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Qing Xiong

Publications and source records attributed to Qing Xiong.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2025

Rice transcription factor bHLH25 confers resistance to multiple diseases by sensing H2O2.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a ubiquitous signal regulating many biological processes, including innate immunity, in all eukaryotes. However, it remains largely unknown that how transcription factors directly sense H2O2 in eukaryotes. Here, we report that rice basic/helix-loop-helix transcription factor bHLH25 directly senses H2O2 to confer resistance to multiple diseases caused by fungi or bacteria. Upon pathogen attack, rice plants increase the production of H2O2, which directly oxidizes bHLH25 at methionine 256 in the nucleus. Oxidized bHLH25 represses miR397b expression to activate lignin biosynthesis for plant cell wall reinforcement, preventing pathogens from penetrating plant cells. Lignin biosynthesis consumes H2O2 causing accumulation of non-oxidized bHLH25. Non-oxidized bHLH25 switches to promote the expression of Copalyl Diphosphate Synthase 2 (CPS2), which increases phytoalexin biosynthesis to inhibit expansion of pathogens that escape into plants. This oxidization/non-oxidation status change of bHLH25 allows plants to maintain H2O2, lignin and phytoalexin at optimized levels to effectively fight against pathogens and prevents these three molecules from over-accumulation that harms plants. Thus, our discovery reveals a novel mechanism by which a single protein promotes two independent defense pathways against pathogens. Importantly, the bHLH25 orthologues from available plant genomes all contain a conserved M256-like methionine suggesting the broad existence of this mechanism in the plant kingdom. Moreover, this Met-oxidation mechanism may also be employed by other eukaryotic transcription factors to sense H2O2 to change functions.

Hydrogen Peroxide↗
PubMed2006

[Therapeutic effect of puerarin on rats with pre-eclampsia].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of puerarin on the nitrogen monoxide (NO) concentration in rats with pre-eclampsia. METHODS: Thirty SD rats were selected and divided into three groups: normal pregnancy group, pre-eclampsia model group and puerarin group (10 rats in each group). We used endotoxin to set up the pre-eclampsia model rats on gestation 14th day and puerarin to treat these rats. The 24 hour urine protein on gestation 8th, 15th, 19th days were determined, as well as the heart rate, blood pressure on gestation 10th, 15th, 19th days. Nitrate reductase method was used to determine the plasma NO concentration of each group on gestation 21st day. RESULTS: (1) There was significant difference in urine protein concentration between the puerarin [(73 +/- 20) microg], pre-eclampsia [(464 +/- 57) microg], and normal pregnancy [(140 +/- 12) microg], groups (which is equal to the value of urine protein of pregnancy 19th day subtracting that of pregnancy 8th day, P < 0.01). (2) There was significant difference in blood pressure (which is equal to the value of blood pressure of pregnancy 19th day subtracting that of pregnancy 10th day) between the three groups (P < 0.01). (3) There was no significant difference in changes of heart rate between the three groups (which is equal to the value of heart rate of pregnancy 19th day subtracting that of pregnancy 10th day, P > 0.05). (4) There was significant difference in NO concentration (NO concentration at gestation 19th day subtracting that of 8th day) between the three groups (P < 0.01), and the value of normal pregnancy group was (158 +/- 31) mmol/L, pre-eclampsia model group (49 +/- 36) mmol/L, puerarin group (162 +/- 14) mmol/L. CONCLUSION: Puerarin can elevate the level of NO concentration and decrease the blood pressure and urine protein, but not the heart rate in pre-eclampsia model rats, which suggests that puerarin may be used to treat pre-eclampsia.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

[Promoter recognition using genetic algorithms and neural network].

A new model is developed to recognize eukaryotic promoter sequences from non-promoter sequences based on genetic algorithms and neural network in this paper. Experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness of the system to recognize the promoter sequences on the training set and on the test set. The mean recognition rate is as high as 99% on the training set and 97% on the test set, which shows the algorithms has great prospect application in promoter recognition.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2005

[Activities of respiratory chain enzymes in the etiology of preeclampsia].

OBJECTIVE: Respiratory chain enzymes defect can be found in placentae of some patients with preeclampsia. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between respiratory chain enzyme defect and preeclampsia. METHODS: Activities of respiratory chain enzymes were measured in 19 patients with preeclampsia (mild 11, and severe 8) and 9 healthy pregnant women as control. RESULTS: The activities of cytochrome C oxidase (CCO) and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) in placentae of severe preeclampsia were significantly lower than those of healthy pregnants (P<0.05). Other enzymes' activities showed no difference among the groups. CONCLUSION: Decreasing activities of some respiratory chain enzymes could be one of the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2005

[Analysis on the potential losses of maternal mortality in Sichuan province in 2003].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the years of potential life lost (YPLL), working lost, valued lost from the main causes of maternal mortality. METHODS: We collected the mortality cases and live births by the surveillance network of maternal mortality in Sichuan province in 2003, and calculated YPLL, average years of life lost (AYLL), working years of potential life lost (WYPLL), valued years of potential life lost (VYPLL) caused by the death. RESULTS: In 2003, YPLL, AYLL, WYPLL, VYPLL of the maternal mortality were 4016, 43, 2305 and 2608 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ages of the maternal mortality were young, and the potential losses were significant. This not only threatens the life of women, but also is vital losses to the society and economy.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Study of estradiol on treatment of preeclampsia in rat model].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether estradiol can inhibit and cure the inflammation of experimental preeclampsia in rats. METHODS: Experimental preeclampsia was induced in 14-day-pregnant rats by infusion of endotoxin (1.0 microg/kg). Rats with normal pregnancy were infused with sodium chloride solution. A group of preeclampsia rats was injected with 17beta-estradiol (17beta-E(2), 1 mg.kg(-1).d(-1)). Blood pressure, albuminuria, inflammation associated adhesion molecule CD(49d) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were assessed. RESULTS: On pregnant day 19, for normal pregnancy group (group C) the blood pressure was (120.4 +/- 2.0) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa), urinary protein (0.47 +/- 0.06) mg/24 hours; for experimental preeclampsia group (group A) blood pressure was (134.2 +/- 2.4) mm Hg, urinary protein (0.79 +/- 0.10) mg/24 hours; for experimental preeclampsia with 17beta-E(2) treatment group (group B) blood pressure was (123.3 +/- 1.7) mm Hg, urinary protein (0.51 +/- 0.08) mg/24 hours. A significant increase of blood pressure and urinary albumin was observed in group A. CD(49d) expression and TNF-alpha concentration were also increased. 17beta-E(2) reduced the expression of CD(49d), concentration of TNF-alpha, blood pressure and albuminuria of experimental preeclampsia. However, the weight of fetuses in 17beta-E(2) treatment group were less than that in other groups. CONCLUSION: 17beta-E(2) can improve the symptoms of experimental preeclampsia, but its effects on fetus need to be further studied.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[An evaluation of effects of intervention on maternal and child health in the rural areas of China].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of training maternal and child health care providers in the rural areas of China on improvement of health care to pregnant and puerperal women. METHODS: The data originated from the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented by the State Family Planning Commission and the Ministry of Health from 1998 to 2002, which covered 32 counties in 22 provinces of China. A quasi-experimental design was used. 6 counties were selected from 32 project counties as the intervention group, while 6 non-project counties were taken as the control group with the condition similar to that of the selected project counties in respect to their number of population and economic level. The subjects of the study were mothers with child under 3 years. A total of 348 mothers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire by strictly trained surveyors. It was focused on prenatal care and postpartum follow-up in the survey. INTERVENTION: According to the plan of the project, all maternal and child health care providers at the grass-root level were given a 2-week theoretical training, and some of them were assigned to hospitals where they were gievn a 1-month clinical skills training. RESULTS: With regard to prenatal care, the mothers in intervention group received more prenatal care than those in control group (mean number of obstetric visits: 6.64 vs 5.64, P<0.05). The number of items of examination taken in intervention group was more than that in control group (6.71 versus 5.67, P<0.05). The proportion of the mothers in intervention group who were told that they must visit doctors if they felt uncomfortable in pregnant period, was higher than that in control group (P<0.05). 8 symptoms or signs that possibly occur in pregnant period were listed; in this connection, the mothers in intervention group knew more than those in control group (3.43 vs 2.09, P<0.05). In the postpartum follow-up, more mothers in the intervention group were examined by the doctors. The proportion of mothers who were informed of contraceptive methods was higher in intervention group than in control group (94% vs 78.5%, P<0.05). The descending rate of maternal mortality rate in the intervention areas was much higher than that in the control areas. CONCLUSION: The training of maternal and child health care providers had a significant impact on improving their service skills and quality; consequently, the women covered by their service could receive better maternal and child health care. This indicates that the Reproductive Health/Family Planning Project implemented in the rural areas of China is successful.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

All-optical histology using ultrashort laser pulses.

As a means to automate the three-dimensional histological analysis of brain tissue, we demonstrate the use of femtosecond laser pulses to iteratively cut and image fixed as well as fresh tissue. Cuts are accomplished with 1 to 10 microJ pulses to ablate tissue with micron precision. We show that the permeability, immunoreactivity, and optical clarity of the tissue is retained after pulsed laser cutting. Further, samples from transgenic mice that express fluorescent proteins retained their fluorescence to within microns of the cut surface. Imaging of exogenous or endogenous fluorescent labels down to 100 microm or more below the cut surface is accomplished with 0.1 to 1 nJ pulses and conventional two-photon laser scanning microscopy. In one example, labeled projection neurons within the full extent of a neocortical column were visualized with micron resolution. In a second example, the microvasculature within a block of neocortex was measured and reconstructed with micron resolution.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[The status quo of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women in Chengdu: report of a population-based cross-sectional study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the situation of reproductive health of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women in Chengdu and provide a basis for planning reproductive health care for these women. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in women who were over 45 years old in the central city and the nearby county of Chengdu. RESULTS: The mean age of menopause was 48.1 years. There were sixty percent of women who had dysfunctional uterine bleeding before menopause. About half of the postmenopausal women had experienced perimenopausal symptoms. There were 460 women who ever used or currently use estrogen therapy. But only half of them visited doctors and sought medical therapy. And the main problems were hot flash, night sweats, dyssomnia, and urinary infection. Most of them took medicine for a short period (< 1 year). CONCLUSION: We found that middle-aged and older women have many symptoms related to menopause. It is necessary for us to provide reproductive health care for them.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

[Detection of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism in preeclampsia].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the relationship between endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism and preeclampsia. METHODS: The study included the samples from 62 subjects (15 preeclampsia pregnant women with their infants and 16 normal pregnant women with their infants). Screening for the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism, the 27-bp repeat in intron 4 (eNOS4), was carried out by analysis of polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The frequency of the b allele (420 bp) in the 62 samples was 91.93%, the frequency of the a allele (393 bp) was 6.45%, and that of the c allele (447 bp) was 1.61%. The frequencies of eNOS 4 b/b, eNOS 4 a/b and eNOS4 c/b were 83.83%, 12.90% and 3.27%, respectively. There was no significant difference of eNOS4 polymorphism between the preeclampsia pregnant women and the normal pregnant women, between their infants, and between the preeclampsia pregnant women and their infants. CONCLUSION: The eNOS 4 polymorphism may be not associated with preeclampsia. Further studies are needed to confirm the eNOS gene polymorphism with preeclampsia.

Adult↗