First Report of the European Type of Bursaphelenchus mucronatus on Korean Pine (Pinus koraiensis) in Korea

More than 70 species of Bursaphelenchus have been reported and they are morphologically very similar. The pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) is a causal agent of pine wilt and accurate identification is essential for diagnosis of the disease. However, many other saprophytic nematodes are found in dead trees and some of them have high morphological similarity to B. xylophilus. B. mucronatus is commonly found in dead pine trees and is distinguished from B. xylophilus only by the presence of a distinct mucro in the female tail (3). However, natural populations of B. xylophilus show variation in tail morphology and some of them have a small lump on the end of the tail that looks like a short mucro, which could lead to misidentification. B. mucronatus has been reported to have two genotypes known as the East Asian type and the European type (2). The European type has a more rounded tail with a mucro, which is much more similar to B. xylophilus than the East Asian type. Molecular identification by internal transcribed spacer restriction fragment length polymorphism (ITS-RFLP) can distinguish these two genotypes clearly by using five different restriction enzymes (2). In Korea, we collected wood samples from dead Pinus koraiensis located at Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province in April, 2007 and nematodes were extracted by a modified Baermann funnel method. After 24 h, nematodes were collected and morphology was observed under an inverted light microscope (Leica DE/DMI 3000B, Wetzlar, Germany). Morphology was characterized by a typical Aphelenchoid-type esophagus, head constriction, female vulva flap, post uterine sac, female tail with mucro, and males with arched-shaped spicules. The tail was rounded with a long mucro >4 μm. For molecular diagnosis, DNA was extracted from single individual nematodes by using a DNeasy Kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) and the ITS 1 and 2 and 5.8S regions in rDNA were amplified by PCR (US/PTC-0220; Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA). ITS-RFLP patterns were analyzed and nucleotide sequences were compared with sequences of B. mucronatus already reported in GenBank (Accession Nos. AM179514, BMU93554, and DQ841162). The ITS-RFLP pattern of individuals matched the European type of B. mucronatus and was differentiated from the East Asian type by RsaI and HaeIII digestion (2). The ITS DNA sequence of nematodes from Korean pines was >98% identical to B. mucronatus in GenBank. The European type of B. mucronatus was consistently isolated from dead trees, but the pathogenicity of the European type of B. mucronatus on Korean pine is not yet clear. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the European type of B. mucronatus species on P. koraiensis in Korea, but it is already distributed in certain locations of Japan (4), China, and Europe (1). References: (1) H. Braasch et al. Nachrbl. Dtsch. Pflanzenschutzd. 51:312, 1999. (2) W. K. Burgermeister et al. Russ. J. Nematol. 13:29, 2005. (3) Y. Mamiya and N. Enda. Nematologica 25:353, 1979. (4) K. Togashi et al. Jpn. J. For. Res. 13:127, 2008.

X-ray crystallographic and solution state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic investigations of NADP+ binding to ferredoxin NADP reductase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The ferredoxin nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reductase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( pa-FPR) in complex with NADP (+) has been characterized by X-ray crystallography and in solution by NMR spectroscopy. The structure of the complex revealed that pa-FPR harbors a preformed NADP (+) binding pocket where the cofactor binds with minimal structural perturbation of the enzyme. These findings were complemented by obtaining sequential backbone resonance assignments of this 29518 kDa enzyme, which enabled the study of the pa-FPR-NADP complex by monitoring chemical shift perturbations induced by addition of NADP (+) or the inhibitor adenine dinucleotide phosphate (ADP) to pa-FPR. The results are consistent with a preformed NADP (+) binding site and also demonstrate that the pa-FPR-NADP complex is largely stabilized by interactions between the protein and the 2'-P AMP portion of the cofactor. Analysis of the crystal structure also shows a vast network of interactions between the two cofactors, FAD and NADP (+), and the characteristic AFVEK (258) C'-terminal extension that is typical of bacterial FPRs but is absent in their plastidic ferredoxin NADP (+) reductase (FNR) counterparts. The conformations of NADP (+) and FAD in pa-FPR place their respective nicotinamide and isoalloxazine rings 15 A apart and separated by residues in the C'-terminal extension. The network of interactions among NADP (+), FAD, and residues in the C'-terminal extension indicate that the gross conformational rearrangement that would be necessary to place the nicotinamide and isoalloxazine rings parallel and adjacent to one another for direct hydride transfer between NADPH and FAD in pa-FPR is highly unlikely. This conclusion is supported by observations made in the NMR spectra of pa-FPR and the pa-FPR-NADP complex, which strongly suggest that residues in the C'-terminal sequence do not undergo conformational exchange in the presence or absence of NADP (+). These findings are discussed in the context of a possible stepwise electron-proton-electron transfer of hydride in the oxidation of NADPH by FPR enzymes.

Psychosocial and behavioral pre-treatment predictors of weight loss outcomes

This study tested whether baseline behavioral and psychological variables predict weight and fat loss among overweight, non-obese individuals participating in a six-month calorie restriction trial. Participants (N=48) were randomly assigned to four groups, three of which included a calorie restriction program and one of which served as a healthy diet weight maintenance control. For the purposes of this study, data were analyzed only for participants assigned to the three calorie restriction groups (n=36). Ten psychological and behavioral measures were investigated through principal components factor analysis to examine whether these measures were assessing similar or distinct psychological and behavioral constructs. Based on the obtained six-factor solution, one measure from each domain was selected for inclusion in hierarchical regression analyses, which was used to test the relative importance of psychosocial and behavioral variables in predicting percent weight and fat loss over six months. After controlling for demographic and treatment variables, the behavioral and psychological measures of negative mood states, poor psychosocial functioning, and somatic symptoms were associated with less weight loss (R2=0.68, p<0.001) and fat loss (R2=0.65, p<0.001) over six months. Among overweight individuals, poor psychological adjustment, somatic symptoms, and negative mood states appear to form a psychosocial profile that is predictive of less weight and fat loss in calorie restriction programs.

A 37-year-old spinal cord-injured female patient, transplanted of multipotent stem cells from human UC blood, with improved sensory perception and mobility, both functionally and morphologically: a case study

HLA-matched UC blood-derived multipotent stem cells were directly transplanted into the injured spinal cord site of a 37-year-old female patient suffering from spinal cord injury (SPI). In this case, human cord blood (UCB)-derived multipotent stem cells improved sensory perception and movement in the SPI patient's hips and thighs within 41 days of cell transplantation. CT and MRI results also showed regeneration of the spinal cord at the injured site and some of the cauda equina below it. Therefore, it is suggested that UCB multipotent stem cell transplantation could be a good treatment method for SPI patients.

Highly birefringent terahertz polarization maintaining plastic photonic crystal fibers

Guided-wave propagation of sub-ps terahertz (THz) pulses in a highly birefringent plastic photonic crystal fiber was studied by using a THz time domain spectroscopy technique. The plastic photonic crystal fiber was fabricated by using high density polyethylene tubes and solid filaments. The fabricated THz plastic photonic crystal fibers exhibit an extremely large birefringence of ~ 2.1 x 10(-2), which is almost one order of magnitude larger than that of previously reported photonic crystal fibers.

Structural basis of glyphosate tolerance resulting from mutations of Pro101 in Escherichia coli 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase

Glyphosate, the world's most used herbicide, is a massive success because it enables efficient weed control with minimal animal and environmental toxicity. The molecular target of glyphosate is 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), which catalyzes the sixth step of the shikimate pathway in plants and microorganisms. Glyphosate-tolerant variants of EPSPS constitute the basis of genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant crops. A single-site mutation of Pro(101) in EPSPS (numbering according to the enzyme from Escherichia coli) has been implicated in glyphosate-resistant weeds, but this residue is not directly involved in glyphosate binding, and the basis for this phenomenon has remained unclear in the absence of further kinetic and structural characterization. To probe the effects of mutations at this site, E. coli EPSPS enzymes were produced with glycine, alanine, serine, or leucine substituted for Pro(101). These mutant enzymes were analyzed by steady-state kinetics, and the crystal structures of the substrate binary and substrate.glyphosate ternary complexes of P101S and P101L EPSPS were determined to between 1.5- and 1.6-A resolution. It appears that residues smaller than leucine may be substituted for Pro(101) without decreasing catalytic efficiency. Any mutation at this site results in a structural change in the glyphosate-binding site, shifting Thr(97) and Gly(96) toward the inhibitor molecule. We conclude that the decreased inhibitory potency observed for glyphosate is a result of these mutation-induced long-range structural changes. The implications of our findings concerning the development and spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds are discussed.

Differential inhibition of class I and class II 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthases by tetrahedral reaction intermediate analogues

The shikimate pathway enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSP synthase or EPSPS) is best known as the target of the herbicide glyphosate. EPSPS is also considered an attractive target for the development of novel antibiotics since the pathogenicity of many microorganisms depends on the functionality of the shikimate pathway. Here, we have investigated the inhibitory potency of stable fluorinated or phosphonate-based analogues of the tetrahedral reaction intermediate (TI) in a parallel study utilizing class I (glyphosate-sensitive) and class II (glyphosate-tolerant) EPSPS. The (R)-difluoromethyl and (R)-phosphonate analogues of the TI are the most potent inhibitors of EPSPS described to date. However, we found that class II EPSPS are up to 400 times less sensitive to inhibition by these TI analogues. X-ray crystallographic data revealed that the conformational changes of active site residues observed upon inhibitor binding to the representative class I EPSPS from Escherichia coli do not occur in the prototypical class II enzyme from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4. It appears that because the active sites of class II EPSPS do not possess the flexibility to accommodate these TI analogues, the analogues themselves undergo conformational changes, resulting in less favorable inhibitory properties. Since pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus utilize class II EPSPS, we conclude that the rational design of novel EPSPS inhibitors with potential as broad-spectrum antibiotics should be based on the active site structures of class II EPSP synthases.

Targeting the mitotic spindle in the treatment of adrenocortical cancer

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Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and lethal cancer with an average incidence of 1 in 1.4 million. Response to current standard therapy including mitotane is approximately 22%. Herein we use gene expression profiling to identify novel targets for therapeutic intervention. Methods: The transcriptomes of 29 ACC tumors and 4 normal adrenal glands were profiled on Affymetrix Human Genome and Agilent 22K element expression arrays in order to identify genes that could represent potential therapeutic targets. Agents known to inhibit the selected targets were tested in comparison with mitotane in two ACC cell lines (H295R and SW-13) in vitro and are currently being tested in a Scid mouse xenograft system. Results: Expression of numerous kinesin family members is dysregulated within the ACC tumor population. Of interest in the ACC cells EG5 (KIF11, KSP), a kinesin important for mitotic spindle formation, is up-regulated 5.81+ 4.42 (μ+SD) and 6.48 + 0.99 fold on the Agilent and Affymetrix platforms respectively. In addition, SPARC, an albumin binding matrix associated protein is up-regulated in ACC tumors by 3.69 + 2.37 (μ+SD) and 1.56 + 0.44 on the two platforms. The anti-microtubular drugs paclitaxel and albumin bound paclitaxel (abraxane) exhibited in vitro inhibition of H295R and SW-13 cells at IC50 concentrations of 0.33 μM and 0.0078 μM for paclitaxel and 0.35 μM and 0.0087 μM for Abraxane compared to mitotane concentrations of 15.9 μM and 46.4 μM. Treatment effects of monastrol, paclitaxel, and Abraxane are currently being tested in xenograft murine models. Testing of the EG5 inhibitor S-trityl-L- cysteine is ongoing in the in vitro system. Conclusions: KIF11 inhibitors have been proposed in the treatment of cancer. These compounds may offer better anti-mitotic activity than other tubulin interacting agents with less neurotoxic side effects. Based on biological insight garnered through expression profiling of ACC tumors, the current ongoing research is investigating the use of abraxane and EG5 inhibitors in the in vitro and in vivo treatment of ACC.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Overexpressed active Notch1 induces cell growth arrest of HeLa cervical carcinoma cells

Human cervical carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors, but the mechanisms that orchestrate the multiple oncogenic insults required for initiation and progression are not clear. Notch signaling plays a critical role in maintaining the balance between cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, but perturbed Notch signaling may contribute to tumorigenesis. We now show that Notch1 is detected in all cervical cancer, including advanced diseases. We also constitutively overexpressed active Notch1 in human cervical carcinoma to explore the effects of Notch1 signaling on human cervical carcinoma cell growth and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. The signaling may participate in the development of human cervical carcinoma cells, but overexpressed active Notch1 inhibits their growth through induction of cell cycle arrest. Increased Notch1 signaling induced a downmodulation of human papillomavirus transcription through suppression of activator protein (AP)-1 activity by upregulation of c-Jun and the decreased expression of c-Fos. Thus, Notch1 signaling plays a key role and exerts dual effects, functioning in context-specific manner.

Maternal undernutrition during early to mid-gestation in the ewe results in altered growth, adiposity, and glucose tolerance in male offspring

This study utilized maternal undernutrition from early to midgestation in the ewe to determine the impact(s) of intrauterine growth restriction on postpartum growth of male offspring and the potential mechanisms involved. Multiparous ewes were fed 50% (nutrient-restricted) or 100% (control-fed) of their nutrient requirements (NRC, 1985) between d 28 and 78 of gestation, and then all ewes were fed 100% of the NRC requirements from d 79 through lambing. Male lambs born to nutrient-restricted (n = 9) and control-fed (n = 9) ewes exhibited similar BW (5.8 vs. 6.0 +/- 0.3 kg) and crown-rump lengths (53.8 vs. 55.4 +/- 1.0 cm) at birth. At 63 and 250 d of postnatal age, wether lambs were subjected to a glucose tolerance test, in which a bolus of glucose was administered i.v. to evaluate changes in glucose and insulin concentrations. After i.v. glucose administration at 63 d of age, lambs from nutrient-restricted ewes exhibited a greater area under the curve for glucose (AUCg; 6,281 vs. 5,242 +/- 429; P < 0.05) and insulin (AUCi; 21.0 vs. 8.6 +/- 1.9; P < 0.001) than lambs from control-fed ewes. After glucose administration at 250 d of age, lambs from nutrient-restricted ewes had greater AUCg (7,147 vs. 5,823 +/- 361; P < 0.01) but a lower AUCi (6.4 vs. 10.2 +/- 1.9; P = 0.05) than lambs from control-fed ewes. Lambs from nutrient-restricted ewes were heavier (26.6 vs. 21.8 +/- 2.3 kg; P < 0.05) and had more backfat (0.30 vs. 0.21 +/- 0.03 cm, P < 0.05) by 4 mo of age than the lambs from control-fed ewes. At slaughter at 280 d of age, lambs from nutrient-restricted ewes remained heavier than lambs from control-fed ewes, had greater (P < 0.05) amounts of kidney and pelvic-area adipose tissue, and tended (P < 0.10) to have reduced LM and semitendinosus muscle weights as a percentage of HCW. These data demonstrate that a bout of maternal undernutrition during early to midgestation in sheep increased BW and fat deposition during adolescence and dysregulated glucose uptake in the absence of any change in birth weight.

Reformulation of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT): factor structure and scoring method in a non-clinical population

The primary aims of this study were to empirically test the factor structure of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) through both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and to interpret the factor structure of the ChEAT within the context of a new scoring method. The ChEAT was administered to 728 children in the 2nd through 6th grades (from five schools) at two different time points. Exactly half the students were male and half were female. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically test the merits of an alternative 6-point scoring system as compared to the traditionally used 4-point scoring system. With the new scoring procedure, the skewness for all factor scores decreased, which resulted in increased variance in the item scores, as well as the total ChEAT score. Since the internal consistency of two factors in a recently proposed model was not acceptable (<0.60), this model did not adequately fit our data. Thus, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. A 6-factor solution based on a 20-item version was found to best fit the data and have the best internal reliability. The six factors were labeled: 1) overconcern with body size, 2) dieting, 3) food preoccupation, 4) social pressure to gain weight, 5) vomiting, and 6) caloric awareness and control. The obtained factor solution had considerable overlap with the original factor analysis performed on the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test and with the factor structure of the ChEAT reported by previous investigations. Intercorrelations among the factors suggested three higher order constructs. These findings indicate that the ChEAT subscales may be sufficiently stable to allow use in non-clinical samples of children.

Hepatic intra-arterial injection of 3-bromopyruvate in rabbit VX2 tumor

PURPOSE

To evaluate the antitumoral effects of an intra-arterial injection of 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA) on liver VX2 tumor in rabbits.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty rabbits with surgically implanted liver VX2 tumors were used. The rabbits were divided into three groups: a control, a saline, and a 3-BrPA group. Four rabbits were not treated at all, and they served as the control group. The saline group (n = 6) received only intra-arterial saline injection. The 3-BrPA group (n = 10) received an intra-arterial injection of 3-bromopyruvate through the hepatic artery. The delivered amounts of 3-bromopyruvate were as follows: 25 ml of 0.5 mM in six rabbits, 25 ml of 1.0 mM in two rabbits, and 25 ml of 2.0 mM in two rabbits. Four days after intra-arterial injection, the rabbits were sacrificed and histopathologic analysis of the explanted livers was performed with comparison of the tumor necrosis ratio (a percentage of the necrotic area versus the entire tumorous area) in each group.

RESULTS

The mean tumor necrosis ratio was 12.5+/-4.2%, 44.8+/-24.7%, and 49.4+/-14.3% in the control, saline, and 3-BrPA groups, respectively. Between the control and the saline group, and between the control and the 3-BrPA group the mean tumor necrosis ratio appeared to be significantly different (P<0.05). However, there was no statistical difference in the mean tumor necrosis ratio between the saline and the 3-BrPA group (P = 0.416).

CONCLUSION

A single session of intra-arterial injection of 3-BrPA showed no better results in terms of tumor necrosis than that of saline injection in a rabbit VX2 tumor model.

A case–control study of Guillain–Barre syndrome in Harbin, China

We evaluated the putative factors for the onset of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Harbin, China by a case-control study based on the information from GBS patients identified from a population-based incidence survey, which is the first study of this kind in China. Sixty-nine GBS patients were identified during a 1-year period from 1 October 1997 to 30 September 1998, and they were matched with 69 controls for gender and age (+/-5 years). GBS diagnosis was validated by senior neurologists and GBS patients were followed up for 6 months after onset. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each putative factor for the onset of GBS were calculated and compared between GBS cases and controls. Precedent respiratory infections within 2 months before onset were found to be significantly more frequent in GBS patients than in controls (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.21-2.33). Although the number of cases with gastroenteritis among GBS patients was more than double of that in the controls, the difference was not statistically significant (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 0.73-6.96). Other putative factors as well as characteristics regarding family situation, education level, occupation, etc., were not found to be statistically different between GBS patients and controls.

Molecular basis for the herbicide resistance of Roundup Ready crops

The engineering of transgenic crops resistant to the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate has greatly improved agricultural efficiency worldwide. Glyphosate-based herbicides, such as Roundup, target the shikimate pathway enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase, the functionality of which is absolutely required for the survival of plants. Roundup Ready plants carry the gene coding for a glyphosate-insensitive form of this enzyme, obtained from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4. Once incorporated into the plant genome, the gene product, CP4 EPSP synthase, confers crop resistance to glyphosate. Although widely used, the molecular basis for this glyphosate-resistance has remained obscure. We generated a synthetic gene coding for CP4 EPSP synthase and characterized the enzyme using kinetics and crystallography. The CP4 enzyme has unexpected kinetic and structural properties that render it unique among the known EPSP synthases. Glyphosate binds to the CP4 EPSP synthase in a condensed, noninhibitory conformation. Glyphosate sensitivity can be restored through a single-site mutation in the active site (Ala-100-Gly), allowing glyphosate to bind in its extended, inhibitory conformation.

Aspects of quantum coherence in the optical Bloch equations

Aspects of coherence and decoherence are analyzed within the optical Bloch equations. By rewriting the analytic solution in an alternate form, we are able to emphasize a number of unusual features: (a) despite the Markovian nature of the bath, coherence at long times can be retained; (b) the long-time asymptotic degree of coherence in the system is intertwined with the asymptotic difference in level populations; (c) the traditional population-relaxation and decoherence times, T1 and T2, lose their meaning when the system is in the presence of an external field, and are replaced by more general overall time scales; (d) increasing the field strength, quantified by the Rabi frequency Omega, increases the rate of decoherence rather than reducing it, as one might expect; and (e) maximum asymptotic coherence is reached when the system parameters satisfy Omega2=1(T1T2).

Benign Breast Diseases Associated With Cyclosporine Therapy in Renal Transplant Recipients

PURPOSE

Our aim was to correlate the radiologic characteristics of cyclosporine-induced benign breast diseases with clinical and pathologic findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The clinical, mammographic, and ultrasonographic records of 33 female renal transplant recipients who received cyclosporine were retrospectively reviewed. Eleven patients had 46 breast masses on ultrasonography. We performed core needle biopsies on 20 masses and reviewed the pathologic findings.

RESULTS

Among 33 female renal transplant recipients, 11 (33%) had 46 benign breast lesions detected on ultrasonography. We performed core needle biopsies on 20 of the 46 masses. On pathologic examination, 12 were fibroadenomas, 6 showed fibrocystic changes, and 2 revealed dense fibrosis. Regardless of the final pathologic diagnosis, more than half of the lesions revealed severe lymphatic and venular swellings. Among 11 patients with breast lesions on ultrasonography, 10/11 (91%) showed multiplicity, and 7/11 (64%) bilaterality. Mammographically, patients with breast lesions revealed heterogeneous or extremely dense breast patterns, and 8 of 11 patients, circumscribed masses. Twenty-two patients without breast lesions showed scattered fibroglandular densities (n = 7), or heterogeneously dense (n = 11) or extremely dense (n = 4) breast patterns, and 3 of 22 patients showed vague or asymmetric densities that needed further evaluation.

CONCLUSION

The development of new breast lesions in patients after renal transplantation should suggest a diagnosis of cyclosporine-induced benign breast disease including fibroadenoma, fibrocystic changes, and dense fibrosis.

Synthesis of mono- and dihydroxylated furanoses, pyranoses, and an oxepanose for the preparation of natural product analogue libraries

[structures: see text] Numerous biologically active natural products contain furanoses and pyranoses with mono- and dihydroxylated substituents. However, much of the structure-activity studies on such molecules is gathered on the aglycons without attention to the corresponding carbohydrate components. Consequently, there are few synthetic procedures that enable the rapid preparation of mono- and dihydroxyfuranoses and mono- and dihydroxypyranoses and no report for a 3,4-dihydroxyoxepanose. In this article we report the practical synthesis of orthogonally protected five-, six-, and seven-membered carbohydrate derivatives. The succinct manner in which these molecules were synthesized allows the rapid preparation of analogues aimed at discovering the role of ring size and individual hydroxyl moieties on the pyranose skeleton.