A sustainable way for apparel retailers' development : converting the supply chain into closed-loop. Case study : Min Boutique's jeans-recycle scheme

Confidential until 29 May 20162016-05-2

A CRY-BIC negative-feedback circuitry regulating blue light sensitivity of Arabidopsis.

Cryptochromes are blue light receptors that regulate various light responses in plants. Arabidopsis cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) and cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) mediate blue light inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and long-day (LD) promotion of floral initiation. It has been reported recently that two negative regulators of Arabidopsis cryptochromes, Blue light Inhibitors of Cryptochromes 1 and 2 (BIC1 and BIC2), inhibit cryptochrome function by blocking blue light-dependent cryptochrome dimerization. However, it remained unclear how cryptochromes regulate the BIC gene activity. Here we show that cryptochromes mediate light activation of transcription of the BIC genes, by suppressing the activity of CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1), resulting in activation of the transcription activator ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) that is associated with chromatins of the BIC promoters. These results demonstrate a CRY-BIC negative-feedback circuitry that regulates the activity of each other. Surprisingly, phytochromes also mediate light activation of BIC transcription, suggesting a novel photoreceptor co-action mechanism to sustain blue light sensitivity of plants under the broad spectra of solar radiation in nature

Site-specific relapse pattern of the triple negative tumors in Chinese breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that triple negative phenotype is characterized by aggressive clinical history in Western breast cancer patients, however its pattern of metastatic spread had never been reported in the Chinese population. Considering racial disparities, we sought to analyze the spread pattern for different sites of first recurrence in Chinese triple negative breast cancers. METHODS: A retrospective study of 1662 patients was carried out from a large database of breast cancer patients undergoing surgery between January 1, 2000 and March 31, 2004 at the Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method and annual relapse hazards were estimated by the hazard function. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant difference in relapse-free survival (RFS) for locoregional and visceral recurrence (P = 0.007 and P = 0.025, respectively) among the triple negative, ERBB2+ and HR+/ERBB2- subgroups in univariate analysis. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, RFS for either locoregional or visceral relapse in the triple negative category was inferior to that in HR+/ERBB2- patients (P = 0.027 and P = 0.005, respectively), but comparable to that in ERBB2+ women (both P >0.05). Furthermore, the early relapse peak appeared later in the triple negative group than that in the ERBB2+ counterpart for both locoregional and visceral relapse. On the other hand, when compared with triple negative breast cancers, a significantly lower risk of developing bone relapse was discerned for ERBB2+ women (P = 0.048; HR = 0.384, 95% CI 0.148-0.991), with the borderline significance for HR+/ERBB2- breast cancers (P = 0.058; HR = 0.479, 95% CI 0.224-1.025). In terms of bone metastasis, the hazard rate remained higher for the triple negative category than that for the ERBB2+ subtype. CONCLUSION: Based on the site-specific spread pattern in different subgroups, the triple negative category of breast cancers in the Chinese population exhibits a different pattern of relapse, which indicates that different organotropism may be due to the different intrinsic subtypes. A better knowledge of the triple negative category is warranted for efficacious systemic regimens to decrease and/or delay the relapse hazard

Molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of muscle fiber types on meat quality in livestock and poultry

In the past, the primary emphasis of livestock and poultry breeding was mainly on improving the growth rate, meat production efficiency and disease resistance. However, the improvement of meat quality has become a major industrial focus due to the ongoing advancements in livestock and poultry breeding. Skeletal muscles consist of multinucleated myofibers formed through the processes of myoblast proliferation, differentiation and fusion. Muscle fibers can be broadly classified into two main types: slow-twitch (Type I) and fast-twitch (Type II). Fast-twitch fibers can be further categorized into Type IIa, Type IIx, and Type IIb. The proportion of Type I and Type IIa muscle fibers is positively associated with meat quality, while the presence of Type IIb muscle fibers in skeletal muscle tissue is inversely related to meat quality. Consequently, muscle fiber composition directly influences meat quality. The distribution of these fiber types within skeletal muscle is governed by a complex network, which encompasses numerous pivotal regulators and intricate signaling pathways. This article aims to succinctly outline the parameters utilized for assessing meat quality, elucidate the relationship between muscle fiber composition and meat quality as well as elaborate on the relevant genetic factors and their molecular mechanisms that regulate muscle fiber types in livestock and poultry. This summary will enrich our comprehension of how to improve meat quality in livestock and poultry, providing valuable insights for future improvements

Plasma Mutagenesis of Haematococcus lacustris and Optimization of Culture Conditions for High-yield Astaxanthin Algae Strains

To further enhance the industrial utilization value of Haematococcus lacustris, the plasma mutagenesis of Haematococcus lacustris was carried out by an atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) mutagenesis equipment. The optimum input power and mutagenesis time for plasma mutagenesis were determined with lethal rate of algal cells as the index. After mutagenesis, high-yield astaxanthin mutant algae strains were obtained through primary screening of solid plate culture and secondary screening of liquid culture. Then, the culture conditions of high yield algal plants at vegetative growth stage were optimized by single-factor and orthogonal experiment with algae cell density as the index, and the suitable high light conditions for astaxanthin accumulation during astaxanthin induction stage were selected. The genetic stability of the high yielding mutant algae strains was observed after multiple subcultures under the optimized culture conditions. The results showed that the optimum conditions for plasma mutagenesis of Haematococcus lacustris were 240 W for 150 s or 400 W for 120 s. 11 Mutant alga strains with fast growth and high astaxanthin yield were obtained through primary screening and rescreening, wherein the strain HP3 grew fastest and had the highest astaxanthin yield. After culture, its cell density and astaxanthin yield were increased by 25.5% and 61.6% respectively compared with the original strain. After two-stage optimization, the cell density and astaxanthin yield of HP3 increased by 14.3% and 19.3% respectively, reaching 7.2×105 cell/mL and 31.264 mg/L. HP3 showed good growth and stable heredity. Its cell density and astaxanthin yield were similar to those of primary culture. The results have practical significance for the breeding of industrial algal strains producing astaxanthin from Haematococcus lacustris

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the PedsQL™ stem cell transplant module in China: A methodological and cross-sectional study

BackgroundHematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), as a mature technology, has significantly improved the survival rate of children. However, there lack efficient scales to assess the quality of life (QoL) of children with HSCT in China, which has important implications in the care of this population. This study aimed to translate the original English Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL™) Stem Cell Transplant Module into a Chinese mandarin version, and evaluate its reliability.MethodsChildren of ages 2–18 years who had received HSCT at Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Children's Hospital of Fudan University were recruited. Children or their parents were asked to fill the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales, PedsQL™ Stem Cell Transplant Module, and PedsQL™ Family Information Form. Feasibility was evaluated by completion rate and the percentage of missing items, reliability by the internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and validity by factor analysis and correlation analysis between the scores of total scale and each dimension.ResultsA total of 120 children (mean age 6.37, SD = 3.674) and some parents were included. A low percentage of items were missed in returned reports. Cronbach's alpha coefficient reached 0.70 in the majority of dimensions of both child self-report and parent proxy-report. Test-retest reliability was 0.685 in parents' forms and 0.765 in child's forms. Eight factors were extracted, with a cumulative contribution rate of 74.54%. The correlation between PedsQL™ 4.0 and Transplant Module was 0.748 for children self-report and 0.808 for parent proxy-report.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that the Chinese mandarin version of the PedsQL™ Stem Cell Transplant is feasible, reliable and valid in evaluating the QoL of Chinese children after HSCT

Abnormal Degree Centrality Associated With Cognitive Dysfunctions in Early Bipolar Disorder

Delayed diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) is common. However, diagnostic validity may be enhanced using reliable neurobiological markers for BD. Degree centrality (DC) is one such potential marker that enables researchers to visualize neuronal network abnormalities in the early stages of some neuropsychiatric disorders. In the present study, we measured resting-state DC abnormalities and cognitive deficits in order to identify early neurobiological markers for BD. We recruited 23 patients with BD who had recently experienced manic episodes (duration of illness <2 years) and 46 matched healthy controls. Our findings indicated that patients with BD exhibited DC abnormalities in frontal areas, temporal areas, the right postcentral gyrus, and the posterior lobe of the cerebellum. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that psychomotor speed indicators were associated with DC in the superior temporal and inferior temporal gyri, while attention indicators were associated with DC in the inferior temporal gyrus, in patients with early BD. Our findings suggest that DC abnormalities in neural emotion regulation circuits are present in patients with early BD, and that correlations between attention/psychomotor speed deficits and temporal DC abnormalities may represent early markers of BD