AMFR gene silencing inhibits the differentiation of porcine preadipocytes

Our study clarifies the role of the autocrine motility factor receptor (AMFR) gene in porcine preadipocyte differentiation. AMFR-siRNA was transfected into porcine preadipocytes and the preadipocytes were induced to differentiation. Subsequently, qRT-PCR was conducted to examine changes in mRNA expression of a series of genes in porcine preadipocytes, including AMFR, sterol-regulatory element-binding protein-1a (SREBP1a), SREBP2, insulin-induced gene 1 (Insig1), and Insig2. Expression changes in the mRNA of genes regulating adipocyte differentiation were also analyzed using qRT-PCR, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), and Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2). Western blot analysis was conducted to examine the changes in AMFR protein expression in porcine preadipocytes. Additionally, morphological changes in differentiated porcine preadipocytes were examined by oil red O staining, and changes in optical density (OD) values were measured using an ultraviolet spectrophotometer. At 24 h after transfection with AMFR-siRNA, AMFR mRNA expression significantly reduced (P < 0.01), and AMFR protein expression markedly decreased (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of SREBP1a, SREBP2, Insig1, and C/EBPα was significantly reduced (P < 0.01), whereas the expression of KLF2 mRNA was significantly elevated (P < 0.01). After induction of preadipocyte differentiation, the number of lipid droplets decreased in the AMFR-silenced group, and the OD value markedly reduced (P < 0.05). In addition, the expression of C/EBPα mRNA significantly decreased (P < 0.05), whereas the expression of KLF2 mRNA considerably increased (P < 0.05). Taken together, silencing of the AMFR gene inhibits the differentiation of porcine preadipocytes.

[Effect of sub-anesthetic doses of isoflurane and propofol on postoperative cognition and underlying mechanism in rats with mild cognitive impairment]

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of sub-anesthetic doses of isoflurane and propofol on the postoperative cognitive function of rats with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) following orthopedic operation.

METHODS

Male sprague-dawley rats (n=100) were randomly divided into sham group and model group.Bilateral carotid artery was separated with no bilateral narrowing in the sham operation group while bilateral carotid artery was occluded in model group.After 30 days, Morris Water Maze test were used to select MCI rats. The proportion of the value that average escape latency in model group minused average escape latency in sham group less than 20% was marked as MCI rats. After 36 days, the rats with mild cognitive impairment were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=18). Iso group: Isoflurane (1.9%) 3 h, combination group: propofol (20 mg·kg(-1)·h(-1))+ isoflurane (1%) 3 h. Inhibitor with these two groups were respectively used the selective KCC2 inhibitor-DIOA 30 μg 15 min before anesthesia. Then rats received an open tibial fracture on the hind paw with an intramedullary fixation. The rats in sham group were only sutured skin incision. At the day 7 postoperatively, the Y maze test were used to test the change of cognition, nissl staining was used to observe the neurons apoptosis. Immunofluorescence was adopted to observe the neurons expressing GAD67/KCC2 and Western blot were applied to observe the protein level of KCC2 in hippocampus.

RESULTS

The rate of time spent in novel arm, the number of surviving neurons, the number of neurons expressing GAD67/KCC2 and protein expression levels of KCC2 in hippocampus in combination group were (52.94±2.04)%, (176.81±13.07), (196.72±8.02), (80.67±3.46)% respectively. The indexes in sham group were (53.44±2.45)%, (183.79±10.88), (207.45±13.17), (81.42±3.59)%, respectively. There was no significant difference compared with the sham group (all P>0.05). However these indexes in above two groups were higher than that in Iso group( (36.10±1.57)%, (97.21±8.23), (158.94±13.47), (43.22±4.91)%, all P<0.05). The indexes in inhibitor with Iso groups, combination group was lower compared with groups without inhibitor respectively (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Compared with isoflurane, sub-anesthetic doses of isoflurane and propofol has no significant effect on postoperative cognition in rats with MCI, and its mechanism is to maintain KCC2 expression in hippocampus.

Identification of genes associated with the increased number of four-seed pods in soybean (Glycine max L.) using transcriptome analysis

Seed number per pod is an important component of yield traits in soybean (Glycine max L.). In 2010, we identified a natural mutant with an increased number of four-seed pods from a soybean variety named 'Jinong 18' (JN18). Subsequent observations indicated that the trait was stably inherited. To identify and understand the function of genes associated with this mutant trait, we analyzed the genetic differences between the mutant (JN18MT01) and source variety (JN18) by transcriptome sequencing. Three types of tissues, axillary buds, unfertilized ovaries, and young pods at three different growth stages, V6, R1, and R3, were analyzed, respectively. The sequencing results yielded 55,582 expressed genes and 4183 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among these, the log2 ratio value of 162 DEGs was >10, and 13 DEGs had overlapping expression at three different growth stages. Comparisons of DEGs among three different growth stages yielded similar results in terms of the percentage of genes classified into each gene ontology (GO) category. DEGs were classified into 25 different functional groups in clusters of orthologous groups analysis. Proportions of the main functional genes differed significantly over developmental stages. A comparison of enriched pathways among the three developmental stages revealed that 646 unigenes were involved in 103 metabolic pathways. These results show that the development of four-seed pods is associated with a complex network involving multiple physiological and metabolic pathways. This study lays the foundation for further research on cloning and on the molecular regulation of genes related to the four-seed pod mutation.

γ-Synuclein Expression Is a Malignant Index in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Dysregulation of γ-synuclein (SNCG) has been reported in many cancers; however, its role in cancer development is still controversial. Here, we examined the potential involvement of DNA methylation in regulating SNCG and its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We used 8 OSCC cell lines to investigate SNCG methylation and expression. SNCG methylation was examination by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and bisulfate sequencing. Cells showing a high degree of SNCG methylation were treated with 5-aza (methylation inhibitor), and changes in their methylation and expression profiles were analyzed. Functional effects of SNCG in OSCC were examined by its overexpression and knockdown. Additionally, methylation and expression of SNCG in OSCC tissues were investigated and correlated with clinicopathologic features. All OSCC cells showed detectable SNCG expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and bisulfate sequencing revealed high SNCG expression in SCC25 cells with the unmethylated allele, and their 15 CpG islands were unmethylated. The methylated allele was detected only in OEC-M1 cells exhibiting low SNCG expression, and their CpG islands were partially methylated. 5-aza treatment in OEC-M1 cells attenuated methylation and restored SNCG expression. SNCG overexpression increased colony forming, migration, and invasion abilities in OEC-M1 cells. Silencing SNCG in SCC25 cells suppressed these behaviors. All 25 tumor-adjacent normal tissues were negative for SNCG immunostaining. SNCG upregulation was frequently observed in dysplastic and OSCC tissues. Positive SNCG expression was found in 45% (37 of 82) OSCC tissues. Positive SNCG expression in OSCC significantly correlated with cancer staging and lymph node metastasis. However, SNCG methylation did not correlate with its expression and clinicopathologic variables in OSCC tissues. DNA methylation may participate in regulating SNCG expression in some OSCC cells. SNCG upregulation could be involved in OSCC progression.

Correlation between natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPR3) gene polymorphisms and hypertension in the Dai people of China

Hypertension affects one-fifth of the world population. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that correlated with hyper-tension in large samples. However, the genetic mutations leading to hypertension might differ among various populations, as they have different origins and are subjected to different environmental pressures. Therefore, additional studies are urgently needed to verify the GWAS findings across different populations. This study focused on the natriuretic peptide receptor C gene (NPR3), one of the hypertension-positive genes identified in a GWAS of an East Asian population. The correlation analysis between NPR3 and hypertension was replicated in 450 Chinese Dai (235 patients vs 215 controls) and 484 Chinese Mongolian (211 patients vs 273 controls) individuals. The positive SNP identified by GWAS analysis and three other tag SNPs representing the NPR3 linkage disequilibrium (LD) block regions were selected for genotyping. The results revealed that the rs1173766 polymorphism was associated with the occurrence of hypertension (χ(2) = 6.87, P = 0.0088), and that the T allele should be protective in the Dai ethnic group. Consider-ing a close LD block at the 3' end of the NPR3 gene in the East Asian population, we speculate that there might be a mutation in the last five exons or the 3' untranslated region of NPR3 that could change the structure or expression of the NPR3 gene. However, in the Mongolian ethnic group, these SNPs were not associated with the incidence of hypertension, suggesting population heterogeneity for the genetic factors that contribute to hypertension.

Analysis of quantitative trait loci for main plant traits in soybean

Plant traits are important indices for regulating and controlling yield ability in soybean varieties. It is important to comprehensively study the quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping for soybean plant traits, cloning related genes, and marker assistant breeding. In this study, 236 F2 generation plants and a derivative group were constructed by using Jiyu50 and Jinong18, obtained from Jilin Province. A total of 102 simple sequence repeat markers were used to construct a genetic linkage map. With 2 years of molecular and phenotypic data, QTL analyses and mapping were conducted for soybean maturity, plant height, main stem node, main stem branch, seed weight per plant, and more. Five main plant traits were analyzed via inclusive composite interval mapping using QTL IciMapping v2.2. Using one-dimensional scanning, a total of 30 QTLs were detected and distributed across 1 (A1), 4 (C2), and 12 (G). There were 9 linkage groups, including 16 major QTLs. Using two-dimensional scanning, 7 pairs of epistatic QTL interactions for maturity and plant height were detected in the soybean.

Ultraviolet photochemical reaction of [Fe(III)(C2O4)3](3-) in aqueous solutions studied by femtosecond time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy using an X-ray free electron laser

Time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy was performed for aqueous ammonium iron(III) oxalate trihydrate solutions using an X-ray free electron laser and a synchronized ultraviolet laser. The spectral and time resolutions of the experiment were 1.3 eV and 200 fs, respectively. A femtosecond 268 nm pulse was employed to excite [Fe(III)(C2O4)3](3-) in solution from the high-spin ground electronic state to ligand-to-metal charge transfer state(s), and the subsequent dynamics were studied by observing the time-evolution of the X-ray absorption spectrum near the Fe K-edge. Upon 268 nm photoexcitation, the Fe K-edge underwent a red-shift by more than 4 eV within 140 fs; however, the magnitude of the redshift subsequently diminished within 3 ps. The Fe K-edge of the photoproduct remained lower in energy than that of [Fe(III)(C2O4)3](3-). The observed red-shift of the Fe K-edge and the spectral feature of the product indicate that Fe(III) is upon excitation immediately photoreduced to Fe(II), followed by ligand dissociation from Fe(II). Based on a comparison of the X-ray absorption spectra with density functional theory calculations, we propose that the dissociation proceeds in two steps, forming first [(CO2 (•))Fe(II)(C2O4)2](3-) and subsequently [Fe(II)(C2O4)2](2-).

SUMO modification of Akt regulates global SUMOylation and substrate SUMOylation specificity through Akt phosphorylation of Ubc9 and SUMO1

SUMOylation is an important post-translational modification, and Akt SUMOylation was found to regulate cell proliferation, tumorigenesis and cell cycle, but the molecular mechanism of Akt SUMOylation is less well known. Here, we show both endogenous and ectopic Akt SUMOylation and Lys276 is the major SUMO acceptor on Akt. Further, Akt SUMOylation is Akt phosphorylation dependent and Akt SUMOylation increases Akt kinase activity without affecting the phosphorylation level of Akt. Moreover, endogenous Akt SUMOylation is enhanced by insulin treatment and this is Akt activity dependent. Heat-shock stimulus also increases Akt SUMOylation and it is also Akt activity dependent. Endogenous Akt SUMOylation is also found in the rat brain and it is enhanced by insulin-like growth factor-1 stimulation. In addition, Akt directly phosphorylates Ubc9 at Thr35 and phosphorylates SUMO1 at Thr76. Ubc9 phosphorylation at Thr35 promotes Ubc9 thioester bond formation and SUMO1 phosphorylation at Thr76 stabilizes the SUMO1 protein. Through these distinct mechanisms, Akt SUMOylation regulates global SUMOylation, including Akt and Ubc9 SUMOylation, and substrate SUMOylation specificity, including STAT1 and CREB SUMOylation, in different manners. Akt SUMOylation also enhances phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) SUMOylation through Akt phosphorylation of Ubc9 and SUMO1, which serves as an endogenous mechanism to stop the positive feedback loop resulted from Akt activation. Further, Akt SUMOylation increases cyclin D1 expression and cell proliferation, and these effects are also mediated through Ubc9 phosphorylation at Thr35 and SUMO1 phosphorylation at Thr76. Here, we have identified a novel mechanism for SUMOylation regulation. Because of the important role Akt plays in tumorigenesis, this mechanism may also be involved in Akt-regulated tumorigenesis.

First Report of Pantoea anthophila Causing Soft Rot Disease in Clausena lansium (Wampee) in China

Clausena lansium, also known as wampee (Clausena wampi), is a plant species native to China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia, where it is widely cultivated, and also grown in India, Sri Lanka, Queensland, Florida, and Hawaii, but less frequently (3). The fruit can be consumed fresh or made into juice, jam, or succade. In summer to fall 2014, a soft rot disease was found in a wampee planting region in Yunan County, Guangdong Province, China. On Sept. 18, we collected diseased samples from a wampee orchard with about 20% disease incidence. The infected fruit initially showed pinpoint spots on the peel, water-soaked lesions, and light to dark brown discoloration. Spots expanded in 2 days, and tissues collapsed after 5 days. Severely affected fruit showed cracking or nonodorous decay. Five diseased samples were collected, and causal agents were isolated from symptomatic tissues 1 cm under the peel after surface sterilization in 0.3% NaOCl for 10 min and rinsing in sterile water three times. Tissues were placed on a Luria Bertani (LB) plate for culture. Ten representative isolates were selected for further characterization. No colony was isolated from healthy tissues. Colonies were round, smooth, with irregular edges, and produced a yellow pigment in culture. Biolog identification (Version 4.20.05) showed that all strains were gram negative, negative for indole production, and utilized glucose, maltose, trehalose, sucrose, D-lactose, and pectin but not sorbitol or gelatin. The isolates were identified as Pantoea agglomerans (SIM 0.69). Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) was conducted for rapid classification of the strains. Sequences of atpD, gyrB, infB, and rpoB were amplified using corresponding primers (2). All sequences of the 10 isolates were identical in each gene. BLASTn was performed, and maximum likelihood trees based on the concatenated nucleotide sequences of the four genes were constructed using MEGA6. Bootstrap values after 1,000 replicates were expressed as percentages. Results showed that the tested strain named CL1 was most homologous to P. anthophila, with 98% identity for atpD (KM521543), 100% for gyrB (KM521544), infB (KM521545), and rpoB (KM521546). The 16S rRNA sequence (KM521542) amplified by primers 27f and 1492r shared 99% identity with that of P. anthophila M19_2C (JN644500). P. anthophila was previously reclassified from P. agglomerans (3); therefore, we suggest naming this wampee pathogen P. anthophila. Subsequently, 10 wampee fruits were injected with 20 μl of bacterial suspension (1 × 10⁸ CFU/ml) of strains CL1 and CL2, respectively, and another 10 were injected with 20 μl of LB medium as controls, all kept at 28°C for 4 days. Symptoms similar to those of natural infections were observed on inoculated fruits but not on the negative controls. Bacteria were isolated from diseased tissues and further identified as P. anthophila by gyrB sequencing. P. anthophila was reported to naturally infect balsam and marigold (1,2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. anthophila naturally causing soft rot disease and cracking on C. lansium (wampee). References: (1) C. Brady et al. Syst. Appl. Microbiol. 31:447, 2008. (2) C. Brady et al. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 59:2339, 2009. (3) J. Morton. Fruits of Warm Climates. Echo Point Books & Media, Miami, FL, 1987.

Characterization of a novel CAPN3 transcript generated by alternative splicing in cattle

Calpain-3 (CAPN3) is a member of the calpain family of Ca(2+)-regulated cysteine proteases, which play an important role in sarcomere remodeling and mitochondrial protein turnover, and thus, regulating beef tenderness in cattle. Currently, multiple CAPN3 transcripts have been detected in human, monkey, rat, and rabbit. However, whether this transcript is present in cattle remains unknown. In this study, we identified 2 CAPN3 transcripts in the skeletal muscle individuals of local black cattle from Jilin, China. One transcript corresponded to the known full-length protein and was referred to as CAPN3a, while the second transcript did not contain exons 2-19 and contained a single-nucleotide insert in the penultimate base of exon 1 compared to CAPN3a; this protein was referred to as CAPN3b. The expression level of CAPN3b was approximately 50-fold lower than that of CAPN3a. Moreover, CAPN3b mRNA was not translated into a functional protein because it had lost essential domains according to bioinformatic analysis. Our results not provide a foundation for understanding the function of CAPN3, but also are useful for further elucidating the effect of CAPN3 on meat quality in cattle.

Genetic vulnerability to diabetes and obesity: does education offset the risk?

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity has recently increased dramatically. These common diseases are likely to arise from the interaction of multiple genetic, socio-demographic and environmental risk factors. While previous research has found genetic risk and education to be strong predictors of these diseases, few studies to date have examined their joint effects. This study investigates whether education modifies the association between genetic background and risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. Using data from non-Hispanic Whites in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS, n = 8398), we tested whether education modifies genetic risk for obesity and T2D, offsetting genetic effects; whether this effect is larger for individuals who have high risk for other (unobserved) reasons, i.e., at higher quantiles of HbA1c and BMI; and whether effects differ by gender. We measured T2D risk using Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, and obesity risk using body-mass index (BMI). We constructed separate genetic risk scores (GRS) for obesity and diabetes respectively based on the most current available information on the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) confirmed as genome-wide significant predictors for BMI (29 SNPs) and diabetes risk (39 SNPs). Linear regression models with years of schooling indicate that the effect of genetic risk on HbA1c is smaller among people with more years of schooling and larger among those with less than a high school (HS) degree compared to HS degree-holders. Quantile regression models show that the GRS × education effect systematically increased along the HbA1c outcome distribution; for example the GRS × years of education interaction coefficient was -0.01 (95% CI = -0.03, 0.00) at the 10th percentile compared to -0.03 (95% CI = -0.07, 0.00) at the 90th percentile. These results suggest that education may be an important socioeconomic source of heterogeneity in responses to genetic vulnerability to T2D.

Molecular regulation of organic anion transporting polypeptide 1A2 (OATP1A2)by taurocholic acid in Bewo Cells

To characterize the mechanisms of action of taurocholic acid(TCA) and farnesoid X receptor(FXR) on organic anion transporting polypeptide 1A2(OATP1A2) expression in placental Bewo cell line. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blots were used to detect OATP1A2 in Bewo cells cultured with TCA and pcDNA3.1(+)-hFXR transfected Bewo cells after incubation with 2 mM TCA for 48 hours. TCA(0.02 mM) induced the mRNA and protein expression of OATP1A2 by 3 and 1.6 fold (p<0.05), respectively, while 0.2 and 2 mM TCA induced mRNA and protein expression by 1.5 and 1.3 fold, respectively. The concentration of TCA was negatively correlated with OATP1A2 gene expression (P<0.05). In pcDNA3.1(+)-hFXR transfected Bewo cells with 2 mM TCA demonstrated a 2-3 fold increase in OATP1A2 over controls (P<0.05). TCA is one of the regulation factors for OATP1A2 in the Bewo cell line. A low dose of TCA can induce fetal membrane expression of OATP1A2. This may present a physiological or compensatory mechanism of the placenta, while the high dose of TCA may produce a pathological or pathogenic mechanism. Farnesoid X receptor may act in synergy with TCA to increase the expression of OATP1A2. This may be a treatment strategy for fetal cholestasis.

Cross-sectional and dynamic change of serum metabolite profiling for Hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure by UPLC/MS

Summary Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF) is an increasingly recognized entity encompassing an acute deterioration of liver function and results in the failure of one or more organs with high short-term mortality. The focus of this study was to discover noninvasive and reliable biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatitis B-related ACLF. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS) was used to analyse serum metabolites of 28 patients with hepatitis B-related ACLF, 35 patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, 30 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 35 healthy volunteers (HS). Characteristic metabolites were screened, identified and dynamically tracked to investigate their value for diagnosis and prognosis. After comparing serum metabolic profile of hepatitis B-related ACLF and Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, 99 characteristic metabolites were selected, and 38 of them were identified. Dynamic tracking model demonstrated that 17 metabolites were related to prognosis of hepatitis B-related ACLF, and there were also 11 metabolites which improved with treatment in the survival group. The correlations between these characteristic metabolites and the model for end-stage liver disease score were strong. These observations contributed to the investigation of the mechanisms of hepatitis B-related ACLF manifestation and progression on the metabolic level, and they provided information for the identification of biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of hepatitis B-related ACLF.

NMDA receptor signaling mediates the expression of protein inhibitor of activated STAT1 (PIAS1) in rat hippocampus

Protein inhibitor of activated STAT1 (PIAS1) was shown to play an important role in inflammation and innate immune response, but how PIAS1 is regulated is not known. We have recently demonstrated that PIAS1 enhances spatial learning and memory performance in rats. In this study, we examined the signaling pathway and neural mechanism that regulate PIAS1 expression in the brain by using pharmacological and molecular approaches. Our results revealed that pias1 gene expression is rapidly induced upon NMDA receptor activation in rat hippocampus, but this effect is blocked by transfection of sub-threshold concentrations of ERK1 siRNA/ERK2 siRNA or CREB siRNA. Pias1 gene expression is similarly induced by overexpression of the ERK1/ERK2 plasmids in rat hippocampus, and this effect is also blocked by sub-threshold concentration of CREB siRNA transfection. On the other hand, transfection of ERK1 siRNA/ERK2 siRNA or CREB siRNA at a higher concentration is sufficient to down-regulate PIAS1 expression. Inhibition of PI-3 kinase signaling and CaMKII signaling, which both result in CREB inactivation, similarly decreases PIAS1 expression. But NMDA and MK-801 do not affect the expression of IL-6 and TNFα. NMDA also did not affect the expression of PIAS2, PIAS3 and PIAS4. Further, pias1 mRNA has a similar degradation rate to that of the zif268 gene. These results together suggest that pias1 may function as an immediate early gene in an activity-dependent manner and PIAS1 expression is regulated by the NMDA-MAPK/ERK-CREB signaling pathway implicated in neuronal plasticity.

First Report of Powdery Mildew on Euphorbia pekinensis Caused by Podosphaera euphorbiae-helioscopiae in China

Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr, the Peking spurge, is a perennial grass that is planted throughout northeast China. Its roots can be used as a Chinese medicine for diuretic or purgative purposes. Some diterpenoids isolated from Euphorbia spp. show strong antitumor, antivirus, skin-irritating, and tumor-promoting activities. Some species contain chemicals that can be used as pesticides. In September and October 2009, spurge plants were seriously infected by powdery mildew fungi in Changchun Agri-Expon, Jilin Province, China. White mildew colonies appeared in early autumn and initial colonies coalesced to cover the entire upper sides of leaves, stems, and petals 3 to 4 weeks after the disease was noticed. Until late October, chasmothecia were observed on leaves and stems and the infected areas also became dark brown. Mycelium was amphigenous, in patches, white, and persistent. Conidia with distinct fibrosin bodies were ellipsoid-cylindrical, 21.6 to 33.8 × 12 to 15.6 μm, and produced in chains. Germ tubes arose near a pole of the conidia and terminated in simple, unlobed apices. Conidiophores were 59.8 to 139.9 μm; foot cells were straight to slightly flexuous, followed by one to three cells, and 24 to 48 × 8.4 to 10.8 μm. Hyphal appressoria were papillate. Chasmothecia were 70 to 95 μm in diameter, averaging 79.4 μm, and were immersed in mycelia. Mycelioid appendages (5 to 12) occurred in the lower part of the chasmothecia and were flexuous, curved, thick walled, and strongly undulate. Appendages were long (349-) 490 to 1,000 (-1,300) μm, averaging 759.4 μm. They were often densely crowded around the chasmothecia. Asci were single, sessile or short stalked, 60 to 80 × 45 to 70 μm, and eight spored. Ascospores were ellipsoid-ovoid and 16.8 to 28.8 × 10.8 to 18 μm. The fungus was identified as Podosphaera euphorbiae-helioscopiae on the basis of morphological characteristics of the anamorphic and teleomorphic stages. An herbarium specimen was deposited in the Herbarium of Mycology of Jilin Agriculture University (CJLCC100). Genomic DNA was extracted from the chasmothecia, and the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and the D1/D2 domains of the 28S rDNA were amplified and sequenced (GenBank Nos. JF795490 and JF795491). The ITS sequence has 98% identity with those of Podosphaera lini, P. macularis, and P. spiraeae, and the D1-D2 sequence of 28S rDNA has 99% identity with those of P. negeri and P. spiraeae, which indicated that this fungus belongs to the genus Podosphaera, even though there is no direct sequence evidence that it is P. euphorbiae-helioscopiae. P. euphorbiae-helioscopiae has only been previously reported in Japan (2), occurring on Euphorbia helioscopia. This species is unique because of the long and curved, thick-walled appendages, and there is no comparable species (1). P. euphorbiae-hirtae and P. euphorbiae are reported to infect Euphorbiaceae plants. Both species differ from P. euphorbiae-helioscopiae in their conspicuously shorter appendages (1,3). To our knowledge, this is the first reported occurrence of powdery mildew on E. pekinensis, and P. euphorbiae-helioscopiae is new to China. This is also the first description of the anamorph of the fungus since there is no record in the Erysiphales Database. References: (1) U. Braun. Nova Hedwigia 89:1, 1987. (2) Y. Nomura. Taxonomical Study of Erysiphaceae of Japan. Yokendo LTD, Tokyo, 1997. (3) R. Y. Zheng and Y. N. Yu. Flora Fungorum Sinicorum. Vol. 1. Erysiphales. Science Press, Beijing, 1987.

Immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing disease: experience with this novel entity in a local hospital

OBJECTIVE

To review the site of involvement, clinical presentation, and treatment outcome of patients having immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing disease in a local regional hospital.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

SETTING

Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong.

PATIENTS

All patients with a diagnosis of immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing disease in the hospital diagnosed in the period from April 2008 to March 2010.

RESULTS

A total of 12 patients with involvement of various organs were identified. There was a male predominance (male-to-female ratio=5:1). The mean age at diagnosis was 65 years. The salivary glands, biliary tract, pancreas, and cervical lymph nodes were the commonest involved sites. The immunoglobulin G4 level was elevated in 83% of the patients. Patients usually appeared to respond well to steroid treatment.

CONCLUSION

Immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing disease is a systemic disease and can involve various systems.

Astragaloside IV synergizes with ferulic acid to inhibit renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis in rats with obstructive nephropathy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The combination of Chinese herbs, Astragali Radix and Angelicae Sinensis Radix, could alleviate renal interstitial fibrosis. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV) and ferulic acid (FA) are the two major active constituents in this combination. In this study, we employed rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction to determine whether AS-IV and FA have the same renoprotective effects and investigated the mechanisms of this action.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Renal pathological changes were evaluated after treatment with AS-IV, FA or AS-IV + FA (AF) for 10 days. Meanwhile, the expression of transforming growth factor β₁ (TGF-β₁), fibronectin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), phosphorylation of c-Jun NH₂-terminal kinase (p-JNK) and nitric oxide (NO) production in kidney were determined. The expressions of fibronectin, α-SMA, mitogen-activated protein kinases [JNK, extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), P38] in TGF-β₁-treated NRK-49F cells or interleukin-1-treated HK-2 cells after AS-IV, FA or AF were assessed.

KEY RESULTS

AF alleviated the infiltration of mononuclear cells, tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis; reduced the expression of fibronectin, α-SMA, TGF-β₁ and p-JNK; and dramatically increased the production of NO in obstructed kidneys. Neither AS-IV nor FA alone improved renal damage, but both increased NO production. AF inhibited α-SMA and fibronectin expression in NRK-49F or HK-2 cells. Furthermore, AF significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced JNK phosphorylation, without affecting ERK or P38 phosphorylation. Neither AS-IV nor FA alone had any effect on the cells.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

AS-IV synergizes with FA to alleviate renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis; this was associated with inhibition of tubular epithelial–mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) and fibroblast activation, as well as an increase in NO production in the kidney.

Enhancing Assisted Living Technology with Extended Visual Memory

Human vision and memory are powerful cognitive faculties by which we understand the world. However, they are imperfect and further, subject to deterioration with age. We propose a cognitive-inspired computational model, Extended Visual Memory (EVM), within the Computer-Aided Vision (CAV) framework, to assist human in vision-related tasks. We exploit wearable sensors such as cameras, GPS and ambient computing facilities to complement a user's vision and memory functions by answering four types of queries central to visual activities, namely, Retrieval, Understanding, Navigation and Search. Learning of EVM relies on both frequency-based and attention-driven mechanisms to store view-based visual fragments (VF), which are abstracted into high-level visual schemas (VS), both in the visual long-term memory. During inference, the visual short-term memory plays a key role in visual similarity computation between input (or its schematic representation) and VF, exemplified from VS when necessary. We present an assisted living scenario, termed EViMAL (Extended Visual Memory for Assisted Living), targeted at mild dementia patients to provide novel functions such as hazard-warning, visual reminder, object look-up and event review. We envisage EVM having the potential benefits in alleviating memory loss, improving recall precision and enhancing memory capacity through external support.

Thermoelectric power in graphene

Considering electron-impurity and electron-phonon scattering, we present a balance-equation-based theoretical examination of thermoelectric power (TEP) in a two-dimensional single-layer graphene away from the carrier neutrality point. Both the boundary scattering and phonon-phonon interaction in phonon relaxation processes are taken into account. We find that, at temperatures T > 10 K, the contribution to TEP mainly comes from diffusive processes and the phonon-drag effect can be ignored. However, at T ≤ 10 K, the phonon-phonon interaction leads to a phonon-drag peak in the temperature dependence of TEP. We also compare our results with experiments.

The pink membrane: the stable photoproduct of deionized purple membrane

When cations are removed from the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium it turns blue (lambda(max) = 603 nm); continuous irradiation with intense red light (lambda's >/= 630 nm) converts this deionized blue membrane into a pink membrane (lambda(max) approximately 491 nm). The rate and extent of the transformation from the blue to the pink membrane is facilitated by the removal of the last twenty COOH-terminal amino acids of bacteriorhodopsin. While the chromophore of the blue membrane is a 32:68 mixture of the 13-cis and all-trans isomers of retinal, the chromophore of the pink membrane is 9-cis rectinal. The quantum efficiency of the pink to blue membrane photoconversion is relatively high compared with that of the blue to pink membrane photoconversion. Proton release is observed when the pink membrane is converted to the blue form, and proton uptake occurs during the reverse transition. Unlike the blue membrane, the absorbance maximum of the pink membrane is only slightly affected by cation addition at low pH and ionic strength.

Light-induced currents from oriented purple membrane: I. Correlation of the microsecond component (B2) with the L-M photocycle transition

When irradiated, purple membrane from Halobacterium halobium oriented in a polyacrylamide gel produces a photocurrent. The correlation of the microsecond component (B2) of the photocurrent with the L-M optical transition was studied. It was found that the lifetimes of B2 and the L-M transition are identical over the entire pH range from 2.4 to 11.0 when measured in high salt (>5 mM CaCl(2) or >40 mM KCl). Changing the temperature from 10 to 35 degrees C, or replacing the H(2)O with D(2)O maintains this correlation. The amplitude of B2 and the L-M transition are also correlated over the pH range where both of them can be represented as a single exponential. At high pH (>8), three exponentials were required to fit both the optical and photocurrent signals. Two of them are the previously described fast and slow components of M formation, but a new intermediate with a very fast lifetime, 0.3 mus, was observed both in absorption (lambda = 410 nm) and photocurrent measurements. The lifetimes of all three were found to be pH independent. This would exclude models for the L to M portion of the photocycle that explained its complex pH-dependent behavior as being due to a single pH-dependent rate constant. The area of B2, which is proportional to the number and the distance the charge moved during the transition, is almost constant from pH 5.0 to pH 8.0. It decreases to almost zero at pH 2.0 and pH 10.6 with pKs at 2.8 and 9.1. Because B2 is thought to normally reflect proton release from the membrane, this suggests at very low and high pH the photocycle does not pump protons. The pK at high pHs for the formation of the nonpumping photocycle is probably related to the formation of a new photocycle featuring the fast rising form of M.

Construction of a BAC library and a physical map of a major QTL for CBB resistance of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

A major quantitative trait loci (QTL) conditioning common bacterial blight (CBB) resistance in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines HR45 and HR67 was derived from XAN159, a resistant line obtained from an interspecific cross between common bean lines and the tepary bean (P. acutifolius L.) line PI319443. This source of CBB resistance is widely used in bean breeding. Several other CBB resistance QTL have been identified but none of them have been physically mapped. Four molecular markers tightly linked to this QTL have been identified suitable for marker assisted selection and physical mapping of the resistance gene. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library was constructed from high molecular weight DNA of HR45 and is composed of 33,024 clones. The size of individual BAC clone inserts ranges from 30 kb to 280 kb with an average size of 107 kb. The library is estimated to represent approximately sixfold genome coverage. The BAC library was screened as BAC pools using four PCR-based molecular markers. Two to seven BAC clones were identified by each marker. Two clones were found to have both markers PV-tttc001 and STS183. One preliminary contig was assembled based on DNA finger printing of those positive BAC clones. The minimum tiling path of the contig contains 6 BAC clones spanning an estimated size of 750 kb covering the QTL region.

Spin polarization induced by in-plane electric and magnetic fields in two-dimensional heavy-hole systems

Using a nonequilibrium Green function approach, we systematically investigate the current induced spin polarization (CISP) in a two-dimensional heavy-hole system with cubic Rashba spin-orbit coupling, driven by in-plane electric and magnetic fields. We find that when a magnetic field is applied along the direction of electric field, the longitudinal conductivity drops monotonously with an increase of magnetic-field strength or of hole density. The spin polarization along the electric-field direction is just the Pauli paramagnetism and it quadratically increases with an increase of hole density. The nonvanishing out-of-plane component of spin polarization emerges for both short-range and long-range disorders, and it changes sign with the variation of magnetic field, especially for long-range hole-impurity scattering. In the magnetic-field dependences of this out-of-plane CISP and of the in-plane CISP perpendicular to the electric field, there are singular magnetic fields, below or above which the effects of magnetic field are completely different.