WRKY Transcription Factor Functions as a Transcriptional Regulator of Xylanase Inhibitor RIXI, Involved in Rice Disease Resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae

Xiao‑yan Weng 한국식물학회 2020 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.63 No.3

Xylanase inhibitors are known to play important roles in response to fungal pathogens attack. WRKY transcription factors are also involved in plant defence against pathogens. However, whether WRKY transcription factors interacting with rice xylanase inhibitor RIXI remains unknown. 13 W-boxes, binding sites for WRKY transcription factors were found in RIXI promoter sequence of rice by analyzing RIXI promoter. ChIP-PCR analysis and dual luciferase reporter system assay were used to identify interaction between xylanase inhibitor RIXI and WRKY transcription factors. Results showed OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 directly bound to RIXI promoter and regulated RIXI expression diferently. Over-expressing OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 transgenic plants were achieved, and OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 overexpressed transgenic lines showed higher expression levels of RIXI and higher resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae G11 (M. oryzae G11) compared to wild type (WT). Increased RIXI expression in OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 overexpressed transgenic lines was accompanied by up-regulation of pathogenesis-related genes (PR genes). Moreover, higher levels of H2O2 and higher activities of antioxidant enzymes were found in transgenic lines compared to WT plants. Results indicated that over-expression of OsWRKY6 and OsWRKY46 in transgenic lines maybe enhanced rice disease resistance by regulating RIXI expression.

Disease vector occurrence and ecological characteristics of chiggers on the chestnut white-bellied rat Niviventer fulvescens in Southwest China between 2001 and 2019

Yan-Ling Chen,Xian-Guo Guo,Wen-Yu Song,Tian-Guang Ren,Lei Zhang,Rong Fan,Cheng-Fu Zhao,Zhi-Wei Zhang,Wenge Dong,Xiao-Bin Huang,Dao-chao Jin 대한기생충학ㆍ열대의학회 2023 The Korean Journal of Parasitology Vol.61 No.3

Chigger mites are the vector of scrub typhus. This study estimates the infestation status and ecological characteristics of chiggers on the chestnut white-bellied rat Niviventer fulvescens in Southwest China between 2001 and 2019. Chiggers were identified under the microscope, and infestation indices were calculated. The Preston’s log-normal model was used to fit the curve of species abundance distribution. A total of 6,557 chiggers were collected in 136 of 342 N. fulvescens rats, showing high overall infestation indices (prevalence=39.8%, mean abundance=19.2, mean intensity=48.2) and high species diversity (S =100, H’=3.0). Leptotrombidium cangjiangense, Neotrombicula japonica, and Ascoschoengastia sifanga were the three dominant chigger species (constituent ratio=42.9%; 2,736/6,384) and exhibited an aggregated distribution among different rat individuals. We identified 100 chigger species, with 3 of them (Leptotrombidium scutellare, Leptotrombidium wenense, and Leptotrombidium deliense) as the main vectors of scrub typhus in China and nine species as potential vectors of this disease. Disease vector occurrence on N. fulvescens may increase the risk of spreading scrub typhus from rats to humans. Chigger infestation on N. fulvescens varied significantly in different environments. The species abundance distribution showed a log-normal distribution pattern. The estimated number of chigger species on N. fulvescens was 126 species.

Effects of Home Nursing Intervention on the Quality of Life of Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma after Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy

Shi, Ru-Chun,Meng, Ai-Feng,Zhou, Weng-Lin,Yu, Xiao-Yan,Huang, Xin-En,Ji, Ai-Jun,Chen, Lei Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.16

Background: The effects of home nursing intervention on the quality of life in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy and chemotherapy are unclear. According to the characteristics of nursing home patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, we should continuously improve the nursing plan and improve the quality of life of patients at home. Materials and Methods: We selected 180 patients at home with NPC after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The patients were randomly divided into experimental and control groups (90 patients each). The experimental group featured intervention with an NPC home nursing plan, while the control group was given routine discharge and outpatient review. Nursing intervention for patients was mainly achieved by regular telephone follow-up and home visits. We use the quality of life scale (QOL-C30), anxiety scale (SAS) and depression scale (SDS) to evaluate these patients before intervention, and during follow-up at 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Results: Overall health and quality of life were significantly different between the groups (p<0.05), Emotional function score was significantly higher after intervention (p<0.05), as were cognitive function and social function scores after 3 months of intervention (p<0.05). Scores of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite and constipation were also significantly different between the two groups (p<0.05). Rates of anxiety and depression after 3 months of intervention were 11.1%, 22.2% and 34.4%, 53.3%, the differences being significant (p<0.05). Conclusions: NPC home nursing plan could effectively improve overall quality of life, cognitive function, social function (after 3 months) of patients, but improvement regarding body function is not suggested. Fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, appetite, constipation were clearly improved. We should further pursue a personalized, comprehensive measurements for nursing interventions and try to improve the quality of life of NPC patients at home.

Evaluation of porcine urine-derived cells as nuclei donor for somatic cell nuclear transfer

Yu-Ting Zhang,Wang Yao,Meng-Jia Chai,Wen-Jing Liu,Yan Liu,Zhong-Hua Liu,Xiao-Gang Weng 대한수의학회 2022 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.23 No.2

Background: Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is used widely in cloning, stem cell research, and regenerative medicine. The type of donor cells is a key factor affecting the SCNT efficiency. Objectives: This study examined whether urine-derived somatic cells could be used as donors for SCNT in pigs. Methods: The viability of cells isolated from urine was assessed using trypan blue and propidium iodide staining. The H3K9me3/H3K27me3 level of the cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence. The in vitro developmental ability of SCNT embryos was evaluated by the blastocyst rate and the expression levels of the core pluripotency factor. Blastocyst cell apoptosis was examined using a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling assay. The in vivo developmental ability of SCNT embryos was evaluated after embryo transfer. Results: Most sow urine-derived cells were viable and could be cultured and propagated easily. On the other hand, most of the somatic cells isolated from the boar urine exhibited poor cellular activity. The in vitro development efficiency between the embryos produced by SCNT using porcine embryonic fibroblasts (PEFs) and urine-derived cells were similar. Moreover, The H3K9me3 in SCNT embryos produced from sow urine-derived cells and PEFs at the four-cell stage showed similar intensity. The levels of Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2 expression in blastocysts were similar in the two groups. Furthermore, there is a similar apoptotic level of cloned embryos produced by the two types of cells. Finally, the full-term development ability of the cloned embryos was evaluated, and the cloned fetuses from the urine-derived cells showed absorption. Conclusions: Sow urine-derived cells could be used to produce SCNT embryos.

Quantitative study on erosion degree of bone china glaze by common acid reagent at different temperature

Wei Hong,Wen-jie Li,Hui-chao Huang,Xiao-wei Weng,Yi-qin Zhang,Xiao-hui Liu,Yan-hua Guo,Ya-bin Su 한양대학교 청정에너지연구소 2022 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.23 No.6

In this experiment, we selected "Tangshan bone china" 10.5-inch white porcelain flat plate produced by five differententerprises as experimental samples to study the erosion of bone porcelain enamel by different kinds of acidic reagents atdifferent temperatures. The specific experimental process was as follows: at different temperatures, 20% hydrochloric acid,30% sulfuric acid, 100 g/L citric acid and 10% acetic acid were used to continuously erode the sample glaze for 10h, and thewhiteness and 45º mirror direction gloss were measured every 2h. The results show that different acidic reagents at differenttemperatures have significant differences in the erosion characteristics and strength of bone porcelain glaze, and the corrosionresistance of products from different enterprises also have significant differences.