Genetic diversity and relationship of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) using sequence-related amplified polymorphism markers

Chicory is a crop with economically important roles and is cultivated worldwide. The genetic diversity and relationship of 80 accessions of chicories and endives were evaluated by sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers to provide a theoretical basis for future breeding programs in China. The polymorphic rate was 96.83%, and the average polymorphic information content was 0.323, suggesting the rich genetic diversity of chicory. The genetic diversity degree of chicory was higher (GS = 0.677) than that of endive (GS = 0.701). The accessions with the highest genetic diversity (effective number of alleles, NE = 1.609; Nei's genetic diversity, H = 0.372; Shannon information index, I = 0.556) were from Italy. The richest genetic diversity was revealed in a chicory line (NE = 1.478, H = 0.289, I = 0.443) among the 3 types (line, wild, and cultivar). The chicory genetic structure of 8 geographical groups showed that the genetic differentiation coefficient (GST) was 14.20% and the number of immigrants per generation (Nm) was 3.020. A GST of 6.80% and an Nm of 6.853 were obtained from different types. This observation suggests that these chicory lines, especially those from the Mediterranean region, have potential for providing rich genetic resources for further breeding programs, that the chicory genetic structure among different countries obviously differs with a certain amount of gene flow, and that SRAP markers could be applied to analyze genetic relationships and classifications of Cichorium intybus and C. endivia.

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding: diagnostic performance of 64-section multiphase CT enterography and CT angiography compared with capsule endoscopy

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic capabilities between capsule endoscopy (CE) and multislice CT (MSCT) enterography in combination with MSCT angiography for assessment of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB).

METHODS

A total of 127 patients with OGIB were looked at in this study. 82 patients (aged 42.7 ± 19.1 years; 34 males) were assigned to receive MSCT diagnosis and 67 patients to (aged 53.9 ± 16.2 years; 28 males) receive CE diagnosis. Among them, 22 patients (aged 54.1 ± 19.1 years; 12 males) received both examinations. Oral isotonic mannitol and intramuscular injection of anisodamine were performed; non-ionic contrast (iopromide, 370 mg I ml(-1)) was intravenously administered; and then multiphase scanning was conducted at arterial, small intestinal and portal venous phases in MSCT. The results were compared with findings of reference standards including double balloon enteroscopy, digital subtraction angiography, intraoperative pathological examination and/or clinical diagnosis.

RESULTS

Administration of anisodamine markedly increased the satisfaction rate of bowel filling (94.67% vs 28.57%; p < 0.001) but not the diagnostic yield (p = 0.293) of MSCT. Compared with MSCT, CE showed an improved overall diagnostic yield (68.66% vs 47.56%; p = 0.010), which was also observed in overt bleeding patients (i.e. patients with continued passage of visible blood) (76.19% vs 51.02%; p = 0.013) and in patients aged younger than 40 years of age (85% vs 51.28%; p = 0.024). However, CE had similar positive rates to MSCT (p > 0.05). Among the 22 cases in whom both examinations were conducted, CE showed no significantly different diagnostic capability compared with MSCT (p = 0.4597).

CONCLUSION

Both CE and MSCT are safe and effective diagnostic methods for OGIB.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

CE is preferred for overt bleeding or patients aged younger than 40 years. The combined use of CE and MSCT is recommended in OGIB diagnosis.

Cardiovascular research is thriving in China

Cardiovascular disease has become the leading cause of death and constitutes a serious public health issue in China. Faced with the burgeoning epidemic of cardiovascular disease and the huge burden and economic losses it causes, the Chinese government has attached the utmost importance to cardiovascular research, increasing funding to support basic and clinical studies, integrating resources and recruiting outstanding talent from overseas. The continued and growing support from the government has yielded substantial changes in terms of new discoveries, scientific publications and drug research and development within the last decade. In spite of the advances in cardiovascular research, China still faces significant challenges ahead in encouraging innovation, developing the prevention-oriented health policies and strengthening international collaboration.

Search for gravitational waves associated with γ-ray bursts detected by the interplanetary network

We present the results of a search for gravitational waves associated with 223 γ-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the InterPlanetary Network (IPN) in 2005-2010 during LIGO's fifth and sixth science runs and Virgo's first, second, and third science runs. The IPN satellites provide accurate times of the bursts and sky localizations that vary significantly from degree scale to hundreds of square degrees. We search for both a well-modeled binary coalescence signal, the favored progenitor model for short GRBs, and for generic, unmodeled gravitational wave bursts. Both searches use the event time and sky localization to improve the gravitational wave search sensitivity as compared to corresponding all-time, all-sky searches. We find no evidence of a gravitational wave signal associated with any of the IPN GRBs in the sample, nor do we find evidence for a population of weak gravitational wave signals associated with the GRBs. For all IPN-detected GRBs, for which a sufficient duration of quality gravitational wave data are available, we place lower bounds on the distance to the source in accordance with an optimistic assumption of gravitational wave emission energy of 10(-2)M⊙c(2) at 150 Hz, and find a median of 13 Mpc. For the 27 short-hard GRBs we place 90% confidence exclusion distances to two source models: a binary neutron star coalescence, with a median distance of 12 Mpc, or the coalescence of a neutron star and black hole, with a median distance of 22 Mpc. Finally, we combine this search with previously published results to provide a population statement for GRB searches in first-generation LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors and a resulting examination of prospects for the advanced gravitational wave detectors.

Search for gravitational waves associated with γ-ray bursts detected by the interplanetary network

We present the results of a search for gravitational waves associated with 223 γ-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the InterPlanetary Network (IPN) in 2005-2010 during LIGO's fifth and sixth science runs and Virgo's first, second, and third science runs. The IPN satellites provide accurate times of the bursts and sky localizations that vary significantly from degree scale to hundreds of square degrees. We search for both a well-modeled binary coalescence signal, the favored progenitor model for short GRBs, and for generic, unmodeled gravitational wave bursts. Both searches use the event time and sky localization to improve the gravitational wave search sensitivity as compared to corresponding all-time, all-sky searches. We find no evidence of a gravitational wave signal associated with any of the IPN GRBs in the sample, nor do we find evidence for a population of weak gravitational wave signals associated with the GRBs. For all IPN-detected GRBs, for which a sufficient duration of quality gravitational wave data are available, we place lower bounds on the distance to the source in accordance with an optimistic assumption of gravitational wave emission energy of 10(-2)M⊙c(2) at 150 Hz, and find a median of 13 Mpc. For the 27 short-hard GRBs we place 90% confidence exclusion distances to two source models: a binary neutron star coalescence, with a median distance of 12 Mpc, or the coalescence of a neutron star and black hole, with a median distance of 22 Mpc. Finally, we combine this search with previously published results to provide a population statement for GRB searches in first-generation LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors and a resulting examination of prospects for the advanced gravitational wave detectors.

High prevalence and risk factors for kidney dysfunction in patients with atherosclerotic cardio-cerebrovascular disease

BACKGROUND

Patients with atherosclerotic cardio-cerebrovascular disease are at high risk of kidney dysfunction because of the overlap of several risk factors. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and characteristics and risk factors for kidney dysfunction in the cardio-cerebrovascular disease population.

METHODS

Renal functions of 1012 patients with the cardio-cerebrovascular disease were evaluated with the purpose of evaluating characteristics of the incidence, risk factors for kidney dysfunction in the cardio-cerebrovascular disease population.

RESULTS

In the univariate analysis, the major risk factors for kidney dysfunction in the patients with the cardio-cerebrovascular disease were age, gender, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and serum uric acid. In the patients with both hypertension and diabetes mellitus the percentages of significantly decreased eGFR were 25.6%. Results of multivariable analysis showed that diabetes mellitus (odds ratio (OR) 1.609, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.08-2.398, P = 0.019), hypertension (OR 1.547, 95% CI 1.049-2.281, P = 0.028) and serum uric acid (OR 1.009, 95% CI 1.007-1.010, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for reduced kidney function.

CONCLUSIONS

In the context of the cardio-cerebrovascular disease kidney dysfunction is common and has a high prevalence. Patients with both cardio-cerebrovascular disease and kidney dysfunction at any stage should be recognized as high-risk population.

Association of the 389 C/T polymorphism of the catalase gene with susceptibility to vitiligo: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The 389 C/T polymorphism in the catalase gene, CAT, has been reported to be associated with the risk of vitiligo.

AIM

To evaluate the association of the CAT 389 C/T polymorphism with susceptibility to vitiligo.

METHODS

We undertook a literature search and included the relevant studies passing the selection criteria. After the relevant data were extracted from each study, we statistically analysed the strength of association between the CAT gene and vitiligo risk.

RESULTS

In total, 7 relevant studies were identified, comprising 1531 patients with vitiligo and 1608 controls. The genotype distribution in the controls of all studies complied with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. After pooling all studies, the results indicated that the 389 C/T polymorphisms in CAT were not associated with the risk of vitiligo in Asians and Turks; however the CT genotype might be a genetic risk factor for susceptibility to vitiligo (OR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.30-2.43, P < 0.001) and the CC genotype might decrease the risk of vitiligo (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.47-0.86, P < 0.01) in western Europeans.

CONCLUSIONS

The 389 C/T polymorphisms in the CAT gene may be associated with vitiligo in western Europeans. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm our findings.

Nucleation dynamics of nanostructural TiO2 films with controllable phases on (001) LaAlO3

Microstructure evolution and nucleation dynamics of TiO2 nanostructural thin films on (001) LaAlO3 substrates grown by the polymer-assisted deposition technique have been systematically studied with the increase of annealing temperature. Epitaxial anatase TiO2 phase with nanometer-scaled periodic surface strip patterns can be achieved when the sample is annealed at 900 ° C. It is also found that the morphology of the surface pattern is related to the ramping rate of the temperature during annealing. The formation of the surface strip pattern can be considered to be associated with the diffusion limit growth dynamics. The surface pattern structure was found to strongly affect the hydrophilic properties of the thin films.

Thermally stable gold/alumina aerogel catalysts prepared by a simultaneous synthesis process for solvent-free aerobic benzyl alcohol oxidation

Gold nanoparticles physically trapped in the framework of alumina aerogel exhibit excellent thermal stability and catalytic activity at high temperature.

Galectin-7 in cardiac allografts in mice: increased expression compared with isografts and localization in infiltrating lymphocytes and vascular endothelial cells

We sought to identify elevated expression of galectin-7, a T-cell-binding protein, in renal allograft recipients undergoing acute rejection episodes. Allografts and isografts were examined immunohistologically and using quantitative Western blot analysis for galectin-7 protein. The expression of galectin-7 in T lymphocytes from draining lymph nodes in the recipient mice was examined using flow cytometry. We observed galectin-7 to gradually increase with time in the allografts to be significantly higher than that in isografts at days 3, 5, and 7 postoperative: 0.85 ± 0.03 versus 0.69 ± 0.05; 1.15 ± 0.11 versus 0.81 ± 0.02; and 2.02 ± 0.12 versus 0.81 ± 0.05 (P < .05). The majority of galectin-7 was located in the infiltrating lymphocytes and vascular endothelial cells. Furthermore, the percentage of CD4+galectin-7+ and CD8+galectin-7+ T cells from draining lymph nodes in the allograft group was higher than that in the isograft group: 28.0 ± 1.0% versus 1.2 ± 0.2%; and 12.4 ± 0.8% versus 0.4 ± 0.1% (P < .01). In conclusion, galectin-7 relates to acute allograft rejection and T-cell responses possibly as an accelerant.

Effect of overexpression of human aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 in LLC-PK1 cells on glyceryl trinitrate biotransformation and cGMP accumulation

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent studies suggest a primary role for aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in mediating the biotransformation of organic nitrates, such as glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), to the proximal activator of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC), resulting in increased cGMP accumulation and vasodilation. Our objective was to assess the role of ALDH2 in organic nitrate action using a cell culture model.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Porcine renal epithelial (LLC-PK1) cells possess an intact NO-sGC-cGMP signaling system, and can be used as a biochemical model of organic nitrate action. We used a pcDNA3.1-human ALDH2 expression vector to establish a stably transfected cell line (PK1(ALDH2)) that overexpressed ALDH2, or small interfering RNA (siRNA) to deplete endogenous ALDH2, and assessed GTN biotransformation and GTN-induced cGMP formation.

KEY RESULTS

ALDH2 activity in the stably transfected cells was approximately sevenfold higher than wild-type cells or cells stably transfected with empty vector (PK1(vector)); and protein expression, as assessed by immunoblot analysis, was markedly increased. In PK1(ALDH2), GTN biotransformation was significantly increased as a result of increased glyceryl-1,2-dinitrate formation compared to wild-type or PK1(vector). However, the incubation of PK1(ALDH2) with 1 or 10 μM GTN did not alter GTN-induced cGMP accumulation compared with wild-type or PK1(vector) cells. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated depletion of ALDH2 had no effect on GTN-induced cGMP formation.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

In an intact cell system, neither overexpression nor depletion of ALDH2 affects GTN-induced cGMP formation, indicating that ALDH2 does not mediate the mechanism-based biotransformation of GTN to an activator of sGC.