Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is an important signalling molecule that has been reported to be able to promote plant senescence. The cell death suppressor Bax inhibitor-1 (BI1) has been found to suppress stress factor-mediated cell death in yeast and Arabidopsis. However, the effect and the genetic mechanism of Arabidopsis thaliana BI1 (AtBI1) on leaf senescence remain unclear. It was found here that the AtBI1 mutant, atbi1-2 (a gene knock-out), showed accelerated progression of MeJA-induced leaf senescence, while the AtBI1 complementation lines displayed similar symptoms as the WT during the senescence process. In addition, over-expression of the AtBI1 gene delayed the onset of MeJA-induced leaf senescence. Further analyses showed that during the process of MeJA-induced senescence, the activity of MPK6, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), increased in WT plants, whereas it was significantly suppressed in AtBI1-overexpressing plants. Under the MeJA treatment, cytosolic calcium ([Ca(2+)](cyt)) functioned upstream of MPK6 activation and the elevation of [Ca(2+)](cyt) was reduced in AtBI1-overexpressing leaves. These results suggested a role of AtBI1 over-expression in delaying MeJA-induced leaf senescence by suppressing the [Ca(2+)](cyt)-dependent activation of MPK6, thus providing a new insight into the function and mechanism of AtBI1 in plant senescence.

A series of chiral pyrrolidine-sulfamides were prepared and examined as the catalysts for conjugate addition of ketones to nitroalkenes. Benzoic acid was identified as the most efficient additives for the transformation. Excellent enantioselectivities, diastereoselectivities, and yields were achieved for the reaction of cyclohexanone with β-aryl nitroethylenes under solvent free conditions. β-Isopropyl nitroethylene is also applicable and the product could be obtained with excellent enantioselectivity after extended reaction time. A comparison of the catalytic behaviors of pyrrolidine-sulfamide organocatalysts with different side chains demonstrates that the enantioselectivity is mainly controlled by the chiral pyrrolidine unit and the additional chiral center at the side chain exerts neglectable effects. The H-bonding interaction between the sulfamide and the nitro group is proposed to be crucial for the activation of the nitroalkene and the constitution of well-organized transition state.

OBJECTIVE To describe the epidemiological characteristics of nonfatal child pedestrian injuries and provide information to help understand an important public-health problem. METHODS This was a school-based, cross-sectional questionnaire survey. The sample (42 750 children) was obtained from two urban cities of Guangdong Province, China, using multi-stage randomized sampling. Information was collected by the respondents self-reporting in the classroom. RESULTS The incidence rate of nonfatal child pedestrian injuries in the cities was 2.0%. Boys had a higher incidence rate (2.6%) than girls (1.4%). Compared to other children, those aged 10 years are at the highest risk. The primary places of occurrence were sidewalks, residential roads, and crosswalks. High-risk behavior of the children immediately prior to injury included mid-block crossings, playing on roads, and crossing on red lights. The major vehicles that caused pedestrian injuries were bicycles, car or vans, and motorcycles. Bruises, fractures, and injuries to the internal organs were the top three types of injuries. Almost 40% of victims were hospitalized, and nearly 30% of the victims suffered long-term disabilities. CONCLUSION This study shows that nonfatal child pedestrian injuries are a very serious public-health problem in the urban cities of Guangdong. Based on the epidemiological characteristics, prevention strategies and further research should be carried out to reduce the occurrence of injuries.

Large-scale malaria control activities in China have been conducted with significant success, since the launch of the nationwide malaria control program. This study investigated the malaria distribution in China, particularly in provinces with high risks. Spatial and temporal data were assembled for all endemic or historically endemic areas and combined to identify common patterns and to investigate the actual changes in the burden of malaria in the country. Data were analyzed and the progress in malaria elimination feasibility was discussed. The results indicated that the current distribution of malaria and vectors associated could provide evidence on the assessment of the feasibility of the malaria elimination in China.

PURPOSE Improving accuracy in x-ray image intensifier (XRII) image distortion correction has clinical impact in order to apply XRII images in a variety of clinical applications more reliably. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a new hybrid mathematic approximation method to correct geometric distortions of XRII images. METHODS The proposed hybrid method integrated an MLS (moving least-squares method) and an MBA (multilevel B-spline approximation) approach (MLSMBA). In the hybrid method, MLS is used to generate denser "virtual" data points on the basis of sparse original data points; MBA is applied to approximate an ultimate mapping function based on the generated and original data points. Using both computer-simulated and real XRII images, the authors compared the image distortion correction accuracy of the proposed method with those yielded using a number of previously developed and currently routinely used methods. The comparison methods include the traditional local and global approximation methods, an approach combining both local and global approximation methods, and an author's previously developed hybrid method by integrating MLS followed by another traditional least-square approximation (MLSILS). The image distortion correction accuracy was evaluated using mean-squared residual errors measured at control and intermediate points. In addition, the impact of pincushion distortion, sigmoidal distortion, local distortion, and control point localization errors on these methods was tested using computer-simulated image data. RESULTS The experimental results using the computer-simulated data showed that unlike the traditional local and global approximation methods that are quite sensitive to pincushion and∕or sigmoidal distortion, the MLSMBA method was insensitive to these two types of common distortion depicted in XRII images. Similar to the MLSILS method, sensitivity of MLSMBA to local distortion was lower than or comparable with that of the traditional global approximation method. Although sensitivity of MLSMBA to control point localization errors was higher than that of the global approximation method, as long as the standard deviation of pixel displacement errors was smaller than 0.1 pixels, the overall distortion correction accuracy of MLSMBA remains higher than that of the other methods. By selecting a proper cutoff radius, accuracy of MLSMBA is also higher than that of the other methods (including MLSILS). Experiments on real XRII images yielded similar results. For example, processing results using one XRII image showed that residual error (0.248 ± 0.236 pixels) of MLSMBA was smallest as compared to that of the other methods, including two local approximation methods (0.456 ± 0.352 pixels and 0.370 ± 0.402 pixels), a global approximation method (0.422 ± 0.388 pixels), an approach combining local and global methods (0.389 ± 0.386 pixels), and MLSILS (0.255 ± 0.248 pixels). CONCLUSIONS The MLSMBA method could be a better choice to correct geometric distortion of raw XRII images in the following conditions:(1) pincushion distortion, sigmoidal distortion, and local distortion exist simultaneously in the XRII images,(2) the number of original control points (landmarks) is limited, and (3) reusability of the correction mapping function is required.

A heparin-like structured macromolecule (HLSM) is synthesized by RAFT polymerization using carboxyl-terminated trithiocarbonate as the RAFT agent. The HLSM can be directly blended with PES in DMAC to prepare flat-sheet membrane by means of a liquid-liquid phase separation technique. The synthesized polymeric material retard blood clotting and the modified membrane exhibits good anticoagulant ability due to the existence of the important functional groups SO(3) H, COOH and OH. The anionic groups on the membrane surface may bind coagulation factors and thus improve anticoagulant ability. The results indicate that the HLSM has potential to improve the anticoagulant properties of biomaterials and to be applied in blood purification including hemodialysis and bioartificial liver supports.

INTRODUCTION Multiple biologically relevant polymorphisms may have more accurate prediction of cancer prognosis compared with single polymorphism because of the modest effect. This study investigated whether the functional polymorphisms in P53 pathway genes, P53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522), P73 G4C14-to-A4T14 (rs2273953 and rs1801173), and MDM2 T309G (rs2279744), alone or in combination, affect survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. METHODS A total of 199 stage III-IV NSCLC patients with platinum-based chemotherapy were recruited between 2002 and 2004. Associations between genotypes and survival were assessed using Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard models were performed to identify significant variables. RESULTS During the median 26.5 months of follow-up, the P53 Pro/Pro genotype was strongly associated with shorter overall survival compared with the Arg/Arg genotype (12.0 versus 20.0 months; log-rank p = 0.002; hazard ratio = 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-3.02). Pairwise combination analysis showed that patients carrying the variant P53 Pro/Pro-P73 GC/GC or P53 Pro/Pro-MDM2 GG genotypes had survival time only half of that for those carrying the wild-type genotypes, with hazard ratio being 2.47 (95% CI, 1.20-5.10) and 2.00 (95% CI, 1.15-3.46), respectively. Furthermore, a combined effect was seen with survival time being gradually shorter with increasing number of unfavorable genotypes in these three genes (p(trend)= 0.039), indicating a gene-dose effect in association with survival. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that genetic polymorphisms in the P53 pathway may be promising biomarkers for individualized chemotherapy and prognosis of NSCLC patients.

Osteoporotic hip fracture (HF) is a serious global public health problem associated with high morbidity and mortality. Hip bone size (BS) has been identified as one of key measurable risk factors for HF, independent of bone mineral density (BMD). Hip BS is highly genetically determined, but genetic factors underlying BS variation are still poorly defined. Here, we performed an initial genome-wide copy number variation (CNV) association analysis for hip BS in 1,627 Chinese Han subjects using Affymetrix GeneChip Human Mapping SNP 6.0 Array and a follow-up replicate study in 2,286 unrelated US Caucasians sample. We found that a copy number polymorphism (CNP267) located at chromosome 2q12.2 was significantly associated with hip BS in both initial Chinese and replicate Caucasian samples with p values of 4.73E-03 and 5.66E-03, respectively. An important candidate gene, four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2), was detected at the downstream of CNP267, which plays important roles in bone metabolism by binding to several bone formation regulator, such as insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP-5) and androgen receptor (AR). Our findings suggest that CNP267 region may be associated with hip BS which might influence the FHL2 gene downstream.

Curcumin affects the functions of adipocytes. But it is not known whether curcumin has some effect on the cholesterol efflux process of adipocytes. Rabbit subcutaneous adipocytes were incubated with 5, 10 and 20 μg/ml curcumin for 24 h. The cholesterol efflux onto apoAI was assessed, and the peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR) γ, liver X receptor (LXR) α and ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) mRNA expression in adipocytes were quantified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Curcumin increased the cholesterol efflux from adipocytes in dose-dependent manner. The increased expression of PPARγ, LXRα and ABCA1 caused by curcumin were parallel. When the adipocytes were pre-treated by GW9662, the increased expression of PPARγ induced by curcumin was partially prevented, subsequent to the down-regulation of LXRα and ABCA1. Curcumin can affect the cholesterol efflux from adipocytes by regulating the PPARγ-LXR-ABCA1 passway.

An amphiphilic triblock co-polymer of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)(PVP-b-PMMA-b-PVP) was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The block co-polymer can be directly blended with polyethersulfone (PES) using dimethylacetamide (DMAC) as the solvent to prepare flat sheet and hollow fiber membranes using a liquid-liquid phase separation technique. The PVP block formed a brush on the surface of the blended membrane, while the PMMA block mingled with the PES macromolecules, which endowed the membrane with permanent hydrophilicity. After adding the as-prepared block co-polymer the modified membranes showed lower protein (bovine serum albumin) adsorption, suppressed platelet adhesion, and a prolonged blood coagulation time, and thereby the blood compatibility was improved. Furthermore, the modified PES membranes showed good cytocompatibility, ultrafiltration and protein anti-fouling properties. These results suggest that surface modification of PES membranes by blending with the amphiphilic triblock co-polymer PVP-b-PMMA-b-PVP allows practical application of these membranes with good biocompatibility in the field of blood purification, such as hemodialysis and bioartificial liver support.