Herbivore-induced volatiles of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) prime defence responses in neighbouring intact plants

When attacked by herbivores, plants release herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPV) that may function in direct defence by repelling herbivores or reducing their growth. Emission of HIPV may also contribute to indirect defence by attracting natural enemies of the herbivore. Here, cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) plants (receiver plants) previously exposed to HIPV and subsequently induced through feeding by five Pieris brassicae L. caterpillars attracted more Cotesia glomerata L. parasitoids than control plants. HIPVs to which receiver plants had been exposed were emitted by B. oleracea infested with 50 P. brassicae caterpillars. Control plants had been exposed to volatiles from undamaged plants. In contrast, there were no differences in the attraction of wasps to receiver plants induced through feeding of one or ten larvae of P. brassicae compared to control plants. In addition, RT-PCR demonstrated higher levels of LIPOXYGENASE (BoLOX) transcripts in HIPV-exposed receiver plants. Exposure to HIPV from emitter plants significantly inhibited the growth rate of both P. brassicae and Mamestra brassicae caterpillars compared to growth rates of caterpillars feeding on control receiver plants. Our results demonstrate plant-plant signalling leading to priming of both indirect and direct defence in HIPV-exposed B. oleracea plants.

Prevalence and characteristics of psoriatic arthritis in Chinese patients with psoriasis

BACKGROUND

The prevalence and clinical characteristics of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients with psoriasis vary widely in different countries and studies on Chinese population are rarely reported.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of PsA in a Chinese population of patients with psoriasis.

METHODS

A large cross-sectional observational study was conducted in our outpatient dermatology department and consecutive psoriatic patients were evaluated for PsA according to Classification of Psoriatic arthritis (CASPAR) criteria. Demographic and medical parameters were recorded.

RESULTS

Among 1928 patients with psoriasis, 112 patients (5.8%) had PsA, of which 92% was newly diagnosed. Oligoarthritis (48.2%) was the most common manifestation pattern, followed by spondylitis (26.8%), polyarthritis (19.6%) and classic distal interphalangeal (DIP) arthritis (5.4%). Enthesitis was present in 26.8% and dactylitis in 13.4% of the patients. Compared with patients without PsA, patients with PsA had more severe skin disease (mean PASI 9.7 vs. 6.0), higher frequency of nail changes (46.4% vs. 21.0%) and scalp involvement (90.2% vs. 76.4%).

CONCLUSION

The findings are consistent with a low prevalence of PsA among patients with psoriasis in Asia and confirm a high percentage of undiagnosed cases with active arthritis among PsA patients in dermatologist's office. Dermatologists should screen for PsA in their patients, especially those with risk characteristics and early signs.

Prognostic analysis for carcinoid tumours of the rectum: a single institutional analysis of 106 patients

AIM

Rectal carcinoid is a rare rectal tumour with a good prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess its clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors in a single institution.

METHOD

Clinical and pathological information was retrospectively collected in a single institution, and patients' outcomes were determined. Multivariate analyses were performed to find independent prognostic factors attributed to overall survival.

RESULTS

A total of 106 patients with rectal carcinoid were included. In all, 66% of the patients underwent transanal local excision and 34% had transabdominal surgery. The 5-year survival rate was 87%. Muscularis invasion was the only independent prognostic factor for predicting 5-year survival (P = 0.00046). Tumour size was found to be significantly associated with muscular invasion (P = 0.00003). The area under the curve of tumour size in the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting muscular invasion was 0.92.

CONCLUSION

Patients with rectal carcinoid have a good prognosis. Muscular invasion is an independent risk factor of survival.

The clinical values of methylation status of P16 and APC genes in bile in diagnosis of malignant obstructive jaundice

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Background: Preoperative definitive diagnosis of malignant obstructive jaundice caused by biliary and pancreatic carcinomas still remains a major challenge. Hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes have been implied in carcinogenesis of biliary and pancreatic malignancies. The diagnostic values of methylation status of tumor suppressor genes in bile in malignant obstructive jaundice have not been well-documented.

Methods: Bile was prospectively collected from 70 patients with obstructive jaundice treated at our hospital between November 2008 and Sepetember 2009. Forty-eight of them were proved to be malignant obstructive jaundice (biliary carcinoma in 36, pancreatic carcinoma in 8 and duodenal carcinoma in 4) by pathological examination, and 22 were benign obstructive jaundice caused by cholelithiasis. DNA was extracted from bile and modified by sodium bisulfite. Methylation-specific PCR was run to detect methylation status of P16 and APC gene promoters. Their diagnostic values in malignant obstructive jaundice were assessed.

Results: Hypermethylation of P16 promoter was presented in 72.9% (35/48) malignant obstructive jaundice, and 9% (2/22) bengin obstructive jaundice (p<0.05). Hypermethylation of APC promoter was presented in 56.2% (27/48) malignant obstructive jaundice, and 9% (2/22) bengin obstructive jaundice (p<0.05). With respect to their diagnostic values in malignant obstructive jaundice, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictivity and negative predictivity were 72.9%, 90.9%, 94.6% and 60.6%, respectively, for P16 gene; 56.2%, 90.9%, 93.1%, 48.8%, respectively, for APC gene.

Conclusions: Methylation status of P16 and APC gene promoters in bile was valuable in diagnosis of malignant obstructive jaundice, with an excellent specificity. P16 gene had a higher sensitivity than APC gene.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Oncological outcome of T1 rectal cancer undergoing standard resection and local excision

AIM

We studied the outcome and prognostic factors for T1 rectal cancer patients undergoing standard resection or transanal excision.

METHOD

One hundred and twenty-four patients with T1 rectal cancer were included in the study, of whom 66 (53.2%) underwent standard resection and 58 (46.8%) underwent transanal excision. Survival analysis was performed to compare the outcome.

RESULTS

The 5-year local recurrence rate was 11.0% in the transanal excision group versus 1.6% in the standard resection group (P = 0.031) but the 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival rates were not significantly different between the two groups. Multivariate analysis suggested that a high tumour grade and perineural or lymphovascular invasion were independent risk factors for local recurrence and recurrence-free survival. For high-risk patients (with at least one of the above risk factors), the 5-year local recurrence and 10-year recurrence-free survival rates were 21.2% and 74.5%, versus 1.2% and 92.0% in low-risk patients (P = 0.00003 and P = 0.003). In patients undergoing transanal excision, none in the low-risk group had local recurrence during follow up, while 40% (6 of 15) of patients in the high-risk group developed local recurrence within 5 years after surgery. The 5-year local recurrence rate was 45.0%.

CONCLUSION

Transanal excision in T1 rectal cancer may result in a high rate of local failure for patients with a high-grade tumour, or perineural or lymphovascular invasion. Local excision should be avoided as a curative treatment in high-risk patients.

Nursing research in three regions in China: a bibliometric study

OBJECTIVE

To analyse scientific papers published by Chinese authors in nursing journals included in the Science Citation Index Expanded and compare the published scientific papers from mainland China (ML), Taiwan (TW) and Hong Kong (HK).

METHODS

All articles published in 62 journals that were related to nursing originating from ML, TW and HK from 1999 to 2008 were retrieved from the PubMed and Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Knowledge database. The total number of articles published in nursing journals, impact factors and citation reports and articles were estimated for quantity and quality comparisons.

RESULTS

The number of articles from the three regions increased significantly from 1999 to 2008. There were 1015 articles in total from the three regions: ML (48), HK (414) and TW (553) in PubMed. In the ISI Web of Knowledge database, TW derived the highest total citations (1755 citations from 500 articles), followed by HK (1316 citations from 347 articles) and ML (158 citations from 55 articles). HK had the highest average citations of 3.79, followed by TW (3.51) and then ML (2.87).

DISCUSSION

The difference between the quantity and quality of nursing research articles published in ML, TW and HK is significant, although the gap appears to be narrowing. Long-term job stresses, low levels of education and language barriers are likely the main factors. ML, TW and HK have the same culture and ethnicity. We expect that ML will benefit significantly from increased exchanges with TW and HK in nursing research and education. We also speculate that TW and HK will benefit from exchanges because ML may have diverse nursing problems.

Mesenchymal stem cells improve murine acute coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis

Aims

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced myocarditis, initially considered a sole immune-mediated disease, also results from a direct CVB3-mediated injury of the cardiomyocytes. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have, besides immunomodulatory, also anti-apoptotic features. In view of clinical translation, we first analysed whether MSCs can be infected by CVB3. Next, we explored whether and how MSCs could reduce the direct CVB3-mediated cardiomyocyte injury and viral progeny release, in vitro, in the absence of immune cells. Finally, we investigated whether MSC application could improve murine acute CVB3-induced myocarditis.

Methods and results

Phase contrast pictures and MTS viability assay demonstrated that MSCs did not suffer from CVB3 infection 4–12–24–48 h after CVB3 infection. Coxsackievirus B3 RNA copy number decreased in this time frame, suggesting that no CVB3 replication took place. Co-culture of MSCs with CVB3-infected HL-1 cardiomyocytes resulted in a reduction of CVB3-induced HL-1 apoptosis, oxidative stress, intracellular viral particle production, and viral progeny release in a nitric oxide (NO)-dependent manner. Moreover, MSCs required priming via interferon-γ (IFN-γ) to exert their protective effects. In vivo, MSC application improved the contractility and relaxation parameters in CVB3-induced myocarditis, which was paralleled with a reduction in cardiac apoptosis, cardiomyocyte damage, left ventricular tumour necrosis factor-α mRNA expression, and cardiac mononuclear cell activation. Mesenchymal stem cells reduced the CVB3-induced CD4− and CD8− T cell activation in an NO-dependent way and required IFN-γ priming.

Conclusion

We conclude that MSCs improve murine acute CVB3-induced myocarditis via their anti-apoptotic and immunomodulatory properties, which occur in an NO-dependent manner and require priming via IFN-γ.

YKL-40 protein levels and clinical outcome of human endometrial cancer

The secreted glycoprotein YKL-40 is a member of the chitinase family and elevated serum YKL-40 levels have been reported to be associated with reduced survival in several malignancies, including endometrial cancer. This study investigated immunoreactivity to YKL-40 protein and its prognostic implications in endometrial cancer. Levels of YKL-40 protein in normal endometrium (n = 42), endometrial hyperplasia (n = 40) and endometrial adeno carcinoma (n = 68) were examined using immunohistochemistry. YKL-40 immunoreactivity was significantly higher in endometrial adenocarcinoma compared with hyperplastic and normal endo metrium. In addition, high immuno reactivity of YKL-40 protein was associated with advanced stage, high histological grade, lymph node metastasis and lympho vascular invasion. Moreover, positive immunoreactivity for YKL-40 was a significant predictor of poor prognosis, as measured by estimated progression-free survival and estimated overall survival, compared with negative immunoreactivity. In conclusion, high YKL-40 immuno reactivity in endometrial cancer may be associated with poor prognosis.

Influence of in ovo injection of disaccharides, glutamine and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate on the development of small intestine in duck embryos and neonates

1. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of in ovo injection of disaccharides (DS), disaccharides and glutamine (DS + Gln) or disaccharides and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (DS + HMB) at d 23 of incubation on the development of the small intestine. 2. In DS + Gln-injected ducks, the greatest relative small intestine mass and muscularis layer thickness among 4 treatments was observed from d 25 of incubation to 7 d of age. 3. Jejunal sucrase activity in DS-injected ducks was significantly greater than in controls at hatch and on d 7. 4. In DS + HMB-treated ducks, a tendency toward slightly higher jejunal DNA concentration was observed throughout the experiment. 5. Greater body weight was found in DS + Gln and DS + HMB treated ducks in the first two weeks. However, there was no significant difference in the market weight (35 d) of ducks among the 4 treatments. 6. The results of present study suggest that administering disaccharides and Gln, or disaccharides and HMB, to the duck embryos exerted a beneficial effect on the early development of small intestine and on growth performance.

First Report of Stachybotrys chartarum Causing Leaf Blight of Tillandsia tenuifolia in China

Tillandsia tenuifolia L. is an air plant that is native to Bolivia, Brazil, and Venezuela. It was introduced to China in 2006. In September 2008, a leaf blight of T. tenuifolia 'Bronze Tip' was observed in a greenhouse in Jurong, Jiangsu. Severe infection led to death of foliage, shoot rot, and eventual mortality of whole plants. The pathogen was isolated from the diseased leaves on potato dextrose agar and subsequently further cultured on a slide culture for 7 days. Anamorphic structures were examined under a compound microscope. Diseased plant parts were covered with abundant conidia, phialides, conidiophores, and mycelia of the pathogen. Conidiophores were simple or branched, zero to two septate, hyaline, smooth at base, brown, smooth to rough at upper portion, and 47.9 ± 7.6 × 4 ± 0.4 μm (n = 30). Phialides were one-celled, obovate, hyaline to pale brown, 8.8 ± 0.9 × 5.3 ± 0.3 μm (n = 20), and in whorls. Conidia were one-celled, ellipsoid to subglobose, dark brown to black, rough to ridged, 10.4 ± 1.4 × 6.2 ± 0.9 μm (n = 30), and in slimy masses. Using morphological characters, the pathogen was identified as Stachybotrys chartarum (Ehrenb.) S. Hughes (1). The living culture was deposited in the China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC 3.13634). S. chartarum, a saprophyte with a worldwide distribution, grows on various substrates such as soil, paper, dry walls, and wood. (2). It was also isolated from moldy sorghum seed and soybean root lesions (3,4). Pathogenicity on T. tenuifolia was confirmed by Koch's postulates in the laboratory. Ninety-six leaves on four plants were pricked with a sterilized needle and inoculated with a suspension of 6.35 × 10⁶ conidia ml^-1. Forty-seven leaves on two plants were pricked and sprayed with sterile water as controls. All the plants were kept in a growth chamber with a 12-h photoperiod, 28 ± 1°C, and relative humidity of 70 ± 3%. Initial lesions, which were water soaked, slightly sunken, and pinhead size, appeared on the inoculated plants in 7 days and expanded to 1.5 to 2.0 mm in 21 days. Necrotic spots subsequently coalesced and caused the death of the leaves. Infected shoots were rotten and shed leaves from the basal area. The plants died within 45 days. Symptoms were similar to those observed in the greenhouse. S. chartarum was reisolated from infected leaves. Control plants remained healthy. To confirm the identity of our isolate, DNA sequence was obtained from the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and deposited in GenBank (GU945205). The ITS sequence was 100% identical to S. chartarum strains whose DNA sequences were deposited in GenBank. To our knowledge, this is the first report of S. chartarum causing leaf blight on T. tenuifolia. The popularity of T. tenuifolia continues to grow in China. The disease should be monitored to determine its risk and economic significance in China and other regions. References: (1) S. C. Jong and E. E. Davis. Mycotaxon 3:409, 1976. (2) P. M. Kirk. Mycopathologia 115:149, 1991. (3) S. Li et al. Mycopathologia 154:41, 2002. (4) J. Y. Liang and J. K. Bai. J. Shenyang Agric. Univ. 19:27, 1988.

Evidence for a new allele at the SERCA1 locus affecting pork meat quality in part through the imbalance of Ca2+ homeostasis

Sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 1 (SERCA1) as a Ca2+ release channel plays a key role in the relaxation of skeletal muscle through pumping cytosolic Ca2+ into the SR (sarcoplasmic reticulum). In this study, a novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 8 (C > T) was detected by tetra-primer ARMS-PCR and the tissue expression pattern of SERCA1 was analyzed in eleven tissues. A model of primary skeletal muscle cells in vitro exposed to dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic corticosteroid) was also employed to determine whether stress hormones cause an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration that is associated with alteration in SERCA1 and in turn subsequently affect meat quality. The results showed that the CC genotype has lower content intramuscular fat and higher water than pig carrying the genotype CT and CC. In addition, the additive effects were both significantly (P < 0.05) and allele T seemed to be associate with increase in intramuscular fat, while decrease in water content. Accompanied with previous studies, the high abundance of porcine SERCA1 was found in skeletal muscle tissue. DEX markedly down-regulated the expression of SERCA1, leading to Ca2+ overload. Furthermore, the imbalance of Ca2+ homeostasis up-regulated the transcription level of Calpain1. Taken together, we demonstrated a novel mechanism that the changes in expression of SERCA1 potential disturb the normal Ca2+ channel as well as the balance of Ca2+ homeostasis and which in turn finally activated Ca2+-dependent proteases such as Calpain1 which could affect meat quality.