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As one of the largest gene families, F-box domain proteins have been found to play important roles in abiotic stress responses via the ubiquitin pathway. TaFBA1 encodes a homologous F-box protein contained in E3 ubiquitin ligases. In our previous study, we found that the overexpression of TaFBA1 enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic plants. To investigate the mechanisms involved, in this study, we investigated the tolerance of the transgenic plants to oxidative stress. Methyl viologen was used to induce oxidative stress conditions. Real-time PCR and western blot analysis revealed that TaFBA1 expression was up-regulated by oxidative stress treatments. Under oxidative stress conditions, the transgenic tobacco plants showed a higher germination rate, higher root length and less growth inhibition than wild type (WT). The enhanced oxidative stress tolerance of the transgenic plants was also indicated by lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and cell membrane damage under oxidative stress compared with WT. Higher activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POD), were observed in the transgenic plants than those in WT, which may be related to the upregulated expression of some antioxidant genes via the overexpression of TaFBA1. In others, some stress responsive elements were found in the promoter region of TaFBA1, and TaFBA1 was located in the nucleus, cytoplasm and plasma membrane. These results suggest that TaFBA1 plays an important role in the oxidative stress tolerance of plants. This is important for understanding the functions of F-box proteins in plants' tolerance to multiple stress conditions.

Background The genus Takifugu includes highly valued fish species known for their delicate flavor, making them popular in multiple countries. However, many species from this genus face significant threats. In order to better understand the genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics of Takifugu , a syntelog-based pan-genome and graph genome were constructed using the data of seven Takifugu species. Results The analysis of 28,085 syntelog groups (SGs) composed of protein-coding genes revealed that only 57.3% of the SGs were shared among all individuals, whereas the remaining genes presented presence-absence variation (PAV) across the seven genomes. Using the graph genome as a reference, a population of 160 Takifugu individuals was analyzed, from which 20,133,471 SNPs, 4,606,141 Indels, and 152,200 SVs were identified. The gene flow analysis revealed directional gene flow from Takifugu bimaculatus and Takifugu flavidus to Takifugu oblongus . Notably, a 51-bp insertion in the ABCB9 gene differed significantly in frequency between the two migratory populations, suggesting the potential role of this gene in the migratory behavior of these species. Additionally, the expression profiles from 13 tissues or organs (brain, gallbladder, gill, gonad, heart, kidney, liver, muscle, pituitary, skin, spleen, stomach, and swim bladder) revealed a unique expression pattern in the liver, with the tissue-specific genes exhibiting evolutionary conservation to varying degrees. The highest proportion of core genes was found in the pituitary, whereas the lowest was found in the spleen. Conclusions This study provides comprehensive genomic resources that enhance the understanding of the genetic diversity and evolutionary dynamics of Takifugu species. The findings offer insights for research on both breeding and conservation of Takifugu .

PurposeDual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is commonly used for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention to prevent stent thrombosis and ischemic events. However, some patients show high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR) during clopidogrel therapy. Genetic factors such as loss-of-function variants of CYP2C19 are validated to increase the risk of HTPR. Flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) is reported to be associated with potency of platelet responsiveness and thrombosis. This study aimed to explore the association between FMO3 rs1736557 polymorphism and clopidogrel response.MethodsFive hundred twenty-two Chinese CAD patients treated with dual antiplatelet therapy were recruited from Xiangya Hospital. After oral administration of 300 mg loading dose (LD) clopidogrel for 12–24 h or 75 mg daily maintenance dose (MD) clopidogrel for at least 5 days, the platelet reaction index (PRI) was determined by vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein-phosphorylation assay. FMO3 rs1736557, CYP2C19*2, and CYP2C19*3 polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).ResultsMean PRI value was significantly higher in CYP2C19 poor metabolizers (PMs) and intermediate metabolizers (IMs) than the extensive metabolizers (EMs) (p < 0.001). In addition, FMO3 rs1736557 AA homozygotes showed significantly lower PRI as compared with carriers of the major rs1736557 G allele in the entire cohort and in the MD cohort (p = 0.011, p = 0.008, respectively). The risk of HTPR was decreased significantly in carriers of the rs1736557 A allele (AA vs GG: OR = 0.316, 95% CI: 0.137–0.726, p = 0.005; AA vs GA: OR = 0.249, 95% CI: 0.104–0.597, p = 0.001; AA vs GG+GA: OR = 0.294, 95% CI: 0.129–0.669, p = 0.002), and the association was observed mainly in patients carrying the CYP2C19 LOF allele and in those administered with MD.ConclusionThe FMO3 rs1736557 AA genotype was related to an increased the antiplatelet potency of clopidogrel in Chinese CAD patients. Additional studies are required to verify this finding.

As one of the largest gene families, F-box domain proteins have been found to play important roles in abiotic stress responses via the ubiquitin pathway. TaFBA1 encodes a homologous F-box protein contained in E3 ubiquitin ligases. In our previous study, we found that the overexpression of TaFBA1 enhanced drought tolerance in transgenic plants. To investigate the mechanisms involved, in this study, we investigated the tolerance of the transgenic plants to oxidative stress. Methyl viologen was used to induce oxidative stress conditions. Real-time PCR and western blot analysis revealed that TaFBA1 expression was up-regulated by oxidative stress treatments. Under oxidative stress conditions, the transgenic tobacco plants showed a higher germination rate, higher root length and less growth inhibition than wild type (WT). The enhanced oxidative stress tolerance of the transgenic plants was also indicated by lower reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and cell membrane damage under oxidative stress compared with WT. Higher activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POD), were observed in the transgenic plants than those in WT, which may be related to the upregulated expression of some antioxidant genes via the overexpression of TaFBA1. In others, some stress responsive elements were found in the promoter region of TaFBA1, and TaFBA1 was located in the nucleus, cytoplasm and plasma membrane. These results suggest that TaFBA1 plays an important role in the oxidative stress tolerance of plants. This is important for understanding the functions of F-box proteins in plants' tolerance to multiple stress conditions.

Aim： To investigate the effect of ginsenoside Rgl on the migration, adhesion, proliferation, and VEGF expression of endothelial progenitor cells （EPCs）. Methods： EPCs were isolated from human peripheral blood and incubated with different concentrations of ginsenoside Rgl （0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 μmol/L） and vehicle controls. EPC migration was detected with a modified Boyden chamber assay. EPC adhesion was determined by counting adherent cells on fibronectin-coated culture dishes. EPC proliferation was analyzed with the 3.（4,5.dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide （MTT） assay. In vitro vasculogenesis was assayed using an in vitro vasculogenesis detection kit. A VEGF-ELISA kit was used to measure the amount of VEGF protein in the cell culture medium. Results： Ginsenoside Rgl promoted EPC adhesion, proliferation, migration and in vitro vasculogenesis in a dose- and timedependent manner. Cell cycle analysis showed that 5.0 μmol/L ofginsenoside Rgl significantly increased the EPC proliferative phase （S phase） and decreased the resting phase （G0/G1 phase）. Ginsenoside Rgl increased vascular endothelial growth factor production. Conclusion： The results indicate that ginsenoside Rgl promotes proliferation, migration, adhesion and in vitro vasculogenesis.

While a sense of meaning in life is known to boost students' learning motivation, the psychological process explaining how this happens is not well understood. This study investigated whether positive thinking (positive cognition) acts as the crucial bridge connecting these two. We conducted a survey with 345 university students in Chongqing, China. They completed questionnaires measuring their sense of meaning in life (both the search for meaning and the feeling of having it), their tendency for positive thinking, and their motivation for learning (both for internal satisfaction and external rewards). We found a clear link: students with a stronger sense of life meaning also reported higher levels of positive thinking and greater learning motivation. More importantly, positive thinking was a key pathway. A students'  sense of life meaning appeared to first nurture a more positive mindset, and this positive mindset, in turn, was what fueled their motivation to learn. This effect was particularly strong for intrinsic motivation (learning for the love of it). For extrinsic motivation (learning for rewards), positive thinking was also a vital link, sometimes serving as the primary channel through which life meaning influenced motivation. Positive thinking is a key ingredient that transforms a sense of life meaning into tangible motivation for learning. Our findings suggest that universities could better support students by not only helping them explore life's meaning but also by actively fostering positive cognitive skills. Such programs could improve students' academic engagement and overall well-being.

A novel and easy one-step protocol for preparation of a new porous material, polyurea (PPU), is reported, which is accomplished through a precipitation polymerization of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in mixed solvent of H2O-acetone without need for surfactant and porogen. Effects of TDI concentration, mechanical stirring, solvent composition and TDI addition rate on PPU structure are studied. Surface morphology and pore structure of PPU are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Hg intrusion. Chemical structure of the PPU polymer is investigated using NMR, XRD and FTIR. Mechanism of pore formation is discussed. The obtained PPU is used as adsorbent for anionic dyes adsorption investigation. Two anionic dyes, remazol brilliant blue R and acid fuchsine, are tested. The results indicate that the as-prepared PPU is of high performance in dye adsorption and recycled use. This study provided therefore a facile route to the preparation of a novel and attractive adsorbent candidate for removal of anionic dyes from wastewaters.

The corrosion behavior and mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel (SS) fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM) were clarified by potentiodynamic polarization measurements, immersion tests, and tensile experiments. The microstructural anisotropy of SLMed 316L SS was also investigated by electron back-scattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The grain sizes of the SLMed 316L SS in the XOZ plane were smaller than those of the SLMed 316L SS in the XOY plane, and a greater number of low-angle boundaries were present in the XOY plane, resulting in lower elongation for the XOY plane than for the XOZ plane. The SLMed 316L was expected to exhibit higher strength but lower ductility than the wrought 316L, which was attributed to the high density of dislocations. The pitting potentials of the SLMed 316L samples were universally higher than those of the wrought sample in chloride solutions because of the annihilation of MnS or (Ca,Al)-oxides during the rapid solidification. However, the molten pool boundaries preferentially dissolved in aggressive solutions and the damage of the SLMed 316L in FeCl 3 solution was more serious after long-term service, indicating poor durability.

We investigated the incidence of temporal lobe injury (TLI) in 132 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients who had undergone intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in our hospital between March 2005 and November 2009; and identified significant dosimetric predictors of TLI development. Contrast-enhanced lesions or cysts in the temporal lobes, as detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), were regarded as radiation-induced TLIs. We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method to select D max (the maximum point dose) and the D 1cc (the top dose delivered to a 1-mL volume) from 15 dose-volume-histogram-associated and four clinically relevant candidate factors; the D max and the D 1cc were the most significant predictors of TLI development. We drew dose-response curves for D max and D 1cc . The tolerance dose (TD) for the 5% and 50% probabilities of TLI development were 69.0 ± 1.6 and 82.1 ± 2.4 Gy for D max and 62.8 ± 2.2 and 80.9 ± 3.4 Gy for D 1cc , respectively. The incidence of TLI in NPC patients after IMRT was higher than expected because the therapeutic window is narrow. High-quality longitudinal studies are needed to gain further insight into the complex spatiotemporal effects of non-uniform irradiation on TLI development in NPC patients.

The newly repaired Kaifeng City Wall has serious cracks, shedding and other issues on the surface, which constitute a significant problem. It is of great significance for the restoration of Kaifeng City Wall to explore the repair materials and techniques suitable for Kaifeng City Wall. The pH, particle gradation, compressive strength and SEM were tested on soil samples with different lime and MgO contents under different slaking times. With the increase of slaking time, the pH value first increased and then decreased. The relationship between pH value and strength showed three stages. The strength of lime-containing soil samples increased first, then decreased and then increased. The MgO content of soil samples showed an opposite trend. The particle gradation was significantly improved with increasing aging time. The main reason for the reduction of soil strength is the calcium carbonate crystals and magnesite microcracks produced by lime and MgO in the later stage of slaking.