 to April 1, 2017) that evaluated the associations between MGMT promoter methylation and prognosis of GBM patients.</p>Results<p>Totally, 66 studies including 7,886 patients met the inclusion criteria. Overall GBM patients with a methylated status of MGMT receiving temozolomide (TMZ)-containing treatment had better overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) [OS: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.41–0.52, p < 0.001, Bon = 0.017; PFS: HR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.40–0.57, p < 0.001, Bon = 0.014], but no significant advantage on OS or PFS in GBM patients with TMZ-free treatment was observed (OS: HR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.91–1.03, p = 0.08, Bon = 1; PFS: HR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.57–1.02, p = 0.068, Bon = 0.748). These different impacts of MGMT status on OS were similar in newly diagnosed GBM patients, elderly GBM patients and recurrent GBM. Among patients receiving TMZ-free treatment, survival benefit in Asian patients was not observed anymore after Bonferroni correction (Asian OS: HR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.64–0.95, p = 0.02, Bon = 0.24, I² = 0%; PFS: HR = 0.69, 95% CI 0.50–0.94, p = 0.02, Bon = 0.24). No benefit was observed in Caucasian receiving TMZ-free therapy regardless of Bonferroni adjustment.</p>Conclusion<p>The meta-analysis highlights the universal predictive value of MGMT methylation in newly diagnosed GBM patients, elderly GBM patients and recurrent GBM patients. For elderly methylated GBM patients, TMZ alone therapy might be a more suitable option than radiotherapy alone therapy. Future clinical trials should be designed in order to optimize therapeutics in different GBM subpopulation.</p

A mutation in porcine pre-miR-15b alters the biogenesis of MiR-15b\16-1 cluster and strand selection of MiR-15b

<div><p>MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that are involved in translational regulation of the messenger RNA molecules. Sequence variations in the genes encoding miRNAs could influence their biogenesis and function. MiR-15b plays an important role in cellular proliferation, apoptosis and the cell cycle. Here, we report the identification of a C58T mutation in porcine pre-miR-15b. Through <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> experiments, we determined that this mutation blocks the transition from pri-miRNA to pre-miRNA, alters the strand selection between miR-15b-5p and miR-15b-3p, and obstructs biogenesis of the downstream miR-16-1. These results serve to highlight the importance of miRNA mutations and their impacts on miRNA biogenesis.</p></div

Spontaneous single nucleotide polymorphism in porcine microRNA-378 seed region leads to functional alteration

<p>Sequence variation in a microRNA (miRNA) seed region can influence its biogenesis and effects on target mRNAs; however, in mammals, few seed region mutations leading to functional alterations have been reported to date. Here, we report the identification of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with functional consequence located in the seed region of porcine miR-378. <i>In vitro</i> analysis of this rs331295049 A17G SNP showed significantly up-regulated expression of the mature miR-378 (miR-378/G). <i>In silico</i> target prediction indicated that the SNP would modulate secondary structure and result in functional loss affecting >85% of the known target genes of the wild-type miR-378 (miR-378/A), and functional gain affecting >700 new target genes, and dual-luciferase reporter assay verified this result. This report of a SNP in the seed region of miR-378 leads to functional alteration and indicates the potential for substantive functional consequences to the molecular physiology of a mammalian organism.</p> <p>The SNP changed the secondary structure of pre-miR-378 and increased the production of mutant miR-378. Functionally, the SNP lead to loss and gain of miR-378 targets.</p

Allele and genotype frequencies of pre-miR-15b in the three different pig breeds.

<p>Allele and genotype frequencies of pre-miR-15b in the three different pig breeds.</p

Rs334680106 blocks the processing of pri-miR-15b to pre-miR-15b.

<p>(A) Schematic diagram of the specific primers designed to amplify pri-miR-15b and pre-miR-15b; the pri-miR-15b-F1 and precursor-miR-15b-R were used to amplify pri-miR-15b, and the pri-miR-15b-F2 and precursor-miR-15b-R were used to amplify the total level of pri-miR-15b and pre-miR-15b. Quantitative RT–PCR was used to measure level of pre-miR-15b (B) and pri-miR-15b (C) in 293 cells transduced by PmR-miR-15b-W, PmR-miR-15b-M and the control PmR-mCherry expression vector. MCherry was used as the internal control. Transfection was repeated three times. Data are presented as mean ± SD. **<i>P</i><0.01.</p

Rs334680106 alters miRNA expression <i>in vitro</i>.

<p>(A) Schematic representation of PmR-miR-15b-wild-type (W) and PmR-miR-15b-mutant (M) overexpression vectors. Quantitative RT–PCR was used to measure level of mature miR-15b-5p(B), miR-15b-3p(C) and miR-16(D) in 293 cells transduced by PmR-miR-15b-W, PmR-miR-15b-M and the control PmR-mCherry expression vector. MCherry was used as the internal control. Transfection was repeated three times. Data are presented as mean ± SD. **<i>P</i><0.01.</p

A mutation in porcine pre-miR-15b alters the biogenesis of MiR-15b\16-1 cluster and strand selection of MiR-15b - Fig 4

<p><b>The expression ratio of miR-15b-5p to miR-15b-3p in wild-type (A) and mutant-type (B) groups.</b> Quantitative RT–PCR was used to measure level of mature miR-15b-5p and miR-15b-3p in 293 cells transduced by PmR-miR-15b-W(A), PmR-miR-15b-M(B). U6 was used as the internal control. Transfection was repeated three times. Data are presented as mean ± SD.</p