LITTLELEAF (LL) encodes a WD40 repeat domain-containing protein associated with organ size variation in cucumber

Plants employ tight genetic control to integrate intrinsic growth signals and environmental cues to enable organs to grow to a defined size. Many genes contributing to cell proliferation and/or cell expansion, and consequently organ size control, have been identified, but the regulatory pathways are poorly understood. Here we have characterized a cucumber littleleaf (ll) mutant which exhibits smaller organ sizes but more lateral branches than the wild type. The small organ size in ll was due to a reduction of both cell number and cell size. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses revealed co-localization of major-effect QTLs for fruit size, fruit and seed weight, as well as number of lateral branches, with the LL locus indicating pleiotropic effects of the ll mutation. We demonstrate that LL is an ortholog of Arabidopsis STERILE APETALA (SAP) encoding a WD40 repeat domain-containing protein; the mutant protein differed from the wild type by a single amino acid substitution (W264G) in the second WD40 repeat. W264 was conserved in 34 vascular plant genomes examined. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that LL originated before the emergence of flowering plants but was lost in the grass genome lineage. The function of LL in organ size control was confirmed by its overexpression in transgenic cucumbers and ectopic expression in Arabidopsis. Transcriptome profiling in LL and ll bulks revealed a complex regulatory network for LL-mediated organ size variation that involves several known organ size regulators and associated pathways. The data support LL as an important player in organ size control and lateral branch development in cucumber.

Knocking out or pharmaceutical inhibition of fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) alleviates osteoarthritis induced by high-fat diet in mice

OBJECTIVES

Adipokines play roles in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) is a novel adipokine that is closely associated with obesity and metabolic diseases. The aim of this study was to discover the potential role of FABP4 in OA.

METHODS

Seventy-two FABP4 knockout mice (KO) in C57BL/6N background and wild-type littermates (WT) (male, 6-week-old) were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD, 60% calorie) or standard diet (STD, 11.6% calorie) for 3 months, 6 months and 9 months (n = 6 each). In the parallel study, forty-eight 6-week-old male WT mice were fed with HFD or STD, and simultaneously treated with daily oral gavage of selective FABP4 inhibitor BMS309403 (15 mg/kg/d) or vehicle for 4 months and 6 months (n = 6 each). Serum FABP4 and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) concentration was quantified. Histological assessment of knee OA and micro-CT analysis of subchondral bone were performed.

RESULTS

HFD induced obesity in mice. After 3 months and 6 months of HFD, KO mice showed alleviated cartilage degradation and synovitis, with significantly lower COMP, modified Mankin OA score, and MMP-13/ADAMTS4 expression. After 6 months and 9 months of HFD, KO mice showed less osteophyte formation and subchondral bone sclerosis. Chronic treatment of BMS309403 for 4 months and 6 months significantly alleviated cartilage degradation, but had no effects on the subchondral bone. Knocking out or pharmaceutical inhibition of FABP4 did not have significant effects on lean mice fed with STD.

CONCLUSIONS

Knocking out or pharmaceutical inhibition of FABP4 alleviates OA induced by HFD in mice.

[Study on the characters of wideband tympanometry in newborns with normal hearing]

Objective:The aim of this study is to establish the characteristic of wideband tympanometry (WBT) in neonates with normal hearing. Method:Ninety newborn babies (149 ears) who had received rooming in care and passed hearing screening were randomly selected to test WBT. The screening programme consisted of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and tympanometry at 1 kHz. The eigenvalue of ear canal volume, middle ear resonance frequency and acoustic absorptivity were obtained initially to explore the influence of gender and mode of delivery on the eigenvalues. Result:①Ear canal volume: The ear canal volume varied within (0.50±0.12)ml. The statistically significant correlationwas observed between ear canal volume and gender as well as the way of delivery (P<0.01). ②Resonance frequency: the resonant frequency distributed from 128 Hz to 642 Hz (mean 328.2±125.76 Hz). No statistically significant correlation (P>0.05) was observed between resonance frequency and gender as well as the way of delivery. ③Frequency wideband absorbance function: the shape of the curve showed two peaks and two troughs. The three most values were located in 1 296 Hz, 2 000 Hz and 5 339 Hz. No statistically significant correlation (P>0.05) was observed between acoustic absorptivity and gender as well as way of delivery. Conclusion:Resonance frequency and frequency acoustic absorptivity functions of newborns are different from adults. It is necessary to establish the normal reference value of WBT for newborns in China in order to promote this technique in the clinic.

Metabolic changes in methomyl poisoned rats treated by vitamin E

In this study, we developed a serum and urine metabolomic method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combination with biomedical results to evaluate the effect of vitamin E treatment on methomyl poisoning rats. The rats were divided into three groups: the control group, methomyl poisoning group, and vitamin E treatment group. Partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) showed that methomyl poisoning induced metabolic perturbations. Compared to the control group, based on the urinary metabolomics data, the level of ribitol, l-proline, xylitol, hydrocinnamic acid, 11-cis-octadecenoic acid, octadecanoic acid, and hexadecanoic acid of methomyl poisoning group increased, while the level of 2,3,4-trihydroxybutyric acid, ethanimidic acid, pantothenic acid, and retinoic acid decreased. Vitamin E pretreatment effectively normalized the levels of metabolites in rat urine in vitamin E treatment group. There was no significant difference in rat plasma metabolomic data after acute methomyl poisoning. The results indicate that metabolomic method based on GC-MS may be useful to elucidate the vitamin E treatment for methomyl poisoning.

QTL mapping of downy and powdery mildew resistances in PI 197088 cucumber with genotyping-by-sequencing in RIL population

Host resistances in PI 197088 cucumber to downy and powdery mildew pathogens are conferred by 11 (3 with major effect) and 4 (1 major effect) QTL, respectively, and three of which are co-localized. The downy mildew (DM) and powdery mildew (PM) are the two most important foliar diseases of cucurbit crops worldwide. The cucumber accession PI 197088 exhibits high-level resistances to both pathogens. Here, we reported QTL mapping results for DM and PM resistances with 148 recombinant inbred lines from a cross between PI 197088 and the susceptible line 'Coolgreen'. Phenotypic data on responses to natural DM and PM infection were collected in multi-year and multi-location replicated field trials. A high-density genetic map with 2780 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from genotyping-by-sequencing and 55 microsatellite markers was developed, which revealed genomic regions with segregation distortion and mis-assemblies in the '9930' cucumber draft genome. QTL analysis identified 11 and 4 QTL for DM and PM resistances accounting for more than 73.5 and 63.0% total phenotypic variance, respectively. Among the 11 DM resistance QTL, dm5.1, dm5.2, and dm5.3 were major-effect contributing QTL, whereas dm1.1, dm2.1, and dm6.2 conferred susceptibility. Of the 4 QTL for PM resistance, pm5.1 was the major-effect QTL explaining 32.4% phenotypic variance and the minor-effect QTL pm6.1 contributed to disease susceptibility. Three PM QTL, pm2.1, pm5.1, and pm6.1, were co-localized with DM QTL dm2.1, dm5.2, and dm6.1, respectively, which was consistent with the observed linkage of PM and DM resistances in PI 197088. The genetic architecture of DM resistance in PI 197088 and another resistant line WI7120 (PI 330628) was compared, and the potential of using PI 197088 in cucumber breeding for downy and powdery mildew resistances is discussed.

Fine mapping of a male sterility gene ms-3 in a novel cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) mutant

The cucumber male sterility gene ms - 3 was fine mapped in a 76 kb region harboring an MMD1 -like gene Csa3M006660 that may be responsible for the male sterile in cucumber. A cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) male sterile mutant (ms-3) in an advanced-generation inbred line was identified, and genetic analysis revealed that the male sterility trait was controlled by a recessive nuclear gene, ms-3, which was stably inherited. Histological studies suggested that the main cause of the male sterility was defective microsporogenesis, resulting in no tetrad or microspores being formed. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and genotyping of an F₂ population of 2553 individuals were employed used to fine map ms-3, which was delimited to a 76 Kb region. In this region, a single non-synonymous SNP was found in the Csa3M006660 gene locus, which was predicted to result in an amino acid change. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of Csa3M006660 was consistent with the fact that it plays a role in the early development of cucumber pollen. The protein encoded by Csa3M006660 is predicted to be homeodomain (PHD) finger protein, and the high degree of sequence conservation with homologs from a range of plant species further suggested the importance of the ms-3 non-synonymous mutation. The data presented here provide support for Csa3M006660 as the most likely candidate gene for Ms-3.

Evaluation of Dietary Palygorskite Supplementation on Growth Performance, Mineral Accumulations, Antioxidant Capacities, and Meat Quality of Broilers Fed Lead-Contaminated Diet

The objective of this study was to evaluate influence of dietary palygorskite (Pal) supplementation on growth performance, mineral accumulations in the tissues (livers, kidneys, and muscles), antioxidant capacities, and meat quality of broilers fed lead (Pb)-contaminated diet. One-hundred forty-four male broiler chicks were randomly divided into three treatment groups, receiving a corn-soybean meal basal diet (the control group), the basal diet contaminated with 10 mg/kg Pb (the Pb group), and the basal diet with 10-g/kg Pal supplementation and 10-mg/kg Pb contamination (the Pal/Pb group) from 1 to 42 days of age, respectively. Treatments did not affect growth performance of broilers in the 42-day study (P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, Pb contamination increased Pb accumulation in the livers, kidneys, and muscles (P < 0.05); elevated malondialdehyde accumulation in the livers, kidneys, and breast muscles; glutathione peroxidase activity in the livers and superoxide dismutase activity in the kidneys (P < 0.05); exacerbated drip loss in the pectoralis muscles (P < 0.05); and reduced glutathione peroxidase activity in the pectoralis muscles (P < 0.05) of broilers at 42 days of age. The values of these parameters were reversed in the Pal/Pb group to levels comparable with those in the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, Pal supplementation reduced redness value in the pectoralis muscles (P < 0.05), and decreased Cu concentration in the pectoralis muscles and livers at 42 days of age as well as its accumulation in the kidneys at both 21 and 42 days of age compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05). The results suggested that dietary Pal supplementation would decrease Pb residue in the tissues, alleviate oxidative stress, and affect meat quality of broilers exposed to Pb.

Determination of atomic-scale chemical composition at semiconductor heteroepitaxial interfaces by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

The determination of atomic structures and further quantitative information such as chemical compositions at atomic scale for semiconductor defects or heteroepitaxial interfaces can provide direct evidence to understand their formation, modification, and/or effects on the properties of semiconductor films. The commonly used method, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), suffers from difficulty in acquiring images that correctly show the crystal structure at atomic resolution, because of the limitation in microscope resolution or deviation from the Scherzer-defocus conditions. In this study, an image processing method, image deconvolution, was used to achieve atomic-resolution (∼1.0 Å) structure images of small lattice-mismatch (∼1.0%) AlN/6H-SiC (0001) and large lattice-mismatch (∼8.5%) AlSb/GaAs (001) heteroepitaxial interfaces using simulated HRTEM images of a conventional 300-kV field-emission-gun transmission electron microscope under non-Scherzer-defocus conditions. Then, atomic-scale chemical compositions at the interface were determined for the atomic intermixing and Lomer dislocation with an atomic step by analyzing the deconvoluted image contrast. Furthermore, the effect of dynamical scattering on contrast analysis was also evaluated for differently weighted atomic columns in the compositions.

Comparative analysis of miRNA and mRNA abundance in determinate cucumber by high-throughput sequencing

Determinate cucumber is a type of short vines, fewer nodes, and terminal flowers, it is suitable for high-density planting and available harvesting in field cultivation, whereas the indeterminate cucumber is preferred to cultivate in greenhouses. However, many biotic or abiotic stresses could lead indeterminate cucumber to be determinate in greenhouse cultivation, which may decrease yield and fruit quality. Therefore, it is urgent and essential to investigate the key factors forming determinate and terminal flowering in cucumber. In this study, two close background inbred lines were selected and conducted the miRNA and mRNA high throughput sequencing. Interestingly, ethylene-associated miRNAs and mRNAs were intensively obtained, indicating that the plant hormone ethylene is a key factor impacting determinate and terminal flowering in cucumber. The ethylene metabolites analysis showed that significant higher ethylene was observed in determinate line than that in the indeterminate line. The RT-qPCR validation of ethylene related miRNAs Cas-miR172, Cas-miR396, and Cas-miR414 and their target mRNAs showed a significant negative correlation. These data suggested that ethylene-associated miRNAs might affect determinate and terminal flower phenotypes by regulating their target genes expression. This study not only provides a potential molecular mechanism for determinate formation in cucumber but also establishes a method to demonstrate important physiological processes through the comprehensive association of miRNA and mRNA high-throughput sequencing.

The protein oxidation of soybean meal induced by heating decreases its protein digestion in vitro and impairs growth performance and digestive function in broilers

1. The soybean meal (SBM) was heated at 100°C for 1, 2, 4 and 8 h, respectively, and their resultant oxidative status was evaluated. 2. A total of 400 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 8 replicates of 10 birds each, and fed with diets containing non-heated SBM (NHSBM) or 1 of 4 heated SBMs (HSBMs, SBMs heated at 100°C for 1, 2, 4 and 8 h, respectively) for 42 d. 3. The contents of carbonyl in the SBMs were both linearly and quadratically increased, whereas the nitrogen solubility index, and in vitro digestibility of crude protein (CP) and dry matter (DM) in the SBMs were both linearly and quadratically decreased as heating time increased (P < 0.05). The concentrations of sulfhydryl and total sulfhydryl in the SBMs were linearly decreased as heating time increased (P < 0.05). 4. The average daily gain was linearly decreased while the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was linearly increased in broilers as heating time of dietary HSBMs increased during both d 22-42 and d 1-42 of study (P < 0.05), though FCR of broilers during d 22-42 study were unaffected when the heating time of dietary HSBMs was 1 h (P > 0.05). The serum glucose concentration and the activity of trypsin at d 42, and the apparent total digestibility of CP and DM were all linearly reduced in broilers when heating time of dietary HSBMs increased (P < 0.05). However, 1 h HSBM has a numerical higher CP and DM digestibility than NHSBM. The serum urea nitrogen contents were both linearly and quadratically increased at both d 21 and 42 (P < 0.05), and relative pancreas weight was linearly increased at d 42 in broilers as heating time of dietary HSBMs increased (P < 0.05).

The application of critical pathway management to resident doctor's standardized training in pediatrics

OBJECTIVE

To further guide the standardized training work of the resident doctor and apply critical pathway management to resident doctor's standardized training.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The traditional training contents were adjusted. The main research content of evaluating the results of standardized training was designed, and the research method was adopted by the standardized training of the resident doctor.

RESULTS

The resident doctors of the group with the new teaching method demonstrated a high participation rate. Because of the constraint of the standardized training, trainers would pay more attention to their training.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical pathway polishes up the ability of resident doctors, further guiding the standardized training work of a resident doctor.

Interleukin-15 in obesity and metabolic dysfunction: current understanding and future perspectives

Obesity rises rapidly and is a major health concern for modern people. Importantly, it is a major risk factor in the development of numerous chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently, interleukin (IL)-15 has attracted considerable attention as a potential regulator for the prevention and/or treatment of obesity and T2DM. The beneficial effects include increased loss of fat mass and body weight, improved lipid and glucose metabolism, reduced white adipose tissue inflammation, enhanced mitochondrial function, alterations in the composition of muscle fibres and gut bacterial and attenuated endoplasmic reticulum stress. Although these beneficial effects are somewhat controversial, IL-15, exogenously delivered or endogenously produced, may be a promising target in the prevention and treatment of obesity and T2DM.

[The characteristic of vestibular ocular reflex in patients with vestibular migraine]

Objective:Analysis of vestibular ocular reflex (VOR) in patients with vestibular migraine (VM) by vestibular autorotation test (VAT). To explore the clinical value of VAT technology in the diagnosis of vestibular migraine.Method:Sixty-nine patients with VM, 73 patients with posterior circulation (PCI) vertigo and 65 normal people were examined by VAT test. The characteristics of vestibular ocular reflex were analyzed by using VAT gain, phase and asymmetry among them.Result:①Among the 69 cases of VM patients,54 cases (78.3%) were horizontal or vertical gain abnormalities, 66 cases (95.7%) were horizontal or/and vertical phase delay, and 13 cases (18.8%) were asymmetric abnormalities. ②Among the 54 (78.3%) cases of abnormal gain, 46 (66.7%) cases demonstrated high gain, 42 had high gain combined with high phase, and 36 cases were simple horizontal high gain (and mainly concentrated at 2-4 Hz, 26 cases), 8 cases (11.6%) showed low gain. ③VAT characteristics in PCI group:47 cases (64.4%) were high gain, and 11 cases (15.1%) were low gain. There was no significant difference in high gain and low gain between PCI group and VM group (χ² was 0.07 and 0.37, P>0.05). Both VM group and PCI group are high-gain, but there was significant difference in the phase delay and asymmetric indicators. ④VAT characteristics in normal people group: The four indices have low abnormally positive rates. There were statistically significant differences of the high gain and the low gain between the normal people group and VM group(χ² were 56.17 and 97.57, P<0.01).Conclusion:The vestibular ocular reflex of VM is high-gain based and was mostly in the 2-4 Hz frequency,and accompanied by phase delay. Vestibular central system was mainly involved in VM. VAT detection can provide a clue for VM diagnostics.

[The exploration on optimization of two alternatives between roll test and Dix-Hallpike test in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo]

Objective: To analyze the objective characteristics of roll test and Dix-Hallpike test in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV)patients, discussing the premier solution of positional test. Methods: A total of 230 patients with BPPV, whereas 170 posterior semicircular canal canalithiasis (PSC-Can) BPPV and 60 horizontal semicircular canal canalithiasis (HSC-Can) BPPV were involved respectively. The induced nystagmus in roll test and Dix-Hallpike test was recorded by video nystagmuo graph (VNG), and the direction, intensity and time characteristics of nystagmus were compared in various BPPV.SPSS19.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Vertically upward nystagmus was induced by hanging in 170 PSC-Can Dix-Hallpike test, and the nystagmus reversed and turned weaker when the subjects came to sit. The intensity of nystagmus at turning to lesion side by hanging and sitting were (30.3±14.1)°/s and (12.6±7.5)°/s respectively, the difference was statistically significant (t=20.153, P<0.05). However, no nystagmus was induced in PSC-Can roll test. Horizontal nystagmus in the same direction with turning was induced in 60 HSC-Can roll test. The intensity of nystagmus at turning to lesion side and normal side was (42.0±18.0)°/s and (20.3±8.7)°/s respectively, the difference was statistically significant (t=12.731, P<0.05). Furthermore, horizontal nystagmus in the same direction with turning was induced in 57 HSC-Can Dix-Hallpike. The coherence was 95% with the results of roll test. Conclusions: Dix-Hallpike test can not only be used to diagnose PSC-Can, but also induce nystagmus in HSC-Can effectively. Whereas the roll test only show significance in diagnosing HSC-Can. To avoid uncomfortable stimulation to patients as much as possible, we suggest to use Dix-Hallpike test at first, and to judge whether using roll test based on the result of the horizontal nystagmus.

[The analysis of the value of spontaneous nystagmus in peripheral vestibular hypofunction]

Objective:To study the characteristics and clinical value of spontaneous nystagmus in patients with peripheral vestibular dysfunction.Method:Sixty cases with acute unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction were studied.All were diagnozed as vestibular neuritis(VN) . The relationship between SN and disease duration,DP and UW were analyzed.Result:SN was present in49 patients(81.7%)and absent in the remaining 11(18.3%).The intensity of SN ranged from 0.5°/s-20.4°/s and had negative correlation with the disease duration(r=-0.478，P<0.01). The patients were divided into 3 groups (mild,medium and severe) according to SN intensity,with median duration of disease being 6.5 d，5 d and 3 d respectively. The difference between groups was statistically significant(χ²=9.071，P<0.01).The result of the caloric test were as following：caloric test revealed DP in 44 cases（89.8%） of SN ;DP values were normal in 8 cases（10.2%）;SN intensity was positively correlated with DP value（r=0.513,P<0.01） ;unilateral weakness was found in 35 cases（71.4%）,with the direction of SN towards the weakness side in 4 cases and towards the opposite direction in the remaining 31 cases; 7 cases（14.3%）had bilateral weakness and 7 cases（14.3%）normal. There were no relationship between the intensity of SN and UW value（r=-0.321,P>0.05）.The UW value of patients with SN (40.9±26.3）% was compared to the group without SN（29.9±18.2）% . The difference was statistically significant (F=4.497,P<0.05).Conclusion:The intensity of SN in patients with acute unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction was often moderate and severe. The intensity of SN waned as the disease progressed or the direction reversed,The vestibular injury in patient with SN was more severe than those without. SN is useful in clinical assessment of vestibular injury and compensatory status.

[Frequency characteristics of the semicicular canals damage in patients with Meniere disease]

Objective: To evaluate semicircular canal damage and its frequency characteristics in Meniere disease patients. Methods: Sixty-seven Meniere disease patients accepted the video-head impulse test(vHIT)which responses to semicircular canal function of high frequency area, head shaking test(HST) which responses to semicircular canal function of middle frequency area, and caloric test(CT) which responses to semicircular canal function of low frequency area.Preferences were recorded including the video head impulse test gain (vHIT-G), head shaking nystagmus (HSN) and parameters of the unilateral weakness (UW) as observation index, and results of all the three tests were analyzed according to Meniere disease patients. SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyzed the data. Results: The positive rate of CT, HSN and vHIT were 70.1%(47/67), 41.8%(28/67) and 23.9%(16/67) respectively. Comparation of the positive rate among CT, HST and vHIT showed statistically significant difference (χ²=10.93, P=0.001; χ²=28.79, P=0.000). Comparation of the positive rate between HST and vHIT showed statistically significant difference(χ²=4.87, P=0.027). Conclusions: Semicircular canal function damage in Meniere disease patients mainly presents in the low frequency area, which indicates a characteristic phenomenon that low-frequency function area (caloric test results) is more predisposed to be involved than that of middle-frequency function area (head shaking testing)and high-frequency function area (video head impulse testing) in Meniere disease patients.

Metabolic changes in rat serum after administration of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid and discriminated by SVM

Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) exerts marked anticancer effects via promotion of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and prevention of oncogene expression. In this study, serum metabolomics and artificial intelligence recognition were used to investigate SAHA toxicity. Forty rats (220 ± 20 g) were randomly divided into control and three SAHA groups (low, medium, and high); the experimental groups were treated with 12.3, 24.5, or 49.0 mg kg^-1 SAHA once a day via intragastric administration. After 7 days, blood samples from the four groups were collected and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and pathological changes in the liver were examined using microscopy. The results showed that increased levels of urea, oleic acid, and glutaconic acid were the most significant indicators of toxicity. Octadecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, glycerol, propanoic acid, and uric acid levels were lower in the high SAHA group. Microscopic observation revealed no obvious damage to the liver. Based on these data, a support vector machine (SVM) discrimination model was established that recognized the metabolic changes in the three SAHA groups and the control group with 100% accuracy. In conclusion, the main toxicity caused by SAHA was due to excessive metabolism of saturated fatty acids, which could be recognized by an SVM model.