First Report of Pestalotiopsis vismiae Causing Trunk Disease of Chinese Hickory (Carya cathayensis) in China

Chinese hickory is an important forest crop in Anhui and Zhejiang provinces of China. In a survey conducted from 2010 to 2013, serious trunk disease was revealed on C. cathayensis in Ningguo city, Anhui Province. In 2013, nearly 20% of hickory orchards and 5% of hickory trees were affected in this region. Symptoms observed from May to November included dark brown bark lesions and bark cracking on trunks. Bark cracks increased in size over time (mostly more than 80 cm long), extending into the phloem and leading to extensive areas of bark loss with discoloration of the underlying xylem. In most cases, infected plants died within 2 to 4 years. Infected samples collected from 16 orchards in Nanji town and 8 orchards in Hule town were surface sterilized with 1.5% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at 25°C in the dark for 1 week. Eleven similar isolates were obtained from diseased trunks. Colonies reached 7.5 cm diameter after 7 days on PDA at 25°C. Fungal colonies were white with sparse aerial mycelium. Acervuli containing black, slimy spore masses on the surface were present after 12 days at 25°C. Conidia were fusiform to clavate with five cells, 17.5 to 22.5 × 5.2 to 6.4 μm. Apical and basal cells were colorless, while the middle cells were heterochrome; the upper two middle cells were darker than the lower one (3). There were two or three hyaline filamentous appendages (mostly two), 14.5 to 20.6 μm long, attached to each apical cell, and one hyaline appendage (3.5 to 6.6 μm long) attached to each basal cell. Cultural and morphological characteristics of these isolates matched the genus description for Pestalotiopsis (2). The universal rDNA-ITS primer pair ITS4/ITS5 was used to amplify a DNA fragment of approximately 633 bp. The amplified PCR products were sequenced and compared through BLASTn analysis. Sequences of all isolates were identical and 99% similar to Pestalotiopsis vismiae (GenBank Accession Nos. FJ481027.1 and AB251916.1) and P. hansenii. The sequence of isolate RCEF6350 was deposited in GenBank (KM015217). Morphological features best match P. vismiae and with the supporting molecular data, the pathogen was identified as P. vismiae. To confirm pathogenicity, conidial suspensions (10⁶ conidia ml^-1) of each of two isolates were inoculated in three holes (0.5 cm in diameter) drilled to the cambium of each of 12 trees (15 years old). Distilled water was the control. Holes were wrapped with wet absorbent cotton and Parafilm. After 30 days, 62.5% of the inoculated trees developed symptoms similar to natural infections of P. vismiae, whereas control trees remained symptomless. P. vismiae with identical morphology was re-isolated from the lesions to complete Koch's postulates. Therefore, P. vismiae was identified as the causal agent for trunk disease of C. cathayensis in China. P. vismiae was previously reported as a pathogen of Myrica rubra (1); to our knowledge, this is the first report of P. vismiae as a pathogen on Chinese hickory in China. References: (1) F. Y. Chen et al. Plant Dis. 96:588, 2012. (2) Q. X. Ge et al. Flora Fungorum Sinicorum. Vol. 38, Pestalotiopsis. Science Press, Beijing, 2009. (3) J. X. Zhang. Master's thesis, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 2003.

An animal experimental study of porous magnesium scaffold degradation and osteogenesis

Our objective was to observe the biodegradable and osteogenic properties of magnesium scaffolding under in vivo conditions. Twelve 6-month-old male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into two groups. The chosen operation site was the femoral condyle on the right side. The experimental group was implanted with porous magnesium scaffolds, while the control group was implanted with hydroxyapatite scaffolds. X-ray and blood tests, which included serum magnesium, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine (CREA), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were performed serially at 1, 2, and 3 weeks, and 1, 2, and 3 months. All rabbits were killed 3 months postoperatively, and the heart, kidney, spleen, and liver were analyzed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The bone samples were subjected to microcomputed tomography scanning (micro-CT) and hard tissue biopsy. SPSS 13.0 (USA) was used for data analysis, and values of P<0.05 were considered to be significant. Bubbles appeared in the X-ray of the experimental group after 2 weeks, whereas there was no gas in the control group. There were no statistical differences for the serum magnesium concentrations, ALT, BUN, and CREA between the two groups (P>0.05). All HE-stained slices were normal, which suggested good biocompatibility of the scaffold. Micro-CT showed that magnesium scaffolds degraded mainly from the outside to inside, and new bone was ingrown following the degradation of magnesium scaffolds. The hydroxyapatite scaffold was not degraded and had fewer osteoblasts scattered on its surface. There was a significant difference in the new bone formation and scaffold bioabsorption between the two groups (9.29 ± 1.27 vs 1.40 ± 0.49 and 7.80 ± 0.50 vs 0.00 ± 0.00 mm3, respectively; P<0.05). The magnesium scaffold performed well in degradation and osteogenesis, and is a promising material for orthopedics.

HER2, MET and FGFR2 oncogenic driver alterations define distinct molecular segments for targeted therapies in gastric carcinoma

Background:

Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Since the approval of trastuzumab, targeted therapies are emerging as promising treatment options for the disease. This study aimed to explore the molecular segmentation of several known therapeutics targets, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), MET and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2), within GC using clinically approved or investigational kits and scoring criteria. Knowledge of how these markers are segmented in the same cohort of GC patients could improve future clinical trial designs.

Methods:

Using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and FISH methods, overexpression and amplification of HER2, FGFR2 and MET were profiled in a cohort of Chinese GC samples. The correlations between anti-tumour sensitivity and the molecular segments of HER2, MET and FGFR2 alterations were further tested in a panel of GC cell lines and the patient-derived GC xenograft (PDGCX) model using the targeted inhibitors.

Results:

Of 172 GC patients, positivity for HER2, MET and FGFR2 alternations was found in 23 (13.4%), 21 (12.2%) and 9 (5.2%) patients, respectively. Positivity for MET was found in 3 of 23 HER2-positive GC patients. Co-positivity for FGFR2 and MET was found in 1 GC patient, and amplification of the two genes was found in different tumour cells. Our study in a panel of GC cell lines showed that in most cell lines, amplification or high expression of a particular molecular marker was mutually exclusive and in vitro sensitivity to the targeted agents lapatinib, PD173074 and crizotinib was only observed in cell lines with the corresponding high expression of the drugs' target protein. SGC031, an MET-positive PDGCX mouse model, responded to crizotinib but not to lapatinib or PD173074.

Conclusions:

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, MET and FGFR2 oncogenic driver alterations (gene amplification and overexpression) occur in three largely distinct molecular segments in GC. A significant proportion of HER2-negative patients may potentially benefit from MET- or FGFR2-targeted therapies.

Alteration of T-cell subpopulations and lipid peroxidation in the blood of patients with vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder and thymus-dependent lymphyocyte levels and lipid peroxidation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

the authors measured the levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+ T cell, and the concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the blood of 62 patients with vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder. A control group consisted of 30 normal women from the present hospitals.

RESULTS

The level of CD4+/CD8+ T-lymphocytes and SOD in the blood of the patients with vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder was significantly lower than that in control subjects, but the level of MDA was higher as compared with normal women.

CONCLUSION

There is increased immune activation and lipid peroxidation in patients with vulvar non-neoplastic epithelial disorder, which could contribute to destruction of vulvar tissue.

Verticillium Wilt of Redbud in China Caused by Verticillium dahliae

Chinese redbud (Cercis chinensis Bunge), a member of the Fabaceae, is an important ornamental plant native to China with reported desirable medicinal effects, including stimulating blood circulation, detumescence, and detoxification (1). In October 2011, wilt symptoms of gradual leaf yellowing, wilting, scorching (marginal browning), and twig dieback were observed on plants in Yangling, Shaanxi, China. The incidence of diseased plants was about 20% in two main areas (about 20 ha in Zijingshan Park in Zhengzhou, Henan Province; and about 3,000 ha in Taiping National Forest Park in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province). Wilted leaves of diseased plant senesced and died, but defoliation was not observed. Brown discoloration was observed in vascular tissues of petioles, twigs, and stems of diseased plants, sometimes in a ring pattern. The symptoms were often restricted to the lower part of the tree or a few branches. To identify the causal agent, six twigs (each approximately 50 mm in diameter and 10 cm long) sampled from an infected tree in Yangling were rinsed in running water, surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol for 2 min, rinsed in sterilized water three times, dried, cut into 1 cm long segments, and the segments put onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. A fungal isolate was recovered from diseased vascular tissues of each sample when cultured on PDA in the dark at 25°C. After 5 days, colonies changed from white to black as a result of production of microsclerotia. Microscopic observation revealed that conidiophores were hyaline and verticillate, with three to four phialides at each node. Conidia were ellipsoidal, hyaline, single-celled, and 2.5 to 7.5 × 1.25 to 4.5 μm. On the basis of these morphological characteristics, the fungus was identified as Verticillium dahliae (3). To prove Koch's postulates, the roots of 10 healthy, 1-year-old C. chinensis plants were each irrigated in a greenhouse with 50 ml of a conidial suspension (1.0 × 10⁷ spores/ml) of an isolate recovered from an infected plant (2); five control plants were inoculated similarly with sterilized water. Fifteen days after inoculation, the same wilt symptoms observed on the original plants had developed on 9 of the 10 inoculated plants, whereas the control plants remained healthy. The pathogen was recovered 15 days after inoculation by isolating from petiole and stem tissues of symptomatic plants, but was not isolated from the control plants. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA was PCR-amplified with primers ITS1 and ITS4 (4), and sequenced. BLAST analysis of the ITS sequence (GenBank Accession No. AB735536) showed 100% homology with that of an isolate of V. dahliae (FJ572050). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Verticillium wilt on C. chinensis in China. References: (1) Y. Li et al. J. Integr. Plant Biol. 47:1021, 2005. (2) H. A. Melouk and C. E. Horner. Phytopathology 65:767, 1975. (3) G. F. Pegg and B. L. Brady. Verticillium Wilts, CABI Publishing, Oxford, UK, 2002. (4) T. J. White et al. PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. M. A. Innis et al., eds. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1990.

Choice of microsatellite markers for identifying homozygosity of mitotic gynogenetic diploids in Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

A set of 72 microsatellite markers distributed evenly among 24 linkage groups were selected from the published genetic linkage maps of Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus. In two normal diploid full-sib families, the test for Mendelian inheritance showed that genotypic segregation deviations were not significant at all analysed loci. To estimate microsatellite-centromere map distances, four meiotic gynogenetic diploid lines were produced by the activation of eggs using UV irradiated sperm of red seabream Pagrus major and cold-shock treatment to block the extrusion of the second polar body. Under the assumption of complete interference, 21 markers were located in the centromeric region, 39 in the telomeric region and the rest in the intermediate region of linkage groups. A total of 192 mitotic gynogenetic diploids from one spawn were identified by these markers. Genotype analysis showed that the number of homozygous individuals decreased as microsatellite-centromere map distance increased on each linkage group.

High intensity focused ultrasound ablation of goat liver in vivo: Pathologic changes of portal vein and the "heat-sink" effect

The purpose of this study was to evaluate pathological changes of the portal vein (PV) and the effects on main branches of the hepatic PV during HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) sonication when liver tissue adjacent to the main branches of hepatic PV was ablated. Normal liver tissue at 0mm, 5mm, 10mm away from the hepatic portal vein in 50 healthy goats was ablated with magnetic resonance image-guided HIFU (MRgHIFU). MRI showed a non-perfusion region at the target area but did not show any significant changes of the PV immediately after HIFU. The histological examination 1 day after HIFU showed coagulative necrosis at the target area, revealed deep-dyed swelling collagen (CS) fibers and vessel wall fracture (VWF) in the PV adjacent to the target area; however, no CS or VWF was observed in the PV 1 week after HIFU ablation. The energy required to ablate the foci at 0mm was 21% more than that at 10mm from the PV (p<0.05); the energy needed to ablate foci 5mm away from the PV was 10% more than that at 10mm from the PV (p<0.05). We concluded that minor injury of the hepatic portal vein may occur when ablating the adjacent liver tissue, and the acoustic energy deposition is related to the distance to the portal vein.

CT and MR imaging findings of periorbital lipogranuloma developing after endoscopic sinus surgery

SUMMARY

Periorbital lipogranuloma is a rare complication after ESS and presently lacks specific imaging reports. The purpose of this study was to describe the CT and MR imaging features of periorbital lipogranuloma. We retrospectively reviewed 9 patients with histology-confirmed periorbital lipogranuloma. All 9 patients underwent CT and MR imaging. Five lipogranulomas were located in the right eyelid and 4 in the left eyelid, which extended into the extraconal space to some degree. The lesions displayed an irregular shape and had an ill-defined margin. Multiple, specked, or nodular foci containing fat were scattered within these lesions. The lesions demonstrated moderate heterogeneous contrast enhancement on contrast-enhanced MR imaging. The TICs showed a persistent pattern (type I) in 6 patients undergoing DCE MR imaging. Thus, an ill-defined, irregular-shaped periorbital mass with multiple foci containing fat, combined with an ESS history, can help to accurately diagnose this entity.

QM/MM studies on the catalytic mechanism of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase

Epinephrine is a naturally occurring adrenomedullary hormone that transduces environmental stressors into cardiovascular actions. As the only route in the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway, Phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) catalyzes the synthesis of epinephrine. To elucidate the detailed mechanism of enzymatic catalysis of PNMT, combined quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical (QM/MM) calculations were performed. The calculation results reveal that this catalysis contains three elementary steps: the deprotonation of protonated norepinphrine, the methyl transferring step and deprotonation of the methylated norepinphrine. The methyl transferring step was proved to be the rate-determining step undergoing a SN2 mechanism with an energy barrier of 16.4kcal/mol. During the whole catalysis, two glutamic acids Glu185 and Glu219 were proved to be loaded with different effects according to the calculations results of the mutants. These calculation results can be used to explain the experimental observations and make a good complementarity for the previous QM study.

Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the CCNA2 gene and its association with wool density in Rex rabbits

The Rex rabbit is a typical fur breed. Wool density, hair length, wool fineness, and hide area are the main indices of fur quality. We previously found that the CCNA2 gene plays an important role in hair follicle initiation and development, and it is involved in the distinctive wool density of the Rex rabbit. It is an important candidate gene for wool density selection through marker-assisted selection. We conducted an association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the CCNA2 gene and their ligands associated with wool density. Using PCR-RFLP technology, we discovered two SNPs (129G>A and 1140G>C) of the CCNA2 gene. Allele frequencies of these two SNPs were investigated and evaluated by the χ(2) test in 100 Rex rabbits. The two SNPs were both in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. We also looked for a potential association of these SNPs with fur traits in 100 Rex rabbits. Rex rabbits with the GG genotype had significantly higher wool density (P < 0.01) than those with other genotypes; the other three fur traits did not differ significantly among the genotypes. In conclusion, the two SNPs of the CCNA2 gene affect wool density in the Rex rabbit.

Receptor-based QSAR study for a series of 3,3-disubstituted-5-aryl oxindoles and 6-aryl benzimidazol-2-ones derivatives as progesterone receptor inhibitors

Receptor-based comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA) were performed on a series of 54 progesterone receptor (PR) inhibitors. The established CoMFA model from the training set gives statistically significant results with the cross-validated q (2) of 0.534 and non-cross-validated [Formula: see text] of 0.947. The best CoMSIA model was derived by the combination of steric field and hydrophobic field with a q (2) of 0.615 and [Formula: see text] of 0.954. A test set of 18 compounds was used to validate the predictive ability of the two models. The predicted correlation coefficients [Formula: see text] are 0.681 and 0.677 for CoMFA and CoMSIA models, respectively. Based on the CoMFA maps, the key structural characters of progesterone receptor inhibitors are identified. Moreover, the binding modes of oxindoles and benzimidazol-2-ones are also given by the quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations. This may provide useful information for drug design.

Propagation properties of an optical vortex carried by an Airy beam: experimental implementation

In this Letter, we experimentally studied the propagation dynamics of Airy beams (AiBs) carrying phase singularity or an optical vortex (OV). A 3/2 phase mask encoded with phase singularity was used to generate AiBs and OVs enjoying precise position alignment and compact optical configuration simultaneously. Experimental results showed that the OV deflection velocity was faster than that of the main lobe of the AiB, agreeing with the analytical prediction. Numerical simulation results are also in agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, OVs with larger topological charges were also studied experimentally with the same approach.

Propagation dynamics of an optical vortex imposed on an Airy beam

In this Letter, we demonstrate the general propagation dynamics of an Airy beam (AiB) carrying unit phase singularity, i.e., optical vortices (OVs). For the OV with a unit charge, theoretical analysis indicates that the OV carried by the AiB will propagate along the parabolic trajectory with an acceleration velocity twice as fast as conventional AiBs before a critical position. Thereafter, the AiB main lobe destroyed by OV will be reconstructed and the phase singularity will reappear in the middle of the AiB profile.

Enhanced thermal stability of monodispersed silver cluster arrays assembled on block copolymer scaffolds

Triblock copolymer poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (SBS) films with long-range ordered self-assembled nanopatterns are used as templates to selectively adsorb soft-landing silver clusters. Closely spaced cluster arrays with high monodispersity are formed through the confinement of the block copolymer scaffolds, and show a much enhanced thermal stability as compared with the cluster assemblies on the surfaces of covalent amorphous solids, or even on the disordered SBS films. Their morphologies are barely influenced by long time thermal annealing at a temperature as high as 180 degrees C, while in the latter case intense aggregations and coalescences of silver clusters are commonly observed upon annealing. The different thermal stabilities of the cluster assemblies also induce different evolutions of their optical extinction spectra under annealing. This promises a simple way to control the monodispersity and thermal stability of metal cluster assembly via self-assembled block copolymer template.

Simultaneous detection of enteric bacteria from surface waters by QPCR in comparison with conventional bacterial indicators

A rapid quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) method was developed for simultaneous detection of enteric bacteria from surface waters by utilizing a pair of universal primers which targeted four bacteria strains, namely Shigella dysenteriae, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli. It was estimated that the QPCR method had a 94% confidence, and a detection limit as 2.7 E. coli cells per sample in undiluted DNA extracts. The QPCR method was applied for the bacteriological examination of several surface waters in the urban area of Xi'an, China and comparison was made with the conventional bacteria indicators determined by conventional membrane filter (MF) method. As a result, the calibrator cell equivalents (CCE) determined by QPCR was 2.2 to five times of the total coliform CFU, and the characteristics of the bacterial quality of different waters could be well presented by the QPCR results with a higher sensitivity. The coefficient of variation (CV) of data obtained by QPCR was smaller than that by traditional MF method, indicating a more stable analysis result. The QPCR method could thus be used as a supplement of the conventional culture method for more sensitive detection of pathogenic enteric bacteria from water.

Airy beams generated by a binary phase element made of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals

Using polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs), an electrically switchable binary phase pattern was fabricated to generate Airy beams through a programmable lithographic system. The right main lobe of the reconstructed Airy beam experienced 1.3 mm transverse deflection within 24 cm propagation distance. With a suitable voltage applied, the binary PDLC pattern can be erased due to the index match between polymers and liquid crystals. This versatile approach can be also used to generate other special beams with electrically tunable capability.

Thermal characteristics of microwave ablation in the vicinity of an arterial bifurcation

PURPOSE

The objective of this research was to reveal the thermal characteristics of microwave ablations in the vicinity of an arterial bifurcation.

METHODS

The temperature distribution after microwave heating of a liver-like material in the close proximity of an arterial bifurcation was simulated using the finite element method. Coupled fluid flow and solid heat transfer were taken into consideration and a three-dimensional analysis was performed. An experimentally determined SAR (specific absorption rate) generated by the absorption of microwaves in liver-like material was used in the analysis instead of utilizing electromagnetic calculations. Several different tests of time-controlled ablations with varying distances between the microwave antenna and the bifurcation were performed and detailed temperature distributions near the bifurcation were obtained.

RESULTS

The interaction between the recirculation flow in the bifurcation and the heat transfer in the surrounding tissue makes the temperature distribution near the bifurcation complicated. Most importantly, after a period of continuous heating with constant microwave output power, the maximum temperatures caused by the ablation did not always increase with the distance between the antenna and the bifurcation.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that inadequate ablations can be the result not only from a close proximity between the antenna and the blood vessel, but also from a complicated blood flow in large vessels whose structure causes recirculation flow.

Electrically switchable computer-generated hologram using a liquid crystal cell with a proton beam patterned polymethylmethacrylate substrate

An electrically switchable computer-generated hologram (CGH) was fabricated using a liquid crystal (LC) cell. A polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) film, which was spin-coated on one glass substrate of the LC cell, was patterned by a focused 2 MeV proton beam with a CGH phase pattern (2 microm resolution). With an applied voltage on the LC cell CGH sample, an index modulation was produced between the regions with and without PMMA because of the reorientation of LC molecules under the external electric field. The maximum diffraction efficiency measured was about 28.7%. The operating voltage was below 15 V(rms).

Bacterial communities in a crude oil gathering and transferring system (China)

Bacterial communities in crude oil and oil field production water samples from an oil gathering and transferring system in Changqing Oil field in China were investigated by 16S rRNA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis followed by gene cloning and sequencing. DGGE profiles showed that bacterial communities are far more rich in the water samples than that in the crude oil samples, and that bacteria related to Ochrobactrum sp. and Stenotrophomonas sp. were detected in all crude oil and oil field water samples. Bacteria related to Burkholderia sp., Brevundimonas sp., and Propionibacterium sp. were detected in the crude oil samples but not in water samples. Bacteria related to Hippea sp., Acidovorax sp., Arcobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp., Thiomicrospira sp., Brevibacterium sp., Tissierella sp. and Peptostreptococcus sp. were detected in the water samples but not in crude oil samples. Using an archaea-specific primer set, methanogens related to Methanomicrobials and Methanosarcinales were found in water samples but not in crude oil samples. The comparability of the microbial communities in the water and crude oil phase during the period of oil gathering and transferring process was 83.3% and 88.2%, respectively, indicating a stable structure of the microbial communities.