Association between oxidative stress and telomere length in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients

BACKGROUND

Increasing evidence showed that telomere length was shorter in age-related diseases, but the mechanism of this phenomenon is still unclear.

AIM

To determine whether telomere shortening occurs in Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D), and explore the effect of antioxidant status on the telomere length.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

T2D patients (no.=62), T1D patients (no.=34), and non-diabetic subjects used as control (CTL) (no.=40) were included in this study. Leukocyte telomere length ratio (T/S ratio) was measured using a quantitative PCR and analyzed. Antioxidant status was estimated by human 8-hydroxy-desoxyguanosine quantization. Other biomarkers, such as fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid profile were also measured.

RESULTS

Compared with CTL group [T/S ratio (mean ± SD), 2.39 ± 0.55], leukocyte telomere length was significantly shorter in T2D group (1.67 ± 0.50) and T1D group (1.77 ± 0.50). 8-OHdG that indicated oxidative stress was significantly higher in T2D (2.99 ± 0.85 ng/ml) and T1D (2.03 ± 0.92 ng/ml) group than in CTL group (0.90 ± 0.46 ng/ml). T/S ratio was significantly negatively correlated with age, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and 8- OHdG in the whole population. 8-OHdG was independent risk factor for telomere shortening in both T1D (p=0.018) and T2D group (p=0.022).

CONCLUSIONS

In our study, shorter telomere length and increased oxidative stress were observed in both T1D and T2D. Older people with central obesity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and severe antioxidant status tended to have shorter telomere length. In addition, 8- OHdG was an independent predictor for telomere length for both T1D and T2D patients.

Search for top squarks in R-parity-violating supersymmetry using three or more leptons and b-tagged jets

A search for anomalous production of events with three or more isolated leptons and bottom-quark jets produced in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV is presented. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 fb(-1) collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2012. No excess above the standard model expectations is observed. The results are interpreted in the context of supersymmetric models with signatures that have low missing transverse energy arising from light top-squark pair production with R-parity-violating decays of the lightest supersymmetric particle. In two models with different R-parity-violating couplings, top squarks are excluded below masses of 1020 GeV and 820 GeV when the lightest supersymmetric particle has a mass of 200 GeV.

Searches for new physics using the tt¯ invariant mass distribution in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV

Searches for anomalous top quark-antiquark production are presented, based on pp collisions at √s=8 TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1), were collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The observed tt¯ invariant mass spectrum is found to be compatible with the standard model prediction. Limits on the production cross section times branching fraction probe, for the first time, a region of parameter space for certain models of new physics not yet constrained by precision measurements.

Effects of polymorphisms and haplotypes within the MSTN gene on duck growth trait

Abstract 1. Polymorphisms of the duck MSTN gene were investigated in 413 individuals by DNA sequencing and polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (G129A, C324T, A981G and C1002A), with A981G and C1002A completely linked, were found in the coding region. 2. Association analysis showed that different genotypes of all the identified SNPs were significantly associated with duck growth rate from week 5, 6 and 2 for G129A, C324T and A981G (C1002A), respectively. The greatest difference in body weight was 180 g at week 9, 106 g at week 8 and 123 g at week 8, respectively, for the three SNP's. 3. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis indicated that C324T, A981G and C1002A were in strong LD. Nine main diplotypes from the reconstructed five main haplotypes were observed, and different diplotypes were significantly associated with growth rate from week 1. Birds with the h1h1 diplotype exhibited the largest body weight from week 1 onwards. 4. It was concluded that the duck MSTN gene was associated with body weight and is an important candidate gene for duck growth. traits and marker-assisted selection.

First Report of Fusarium oxysporum Causing Soft Fruit Rot Disease of Gray Jujube (Zizyphus jujuba) in China

Gray Jujube, Zizyphus jujuba Mill., is a fruit crop unique to China that produces small fruit of high nutritional value with potential health benefits (2). In mid-September 2011, a fruit rot affecting approximately 10% of gray jujube fruit was observed in Xinzheng Date Garden, Henan Province, China. The diseased fruits exhibited small, oval, pale reddish brown lesions that expanded into clear concentric rings. Over time, the superficial lesions developed into soft rot affecting the whole fruit that produced a pungent odor. A putative Fusarium sp. was isolated by a single spore isolations from conidiophores produced on the decaying fruit. The isolated colonies first appeared on potato dextrose agar (PDA) as white to light yellow, then turned light pink. Falciform macroconidia were produced on PDA and were straight to slightly curved, usually 3-septate, short or medium long, 15.0 to 28 × 2.5 to 4.0 μm, with a curved apical cell and foot shaped to pointed basal cell. Microconidia were produced in false heads on Synthetic Nutrient-poor Agar (SNA), and were oval, 0-septate, 5.0 to 9.5 × 1.5 to 2.8 μm. Phialides were cylindrical and ranged from 7.0 to 20.0 × 0.7 to 1.4 μm. Chlamydospores were produced singularly and in pairs (1). Pathogenicity of the putative Fusarium sp. was evaluated by surface-sterilizing fresh gray jujubes on a healthy tree field and inoculating by placing a mycelial plug of the Fusarium sp. culture in contact with the fruit. An equal number of fresh gray jujube fruits were placed in contact with non-colonized PDA plugs to serve as a control. Each jujube fruit was wounded three times to create three holes close together using a steel needle (0.5 mm diameter), before inoculation with an agar plug. All the branches with inoculated fruits were enclosed in a clear plastic bag to maintain humidity and prevent cross contamination. After 3 days, inoculated jujubes exhibited the similar symptoms to those originally observed on the naturally infected fruits. Colonies resembling the Fusarium sp. isolated from the original lesions were obtained from each of the symptomatic fruits. Fruit inoculated with un-colonized PDA plugs remained asymptomatic and no fungus was isolated from these fruit. Koch's postulates were repeated three times with the same results. Based on the morphological characteristics, the Fusarium sp. was identified as F. oxysporum (1). The identity of the isolate was confirmed to be F. oxysporum by DNA sequencing of the elongation factor 1-alpha (EF-1a) gene (GenBank Accession No. KC796007), which was 99% homologous to those of other F. oxysporum isolates (JF430187 and JF430188). To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. oxysporum causing soft rot in fresh gray jujubes in Henan. This disease affects the yield and quality of fresh gray jujubes and potentially may threaten the jujube industry. References: (1) J. F. Leslie and B. A. Summerell. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual, 2006. (2) J. Sheng et al. Acta Hortic. 620:203, 2003.

Association between aspartic acid repeat polymorphism of the asporin gene and susceptibility to knee osteoarthritis: a genetic meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common disease that is characterized by the degeneration of joint cartilage in the knee. Genetic factors have been implicated in KOA. Recently, several genetic studies have suggested that susceptibility to KOA is affected by the number of aspartic acid (D) residues in the amino-terminal of the asporin protein, but evidence remains conflicting. Therefore, the objective of the present meta-analysis was to investigate whether or not the D-repeat polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to KOA.

METHODS

A systematic search of all relevant studies published through Dec 2012 was conducted using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, OVID, and ScienceDirect. Allelic counts were evaluated for the D14 and D13 alleles respectively. The included studies were only assessed in the analysis of the following allele model: D14 allele vs others alleles combined, D13 allele vs others alleles combined, and D14 allele vs D13 allele.

RESULTS

Seven studies (eight comparisons) with 5515 total participants (2334 KOA patients and 3181 controls), which involved four Caucasian and four Asian populations, were eligible for inclusion. Meta-analysis was conducted for genotype D14 vs others combined, D13 vs others combined, and D14 vs D13. In the stratification based on ethnicity, studies were divided into Caucasian and Asian populations. We did not detect positive association between KOA and the D14 allele in Asian populations (OR = 1.527, 95% CI: 0.879-2.653) and in Caucasian populations (OR = 1.053, 95% CI: 0.905-1.225). There was also no positive association between susceptibility to KOA and D13 allele in Asian populations (OR = 0.950, 95% CI: 0.732-1.233) and in Caucasian populations (OR = 0.866, 95% CI: 0.723-1.037).

CONCLUSION

The present results suggest that the D-repeat of asporin gene (ASPN) may not be a major susceptibility locus in the Caucasian and Asian populations with KOA. Because of the limitations of the present meta-analysis, accurate conclusions could not be drawn based on the current evidence, and further studies with large sample size are required.

MicroRNA expression profiling studies on bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Over the past several years, several microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling studies have been carried out on bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in mammalian lung tissues. The most effective way to identify these important miRNAs is to systematically search for similar signatures identified in multiple independent studies. Accordingly, a meta-analysis was conducted to review published miRNA expression profiling studies that compared miRNA expression profiles between BPD lung tissues and normal lung tissues. A vote-counting strategy that considered the total number of studies and time points reporting differential expression was applied. Furthermore, cut-off criteria of statistically significant differentially expressed miRNAs as defined by the author and their predicted target genes, if available, as well as the list of up- and down-regulated miRNA features, were collected and recorded. Results of the meta-analysis revealed that four up-regulated miRNAs (miRNA-21, miRNA-34a, miRNA-431, and Let-7f) and one down-regulated miRNA (miRNA-335) were differentially expressed in BPD lung tissues compared with normal groups. In addition, eight miRNAs (miRNA-146b, miRNA-29a, miRNA-503, miRNA-411, miRNA-214, miRNA-130b, miRNA-382, and miRNA-181a-1*) were found to show differential expression not only in the process of normal lung development, but also during the progress of BPD. Finally, several meaningful target genes (such as the HPGD and NTRK genes) of common miRNAs (such as miRNA-21 and miRNA-141) were systematically predicted. These specific miRNAs may provide clues of the potential mechanisms involved in BPD. Further mechanistic and external validation studies are needed to confirm the clinical significance of these miRNAs in the development of BPD.

Elevated blood eosinophil count is a valuable biomarker for predicting late acute cellular rejection after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have indicated the value of increased blood eosinophil counts for the diagnosis of acute cellular rejection (ACR) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, the relationship between eosinophil count and late ACR at more than 6 months after OLT is still unclear.

METHODS

We sought to retrospectively analyzed the ACR predictive value of eosinophil counts. In the day before or the day of biopsy among 40 biopsies performed on 37 patients beyond 6 months after OLT.

RESULTS

Relative eosinophil count was significantly higher in the ACR (n = 24) than the non-ACR cohort, albeit with no significant difference in absolute eosinophil count. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed an absolute eosinophil count of 0.145 × 10(9)/L and a relative eosinophil count of 2.3% to show the highest Youden index with area under the ROC curves of 0.746 and 0.813, respectively. When absolute eosinophil count ≥ 0.145 × 10(9)/L or relative eosinophil count ≥ 2.3% was defined to be elevated, the sensitivity and specificity to predict ACR were 45.8% and 87.5%, and 75% and 87.5%, respectively. When the absolute eosinophil count ≥ 0.285 × 10(9)/L or relative eosinophil count ≥ 3% was defined as elevated, the sensitivity and specificity were 25% and 100%, and 50% and 100%, respectively. All patients with an absolute eosinophil count ≥ 0.285 × 10(9)/L showed a relative eosinophil count ≥ 3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated blood eosinophil count was a valuable biomarker to predict late ACR after OLT.

Bendless modulates JNK-mediated cell death and migration in Drosophila

The TNF-JNK pathway is a highly conserved signaling pathway that regulates a wide spectrum of biological processes including cell death and migration. To further delineate this pathway, we carried out a genetic screen for dominant modifiers of the cell death phenotype triggered by ectopic expression of Eiger (Egr), the Drosophila TNF ortholog. Here we show that Bendless (Ben), an E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, modulates Egr-induced JNK activation and cell death through dTRAF2. Furthermore, Ben physically interacts with dTRAF2 and regulates Egr-induced dTRAF2 polyubiquitination. Finally, Ben is required for JNK-dependent tumor progression, cell migration, oxidative stress resistance and longevity. Our results indicate that Ben constitutes an essential component of the evolutionarily conserved TNF-JNK pathway that modulates cell death and invasion, tumor progression, stress response and lifespan in metazoans.

Diode-pumped continuous wave tunable and graphene Q-switched Tm:LSO lasers

We have investigated the lasing characteristics of Tm:LSO crystal in three operation regimes: continuous wave (CW), wavelength tunable and passive Q-switching based on graphene. In CW regime, a maximum output power of 0.65 W at 2054.9 nm with a slope efficiency of 21% was achieved. With a quartz plate, a broad wavelength tunable range of 145 nm was obtained, corresponding to a FWHM of 100 nm. By using a graphene saturable absorber mirror, the passively Q-switched Tm:LSO laser produced pulses with duration of 7.8 μs at 2030.8 nm under a repetition rate of 7.6 kHz, corresponding to pulse energy of 14.0 μJ.

Measurement of the azimuthal angle dependence of inclusive jet yields in Pb+Pb collisions at √(sNN)=2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Measurements of the variation of inclusive jet suppression as a function of relative azimuthal angle, Δφ, with respect to the elliptic event plane provide insight into the path-length dependence of jet quenching. ATLAS has measured the Δφ dependence of jet yields in 0.14 nb(-1) of √(s(NN))=2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC for jet transverse momenta p(T)>45 GeV in different collision centrality bins using an underlying event subtraction procedure that accounts for elliptic flow. The variation of the jet yield with Δφ was characterized by the parameter, v(2)(jet), and the ratio of out-of-plane (Δφ~π/2) to in-plane (Δφ~0) yields. Nonzero v(2)(jet) values were measured in all centrality bins for p(T)<160 GeV. The jet yields are observed to vary by as much as 20% between in-plane and out-of-plane directions.

PTEN inactivation by germline/somatic c.950_953delTACT mutation in patients with Lhermitte-Duclos disease manifesting progressive phenotypes

Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LDD), a neurological manifestation of Cowden syndrome (CS), is a rare and benign cerebellar disorder, featured by dysplastic cerebellar ganglion cells which replace granular and Purkinje cells. Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) is confirmed as the susceptibility gene for CS which represents the most complex features and is not easily recognizable. We reported two index patients with LDD diagnosed either in an isolated form or coexist with CS. These two patients displayed progressive though comparable phenotypes and were found to carry an identical PTEN c.950_953delTACT mutation in either germline or somatic sources of DNA, respectively. Negative or moderate expression levels of PTEN were validated by immunohistochemistry in the corresponding patients' affected tissues. This study has revealed a novel pathogenicity locus to LDD/CS as a candidate for early molecular diagnosis. In addition, the differential PTEN mutation status with corresponding LDD phenotypes suggests a potential correlation between germline or somatic mutation and coexisting LDD/CS or isolated LDD, respectively. Furthermore, our data could lend some reference to the underlying molecular mechanism of LDD pathogenesis in the future.

The estimated glomerular filtration rate is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, independently of albuminuria, in patients with type 2 diabetes

AIM

The aim of this paper was to study the relationship between the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria in the Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

As a cross-sectional study, common carotid artery (CCA) IMT as a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease is adopted. Data were obtained from a study undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of diabetic complications. Body mass measurements, fasting blood measures, urinary albuminuria creatinine ratio and carotid atherosclerotic measurements were investigated. Association of the carotid IMT with albuminuria stage and eGFR was determined by stepwise multivariate regression analysis adjusting for the possible confounders.

RESULTS

1) The mean age of all 721 patients was 65.33±11.32 years and the duration of diabetes was 7.72±6.93 years. 2) The percentage of impaired eGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and albuminuria was 4.9% and 41.3% respectively, 37.0% with microalbuminuria and 4.3% with macroalbuminuria. 3) Compared to subjects with normoalbuminuria (28.8%), the percentage of CCA-IMT thickening in subjects with macroalbuminuria (41.9%) and microalbuminuria (43.1%) was higher (P<0.01). Moreover, compared to patients with eGFR ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m2 (28.8%), patients with eGFR ranged from 60 to 89 mL/min/1.73 m2 (43.2%) and eGFR< 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (51.4%) tended to have greater percentage of CCA-IMT thickening (P<0.01). 4) In a stepwise regression model, age, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, reduced HDL-cholesterol and eGFR were independent predictors of CCA-IMT, after adjusting for potential confounders including gender, current smoker, duration of diabetes, waist circumference, hypertension, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, postprandial glucose, HbA1c and albuminuria stage.

CONCLUSION

Reduced eGFR associated with IMT thickening independently of albuminuria is found in the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and further studies investigating the clinical outcomes are needed because this study is based on a cross-sectional design.

Identification of a novel human testicular interstitial gene, RNF148, and its expression regulated by histone deacetylases

Multiple genes are restrictively expressed in mammalian testicular tissues, and they play important roles in the complex process of spermatogenesis. Investigation of these genes and their expression regulation mechanisms is valuable to elucidate the molecular process of spermatogenesis. In this study, we identified a novel human gene, ring finger protein 148 (RNF148) that is abundantly expressed in testes and slightly expressed in pancreas. In situ hybridization analysis showed that RNF148 messenger RNA was mainly present in the interstitial cells of human testicular tissues, and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed protein levels in that location. Treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A activated the expression of RNF148 messenger RNA in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in HEK293T and HeLa cells, neither of which normally express RNF148. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that trichostatin A treatment increased the binding of acetylated histone H3 to the RNF148 gene promoter. We identified a novel human testicular interstitial gene and observed that histone deacetylases regulate RNF148 expression.

Association between copy number variations of HLA-DQA1 and ankylosing spondylitis in the Chinese Han population

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease with complex genetic traits. Multiple sequence variations have been associated with AS, but explained only a proportion of heritability. The studies herein aimed to explore potential associations between genomic copy number variation (CNV) and AS of Han Chinese. Five AS patients were examined with the high-density comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) microarrays in the first screen test for AS associated CNVs. A total of 533 AS patients and 792 unrelated controls were examined in confirmation studies with the AccuCopy assays. A significant association was observed between the CNV of the HLA-DQA1 and AS. Comparing with controls, AS patients showed an aberrant copy number (CN), and significantly increased number of patients had more than 2 copies of the HLA-DQA1. Therefore, CNV of the HLA-DQA1 may play an important role in susceptibility to AS in Han Chinese population.