The chloroplast localization of protease mediated by the potato rbcS signal peptide and its improvement for construction of photorespiratory bypasses

Location of the proteases would affect on protease stability and photorespiratory bypass pathway, while it is unsolved. Potato rbcS signal peptide was analyzed and constructed into the protease for study of their localization site. The tartronate semialdehyde reductase (EcTSR) proteins could be accurately and efficiently located in chloroplast only when this signal peptide was extended to 80 amino acids. The signal peptide would help malate synthase (CmMS) locate to the surface of chloroplast, to form granules on the outer membrane of chloroplast. The whole spectrum scanning showed that these proteins could enter chloroplast. A signal peptide named PCS1 (Peptide of self-cleavage site 1) carrying a self-cleavage site was designed, and sixteen amino acids from the blue pigment precursor protein of chloroplast positioning signal of Silene pratensis were added to the C-terminal of PCS1. Transient expression, Western blot analysis and full-spectrum scanning showed that PCS1 could locate the EcTSR to the chloroplast, after the removal of the signal peptide

Strong Tracking Filter for Nonlinear Systems with Randomly Delayed Measurements and Correlated Noises

This paper proposes a novel strong tracking filter (STF), which is suitable for dealing with the filtering problem of nonlinear systems when the following cases occur: that is, the constructed model does not match the actual system, the measurements have the one-step random delay, and the process and measurement noises are correlated at the same epoch. Firstly, a framework of decoupling filter (DF) based on equivalent model transformation is derived. Further, according to the framework of DF, a new extended Kalman filtering (EKF) algorithm via using first-order linearization approximation is developed. Secondly, the computational process of the suboptimal fading factor is derived on the basis of the extended orthogonality principle (EOP). Thirdly, the ultimate form of the proposed STF is obtained by introducing the suboptimal fading factor into the above EKF algorithm. The proposed STF can automatically tune the suboptimal fading factor on the basis of the residuals between available and predicted measurements and further the gain matrices of the proposed STF tune online to improve the filtering performance. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed STF has been proved through numerical simulation experiments

Differential expression of decorin, EGFR and cyclin D1 during mammary gland carcinogenesis in TA2 mice with spontaneous breast cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Tientsin Albino 2 (TA2) mouse is an inbred strain originating from the Kunming strain. It has a high incidence of spontaneous breast cancer without the need for external inducers or carcinogens. Until now, the mechanism of carcinogenesis has remained unclear. In this study, we investigate differential gene expression, especially the expression of decorin, EGFR and cyclin D1, during mammary gland epithelial cell carcinogenesis in TA2 mice.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Gene expression profiles of spontaneous breast cancer and matched normal mammary gland tissues in TA2 mice were ascertained using an Affymetrix Mouse 430 2.0 array. Twelve mammary tissue samples from five month-old female TA2 mice (Group A), as well as 28 samples from mammary (Group B) and cancer tissues (Group C) of spontaneous breast cancer-bearing TA2 mice, were subsequently used to detect the expression of decorin, EGFR and cyclin D1 by real-time PCR and immunohistochemical methods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Several imprinted genes, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes were differentially expressed between normal mammary gland tissues and breast cancer tissues of TA2 mice. The imprinted gene decorin and the oncogene EGFR were down-regulated in tumor tissues, while the oncogene cyclin D1 was up-regulated. Immunohistochemistry showed that samples in Group A showed high decorin expression more frequently than those in Group B (<it>P </it>< 0.05). More tissue samples in Group B than Group A were positive for nuclear EGFR, and tissue samples in Group B more frequently showed high nuclear EGFR expression than those in Group A or Group C (<it>P </it>< 0.05). The labeling index for cyclin D1 in Group C was significantly higher than in Group B. Mammary tissues of Group A expressed the highest level of decorin mRNA (<it>P </it>< 0.05), and mammary tissues of Group B expressed the highest level of EGFR mRNA (<it>P </it>< 0.05), while cancer tissues expressed the highest level of cyclin D1 mRNA (<it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The expression of decorin, EGFR and cyclin D1 in mammary epithelial cells changes with increasing age. The abnormal expression of them may partly contribute to the genesis of spontaneous breast cancer in TA2 mice.</p

Ursolic Acid Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis of Cancer Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

The aims of the study are to explore the effect of ursolic acid (UA) on the growth of gastric cancer cell line BGC-803 and hepatocellular cancer cell H22 xenograft and to understand the mechanism. UA inhibits growth of BGC-803 cells in vitro in dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Treated with UA in vivo, tumor cells can be arrested to G0/G1 stage. The apoptotic rate was significantly increased in tumor cells treated with UA both in vitro and in vivo. DNA fragmentation was found in BGC-803 cells exposed to UA. UA activated caspase-3, -8, and -9 and down regulated expression of Bcl-2 in BGC-803 cells. The expression of caspase-3 and -8 was elevated in tumor cells from xenograft treated with UA. 18F-FLT PET-CT imaging confirmed tumor model and UA effectiveness. Our results indicated that UA inhibits growth of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo by decreasing proliferation of cells and inducing apoptosis

Two Novel AGXT Mutations Cause the Infantile Form of Primary Hyperoxaluria Type I in a Chinese Family: Research on Missed Mutation

Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by a defect in the liver-specific peroxisomal enzyme alanine-glyoxylate and serine-pyruvate aminotransferase (AGT). This disorder results in hyperoxaluria, recurrent urolithiasis, and nephrocalcinosis. Three forms of PH1 have been reported. Data on the infantile form of PH1 are currently limited in literature. Despite the fact that China is the most populated country in the world, only a few AGXT mutations have been reported in several Chinese PH1 patients. In the present study, we investigated a Chinese family in which two siblings are affected by the infantile form of PH1. Sanger sequencing was carried out on the proband, but the results were misleading. Two novel missense mutations (c.517T &gt; C/p.Cys173Arg and c.667A &gt; C/p.Ser223Arg) of the AGXT gene were successfully detected through whole-exome sequencing. These two mutations occurred in the highly conserved residues of the AGT. Four software programs predicted both mutations as the cause of the disease. A postmortem examination was performed and revealed the occurrence of global nephrocalcinosis on both kidneys. The crystals were collected and analyzed as calcium oxalate monohydrate. This study extends the knowledge on the clinical phenotype–genotype correlation of the AGXT mutation. That is, (i) two novel missense mutations were identified for the infantile form of PH1 and (ii) the same AGXT genotype caused the same infantile form of PH1 within the family

Inflammation-Related Cytokines of Aqueous Humor in Acute Primary Angle-Closure Eyes

PURPOSE. To measure levels of various inflammation-related cytokines in the aqueous humor of patients with acute primary angle-closure (APAC) and senile cataract. METHODS. Aqueous humor samples were prospectively collected from 23 eyes (12 eyes with current APAC and 11 eyes with previous APAC) of 23 APAC patients and 15 eyes of 15 cataract patients. The levels of 15 inflammation-related cytokines in the aqueous humor of APAC and cataract subjects were measured by using the multiplex bead immunoassay technique. Data on patient demographics and preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) were also collected for correlation analysis

Laser in Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension Trial (LIGHT) in China - A Randomized Controlled Trial: Design and Baseline Characteristics

PURPOSE: To describe the baseline characteristics of a trial to evaluate whether selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), as a first-line treatment, provides superior economic and health-related quality of life outcomes to medical treatment in China. DESIGN: The LiGHT China trial is an unmasked, single-center, pragmatic, randomized controlled trial. METHODS: A total of 771 previously undiagnosed patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG, 622 patients) or ocular hypertension (OHT, 149 patients) at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center were recruited from March 2015 to January 2019. Subjects were randomized to SLT-1st (followed by medication then surgery when required) or Medicine-1st (medication followed by surgery when required). The primary outcome was health-related quality of life (HRQL). The secondary outcomes were clinical outcomes, cost, cost-effectiveness, Glaucoma Utility Index, Glaucoma Symptom Scale, visual function, and safety. RESULTS: The mean age of POAG patients was 49.8 years and 38.8 years for OHT. The median intraocular pressure was 20 mm Hg for the 1,105 POAG eyes and 24 mm Hg for the 271 OHT eyes. POAG eyes had thinner central cornea thickness (CCT, 536 µm) than OHT eyes (545 µm). Median mean deviation of the visual field in POAG eyes was -4.2 dB. Median refractive error was -1.5 D for OHT eyes and -1.25 D for POAG eyes. There was no difference between POAG and OHT patients on baseline scores of GUI, GSS and VF-14. The difference between OHT and POAG on the EQ-5D-5L was 0.024. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with participants in the LiGHT UK trial, participants in this trial were younger, more myopic and had more severe visual field defects