STAT2*C related genotypes and allele but not TLR4 and CD40 gene polymorphisms are associated with higher susceptibility for asthma

[[abstract]]Objective: Asthma is caused by a complex interaction between multiple genes and environmental factors. Herein we aimed to investigate whether signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT2), toll-like receptors 4 (TLRs4) and CD40-related polymorphisms are associated with asthma susceptibility. Design: Children were divided: (1) asthma (n=117); (2) normal controls (n=60). The polymorphisms of STAT2, TLR4 and CD40 polymorphism were analyzed by PCR-RFLP genotyping. Genotypes, allelic frequencies and association of haplotypes in both groups were compared. Results: STAT2*C related genotypes, but not TLR4 and CD40 polymorphism, are associated with higher susceptibility for asthma. Distributions of STAT2*CC/CG/GG and C/G allele in both groups are: (1) 0/11.1/88.9% and 5.6/94.4%; (2) 0/1.7/98.3% and 0.8/99.2% (p<0.05). Proportions of TLR4*rs10983755 AA/AG/GG and rs1927914 CC/CT/TT homozygote are: (1) 35.1/8.5/56.4% and 9.4/56.4/34.2%; (2) 35/8.3/56.7% and 16.7/48.3/35% (non-difference). Proportions of CD40*rs1883832 CC/CT/TT, rs3765459 AA/AG/GG, and rs4810485 TT/GT/GG are: (1) 29.9/53/17.1%, 6.8/47.9/45.3 and 18.8/62.4/18.8%; (2) 36.7/41.7/21.6%, 1.6/46.7/51.7 and 15/51.7/33.3% (non-difference). Haplotype analyses for TLR4 and CD40 genes revealed their non-association and non-additional effect upon asthma susceptibilities. Conclusion: STAT2*C related genotypes and alleles are associated with asthma susceptibilities and pathogenesis. There were non-association and non-additional effects of TLR4/CD40 gene polymorphisms and haplotypes upon asthma risk

X-ray repair cross-complementing group 4 (XRCC4) promoter-1394*T-related genotype, but not XRCC4 codon 247/intron 3 or xeroderma pigmentosum group D codon 312, 751/promoter-114, polymorphisms are correlated with higher susceptibility to myoma

[[abstract]]Objective: To investigate whether the DNA repair genes, X-ray repair cross-complementing group 4 (XRCC4) and xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD), could be useful markers for predicting leiomyoma susceptibility. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Departments of gynecology and genetics in medical center. Patient(s): Women were divided into leiomyoma (n = 120) and nonleiomyoma groups (n = 112). Intervention(s): XRCC4 (codon 247, promoter-1394, intron 3) and XPD (codon 312, codon 75 1, promoter - 114) polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction with restriction enzyme digestions. Main Outcome Measure(s): Genotypes and allelic frequencies in both groups were compared. Result(s): XRCC4 promoter - 1394*T-related genotype/alleles were associated with higher susceptibility of leiomyoma. Proportions of XRCC4 promoter -1394*T homozygote/heterozygote/G homozygote and T/G alleles were [1] 91.7%/6.7%/1.7% and 95%/5% and [2] 79.4%/17.9%/2.7% and 88.4%/11.6%, respectively. Five other single nucleotide polymorphisms were not correlated with leiomyoma susceptibilities. Proportions of XRCC4 codon 247*CC/CA/AA and XRCC4 intron 3*Pi/ID/DD were [1] 95%/50%/0% and 72.5%/23.3%/4.2% and [2] 97.3%/2.7%/0 and 70.5%/24.1%/5.4%. Proportions of XPD codon 312*GG/GA/AA, XPD codon 75 1 *TT/TG/ GG, and XPD promoter -114*GG/GC/CC were [1] 65%/22.5%/12.5%, 92.5%/6.7%/0.8%, and 22.5%/46.7%/ 30.8%; and [2] 64.3%/22.3%/13.4%,92%/7.1%/0.9%, and 23.2%/46.4%/30.4%. Conclusion(s): XRCC4 promoter -1394*T-related genotype/alleles are associated with higher susceptibility of leiomyoma, whereas XRCC4 codon 247, XRCC4 intron 3, XPD codon 312, XPD codon 75 1, and XPD promoter - 114 polymorphisms are not correlated with its development

Low-temperature microstructural studies on superconducting CaFe2As2.

Undoped CaFe2As2 (Ca122) can be stabilized in two slightly different non-superconducting tetragonal phases, PI and PII, through thermal treatments. Upon proper annealing, superconductivity with a Tc up to 25 K emerges in the samples with an admixture of PI and PII phases. Systematic low-temperature X-ray diffraction studies were conducted on undoped Ca122 samples annealed at 350 °C over different time periods. In addition to the diffraction peaks associated with the single-phase aggregation of PI and PII, a broad intermediate peak that shifts with annealing time was observed in the superconducting samples only. Our simulation of phase distribution suggests that the extra peak is associated with the admixture of PI and PII on the nanometer scale. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirms the existence of these nano-scale phase admixtures in the superconducting samples. These experimental results and simulation analyses lend further support for our conclusion that interfacial inducement is the most reasonable explanation for the emergence of superconductivity in undoped Ca122 single crystals

A novel tumor suppressor gene ECRG4 interacts directly with TMPRSS11A (ECRG1) to inhibit cancer cell growth in esophageal carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The esophageal carcinoma related gene 4 (ECRG4) was initially identified and cloned from human normal esophageal epithelium in our laboratory (GenBank accession no.<ext-link ext-link-id="AF325503" ext-link-type="gen">AF325503</ext-link>). ECRG4 has been described as a novel tumor suppressor gene associated with prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this study, binding affinity assay in vitro and co-immunoprecipitation experiment in vivo were utilized to verify the physical interaction between ECRG4 and transmembrane protease, serine 11A (TMPRSS11A, also known as ECRG1, GenBank accession no. <ext-link ext-link-id="AF 071882" ext-link-type="gen">AF 071882</ext-link>). Then, p21 protein expression, cell cycle and cell proliferation regulations were examined after ECRG4 and ECRG1 co-transfection in ESCC cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We revealed for the first time that ECRG4 interacted directly with ECRG1 to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce cell cycle G1 phase block in ESCC. Binding affinity and co-immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that ECRG4 interacted directly with ECRG1 in ESCC cells. Furthermore, the ECRG4 and ECRG1 co-expression remarkably upregulatd p21 protein level by Western blot (P < 0.001), induced cell cycle G1 phase block by flow cytometric analysis (P < 0.001) and suppressed cell proliferation by MTT and BrdU assay (both P < 0.01) in ESCC cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>ECRG4 interacts directly with ECRG1 to upregulate p21 protein expression, induce cell cycle G1 phase block and inhibit cancer cells proliferation in ESCC.</p

Fabrication of Porous Anodic Alumina with Ultrasmall Nanopores

Anodization of Al foil under low voltages of 1–10 V was conducted to obtain porous anodic aluminas (PAAs) with ultrasmall nanopores. Regular nanopore arrays with pore diameter 6–10 nm were realized in four different electrolytes under 0–30°C according to the AFM, FESEM, TEM images and current evolution curves. It is found that the pore diameter and interpore distance, as well as the barrier layer thickness, are not sensitive to the applied potentials and electrolytes, which is totally different from the rules of general PAA fabrication. The brand-new formation mechanism has been revealed by the AFM study on the samples anodized for very short durations of 2–60 s. It is discovered for the first time that the regular nanoparticles come into being under 1–10 V at the beginning of the anodization and then serve as a template layer dominating the formation of ultrasmall nanopores. Under higher potentials from 10 to 40 V, the surface nanoparticles will be less and less and nanopores transform into general PAAs

Anomalous tqγtq\gamma coupling effects in exclusive radiative B-meson decays

The top-quark FCNC processes will be searched for at the CERN LHC, which are correlated with the B-meson decays. In this paper, we study the effects of top-quark anomalous interactions $tq\gamma$ in the exclusive radiative $B\to K^*\gamma$ and $B\to\rho\gamma$ decays. With the current experimental data of the branching ratios, the direct CP and the isospin asymmetries, bounds on the coupling $\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}$ from $B\to K^*\gamma$ and $\kappa_{tuR}^{\gamma}$ from $B\to \rho\gamma$ decays are derived, respectively. The bound on $|\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}|$ from ${\mathcal B}(B\to K^{*}\gamma)$ is generally compatible with that from ${\mathcal B}(B\to X_{s}\gamma)$. However, the isospin asymmetry $\Delta(K^{*}\gamma)$ further restrict the phase of $\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}$, and the combined bound results in the upper limit, $\mathcal B(t\to c\gamma)<0.21$, which is lower than the CDF result. For real $\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}$, the upper bound on $\mathcal B(t\to c\gamma)$ is about of the same order as the $5\sigma$ discovery potential of ATLAS with an integrated luminosity of $10 {\rm fb}^{-1}$. For $B\to\rho\gamma$ decays, the NP contribution is enhanced by a large CKM factor $|V_{ud}/V_{td}|$, and the constraint on $tu\gamma$ coupling is rather restrictive, $\mathcal B(t\to u\gamma)<1.44\times 10^{-5}$. With refined measurements to be available at the LHCb and the future super-B factories, we can get close correlations between $B\to V \gamma$ and the rare $t\to q\gamma$ decays, which will be studied directly at the LHC ATLAS and CMS.Comment: 25 pages, 15 figures, pdflate

Effect of Stocking Rate on Soil-Atmosphere CH4 Flux during Spring Freeze-Thaw Cycles in a Northern Desert Steppe, China

BACKGROUND: Methane (CH(4)) uptake by steppe soils is affected by a range of specific factors and is a complex process. Increased stocking rate promotes steppe degradation, with unclear consequences for gas exchanges. To assess the effects of grazing management on CH(4) uptake in desert steppes, we investigated soil-atmosphere CH(4) exchange during the winter-spring transition period. METHODOLOGY/MAIN FINDING: The experiment was conducted at twelve grazing plots denoting four treatments defined along a grazing gradient with three replications: non-grazing (0 sheep/ha, NG), light grazing (0.75 sheep/ha, LG), moderate grazing (1.50 sheep/ha, MG) and heavy grazing (2.25 sheep/ha, HG). Using an automatic cavity ring-down spectrophotometer, we measured CH(4) fluxes from March 1 to April 29 in 2010 and March 2 to April 27 in 2011. According to the status of soil freeze-thaw cycles (positive and negative soil temperatures occurred in alternation), the experiment was divided into periods I and II. Results indicate that mean CH(4) uptake in period I (7.51 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1)) was significantly lower than uptake in period II (83.07 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1)). Averaged over 2 years, CH(4) fluxes during the freeze-thaw period were -84.76 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (NG), -88.76 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (LG), -64.77 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (MG) and -28.80 µg CH(4)-C m(-2) h(-1) (HG). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CH(4) uptake activity is affected by freeze-thaw cycles and stocking rates. CH(4) uptake is correlated with the moisture content and temperature of soil. MG and HG decreases CH(4) uptake while LG exerts a considerable positive impact on CH(4) uptake during spring freeze-thaw cycles in the northern desert steppe in China

Searching Ultra-compact Pulsar Binaries with Abnormal Timing Behavior

published_or_final_versio

Synthesis, Electrical Measurement, and Field Emission Properties of α-Fe2O3Nanowires

α-Fe2O3nanowires (NWs) were formed by the thermal oxidation of an iron film in air at 350 °C for 10 h. The rhombohedral structure of the α-Fe2O3NWs was grown vertically on the substrate with diameters of 8–25 nm and lengths of several hundred nm. It was found that the population density of the NWs per unit area (DNWs) can be varied by the film thickness. The thicker the iron film, the more NWs were grown. The growth mechanism of the NWs is suggested to be a combination effect of the thermal oxidation rate, defects on the film, and selective directional growth. The electrical resistivity of a single NW with a length of 800 nm and a diameter of 15 nm was measured to be 4.42 × 103 Ωcm using conductive atomic force microscopy. The field emission characteristics of the NWs were studied using a two-parallel-plate system. A low turn–on field of 3.3 V/μm and a large current density of 10−3 A/cm2(under an applied field of about 7 V/μm) can be obtained using optimal factors ofDNWsin the cathode