Resumo CKB3 é uma subunidade reguladora (beta) de CK2. Neste estudo, o mutante homozigoto ckb3 de Arabidopsis thaliana foi estudado para entender o papel da CKB3 na sinalização de ácido abscísico (ABA). Os resultados apresentados: CKB3 foi expresso em todos os órgãos e a maior expressão nas sementes, seguida pela raiz. Durante a germinação das sementes e o crescimento radicular, o mutante ckb3 mostrou sensibilidade reduzida ao ABA. O mutante ckb3 teve mais abertura estomática e aumento do acúmulo de prolina e perda de água nas folhas. Os níveis de expressão do número de genes na rede reguladora da ABA haviam mudado. Este estudo demonstra que CKB3 é um gene relacionado à sinalização ABA e pode desempenhar um papel positivo na sinalização ABA.

Abstract CKB3 is a regulatory (beta) subunit of CK2. In this study Arabidopsis thaliana homozygous T-DNA mutant ckb3 was studied to understand the role of CKB3 in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. The results shown: CKB3 was expressed in all organs and the highest expression in the seeds, followed by the root. During seed germination and root growth the ckb3 mutant showed reduced sensitivity to ABA. The ckb3 mutant had more stomatal opening and increased proline accumulation and leaf water loss. The expression levels of number of genes in the ABA regulatory network had changed. This study demonstrates that CKB3 is an ABA signaling-related gene and may play a positive role in ABA signaling.

Characteristics of microcracks in vanadium-titanium magnetite crushed by high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) and conventional jaw crusher (JC) were investigated. In crushing by both HPGR and JC, stress cracks, intragranular cracks, and cleavage cracks were developed. Stress cracking was the initial stage and fundamental basis of fracture. The intragranular cracking could accelerate the comminution process and thus increase the content of fine particles in the crushed products. Cleavage cracking could enhance the liberation of valuable minerals and gangue minerals. Narrow size fraction samples were prepared and characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) method, mineral liberation analyser (MLA), and Bond ball mill. The specific surface area and pore volume of the HPGR products were found to be significantly higher than for JC products due to the presence of abundant microcracks and a higher fraction of fine particles. Compared to the JC products, the HPGR products showed a better degree of liberation and lower Bond ball mill work index (BWI), although the difference gradually decreased with increasing fineness of grind. The application of HPGR not only reduces the energy consumption in the subsequent grinding process, but also optimizes the separation of vanadium-titanium magnetite and improves the TiO2 recovery in ilmenite.

15N tracing technique was applied to investigate the effects of various organic carbon (OC) sources on dissimilatory nitrate (NO3-)reduction to ammonium (NH4+) (DNRA) rates in the coastal wetland sediments. Soils collected from the Chongming Dongtan wetland were incubated at 25ºC in the dark for 24 h following the additions of OC sources (glucose, acetate, malate, citrate and oxalate (500 μg C g-1 dry soil)) and 15N-labeled NH4(15)NO3 (initial 15N atom% of NO3--N is 20%). The results showed that soil DNRA rates varied from 0.018-0.497 mg N kg-1 dry soil d-1during the whole incubation, and the rates differed significantly among treatments following the order: oxalate> citrate> glucose> acetate> malate> no exogenous C addition over the first 12-h incubation. This was possibly caused by the different decomposition rates of various OC sources, which further influenced the available energy provided for DNRA microorganisms. Soils with no addition of exogenous C showed lower soil DNRA rates, presumably because of the low C/NO3- ratio as well as energy availability. The relative lower soil DNRA rates over the 24-h incubation indicated that DNRA is a fast process. Our results suggest that DNRA could be controlled by OC sources, especially organic acids, demonstrating that the widespread use of glucose in soil laboratory studies might lead to misleading knowledge on understanding the effects of OC on soil DNRA process.

ABSTRACT Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the correlation of the left ventricular diastolic function and the left ventricular geometry in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) by echocardiography. Methods: The 181 patients diagnosed with OSAS were divided into the normal geometry group (NG), the concentric remodelling group (CR), the eccentric hypertrophy group (EH) and the concentric hypertrophy group (CH). Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were performed toward the correlation of the left ventricular diastolic function and the left ventricular geometry. Results: The E peak in the EH and CH group was significantly reduced, with significant difference; the E/A, Em, Am and Em/Am was reduced in the order of the CR, EH and CH groups, while E/Em was increased, and the difference was significant. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that the Em/Am showed significant negative correlations with the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) [r = -0.419] and relative wall thickness (RWT) [r = -0.289], while the E/Em was significantly positively correlated with the LVMI (r = 0.638) and RWT [r = 0.328] (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that LVMI and RWT had influence on the Em/Am and E/Em (r2 = 0.402, r2 = 0.107, p < 0.001). The left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was the worst in the CH group. Conclusions: There was correlation between the left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and the changes in cardiac geometry.

RESUMEN: Antecedentes: El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la correlación de la función diastólica ventricular izquierda y de la geometría ventricular izquierda en pacientes con síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño (SAOS) mediante ecocardiografía. Métodos: Los 181 pacientes diagnosticados con SAOS fueron divididos en los grupos siguientes: grupo de geometría normal (GN), grupo de remodelación concéntrica (RC), grupo de hipertrofia excéntrica (HE), y grupo de hipertrofia concéntrica (HC). Se realizaron análisis de correlación de Pearson y análisis de regresión lineal múltiple con respecto a la correlación de la función diastólica ventricular izquierda y de la geometría ventricular izquierda. Resultados: El pico E en el grupo HE y HC se redujo significativamente, con diferencias significativas; el E/A, Em, Am y Em/Am se redujo en el orden de los grupos RC, HE y HC, mientras que E/Em fue aumentado, y la diferencia fue significativa. EL análisis de correlación de Pearson reveló que el Em/Am mostró correlaciones negativas significativas con el índice de masa ventricular izquierda (IMVI) [r = -0.419] y el grosor relativo de la pared (GRP) [r = -0.289], mientras que el E/Em se correlacionó significativamente de forma positiva con el IMVI (r = 0.638) y el GRP [r = 0.328] (p < 0.001). El análisis de regresión lineal múltiple reveló que IMVI y GRP tenían influencia sobre Em/Am y E/Em (r2 = 0.402, r2 = 0.107, p < 0.001). La disfunción diastólica ventricular izquierda en el grupo HC fue la peor. Conclusiones: Hubo una correlación entre la disfunción diastólica ventricular izquierda y los cambios en la geometría cardíaca.

The purpose of this study was to explore cytokine expression patterns and cytogenetic abnormalities of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from the bone marrow microenvironment of Chinese patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Bone marrow samples were obtained from 30 cases of MDS (MDS group) and 30 healthy donors (control group). The expression pattern of cytokines was detected by customized protein array. The karyotypes of MSCs were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Compared with the control group, leukemia inhibitory factor, stem cell factor (SCF), stromal cell-derived factor (SDF-1), bone morphogenetic protein 4, hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) stimulating factor, and transforming growth factor-β in the MDS group were significantly downregulated (P<0.05), while interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and programmed death ligand (B7-H1) were significantly upregulated (P<0.05). For chromosome abnormality analysis, the detection rate of abnormal karyotypes (+8, -8, -20, 20q-, -Y, -7, 5q-) was 30% in the MDS group and 0% in the control group. In conclusion, the up- and downregulated expression of these cytokines might play a key role in the pathogenesis of MDS. Among them, SCF and SDF-1 may play roles in the apoptosis of HSCs in MDS; and IFN-γ, TNF-α, and B7-H1 may be associated with apoptosis of bone marrow cells in MDS. In addition, the abnormal karyotypes might be actively involved in the pathogenesis of MDS. Further studies are required to determine the role of abnormal karyotypes in the occurrence and development of MDS.

Three soybean varieties (Dongnong 42, high-protein cultivar; Hefeng 25, medium-protein; and Dongnong 46, low-protein cultivar) grown under different P conditions were investigated in order to evaluate the effect of P on the composition and accumulation of 7S and 11S globulin subunits. The soybean seeds were planted in pots and fertilized with 0.033 g of N and K2O per kg soil. Four levels of P treatment were designed, which were P1, P2, P3 and P4 (i.e., 0, 0.033, 0.067, and 0.100 g of phosphorus pentoxide (P2O5) per kilogram of soil). The composition of extractable proteins was determined by conducting SDS-PAGE. No significant differences were observed between the varieties with regard to the molecular weights of the globulin subunits. After the subunits were formed, their concentrations gradually increased under different P treatments, reached a peak at 70 d post-anthesis (DPA), and then declined during maturity. The concentrations of the 7S and 11S globulins and other subunits in Dongnong 42 and Hefeng 25 were the highest under the P3 treatment, while they were the highest in Dongnong 46 under the P2 treatment. Under the same P treatment, the concentrations were high in Dongnong 42 and low in Dongnong 46 and Hefeng 25. Significant differences were observed in the concentrations of 7S and 11S globulin subunits between the varieties and levels of P treatments, especially under the P3 treatment. Alpha subunit was mainly in relation with the P-nutrition in the three varieties. These findings suggested that the; optimal combination of cultivarsand P treatment; levels could contribute to the increased concentrations of both soybean globulins and their subunits.