Parameters of DCE-MRI in different groups.

<p>Note.—Data are mean ± standard deviations.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05,</p><p>**<i>P</i><0.01 for comparison with rats in normal group.</p><p>^#<i>P</i><0.05 for comparison with rats in mild group.</p><p>K^trans = transfer constant, K_ep = rate constant, V_e = extravascular extracellular volume fraction; iAUC = initial area under the gadolinium concentration-time curve.</p><p>Parameters of DCE-MRI in different groups.</p

The results of serial combined examination for blood markers and DCE-MRI parameters.

<p>ALT = alanine transaminase; AST = aspartate transaminase; K^trans = transfer constant, iAUC = initial area under the gadolinium concentration-time curve.</p><p>The results of serial combined examination for blood markers and DCE-MRI parameters.</p

Bar graph of the relative enhancement of different groups at 15, 20, 25 minutes after contrast agent injection.

<p>Bar graph of the relative enhancement of different groups at 15, 20, 25 minutes after contrast agent injection.</p

ROC curves for DCE-MRI parameters for diagnosis in rats with (a) fibrosis (stage F1 and greater) and (b) advanced fibrosis (stage F3 and F4).

<p>ROC curves for DCE-MRI parameters for diagnosis in rats with (a) fibrosis (stage F1 and greater) and (b) advanced fibrosis (stage F3 and F4).</p

Images of DCE-MRI, K^trans, relative enhancement-time curve, hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained (Original magnification, ×100), Masson trichrome-stained (Original magnification, ×100.) and SMA (Original magnification, ×400.) of normal liver, mild liver fibrosis (F2), and advanced liver fibrosis (F4) in rats.

<p>The images of DCE-MRI show the selection of ROIs of artery input function, vein input function, and liver, and the color of ROIs correspond to that of RE-time curves. DCE-MRI = dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI; HE = hematoxylin-eosin; K^trans = transfer constant; RE = relative enhancement; SMA = smooth muscle actin.</p

The serum level of blood markers in different groups.

<p>Note.—Data are mean ± standard deviations.</p><p>*<i>P</i><0.05,</p><p>** <i>P</i><0.01 for comparison with rats in normal group.</p><p>^#<i>P</i><0.05 for comparison with rats in mild group.</p><p>ALT = alanine transaminase; AST = aspartate transaminase; ALP = alkaline phosphatase; PCIII = procollagen type III; IV-C = collagen type IV; LN = laminin; HA = hyaluronic acid.</p><p>The serum level of blood markers in different groups.</p

Targeted Mutagenesis in Plant Cells through Transformation of Sequence-Specific Nuclease mRNA

<div><p>Plant genome engineering using sequence-specific nucleases (SSNs) promises to advance basic and applied plant research by enabling precise modification of endogenous genes. Whereas DNA is an effective means for delivering SSNs, DNA can integrate randomly into the plant genome, leading to unintentional gene inactivation. Further, prolonged expression of SSNs from DNA constructs can lead to the accumulation of off-target mutations. Here, we tested a new approach for SSN delivery to plant cells, namely transformation of messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding TAL effector nucleases (TALENs). mRNA delivery of a TALEN pair targeting the <i>Nicotiana benthamiana</i> ALS gene resulted in mutation frequencies of approximately 6% in comparison to DNA delivery, which resulted in mutation frequencies of 70.5%. mRNA delivery resulted in three-fold fewer insertions, and 76% were <10bp; in contrast, 88% of insertions generated through DNA delivery were >10bp. In an effort to increase mutation frequencies using mRNA, we fused several different 5’ and 3’ untranslated regions (UTRs) from <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> genes to the TALEN coding sequence. UTRs from an <i>A</i>. <i>thaliana</i> adenine nucleotide α hydrolases-like gene (At1G09740) enhanced mutation frequencies approximately two-fold, relative to a no-UTR control. These results indicate that mRNA can be used as a delivery vehicle for SSNs, and that manipulation of mRNA UTRs can influence efficiencies of genome editing.</p></div

The CRG retroelement co-localizes with CENH3 immunostaining.

<p>A. Immunostaining using anti-CENH3 antiserum on cotton mitotic chromosomes. Top, DAPI-stained chromosomes (blue) at anaphase are stained with anti-CENH3 (green), which localizes to the centromere region. Bottom, DAPI-stained chromosomes (blue) at metaphase are stained with anti-CENH3 (red), which localizes to the centromere region. B. Co-localization of anti-CENH3 immunostaining (red) and FISH signal with CRG1 probe (green) on cotton mitotic metaphase chromosomes (blue). Scale bar is 5 µm in A and B.</p

CRG elements are present in other <i>Gossypium</i> species.

<p>DNA dot blots of genomic DNA from diploid and tetraploid <i>Gossypium</i> species representing the indicated genomic groups (key, right panel with dots numbered sequentially and genome type indicated, see below) were hybridized with the indicated probes. Probes: LTR, CRG1 LTR; INTERNAL, non-LTR internal sequence for short CRG1 element; longINT, non-LTR sequence for long CRG2 element; BAC, centromere-localized BAC Gh53H10; 194, 194-nt tandem repeat; pXP1-80; 5S rDNA; 18S rDNA. Species: 1, <i>G. herbaceum</i> (A1); 2, <i>G. arboreum</i> (A2); 3, <i>G. anomalum</i> (B1); 4 <i>G. pulchellum</i> (C8); 5, <i>G. nandewarense</i> (C1); 6, <i>G. davidsonii</i> (D3-D); 7, <i>G. klotzschianum</i> (D3-K); 8, <i>G. raimondii</i> (D5-2); 9, <i>G. hirsutum</i> TX 61 (AD1); 10, <i>G. barbadense</i> (AD2); 11, <i>G. mustelinum</i> (AD4); 12, <i>G. hirsutum</i> cultivar TM-1 (AD1); 13, <i>G. stocksii</i> (E1); 14, <i>G. somalense</i> (E2); 15, <i>G. longicalyx</i> (F1); 16, <i>G. nelsonii</i> (G).</p

Tandem repeats localize to non-centromeric regions in <i>G. hirsutum</i>.

<p>DAPI-stained mitotic metaphase cotton chromosomes (left panels, blue) were hybridized with FISH probes for two different tandem repeats (center panels, red and green). The merged images show whether the repeats localize to the centromere, or colocalize with other genomic markers.</p