MdSnRK1.1 interacts with MdGLK1 to regulate abscisic acid-mediated chlorophyll accumulation in apple

Abscisic acid (ABA), as a plant hormone, plays a positive role in leaf chlorosis; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is less known. Our findings provide ABA treatment reduced the chlorophyll accumulation in apple, and Malus × domestica Sucrose Non-fermenting 1-Related Protein Kinase 1.1 (MdSnRK1.1) participates in the process. MdSnRK1.1 interacts with MdGLK1, a GOLDEN2-like transcription factor that orchestrates development of the chloroplast. Furthermore, MdSnRK1.1 affects MdGLK1 protein stability through phosphorylation. We found that Ser468 of MdGLK1 is target site of MdSnRK1.1 phosphorylation. MdSnRK1.1-mediated phosphorylation was critical for MdGLK1 binding to the target gene MdHEMA1 promoters. Collectively, our results demonstrate that ABA activates MdSnRK1.1 to degrade MdGLK1 and inhibit the accumulation of chlorophyll. These findings extend our understanding on how MdSnRK1.1 balances normal growth and hormone response.

Aspertaichamide a, a novel cytotoxic prenylated indole alkaloid possessing a bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane framework from a marine algal-derived endophytic fungus aspergillus taichungensis 299

Filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus are prodigious producers of alkaloids, particularly prenylated indole alkaloids, that often exhibit structurally diversified skeletons and potent biological activities. In this study, five prenylated indole alkaloids possessing a bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane core ring system, including a novel derivative, namely aspertaichamide A (1), as well as four known compounds, (+)-stephacidin A (2), sclerotiamide (3), (-)-versicolamide B (4), and (+)-versicolamide B (5), were isolated and identified from A. taichungensis 299, an endophytic fungus obtained from the marine red alga Gelidium amansii. The chemical structures of the compounds were elucidated by comprehensive NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic analyses. In addition to the previously reported prenylated indole alkaloids, aspertaichamide A (1) was characterized as having an unusual ring structure with the fusion of a 3-pyrrolidone dimethylbenzopyran to the bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane moiety, which was rare in these kinds of compounds. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by TDDFT-ECD calculations. In vitro cytotoxic assays revealed that the novel compound 1 possessed selective cytotoxic activity against five human tumor cell lines (A549, HeLa, HepG2, HCT-116, and AGS), with IC50 values of 1.7-48.5 μM. Most importantly, compound 1 decreased the viability of AGS cells in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 1.7 μM. Further studies indicated that 1 may induce AGS cells programmed cell death via the apoptotic pathway.

An apple NITRATE REDUCTASE 2 gene positively regulates nitrogen utilization and abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis and apple callus

Nitrogen (N) is an essential element that plays an important role in crop biomass accumulation and quality formation. Increased crop yield is relied on excessive application of fertilizers, which usually leads to environmental pollution and unsustainable development. Thus, identification and characterization of genes involved in promoting nitrogen use efficiency is of high priority in crop breeding. The activity of nitrate reductase (NR) plays a critical role in nitrogen metabolism. In model plant Arabidopsis, NITRATE REDUCTASE 2 (NIA2), one of the two NRs, is responsible for about 90% of the NR activity. In this study, MdNIA2 gene in apple (Malus domestica) genome was screened out and identified by using AtNIA2 as bait. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MdNIA2 had the closest evolutionary relationship with MbNIA from Malus baccata. Ectopic expression of MdNIA2 in Arabidopsis elevated the nitrogen use efficiency and increased root hair elongation and formation, resulting in promoted plant growth. Furthermore, the overexpression of MdNIA2 improved salt and drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis and improved the salt tolerance of transgenic apple callus, and MdNIA2-reagualted NO metabolism might contribute to the abiotic stress tolerance. Overall, our data indicate the critical role of MdNIA2 in regulating nitrogen utilization efficiency and abiotic stress responses.

Functional characterization of MdERF113 in apple

The AP2/ERF family is an important class of transcription factors involved in plant growth and various biological processes. One of the AP2/ERF transcription factors, RAP2.6L, participates in various stresses responses. However, the function of RAP2.6L is largely unknown in apples (Malus domestica). In this study, an apple gene homologous to Arabidopsis AtRAP2.6L, MdERF113, was analyzed by bioinformatic characterization, gene expression analysis and subcellular localization assessment. MdERF113 was highly expressed in the sarcocarp and was responsive to hormonal signals and abiotic stresses. MdERF113-overexpression apple calli were less sensitive to low temperature, drought, salinity, and abscisic acid than wild-type. Subcellular localization revealed that MdERF113 was a nuclear-localized transcription factor, and yeast experiments confirmed that MdERF113 has no autonomous activation activity. Overall, this study indicated that MdERF113 plays a role in regulating plant growth under abiotic conditions.

A Zero-Dimensional Hybrid Cadmium Perovskite with Highly Efficient Orange-Red Light Emission

Low-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid metal halide materials have been extensively studied due to their excellent optoelectronic performances. Herein, by using the facile wet-chemistry method, we designed one new hybrid cadmium bromide of (H₃AEP)₂CdBr₆·2Br based on discrete octahedral [CdBr₆]^4- units. Remarkably, the bulk crystal of (H₃AEP)₂CdBr₆·2Br exhibits strong broadband orange-red light emission from the radiative recombination of self-trapped excitons (STEs) with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 9%. Benefiting from the highly efficient luminescent performance, this 0D cadmium perovskite can be utilized as an excellent down-conversion red phosphor to assemble a white light-emitting diode, and a high color rendering index (CRI) of 93 is realized. As far as we know, this is the first orange-red light-emitting hybrid cadmium perovskite which promotes the full-color display in this system.

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic phenolic bisabolane sesquiterpenoids from the fungus Aspergillus flavipes 297

Phenolic bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids (PBS) represent a rare class of natural products with diverse biological activities. In this study, chemical investigations of the fungus Aspergillus flavipes 297 resulted in the isolation and identification of seven PBS, including a pair of new enantiomers (+)-1a and (-)-1b, a new derivative 2, and five previously reported ones 3-7. The chemical structures of the isolated PBS were determined by extensive NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configurations of the separated enantiomers (+)-1a and (-)-1b were solved by comparison of the experimental ECD spectra with those of the TDDFT-ECD calculated spectra. The new compounds 1 and 2 represent rare cases of PBS bearing a methylsulfinyl group, which was distinct from the commonly-observed PBS structurally. All the isolated compounds 1-7 were evaluated their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. As a result, the tested compounds showed selective antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic bacteria and fungi with the MIC (minimum inhibiting concentrations) values ranging from 2 to 64 μg/mL. Moreover, enantiomers (+)-1a and (-)-1b, together with compound 2, exhibited promising cytotoxicity against MKN-45 and HepG2 cell lines, respectively, indicating that the methylsulfinyl substituent enhanced cytotoxicity to a certain degree.

Study on the effect of municipal solid landfills on groundwater by combining the models of variable leakage rate, leachate concentration, and contaminant solute transport

The landfill with low economic cost and technical barrier has become a popular option for municipal solid waste treatment, but it is likely to seriously pollute groundwater by solute leaching. In this study, the pollutants concentration model, leakage rate model, and the solute transport model were coupled to investigate the effect of municipal solid waste landfill on groundwater quality. Major results obtained are, (1) the leakage rate of leachate differs significantly among the landfilling stage, covering stage and completely covered stage as the leachate depth varies with the infiltration rainfall. The contact condition between HDPE and CCL was found to be a key factor in determining the leakage rate of leachate. Ensuring good connection between HPDE and CCL is thus critical in protecting groundwater from being polluted by landfill. (2) The NH₃-N as a proxy for organic pollutants was generated via the degradation process, and Cl^- as a proxy for inorganic pollutants is a leachable fraction of mobilized substances. The concentration of Cl^- is higher than that of NH₃-N before 7600 days, then the concentration of NH₃-N becomes roughly stable while that of Cl^- continues to decrease. (3) The load of NH₃-N as a proxy for organic pollutants declines linearly downwards before the completely covering stage. The load of Cl^- as a proxy for inorganic pollutants increased during the first five years, and then declined. (4) In the case study, the path of maximum pollutants concentration is perpendicular to the groundwater contour, and the maximum pollutants concentration has two peaks, occurring on 7106 days and 11,554 days, respectively. The change laws of maximum pollutants concentration are similar for different connections between HPDE and CCL.

Bioinformatics-based Identification of Key Pathways and Hub Genes of Traumatic Brain Injury in a Rat Model

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common injury caused by external forces that lead to damaged brain function or pathological changes in the brain tissue. To explore the molecular mechanism and the hub genes of TBI, we downloaded gene expression profiles of the TBI model of rat and the sham control for the subsequent gene set enrichment analysis, pathway analysis and protein-protein interactions analysis. The results of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis indicated that multiple biological pathways, including immune response, inflammatory response and cellular response to interleukin-1, as well as signaling pathways, such as tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway were implicated in the TBI. In conclusion, this study provides insights into the molecular mechanism of TBI by screening the differentially expressed genes and hub genes that can be used as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

FGF-2 suppresses neuronal autophagy by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway in subarachnoid hemorrhage

The degree of early brain injury (EBI) is a significant factor that affects the prognosis of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Evidence has shown that fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) may alleviate the serious consequences of EBI after SAH. The objective of the current study was to investigate the underlying mechanism that mediates the neuroprotective effects of FGF-2 in the SAH rat model. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats that underwent different treatments were divided into various groups. FGF-2 was administered intranasally to rats in the treatment group within 30 min after modeling. Rapamycin (an autophagy activator) or LY294002 (a PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor) was administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) 30 min before modeling. Neurological scale and brain water content were measured in the brain tissue of the rats. TUNEL staining, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining were performed to examine and compare the diverse effects of FGF-2 treatment, activated autophagy, and inhibited the PI3K/Akt pathway. We found that FGF-2 treatment effectively reduced the number of TUNEL-positive cells, decreased the brain water content, and improved the neurological function of rats after SAH. Additionally, the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins (LC3 and Beclin-1) were obviously decreased in the FGF-2 treatment group compared with the SAH + vehicle group. The therapeutic effects of FGF-2 in the SAH + FGF-2+rapamycin group were weakened compared with that in the SAH + FGF-2+DMSO group. In the event of the PI3K/Akt pathway inhibition, the expression levels of LC3 and Beclin-1 were enhanced, and the therapeutic effects of FGF-2 were compromised. In summary, our data collectively demonstrated that FGF-2 may suppress autophagy levels to play a neuroprotective role, at least partially by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway. These results highlight FGF-2 as a promising solution to the clinical intervention of SAH.

Universal mechanical exfoliation of large-area 2D crystals

Two-dimensional materials provide extraordinary opportunities for exploring phenomena arising in atomically thin crystals. Beginning with the first isolation of graphene, mechanical exfoliation has been a key to provide high-quality two-dimensional materials, but despite improvements it is still limited in yield, lateral size and contamination. Here we introduce a contamination-free, one-step and universal Au-assisted mechanical exfoliation method and demonstrate its effectiveness by isolating 40 types of single-crystalline monolayers, including elemental two-dimensional crystals, metal-dichalcogenides, magnets and superconductors. Most of them are of millimeter-size and high-quality, as shown by transfer-free measurements of electron microscopy, photo spectroscopies and electrical transport. Large suspended two-dimensional crystals and heterojunctions were also prepared with high-yield. Enhanced adhesion between the crystals and the substrates enables such efficient exfoliation, for which we identify a gold-assisted exfoliation method that underpins a universal route for producing large-area monolayers and thus supports studies of fundamental properties and potential application of two-dimensional materials.

MiR-291a-3p regulates the BMSCs differentiation via targeting DKK1 in dexamethasone-induced osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a skeleton disease affecting 55% of people over age 60, and the number is still increasing due to an ageing population. One method to prevent osteoporosis is to increase the formation of new bone while preventing the resorption of older bone. Thus, osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is of great importance in improving the treatment of osteoporosis. On the other hand, glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used to treat the chronic inflammatory disorders, but long-term exposure to GCs can induce osteoporosis. In present study, we treated BMSCs with dexamethasone (DEX) to simulate GC-induced osteoporosis. MTT assay, ALP activity, and Alizarin Red were used to evaluate the role miRNA-291a-3p in the DEX-induced osteogenic differentiation suppression. Further, we used qPCR and western blot to investigate the mechanisms of miRNA-291a-3p affecting BMSCs differentiation. The results showed that miRNA-291a-3p could improve the cell viability, osteogenic differentiation, and ALP activity, which are suppressed by DEX in BMSCs. Furthermore, we found that the osteogenesis genes Runx2, DMP1, and ALP were upregulated whereas the lipogenic genes C/EBPα and PPARγ were downregulated when miRNA-291a-3p mimics were transfected. Additionally, we demonstrated that miRNA-291a-3p promoted BMSCs' osteogenic differentiation by directly suppressing DKK1 mRNA and protein expression and subsequently activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our study suggests that miR-291a-3p plays an important role in preventing osteoporosis and may serve as a potential miRNA osteoporosis biomarker.

Effect of general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia on perioperative immune factors in cervical cancer

Cervical cancer (CC) is a common malignant tumor that seriously threatens the health and life of female patients. At present, surgical resection remains as the preferred treatment for CC.

Role of autophagy in LPS‑induced inflammation in INS‑1 cells

Inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D), which is a progressive disease characterized by pancreatic β‑cell dysfunction and apoptosis with consequential insufficient insulin secretion. Autophagy is necessary to maintain the structure, mass and function of pancreatic β‑cells. The present study investigated the crosstalk between autophagy and inflammasome activation in T2D. INS‑1 cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. Apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation were measured using flow cytometry, and cell proliferation was measured using Cell Counting Kit‑8 solution. Autophagy was assayed using western blotting and transmission electron microscopy. The expression levels of interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) and caspase‑1 were detected by western blotting. The results demonstrated that inhibiting autophagy using 3‑methyladenine (3‑MA) promoted INS‑1 cell apoptosis. This response was correlated with an increase in ROS production and the inflammatory response, including IL‑1β maturation and caspase‑1 activation. Furthermore, when ROS were inhibited using N‑acetyl‑L‑cysteine, inflammation was decreased. These results demonstrated that inhibition of autophagy enhanced inflammatory injury via the ROS‑mediated activation of the Nod‑like receptor pyrin domain‑containing protein 3 inflammasome. Autophagy may have a protective effect by mitigating inflammation in T2D, which may provide a novel approach for T2D treatment.

[Analysis of Stable Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotope Characteristics and Vapor Sources of Event-based Precipitation in Chengdu]

Based on analysis of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in 113 rainfall samples collected from September 2016 to October 2017 in Chengdu, which is a typical representative of humid areas affected by multiple moisture sources, the compositional characteristics of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes (²H, ¹⁸O, and ¹⁷O) and the water vapor sources of precipitation were analyzed. It was found that δD, δ¹⁸O, δ¹⁷O, d-excess, and ¹⁷O-excess in atmospheric event-based precipitation have significant seasonal variation. In the dry season they are high and in the wet season are low, reflecting the different moisture sources during two seasons (dry and wet). The slope and intercept of the Local Meteoric Water Line were small, indicating that the precipitation originated from sources with various stable isotope ratios and that raindrops were subject to secondary evaporation during their landing process. The Local Meteoric Water Line slope for the triple oxygen isotopes (δ'¹⁷O=0.5289δ'¹⁸O+0.0075) ranged between the slopes for seawater vapor and dry air, and the value of ¹⁷O-excess was far larger than that of seawater. This indicates that the Chengdu area lies in the path of marine air masses moving toward inland regions. The atmospheric precipitation mainly came from these marine air masses and the isotope had undergone serious enrichment in the process of reaching the area. The d values were close to the global average, and the extremely low value of d-excess in the dry season may be affected by artificial rainfall operations. In addition to the relative humidity of the water vapor source, ¹⁷O-excess is also affected by the upstream air mass convection; moreover, the ¹⁷O-excess of the precipitation was not affected by the meteorological factors over the whole study period, so the ¹⁷O-excess could be considered tracers of evaporative conditions at the vapor source in Chengdu. The precipitation ¹⁷O-excess in different seasons provides additional information to better understand the precipitation formation processes in Chengdu.

Confined Molybdenum Phosphide in P-Doped Porous Carbon as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution

Highly efficient electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) are crucial for electrochemical water splitting, where high-cost and low-abundance Pt-based materials are the benchmark catalysts for HER. Herein, we report the fabrication of MoP nanoparticles confined in P-doped porous carbon (MoP@PC) via a metal-organic framework-assisted route for the first time. Remarkably, due to the synergistic effects of MoP nanocrystals, P dopant, and porous carbon, the resulting MoP@PC composite exhibits superior HER catalytic activity with an onset overpotential of 97 mV, a Tafel slope of 59.3 mV dec^-1, and good long-term durability, which compares to those of most reported MoP-based HER catalysts. Most importantly, the work opens a new route in the development of high-performance nonprecious HER electrocatalysts derived from MOFs.

Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Bone-filling Mesh Container and Simple Percutaneous Balloon Kyphoplasty in the Treatment of Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures

BACKGROUND

Bone cement leakage in patients with vertebral fracture limits the use of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) and percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). Finding a method to reduce bone cement leakage is clinically rather important.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy and safety of bone-filling mesh containers (BFMCS) and simple percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

STUDY DESIGN

A randomized controlled clinical study discussing the effect of 3 methods in the treatment of vertebral fractures.

METHODS

From October 2014 to August 2015, 80 patients with single osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures were admitted in our hospital, including 31 men and 49 women with an average age of 76.2 years (range, 63-82 years). Patients were divided into a percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty group (Group A) and a PVP with dilated balloon placement group (Group B), with 40 cases in each group. The visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), height of the vertebral body and Cobb's angle of the injured vertebrae were observed before operation and at 1 day, 1 month, and 6 months after the operation. Bone cement leakage and postoperative complications were also observed.

RESULTS

Operations were successfully completed in all 80 patients without pulmonary embolism and without spinal cord or nerve root injury. The operation time was (32.6 ± 6.1) minutes in Group A and (31.8 ± 5.8) minutes in Group B. Operation time did not significantly differ between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). Both groups differed significantly when comparing the results with those measured before treatment. In Group A, the ODIs before operation and at 1 day, 1 month, and 6 months after the operation were 84.125 ± 8.821, 29.300 ± 8.951, 16.175 ± 6.748, and 11.400 ± 6.164, respectively, and those in Group B were 84.300 ± 8.768, 29.200 ± 9.121, 15.975 ± 6.811, and 11.575 ± 6.460, respectively. Cobb's angle values in Group A before and after treatment were (19.225 ± 5.881)° and (13.900 ± 3.720)°, respectively, and those in Group B were (19.275 ± 6.210)° and (14.225 ± 4.016)°, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Both bone-filling mesh bag and simple percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty for treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures can relieve pain effectively and correct the Cobb angle. The bone-filling mesh container can effectively prevent bone cement leakage and reduce the incidence of bone cement leakage.

LIMITATIONS

The study has limitations due to the small number of cases and short period of follow-up time. Further studies are needed to determine whether the mesh bag can limit the distribution of bone cement within the vertebral body.

KEY WORDS

Bone-filling mesh container, kyphoplasty, osteoporosis, vertebral compression fracture.

L-ascorbic acid metabolism in an ascorbate-rich kiwifruit (Actinidia. Eriantha Benth.) cv. 'White' during postharvest

Kiwifruit (Actinidia eriantha Benth.) 'White', a novel cultivar with higher L-ascorbic acid (AsA) level, is registered in China. Changes in AsA, related metabolites, enzymatic activity, and gene expression associated with AsA biosynthesis and recycling process were investigated in this paper. The results indicated that AsA biosynthesis through L-galactose pathway supplemented by D-galacturonic acid pathway and AsA recycling collectively contributed to accumulating and remaining higher AsA level in kiwifruit cv. 'White' during postharvest. Moreover, L-galactose dehydrogenase (GalDH) activity and relative expressions of the genes encoding GDP-D-mannose pyrophosphorylase (GMP), L-galactose-1-P phosphatase (GPP), GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase (GGP), GalDH and D-galacturonate reductase (GalUR) were important for regulation of AsA biosynthesis, and the activity and expression of dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) were primarily responsible for regulation of AsA recycling in kiwifruit 'White' during postharvest.

Genistein promotes ionizing radiation-induced cell death by reducing cytoplasmic Bcl-xL levels in non-small cell lung cancer

Genistein (GEN) has been previously reported to enhance the radiosensitivity of cancer cells; however, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report that GEN treatment inhibits the cytoplasmic distribution of Bcl-xL and increases nuclear Bcl-xL in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Interestingly, our in vitro data show that ionizing radiation IR treatment significantly increases IR-induced DNA damage and apoptosis in a low cytoplasmic Bcl-xL NSCLC cell line compared to that of high cytoplasmic Bcl-xL cell lines. In addition, clinical data also show that the level of cytoplasmic Bcl-xL was negatively associated with radiosensitivity in NSCLC. Furthermore, we demonstrated that GEN treatment enhanced the radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells partially due to increases in Beclin-1-mediated autophagy by promoting the dissociation of Bcl-xL and Beclin-1. Taken together, these findings suggest that GEN can significantly enhance radiosensitivity by increasing apoptosis and autophagy due to inhibition of cytoplasmic Bcl-xL distribution and the interaction of Bcl-xL and Beclin-1 in NSCLC cells, respectively.

Resveratrol attenuates type 2 diabetes mellitus by mediating mitochondrial biogenesis and lipid metabolism via Sirtuin type 1

The rising incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health problem and novel therapeutic strategies are required to prevent and treat T2DM. It has been demonstrated that resveratrol (RSV) may prevent T2DM by targeting Sirtuin type 1 (SIRT1), indicating that SIRT1 may be a novel therapeutic target for T2DM prevention. In the present study, a T2DM rat model was established by administering a high fat diet and streptozotocin (STZ) injections. Measurements of blood glucose and insulin confirmed successful establishment of the T2DM model. RSV was used to treat rats with STZ-induced T2DM and the results indicated that RSV reversed the STZ-induced downregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α, SIRT1 and forkhead box protein O 3a. Furthermore, RSV modulated the activity of superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde, which are associated with oxidative stress. In vitro, cells from the insulinoma cell line clone 1E were pretreated with palmitic acid (PA) to simulate a high fat environment. The results of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction indicated that PA suppressed the expression of SIRT1 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, PA modulated the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis-associated, lipid metabolism-associated and β-cell-associated genes, whereas RSV treatment ameliorated the PA-induced changes in the expression of these genes via SIRT1. The results of the present study suggest that RSV participates in the prevention of T2DM by regulating the expression of mitochondrial genes associated with biogenesis, lipid metabolism and β-cells via SIRT1. The results of the current study provide an insight into the mechanisms by which SIRT1 inhibits T2DM and may be used as a basis for future studies.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by lipopolysaccharide is involved in the association between inflammation and autophagy in INS‑1 cells

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic inflammatory disease. Autophagy, the dynamic process of lysosomal degradation of damaged organelles and proteins, may protect β‑cells from destruction by inflammation in type 2 diabetes. The present study investigated the role of autophagy, inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in type 2 diabetes. INS‑1 cells were incubated with lipopolysaccharide. The chemical chaperone 4‑phenylbutyric acid was used to inhibit ER stress, and 3‑methyadenine (3‑MA) was used to inhibit autophagy. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and cell proliferation using Cell Counting kit‑8 solution. Light chain‑3B, interleukin (IL) 1β, caspase‑1 and C/EBP homologous protein production were assessed by western blotting, and rat activating transcription factor 4 and rat binding immunoglobulin heavy chain protein gene expression were determined by real‑time reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that inhibiting autophagy with 3‑MA unexpectedly contributed to cell death in β‑cells. This response was associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines, including IL1β and caspase‑1. Inhibiting ER stress with 4‑phenylbutyric acid led to a decrease in cell apoptosis. These results showed that autophagy may have a protective effect by reducing inflammatory cytokines in β‑cells. In addition, the inositol‑requiring enzyme 1 pathway mediated the ER stress associated with autophagy and inflammatory cytokines (IL1β and caspase‑1). Therefore, inflammatory cytokines may be critical signalling nodes, which are associated with ER stress‑mediated β‑cell death.

Central nervous system progression in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with EGFR mutations in response to first-line treatment with two EGFR-TKIs, gefitinib and erlotinib: a comparative study

Background

Central nervous system (CNS) brain metastasis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients confers a worse quality of life and prognosis. The efficacy comparison of two first-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors erlotinib or gefitinib as first-line treatment for CNS metastasis NSCLC patients with EGFR-sensitizing mutations is yet to be elucidated.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was done on cerebral metastasis rate after erlotinib or gefitinib as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR-sensitizing mutations. Time to neurological progression (nTTP) and median progression-free survival (mPFS) were calculated.

Results

The study involved 279 patients (erlotinib group: 108, gefitinib group: 171). After a median follow-up of 22 months, 27 patients (25%) in the erlotinib group and 60 patients (35.1%) in the gefitinib group showed CNS progression. The HR of CNS progression for erlotinib versus gefitinib was 0.695 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.406–1.190], suggesting a risk reduction of 30.5% although not achieving statistical significance. The 6-, 12- and 18-month cumulative CNS progression rates were 0.9, 3.7 and 12% for erlotinib compared with corresponding rates of 5.8, 9.4 and 17% for gefitinib (P = 0.181). However, for those patients with preexisting brain metastases prior to EGFR-TKI treatment, erlotinib as first line treatment significantly extended the median nTTP in comparison to gefitinib (30 months vs 15.8 months, p = 0.024).

Conclusions

Our data show that nTTP can be effectively extended in preexisting brain metastases patients with EGFR-sensitizing mutations initially treated with erlotinib compared with gefitinib. If confirmed, our results indicate that erlotinib may play an important role in controlling CNS progression from EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-017-3165-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Transition from Anomalous Hall Effect to Topological Hall Effect in Hexagonal Non-Collinear Magnet Mn3Ga

We report experimental observation of large anomalous Hall effect exhibited in non-collinear triangular antiferromagnet D0₁₉-type Mn₃Ga with coplanar spin structure at temperatures higher than 100 K. The value of anomalous Hall resistivity increases with increasing temperature, which reaches 1.25 μΩ · cm at a low field of ~300 Oe at room temperature. The corresponding room-temperature anomalous Hall conductivity is about 17 (Ω · cm)⁻¹. Most interestingly, as temperature falls below 100 K, a temperature-independent topological-like Hall effect was observed. The maximum peak value of topological Hall resistivity is about 0.255 μΩ · cm. The appearance of the topological Hall effect is attributed to the change of spin texture as a result of weak structural distortion from hexagonal to orthorhombic symmetry in Mn₃Ga. Present study suggests that Mn₃Ga shows promising possibility to be antiferromagnetic spintronics or topological Hall effect-based data storage devices.

Anti-site-induced diverse diluted magnetism in LiMgPdSb-type CoMnTiSi alloy

The effect of three kinds of anti-site disorder to electronic structure and magnetic properties of the LiMgPdSb-type CoMnTiSi alloy are investigated. It was found the Mn-Ti anti-site disorder can induce the diluted magnetism in CoMnTiSi matrix. The magnetic structure has an oscillation between the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic states with the different degree of Mn-Ti anti-site disorder. Two novel characteristics: the diluted antiferromagnetic half-metallicity and the diluted zero-gap half-metallity are found in the different degree range of the Mn-Ti anti-site disorder. The Co-Mn and Co-Ti anti-site disorder have little effect on the magnetic properties. The width of energy gap and the intensity of DOS at the Fermi level can be adjusted by the degree of Co-Mn or Co-Ti anti-site disorder. The independent control to the carrier concentration and magnetization can be realized by introducing the different anti-site disorder.

Se-methylselenocysteine suppresses the growth of prostate cancer cell DU145 through connexin 43-induced apoptosis

CONTEXT

Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC), as a chemopreventive agent, shows antitumor effects in some cancer models, but its mechanism is still unclear.

AIMS

This study is to explore whether MSC induces apoptosis in prostate cancer (PCa) cells DU145 through connexin 43 (Cx43) activation.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN

The experiment was performed in a PCa cell line model DU145 and using a series of biological assay methods to investigate the regulating pathway from MSC through Cx43 to downstream molecules, demonstrating an important role of Cx43 in PCa development and as a potential treatment target.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The human PCa cell line DU145 was used as a model. The effects of MSC on Cx43 expression were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, western blot; effects on cell growth and proliferation were determined by WST-1 and colony formation assay; small interfering ribonucleic acid was used to evaluate the direct contribution of Cx43 to cancer cell apoptosis.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED

Student's t-test was used to calculate the difference between the groups in SPSS software.

RESULTS

Results showed that MSC inhibited the growth and colony formation of the DU145 cells; MSC induced cell apoptosis by increasing Cx43 expression at messenger ribonucleic acid and protein levels; MSC decreased B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and increased bad levels of DU145 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

As a conclusion, MSC exerts pro-apoptosis effects through increasing Cx43 expression, which in turn down-regulates Bcl-2 and up-regulates bad expression.

Efficient Synthesis of 5-Carboxy-2'-Deoxypyrimidine Nucleoside 5'-Triphosphates

An efficient P(V)-N activation method for the synthesis of 5-carboxy-2'-deoxyuridine and 5-carboxy-2'-deoxycytidine triphosphates directly from the corresponding phosphoropiperidate precursors has been developed.

Nontoxic and renewable metal–organic framework based on α-cyclodextrin with efficient drug delivery

Two new nontoxic α-CD based compounds were synthesized by different method, which contain different left-handed helix and exhibit efficient drug loading capacity and sustained release behaviors.

Induction and identification of Stylosanthes guianensis tetraploids

Stylosanthes guianensis is an elite and important forage legume species, which is extensively cultivated in tropical areas. Polyploid breeding via exposure to colchicine is a conventional and practical method to improve varieties of S. guianensis. Terminal buds of S. guianensis Reyan No.5 seedlings were treated with different concentrations of colchicine (0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25%) for 24, 48, and 72 h. Morphological and cytological variants were observed at a frequency of <96% among transplanted seedlings. The cytogenetic analysis of young leaf cells was conducted on all variants to identify their ploidy levels. The most efficient procedure for tetraploid production was the treatment of seedling apical buds with 20% colchicine for 48 h, with the tetraploid induction rate being 10%. This is a relatively simple and reliable method for the production of tetraploidy in S. guianensis.

LDA-SVM-based EGFR mutation model for NSCLC brain metastases: an observational study

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activating mutations are a predictor of tyrosine kinase inhibitor effectiveness in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study is to build a model for predicting the EGFR mutation status of brain metastasis in patients with NSCLC. Observation and model set-up. This study was conducted between January 2003 and December 2011 in 6 medical centers in Southwest China. The study included 31 NSCLC patients with brain metastases. Eligibility requirements were histological proof of NSCLC, as well as sufficient quantity of paraffin-embedded lung and brain metastases specimens for EGFR mutation detection. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) method was used for analyzing the dimensional reduction of clinical features, and a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was employed to generate an EGFR mutation model for NSCLC brain metastases. Training-testing-validation (3 : 1 : 1) processes were applied to find the best fit in 12 patients (validation test set) with NSCLC and brain metastases treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor and whole-brain radiotherapy. Primary and secondary outcome measures: EGFR mutation analysis in patients with NSCLC and brain metastases and the development of a LDA-SVM-based EGFR mutation model for NSCLC brain metastases patients. EGFR mutation discordance between the primary lung tumor and brain metastases was found in 5 patients. Using LDA, 13 clinical features were transformed into 9 characteristics, and 3 were selected as primary vectors. The EGFR mutation model constructed with SVM algorithms had an accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for determining the mutation status of brain metastases of 0.879, 0.886, and 0.875, respectively. Furthermore, the replicability of our model was confirmed by testing 100 random combinations of input values. The LDA-SVM-based model developed in this study could predict the EGFR status of brain metastases in this small cohort of patients with NSCLC. Further studies with larger cohorts should be carried out to validate our findings in the clinical setting.

Efficient delivery of docetaxel for the treatment of brain tumors by cyclic RGD-tagged polymeric micelles

The treatment of glioblastoma, and other types of brain cancer, is limited due to the poor transport of drugs across the blood brain barrier and poor penetration of the blood‑brain‑tumor barrier. In the present study, cyclic Arginine‑Glycine‑Aspartic acid‑D‑Tyrosine‑Lysine [c(RGDyK)], that has a high binding affinity to integrin αvβ3 receptors, that are overexpressed in glioblastoma cancers, was employed as a novel approach to target cancer by delivering therapeutic molecules intracellularly. The c(RGDyK)/docetaxel polylactic acid‑polyethylene glycol (DTX‑PLA‑PEG) micelle was prepared and characterized for various in vitro and in vivo parameters. The specific binding affinity of the Arginine‑Glycine‑Aspartic acid (RGD) micelles, to the integrin receptor, enhanced the intracellular accumulation of DTX, and markedly increased its cytotoxic efficacy. The effect of microtubule stabilization was evident in the inhibition of glioma spheroid volume. Upon intravenous administration, c(RGDyK)/DTX‑PLA‑PEG showed enhanced accumulation in brain tumor tissues through active internalization, whereas non‑targeted micelles showed limited transport ability. Furthermore, RGD‑linked micelles showed marked anti‑glioma activity in U87MG malignant glioma tumor xenografts, and significantly suppressed the growth of tumors without signs of systemic toxicity. In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest that ligand‑mediated drug delivery may improve the efficacy of brain cancer chemotherapy.

First Report of Leaf and Sheath Spot Caused by Waitea circinata var. zeae on Paspalum vaginatum and Zoysia tenuifolia in China

Waitea circinata var. zeae was previously reported as the causal agent of leaf and sheath spot on Festuca arundinacea (1) and Panicum tennesseense (2) in the United States. In late May to mid-September 2013, a disease resembling leaf and sheath spot was observed on Paspalum vaginatum in fairways from several golf courses in Hainan Province, China. Affected plants initially had large yellow and brown spots on leaves and sheathes, then the whole plant turned yellowish-brown and eventually died. The same symptoms were also observed on a lawn established with Zoysia tenuifolia in Hainan University. Symptomatic leaves were surface sterilized in 1% hypochlorite for 1 min, rinsed with sterile water three times, and plated onto potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with 0.01% gentamicin sulfate. Two Rhizoctonia-like fungal isolates were obtained from the diseased P. vaginatum (Isolate no. ML-WC1) and Z. tenuifolia (Isolate no. HNU-1) samples. After incubation on PDA for 1 week at 25°C, white mycelial colonies developed and eventually turned a salmon color with age. Small, white, spherical sclerotia (0.5 to 1 mm in diameter) were observed submerged throughout the agar media after incubation for 1 week and turned a reddish-brown color within 4 weeks. The two isolates were tentatively identified as W. circinata var. zeae based on these characteristics. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA gene was amplified and sequenced using primer pair ITS1/ITS4. The sequences of the two isolates (GenBank Accession Nos. KJ717943 and KJ717944) were more than 99% similar to W. circinata var. zeae (JQ688056 and JQ688059) sequences deposited in GenBank. To confirm pathogenicity, inocula were prepared by incubating autoclaved rye grains with strains ML-WC1 and HNU-1 for 2 weeks at 25°C. Ten colonized rye grains were uniformly spread around the crowns of 6-week-old P. vaginatum and Z. tenuifolia seedlings grown in 10-cm-diameter pots. Each isolate was placed in four separate pots and four control plants were treated with non-inoculated grain. All pots were covered with translucent plastic bags and placed in a greenhouse at 24 ± 2°C with a 12-h light/dark cycle. By 1 week post-inoculation, significant blighting of leaves and sheaths was observed, while non-inoculated plants showed no symptoms. W. circinata var. zeae was successfully re-isolated from symptomatic plants and confirmed by its Rhizoctonia-like mycelium and small, reddish-brown, spherical sclerotia on the PDA. Recently a related species, W. circinata var. circinata, causing brown ring patch on two cool-season grasses was reported in China (3). However, the isolates of W. circinata var. zeae were distinguished from W. circinata var. circinata base on ITS sequence data and morphological characters. To our knowledge, this is the first report of W. circinata var. zeae infecting P. vaginatum and Z. tenuifolia in China. References: (1) S. S. Martin, Jr. and L. T. Lucas. Plant Dis. 67:676, 1983. (2) N. A. Mitkowski. Plant Dis. 87:1006, 2003. (3) X. X. Ni et al. Plant Dis. 96:12, 2012.

A time course study about gene expression of post-thermal injury with DNA microarray

BACKGROUND

Burn injury is one of the most common and devastating forms of trauma in daily life. However, the exact sequence of events after burn injury remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate gene expression alterations after burn injury.

METHODS

Microarray data set GSE8056 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, including 12 samples, equally distributed in four groups: normal skin tissue as control and damaged tissues 1-3 days after burn (early period); 4-7 days after burn (middle period); and more than 7 days after burn (late period). Packages in R language were utilized to pre-process the data and filter out the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Functional annotation of all three groups of DEGs was conducted by using clusters of orthologous groups analysis. The DEGs shared by all three groups were picked out and analyzed with STRING to set up a protein-protein interaction network. CFinder was chosen to implement module analysis, and expression analysis systematic explorer was then adopted to reveal the dysfunctional pathways for each module.

RESULTS

A total of 727, 782, and 445 DEGs were identified in the early, middle, and late period after burn, and 234 DEGs were identified as continually differentially expressed throughout all time periods, including genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-1β, and genes associated with cell proliferation. Three modules associated with cell proliferation and inflammatory responses were generated from the protein-protein interaction network.

CONCLUSION

Our findings are beneficial for understanding the progression of the wound healing response after burn.

Application of SRAP markers in the identification of Stylosanthes guianensis hybrids

Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) is a new molecular marker technology developed based on polymerase chain reaction. The authenticity of 84 progenies of 8 hybrid combinations of Stylosanthes guianensis was identified by SRAP markers to select the true hybrids used in the present study. A total of 35 SRAP primer combinations were selected from the parents of 8 hybrid combinations. The selected polymorphism primer combinations were applied to identify the authenticity of all progenies. The male parents of the primer combinations had specific markers, whereas the female parents did not. 68 progenies exhibited male parent-specific bands, which were identified as true hybrids. The rest of the progenies were considered self-hybrids because of the absence of male parent-specific bands. The results of hybrid identification provided solid evidence for further studies of hybrids and demonstrated SRAP molecular markers as a useful technology for assessing the purity of S. guianensis hybrids.

Stellate ganglion block promotes recovery of Bell's palsy in patients with diabetes mellitus

CONCLUSION

Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is effective for treatment of Bell's palsy in patients with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND

Corticosteroids are widely used for treatment of Bell's palsy in patients with diabetes mellitus but may induce complications like hyperglycemia, which calls for an alternative therapy. This study aimed to ascertain the effect of SGB on Bell's palsy in patients with diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

This randomized and single-blinded clinical trial involved 96 diabetic patients with Bell's palsy that were randomly divided into a control group (n = 48) and a treatment group (SGB group, n = 48). The House-Brackmann scale and facial disability index (FDI, including FDIP and FDIS) were observed before treatment and at 1 and 3 months after treatment for assessment of the outcome.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups before treatment as regards the House-Brackmann scale and FDI. There was a statistically significant difference in FDIP score in the two groups after treatment in comparison with before treatment. The FDIS score showed a statistical difference between the two groups after treatment.

Human beta-defensin-3 for the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection and loosening

In this study, the difference in expression of human beta-defensin-3 in periprosthetic tissue and cancellous bone was observed in the periprosthetic tissue and cancellous bone of patients in the periprosthetic joint infection group, the aseptic loosening group, and the spacer treatment group as well as the synovial membrane and ilium of the normal control group. Hematoxylin and eosin staining of the synovial tissue showed different levels of neutrophil infiltration in all groups except for the normal control group. Immunofluorescence staining of periprosthetic tissue and cancellous bone showed the most positive cells expressing human beta-defensin-3 and the largest mean optical density in the periprosthetic joint infection group, followed by the aseptic loosening group, the spacer treatment group, and the normal control group, with a significant difference in comparison between the periprosthetic joint infection group and the other 3 groups (P<.01). White blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein level were highest in the periprosthetic joint infection group, whereas no difference was found between the other 3 groups. Taken together, high levels of human beta-defensin-3 protein expression were found in the periprosthetic tissue and cancellous bone of patients with periprosthetic joint infection and aseptic loosening, but there are differential expressions of human beta-defensin-3, and this may provide a new marker for the differential diagnosis of infection and loosening of the artificial joint.

Investigation of carbon dioxide emission in China by primary component analysis

Principal component analysis (PCA) is employed to investigate the relationship between CO2 emissions (COEs) stemming from fossil fuel burning and cement manufacturing and their affecting factors. Eight affecting factors, namely, Population (P), Urban Population (UP); the Output Values of Primary Industry (PIOV), Secondary Industry (SIOV), and Tertiary Industry (TIOV); and the Proportions of Primary Industry's Output Value (PPIOV), Secondary Industry's Output Value (PSIOV), and Tertiary Industry's Output Value (PTIOV), are chosen. PCA is employed to eliminate the multicollinearity of the affecting factors. Two principal components, which can explain 92.86% of the variance of the eight affecting factors, are chosen as variables in the regression analysis. Ordinary least square regression is used to estimate multiple linear regression models, in which COEs and the principal components serve as dependent and independent variables, respectively. The results are given in the following. (1) Theoretically, the carbon intensities of PIOV, SIOV, and TIOV are 2573.4693, 552.7036, and 606.0791 kt per one billion $, respectively. The incomplete statistical data, the different statistical standards, and the ideology of self sufficiency and peasantry appear to show that the carbon intensity of PIOV is higher than those of SIOV and TIOV in China. (2) PPIOV, PSIOV, and PTIOV influence the fluctuations of COE. The parameters of PPIOV, PSIOV, and PTIOV are -2706946.7564, 2557300.5450, and 3924767.9807 kt, respectively. As the economic structure of China is strongly tied to technology level, the period when PIOV plays the leading position is characterized by lagging technology and economic developing. Thus, the influence of PPIOV has a negative value. As the increase of PSIOV and PTIOV is always followed by technological innovation and economic development, PSIOV and PTIOV have the opposite influence. (3) The carbon intensities of P and UP are 1.1029 and 1.7862 kt per thousand people, respectively. The carbon intensity of the rural population can be inferred to be lower than 1.1029 kt per thousand people. The characteristics of poverty and the use of bio-energy in rural areas result in a carbon intensity of the rural population that is lower than that of P.

First Report of Limonomyces roseipellis Causing Pink Patch on Bermudagrass in South China

Hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy) is widely used on golf course putting greens in southern China. In September 2011, circular pink patches ranging from 10 to 20 cm in diameter were observed on putting greens established with cv. 'Tifgreen' on a golf course in Haikou, Hainan Province. There were approximately 50 pink patches on a putting green. Infected leaves were covered with pink, gelatinous fungal mycelium, which resulted in the production of chlorotic lesions. Lesions expanded, became water-soaked, and leaves died basipetally. A pink fungus, characterized by the presence of clamp connections, was consistently isolated from leaves of infected plants on a potato dextrose agar amended with 0.01% gentamicin sulfate. Based on morphological characteristics, the fungus was preliminary identified as Limonomyces roseipellis Stalpers & Loerakker, the causal agent of pink patch of turfgrass (2,3). To verify the identity, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of rDNA was amplified and sequenced using primers ITS1 and ITS4. Comparison with sequences in the GenBank database revealed that the ITS sequence (Accession No. KC193592) showed 98% homology with the sequence of L. roseipellis (EU622846). For pathogenicity tests, inoculum was prepared by culturing the fungus on an autoclaved mixture of 100 g of rye grain and 20 ml water for 3 weeks at 25°C. Six-week-old C. dactylon plants in 10-cm pots were inoculated by placing 2 g of infested grain in the center of the turf canopy, or 2 g sterilized, uninfested grain as a control, with four replications of each treatment. After inoculation, pots were covered with translucent plastic bags and placed in a greenhouse at 24 ± 2°C with a 12-h photoperiod (1). After 3 weeks, more than 70% of leaves in the infested pots showed symptoms identical to those observed under natural conditions while control plants remained asymptomatic. The fungus was reisolated from symptomatic plants. To our knowledge, this is the first report of L. roseipellis causing pink patch on hybrid bermudagrass in China. References: (1) L. L. Burpee and L. G. Goulty. Phytopathology 74:692, 1986. (2) J. D. Kaplan and N. Jackson. Plant Dis. 67:159, 1983. (3) J. A. Stalpers and W. M. Loerakker. Can. J. Bot. 60:529, 1982.

Design scheme of new tetragonal Heusler compounds for spin-transfer torque applications and its experimental realization

Band Jahn-Teller type structural instabilities of cubic Mn(2)YZ Heusler compounds causing tetragonal distortions can be predicted by ab initio band-structure calculations. This allows for identification of new Heusler materials with tunable magnetic and structural properties that can satisfy the demands for spintronic applications, such as in spin-transfer torque-based devices.

First Report of Laetisaria fuciformis Causing Red Thread on Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) in South China

Seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz.) is a prostrate-growing, perennial, warm-season turfgrass native to tropical and coastal areas (2). Because of its good texture and natural tolerance to various environmental stresses, seashore paspalum has been introduced to golf courses in coastal regions of southern China. In April 2010, circular or irregular pink patches ranging from 5 to 50 cm in diameter were observed in the golf course fairway and rough established with cv. Salam on two golf courses in Haikou, Hainan Province, China. When morning dew was present or rainfall occurred, a pink layer of gelatinous fungal growth could be observed on leaves and sheaths. The green leaves of infected plants initially became water soaked, then tan to bleached, shriveled, and infested with pink or reddish, gelatinous, stranded hyphae. The hyphae matted together, then formed threadlike or antlerlike stromata from the tips of blighted leaves. Two isolates from each golf course were collected by plating diseased leaf blades, stromata, or hyphal aggregates from the blighted leaves directly onto antibiotic (0.01% gentamicin sulfate) amended potato dextrose agar. To confirm pathogenicity, isolates were inoculated on 6-week-old P. vaginatum (cv. Seaspray) planted (0.5 mg seed/cm^-2) in 10-cm pots. Inoculum was prepared by culturing isolates separately on an autoclaved mixture of 100 g of rye grain and 20 ml of water for 3 weeks at 25°C. Pots were inoculated by placing 2 g of infected grain within the center of the turf canopy or 2 g of sterilized, uninfested grains to serve as controls, with four replications of each treatment. After inoculation, each pot was placed in a translucent plastic bag and placed into a greenhouse at 24 ± 2°C with a 12-h photoperiod (1). Two days after inoculation, the fungus was observed on the leaves. Approximately 40% of leaves in inoculated pots were necrotic after 7 days, and this increased to 80% after 21 days. Diseased plants in inoculated pots displayed symptoms similar to those observed in the field and no symptoms were detected on the control plants. The two isolates were successfully reisolated from all symptomatic tissues, completing Koch's postulates. Sequences of mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal RNA (mt-SSU) were amplified from the two isolates by primers MS1 and MS2, and the sequences showed 99% similarity with Laetisaria fuciformis from the NCBI database (Accession No. AY293232). Red thread on turfgrass has been commonly observed in temperate climates during periods of cool and humid weather (3). To our knowledge, this is the first report of L. fuciformis causing red thread on P. vaginatum or from any host plant in China. References: (1) L. L. Burpee and L. G. Goulty. Phytopathology. 74:692, 1984. (2) R. R. Duncan and R. N. Carrow. Seashore Paspalum: The Environmental Turfgrass. John Wiley and Sons, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2000. (3) R. W. Smiley et al. Page 38 in: Compendium of Turfgrass Diseases. 3rd ed. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 2005.

Treatment of unstable sacral fractures with percutaneous reconstruction plate internal fixation

PURPOSE

To study the effects of percutaneous reconstruction plate internal fixation in the treatment of unstable sacral fractures.

METHODS

Percutaneous reconstruction plate internal fixation was applied on 21 cases of unstable sacral fracture (15 males and six females, at age range of 16-65 years, mean 38.3 years) including four cases of Denis Zone I, 14 cases of Zone II and three cases of Zone III. In operation, an arc incision (about 3-5 cm long) was made along the iliac crest on the outside border of posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) on both sides, and then the plate was transported from the wounded side to the opposite one through the subcutaneous tunnel.

RESULTS

The mean incision length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss was 4.3 cm, 45.2 min, and 160.8 ml respectively. All these patients were followed up for 12-33 months (average 16.3 months), which showed no incision infection, intraoperative neurovascular injury, internal fixation loose or breakage, disunion, or obvious lower limb length inequality. The function result was rated as excellent in six cases, good in 12 and fair in 3, with excellence rate of 85.7%, according to the Majeed scoring system.

CONCLUSION

Percutaneous reconstruction plate internal fixation is an ideal surgical approach to unstable sacral fractures, as it is easy, safe, causing less trauma and fewer complications, and conducive to quicker recovery.

Gastrocnemius-derived BDNF promotes motor function recovery in spinal cord transected rats

This study evaluated the role of gastrocnemius-derived brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and possible mechanism in motor improvement in T10 spinal cord transection (SCT) rats. There was complete paralysis in hindlimbs immediately after SCT, followed by partial functional restoration with time going. The level of BDNF but not its mRNA gradually increased in caudal stump after SCT, whereas a significant increase in both BDNF and its mRNA was simultaneously seen in gastrocnemius. Injection of BDNF antibody into the gastrocnemius significantly decreased hindlimb locomotor function, downregulated the level of BDNF and its mRNA together with extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2). Moreover, ventral root ligation led to decrease both BDNF and Erk in caudal stump, indicating BDNF transportation from gastrocnemius into the spinal cord. We concluded that gastrocnemius-derived BDNF reduced motor functional deficits in SCT rats through Erk signaling pathway. These novel findings suggested the usage of BDNF in muscle for the treatment of spinal cord injury in clinic.

Immunological tolerance of human hepatocyte xenograft induced by adenovirus vector-mediated CTLA4Ig gene transfer

BACKGROUND

Systemic administration of CTLA4Ig has been applied in inducing immunological tolerance of hepatocyte implants, but has potential for systemic immune inhibition. This study was designed to induce hepatocyte immunological tolerance by locally expressing CTLA4Ig in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of cell transplantation.

METHODS

A normal human liver cell line (L02) was transfected with adenovirus vector containing the CTLA4Ig gene (Ad-CTLA4Ig-EGFP) in vitro, and the expression of CTLA4Ig by transfected cells was assessed by fluorescent imaging and immunocytochemical staining. Transfected cells then were injected into the spleen of Sprague-Dawley rats, the survival of cells was determined by immunohistochemistry, and the immune status was examined through CD4+ and CD69+ T cell-counts and ELISA detection of IL-2 in peripheral blood.

RESULTS

L02 cells expressed CTLA4Ig in the cytoplasm for >4 weeks. Surviving L02 cells were observed in the experimental group at 3 and 4 weeks post-transplantation, while none was detected in the control group. Furthermore, the percentages of CD4+ and CD4+CD69+ T cells in the CTLA4-transfected group were 24.5% and 45.1%, markedly lower than those in the control group at 4 weeks post-transplantation (P<0.01). Furthermore, the IL-2 level was also lower in the CTLA4-transfected group than in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Adenovirus-mediated CTLA4Ig gene transfer into human hepatocytes has the potential to become an effective method of inducing immunological tolerance in hepatocyte transplantation.