Regulation of JNK signaling by GSTp

Studies of low basal Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activity in non-stressed cells led us to identify a JNK inhibitor that was purified and identified as glutathione S-transferase Pi (GSTp) and was characterized as a JNK-associated protein. UV irradiation or H2O2 treatment caused GSTp oligomerization and dissociation of the GSTp-JNK complex, indicating that it is the monomeric form of GSTp that elicits JNK inhibition. Addition of purified GSTp to the Jun-JNK complex caused a dose-dependent inhibition of JNK activity. Conversely, immunodepleting GSTp from protein extracts attenuated JNK inhibition. Furthermore, JNK activity was increased in the presence of specific GSTp inhibitors and a GSTp-derived peptide. Forced expression of GSTp decreased MKK4 and JNK phosphorylation which coincided with decreased JNK activity, increased c-Jun ubiquitination and decreased c-Jun-mediated transcription. Co-transfection of MEKK1 and GSTp restored MKK4 phosphorylation but did not affect GSTp inhibition of JNK activity, suggesting that the effect of GSTp on JNK is independent of the MEKK1-MKK4 module. Mouse embryo fibroblasts from GSTp-null mice exhibited a high basal level of JNK activity that could be reduced by forced expression of GSTp cDNA. In demonstrating the relationships between GSTp expression and its association with JNK, our findings provide new insight into the regulation of stress kinases.

Role of redox potential and reactive oxygen species in stress signaling

Stress-activated signaling cascades are affected by altered redox potential. Key contributors to altered redox potential are reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are formed, in most cases, by exogenous genotoxic agents including irradiation, inflammatory cytokines and chemical carcinogens. ROS and altered redox potential can be considered as the primary intracellular changes which regulate protein kinases, thereby serving as an important cellular component linking external stimuli with signal transduction in stress response. The mechanisms, which underlie the ROS-mediated response, involve direct alteration of kinases and transcription factors, and indirect modulation of cysteine-rich redox-sensitive proteins exemplified by thioredoxin and glutathione S-transferase. This review summarizes the current understanding of the mechanisms contributing to ROS-related changes in key stress activated signaling cascades.

Description and clinical treatment of an early outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Guangzhou, PR China

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), now known to be caused by a coronavirus, probably originated in Guangdong province in southern China in late 2002. The first major outbreak occurred in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, between January and March 2003. This study reviews the clinical presentation, laboratory findings and response to four different treatment protocols. Case notes and laboratory findings were analysed and outcome measures were collected prospectively. The SARS outbreak in Guangdong province and the outbreak in Guangzhou associated with hospitals in the city are described, documenting clinical and laboratory features in a cohort of 190 patients randomly allocated to four treatment regimens. Patients were infected by close contact in either family or health-care settings, particularly following procedures likely to generate aerosols of respiratory secretions (e.g. administration of nebulized drugs and bronchoscopy). The earliest symptom was a high fever followed, in most patients, by dyspnoea, cough and myalgia, with 24 % of patients complaining of diarrhoea. The most frequent chest X-ray changes were patchy consolidation with progression to bilateral bronchopneumonia over 5-10 days. Thirty-six cases developed adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), of whom 11 died. There was no response to antibiotics. The best response (no deaths) was seen in the group of 60 patients receiving early high-dose steroids and nasal CPAP (continuous airway positive pressure) ventilation; the other three treatment groups had significant mortality. Cross-infection to medical and nursing staff was completely prevented in one hospital by rigid adherence to barrier precautions during contact with infected patients. The use of rapid case identification and quarantine has controlled the outbreak in Guangzhou, in which more than 350 patients have been infected. Early administration of high-dose steroids and CPAP ventilation appears to offer the best supportive treatment with a reduced mortality compared with other treatment regimens.

JNK targets p53 ubiquitination and degradation in nonstressed cells

In this study we elucidated the role of nonactive JNK in regulating p53 stability. The amount of p53-JNK complex was inversely correlated with p53 level. A peptide corresponding to the JNK binding site on p53 efficiently blocked ubiquitination of p53. Similarly, p53 lacking the JNK binding site exhibits a longer half-life than p53(wt). Outcompeting JNK association with p53 increased the level of p53, whereas overexpression of a phosphorylation mutant form of JNK inhibited p53 accumulation. JNK-p53 and Mdm2-p53 complexes were preferentially found in G0/G1 and S/G2M phases of the cell cycle, respectively. Altogether, these data indicate that JNK is an Mdm2-independent regulator of p53 stability in nonstressed cells.

Smad proteins act in combination with synergistic and antagonistic regulators to target Dpp responses to the Drosophila mesoderm

Dorsal mesoderm induction in arthropods and ventral mesoderm induction in vertebrates are closely related processes that involve signals of the BMP family. In Drosophila, induction of visceral mesoderm, dorsal muscles, and the heart by Dpp is, at least in part, effected through the transcriptional activation and function of the homeobox gene tinman in dorsal mesodermal cells during early embryogenesis. Here we present a functional dissection of a tinman enhancer that mediates the Dpp response. We provide evidence that mesoderm-specific induction of tinman requires the binding of both activators and repressors. Screens for binding factors yielded Tinman itself and the Smad4 homolog Medea. We show that the binding and synergistic activities of Smad and Tinman proteins are critical for mesodermal tinman induction, whereas repressor binding sites prevent induction in the dorsal ectoderm and amnioserosa. Thus, integration of positive and negative regulators on enhancers of target genes appears to be an important mechanism in tissue-specific induction by TGF-beta molecules.

Human glutathione S-transferase P1-1 interacts with TRAF2 and regulates TRAF2-ASK1 signals

Human glutathione S-transferase P1-1 (GSTP1-1) is an ubiquitously expressed protein that plays an important role in the detoxification and xenobiotics metabolism. It has been shown that GSTP1-1 interacts with c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and suppresses its activity. Here, we report a novel function of GSTP1-1 in regulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-triggered signaling. The present experiments showed that GSTP1-1 physically associated with tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) in vivo and in vitro. Overexpression of GSTP1-1 inhibited TRAF2-induced activation of both JNK and p38 but not of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). Glutathione S-transferase P1-1 also attenuated TRAF2-enhanced apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) autophosphorylation and inhibited TRAF2-ASK1-induced cell apoptosis by suppressing the interaction of TRAF2 and ASK1. Conversely, silencing of GSTP1-1 expression through RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in increase of TNF-alpha-dependent TRAF2-ASK1 association followed by hyper-activation of ASK1 and JNK. A mutant GSTP1-1 lacking TRAF domain-binding motif exhibited a significant decline of capacity to bind TRAF2 and block TRAF2-ASK1 signaling compared with the wild type of GSTP1-1. Moreover, the glutathione-conjugating activity of GSTP1-1 was not involved in the regulation of TRAF2 signaling. These findings indicate that GSTP1-1 plays an important regulatory role in TNF-alpha-induced signaling by forming ligand-binding interactions with TRAF2, which provides a new insight for analysing the protective effects of GSTP1-1 in tumor cells.

Characterizing rice lesion mimic mutants and identifying a mutant with broad-spectrum resistance to rice blast and bacterial blight

Many plant mutants develop spontaneous lesions that resemble disease symptoms in the absence of pathogen attack. In several pathosystems, lesion mimic mutations have been shown to be involved in programmed cell death, which in some instances leads to enhanced disease resistance to multiple pathogens. We investigated the relationship between spontaneous cell death and disease resistance in rice with nine mutants with a range of lesion mimic phenotypes. All nine mutations are controlled by recessive genes and some of these mutants have stunted growth and other abnormal characteristics. The lesion mimics that appeared on the leaves of these mutants were caused by cell death as measured by trypan blue staining. Activation of six defense-related genes was observed in most of the mutants when the mimic lesions developed. Four mutants exhibited significant enhanced resistance to rice blast. One of the mutants, spl11, confers non-race-specific resistance not only to blast but also to bacterial blight. The level of resistance in the spl11 mutant to the two pathogens correlates with the defense-related gene expression and lesion development on the leaves. The results suggest that some lesion mimic mutations in rice may be involved in disease resistance, and cloning of these genes may provide a clue to developing broad-spectrum resistance to diverse pathogens.

RIPK3-mediated necroptosis regulates cardiac allograft rejection

Cell death results in tissue damage and ultimately donor graft rejection and can occur as an active molecular process through apoptotic, necrotic and newly identified receptor interacting protein 1 and 3 kinase (RIPK1/3)-mediated necroptotic pathways. Necroptosis leads to the release of inflammatory molecules which can activate host immune cells. This pathway has yet to be studied in heart transplantation. We have found that necroptosis was induced in murine cardiac microvascular endothelial cell (MVEC) under anti-apoptotic condition following tumor necrosis factor alpha treatment. Necroptotic cell death and release of the danger molecule high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) were inhibited by the RIPK1 inhibiting molecule necrostatin-1 and by genetic deletion of RIPK3. In addition, tissue necrosis, release of HMGB1 and graft cell infiltrate were attenuated in RIPK3 null heart allografts following transplantation. Finally, a brief sirolimus treatment markedly prolonged RIPK3 null cardiac allograft survival in allogeneic BALB/c recipients as compared to WT C57BL/6 donor grafts (95 ± 5.8 vs. 24 ± 2.6 days, p < 0.05). This study has demonstrated that RIPK1/3 contributes to MVEC death and cardiac allograft survival through necroptotic death and the release of danger molecules. Our results suggest that targeting RIPK-mediated necroptosis may be an important therapeutic strategy in transplantation.

Examination of the psychometric properties of the perceived motivational climate in sport questionnaire-2 in a sample of female athletes

We undertook two studies to determine the validity and reliability of the revised Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2). In Study 1, 201 female athletes (mean age 16.4 years) were administered the initial version of the PMCSQ-2 and a measure of reported tension and pressure experienced in sport. Exploratory principal component analysis suggested that the PMCSQ-2 contained two higher-order scales (Task-Involving and Ego-Involving climates), each with three subscales (Task: Cooperative Learning, Effort/ Improvement, Important Role; Ego: Intra-Team Member Rivalry, Unequal Recognition, Punishment for Mistakes). In Study 2, 385 female volleyball players (mean age 15.2 years) completed the PMCSQ-2, the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and a measure of Team Satisfaction. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to six competing models. The oblique six-factor model and oblique hierarchical model provided comparable fit to the data. Acceptable fit was reached based on model respecification. Across Studies 1 and 2, internal consistency was found to be acceptable for the higher-order scales and subscales (with the exception of the Intra-Team Member Rivalry subscale). We found evidence for the concurrent validity of the instrument.

Impact-resistant nacre-like transparent materials

Glass has outstanding optical properties, hardness, and durability, but its applications are limited by its inherent brittleness and poor impact resistance. Lamination and tempering can improve impact response but do not suppress brittleness. We propose a bioinspired laminated glass that duplicates the three-dimensional "brick-and-mortar" arrangement of nacre from mollusk shells, with periodic three-dimensional architectures and interlayers made of a transparent thermoplastic elastomer. This material reproduces the "tablet sliding mechanism," which is key to the toughness of natural nacre but has been largely absent in synthetic nacres. Tablet sliding generates nonlinear deformations over large volumes and significantly improves toughness. This nacre-like glass is also two to three times more impact resistant than laminated glass and tempered glass while maintaining high strength and stiffness.

Regulation of the twist target gene tinman by modular cis-regulatory elements during early mesoderm development

The Drosophila tinman homeobox gene has a major role in early mesoderm patterning and determines the formation of visceral mesoderm, heart progenitors, specific somatic muscle precursors and glia-like mesodermal cells. These functions of tinman are reflected in its dynamic pattern of expression, which is characterized by initial widespread expression in the trunk mesoderm, then refinement to a broad dorsal mesodermal domain, and finally restricted expression in heart progenitors. Here we show that each of these phases of expression is driven by a discrete enhancer element, the first being active in the early mesoderm, the second in the dorsal mesoderm and the third in cardioblasts. We provide evidence that the early-active enhancer element is a direct target of twist, a gene encoding a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein, which is necessary for tinman activation. This 180 bp enhancer includes three E-box sequences which bind Twist protein in vitro and are essential for enhancer activity in vivo. Ectodermal misexpression of twist causes ectopic activation of this enhancer in ectodermal cells, indicating that twist is the only mesoderm-specific activator of early tinman expression. We further show that the 180 bp enhancer also includes negatively acting sequences. Binding of Even-skipped to these sequences appears to reduce twist-dependent activation in a periodic fashion, thus producing a striped tinman pattern in the early mesoderm. In addition, these sequences prevent activation of tinman by twist in a defined portion of the head mesoderm that gives rise to hemocytes. We find that this repression requires the function of buttonhead, a head-patterning gene, and that buttonhead is necessary for normal activation of the hematopoietic differentiation gene serpent in the same area. Together, our results show that tinman is controlled by an array of discrete enhancer elements that are activated successively by differential genetic inputs, as well as by closely linked activator and repressor binding sites within an early-acting enhancer, which restrict twist activity to specific areas within the twist expression domain.

Low T cell production of TNFalpha and IFNgamma in ankylosing spondylitis: its relation to HLA-B27 and influence of the TNF-308 gene polymorphism

OBJECTIVE

To test the hypothesis that ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a T helper cell type 2 polarised disease by quantifying the T cell cytokines interferon gamma (IFNgamma), interleukin 4 (IL4), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), and IL10 at the single cell level in patients with AS in comparison with healthy HLA-B27 negative and HLA-B27 positive controls.

METHODS

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 65 subjects (25 HLA-B27 positive patients with active AS, 18 healthy HLA-B27 positive controls, and 22 healthy HLA-B27 negative controls) were stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate/ionomycin for six hours, surface stained for CD3 and CD8, intracellularly stained for the cytokines IFNgamma, TNFalpha, IL4, and IL10, and analysed by flow cytometry. TNFalpha production was related to the genotype of the TNFalpha promoter at the -308 and -238 polymorphisms.

RESULTS

In peripheral blood the percentage of TNFalpha+ T cells was significantly lower in HLA-B27 positive patients with AS (median 5.1% for CD4+ T cells) than in healthy HLA-B27 negative controls (median 9.5%; p=0.008). Surprisingly, the percentage of TNFalpha+ T cells was also significantly lower in healthy HLA-B27 positive controls (median 7.48%) than in healthy HLA-B27 negative controls (p=0.034). Furthermore, the percentage of IFNgamma+ T cells was lower in patients with AS and in healthy HLA-B27 positive controls than in healthy HLA-B27 negative controls (p=0.005 and p=0.003, respectively). The percentage of IL10+/CD8+ T cells was higher in patients with AS than in both control groups. In HLA-B27 positive subjects, TNF1/2 heterozygosity at -308 (n=6) was associated with a higher percentage of TNFalpha+ T cells than TNF1/1 homozygosity (n=25; median 9.97% v 5.11% for CD4+ T cells; p=0.017). In contrast, in HLA-B27 negative controls (n=18) there was no such genotype/phenotype correlation (median 9.4% v 10.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

The lower T cell production of TNFalpha and IFNgamma shown at the single cell level in HLA-B27 positive patients with AS and healthy HLA-B27 positive controls may contribute to the increased susceptibility of HLA-B27 positive subjects to develop AS. Preliminary genotype-phenotype correlations suggest that in HLA-B27 positive subjects TNF2 at -308 or a linked gene results in higher TNFalpha production and, therefore, might be a marker for a protective haplotype.

Low secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha, but no other Th1 or Th2 cytokines, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells correlates with chronicity in reactive arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To determine Th1 and Th2 cytokine production in patients with reactive arthritis (ReA) in relation to disease outcome and in comparison with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS

Secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), interferon-gamma, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and IL-4 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 53 patients with early ReA (disease duration <8 weeks, 64% HLA-B27 positive) and 30 patients with early, untreated RA (disease duration <6 months) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) after ex vivo stimulation. Intracellular cytokine staining with quantification of positive T cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) was performed in 12 ReA patients and 12 RA patients. In 27 ReA patients, cytokine secretion was measured again after 3 months. Patients were followed up for 1 year, and cytokine patterns were correlated with disease duration.

RESULTS

TNFalpha secreted by whole PBMC and by T cells was significantly lower, by ELISA and by FACS, in ReA patients than in RA patients, while no significant differences were detected for the other cytokines. ReA patients with a disease duration of > or =6 months showed significantly lower TNFalpha secretion than patients with a disease duration of <6 months (mean +/- SD 385 +/- 207 pg/ml versus 684 +/- 277 pg/ml; P = 0.003). Furthermore, low TNFalpha secretion after 3 months also correlated significantly with a more chronic course of disease. HLA-B27 positive patients secreted less TNFalpha than did those who were B27 negative (338 +/- 214 pg/ml versus 512 +/- 207 pg/ml; P = 0.05), and patients with a more chronic course had a higher frequency of B27 positivity (47% versus 80%; P = 0.01). Among the 27 HLA-B27 positive patients, TNFalpha secretion in those with a disease duration of > or = 6 months was lower than that in the 7 with a disease duration of <6 months (308 +/- 167 pg/ml versus 562 +/- 308 pg/ml; P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Low TNFalpha secretion and HLA-B27 status correlate with longer disease duration in ReA patients, possibly with an additive effect. The diminished TNFalpha production might reflect a state of relative immunodeficiency contributing to bacterial persistence in ReA.

Stackelberg vs. Nash in Security Games: An Extended Investigation of Interchangeability, Equivalence, and Uniqueness

There has been significant recent interest in game-theoretic approaches to security, with much of the recent research focused on utilizing the leader-follower Stackelberg game model. Among the major applications are the ARMOR program deployed at LAX Airport and the IRIS program in use by the US Federal Air Marshals (FAMS). The foundational assumption for using Stackelberg games is that security forces (leaders), acting first, commit to a randomized strategy; while their adversaries (followers) choose their best response after surveillance of this randomized strategy. Yet, in many situations, a leader may face uncertainty about the follower’s surveillance capability. Previous work fails to address how a leader should compute her strategy given such uncertainty. We provide five contributions in the context of a general class of security games. First, we show that the Nash equilibria in security games are interchangeable, thus alleviating the equilibrium selection problem. Second, under a natural restriction on security games, any Stackelberg strategy is also a Nash equilibrium strategy; and furthermore, the solution is unique in a class of security games of which ARMOR is a key exemplar. Third, when faced with a follower that can attack multiple targets, many of these properties no longer hold. Fourth, we show experimentally that in most (but not all) games where the restriction does not hold, the Stackelberg strategy is still a Nash equilibrium strategy, but this is no longer true when the attacker can attack multiple targets. Finally, as a possible direction for future research, we propose an extensive-form game model that makes the defender’s uncertainty about the attacker’s ability to observe explicit.

Crucial role of interleukin-10/interleukin-12 balance in the regulation of the type 2 T helper cytokine response in reactive arthritis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether a predominant type 1 T helper (Th1) or Th2 cytokine pattern is present in the joints of patients with reactive arthritis (ReA), and whether the cytokine pattern can be modulated by cytokines or anticytokines.

METHODS

Eleven patients with ReA following infection with either Chlamydia trachomatis, Yersinia enterocolitica, or Salmonella enteritidis were investigated for the presence of Th1/Th2 cytokines in the joints. Release of the bacteria-specific cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and IL-4 was measured in synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMC) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction. In the synovial membrane, secretion of IFN gamma and IL-4 was determined by immunohistologic analysis. Cytokine regulation was studied by adding cytokines and anticytokines to the cultures.

RESULTS

Upon stimulation with specific bacteria, SFMC secreted low amounts of IFN gamma and TNF alpha, but high amounts of IL-10. IL-10 was responsible for the suppression of IFN gamma and TNF alpha, as judged by the effect of adding either anti-IL-10 antibodies or exogenous IL-10 to these cultures. The addition of neutralizing anti-IL-12 to the cultures completely abolished the effects of anti-IL-10, suggesting that inhibition of the Th1-like cytokines by IL-10 is mediated through suppression of IL-12 synthesis. Exogenous IL-12 clearly enhanced IFN gamma and TNF alpha secretion. In the synovial membrane, a higher number of cells were positive for the Th2 cytokine IL-4, compared with the amount of IFN gamma-secreting cells.

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that a Th2 cytokine pattern predominates in the joints of patients with ReA. Since Th1 cytokines are necessary for the elimination of ReA-associated bacteria, Th2 cytokines might contribute to bacterial persistence in the joint. Therefore, the IL-10/IL-12 balance appears to be crucial for regulation of the cytokine pattern in the joints of patients with ReA.

Phylogenetic comparison of classical swine fever virus in China

An N-terminal fragment of the E2 gene of classical swine fever (CSF) virus encoding major immunogenic sites was amplified by RT-PCR directly from 110 clinical specimens representing 109 epizootic sites during the last decade in China. Phylogenetic relationships between these viruses as well as 20 reference strains were determined by comparison of their nucleotide sequences. A phylogenetic tree showed that 103 of the 110 field viruses (93.6%) were clustered within group 2 and subdivided into three subgroups, while the remaining seven viruses (6.4%), along with two Chinese reference strains, Shimen and HCLV (attenuated vaccine strain), were clustered into subgroup 1.1 within group 1. However, none of the Chinese CSF viruses were members of subgroup 1.2 (represented by reference strain Brescia). This is the first report on the distribution of CSF virus genotypes in China. Results indicated that CSF viruses predominating in recent epizootics within China are genetically divergent from the reference strain Shimen and the vaccine strain HCLV.

Identification of putative oncogenes in lung adenocarcinoma by a comprehensive functional genomic approach

Amplification and overexpression of putative oncogenes confer growth advantages for tumor development. We used a functional genomic approach that integrated simultaneous genomic and transcript microarray, proteomics, and tissue microarray analyses to directly identify putative oncogenes in lung adenocarcinoma. We first identified 183 genes with increases in both genomic copy number and transcript in six lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Next, we used two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry to identify 42 proteins that were overexpressed in the cancer cells relative to normal cells. Comparing the 183 genes with the 42 proteins, we identified four genes - PRDX1, EEF1A2, CALR, and KCIP-1 - in which elevated protein expression correlated with both increased DNA copy number and increased transcript levels (all r > 0.84, two-sided P < 0.05). These findings were validated by Southern, Northern, and Western blotting. Specific inhibition of EEF1A2 and KCIP-1 expression with siRNA in the four cell lines tested suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis. Parallel fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses of EEF1A2 and KCIP-1 in tissue microarrays from patients with lung adenocarcinoma showed that gene amplification was associated with high protein expression for both genes and that protein overexpression was related to tumor grade, disease stage, Ki-67 expression, and a shorter survival of patients. The amplification of EEF1A2 and KCIP-1 and the presence of overexpressed protein in tumor samples strongly suggest that these genes could be oncogenes and hence potential targets for diagnosis and therapy in lung adenocarcinoma.

Detection and differentiation of CAV-1 and CAV-2 by polymerase chain reaction

Canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1) and type 2 (CAV-2) can be categorized in the laboratory by haemagglutination and neutralization tests, but they are difficult to differentiate from each other in specimens, especially when infection occurs in the digestive tract. The object of this study was to develop a simple method of detecting and differentiating them. One pair of common primers was designed and synthesized according to the sequences of the E3 and flanking regions and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was established using these two primers to amplify the virus-specific DNA fragment from clinical specimens as well as from cell cultures. After elecctrophoresis, under the same amplification conditions, 508 bp and 1030 bp PCR products were observed for CAV-1 and CAV-2, respectively. These were further shown to be adenovirus specific by dot hybridization and sequencing. As only one pair of primers was involved in the PCR procedure, it was faster and easier to perform than any of the other assays used for detecting canine adenovirus, making it applicable in the rapid confirmation of diagnosis and differentiation of the two types of canine adenoviruses.

Sorafenib combined with transarterial chemoembolization for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a large-scale multicenter study of 222 patients

BACKGROUND

Data on the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in combination with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lacking.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multicenter retrospective study, 222 consecutive HCC patients receiving combination therapy were enrolled between June 2008 and July 2011.

RESULTS

Chronic hepatitis B was the predominant cause of HCC (86%). Eighty percent patients were at Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage C, and 86% patients were in Child-Pugh (CP) A class. The overall median survival was 12 months (95% CI 10.1-13.9). The overall incidence of adverse events (AEs) was 87%. In 177 BCLC-C patients, performance status, the number of HCC nodules, Child-Pugh score and macrovascular invasion were significantly associated with overall survival (OS) and were included in the final risk scores (R), where R = 5 × (vascular invasion: 0 if no, 1 yes) + 6 × (CP: 0 if A, 1 if B) + 7 × (no. of lesions: 0 if 1-2, 1 ≥3) + 8 × ( Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, ECOG: 0 if 0, 1 ≥1).

CONCLUSIONS

Sorafenib in combination with TACE should be considered a safe and effective therapy for advanced HCC. Further validation of the new subgroup of BCLC-C stage is warranted in an independent patient cohort.

Regulation and function of tinman during dorsal mesoderm induction and heart specification in Drosophila

The homeobox gene tinman plays a key role in the specification of Drosophila heart progenitors and the visceral mesoderm of the midgut, both of which arise at defined positions within dorsal areas of the mesoderm. Here, we show that in addition to the heart and midgut visceral mesoderm, tinman is also required for the specification of all dorsal body wall muscles. Thus it appears that the precursors of the heart, visceral musculature, and dorsal somatic muscles are all specified within the same broad domain of dorsal mesodermal tinman expression. Locally restricted activities of tinman are also observed during its early, general mesodermal expression, where tinman is required for the activation of the homeobox gene buttonless in precursors of the "dorsal median" (DM) glial cells along the ventral midline. These observations, together with others showing only mild effects of ectopic tinman expression on heart development, indicate that tinman function is obligatory, but not sufficient to determine individual tissues within the mesoderm. Therefore, we propose that tinman has a role in integrating positional information that is provided by intersecting domains of additional regulators and signals, which may include Wingless, Sloppy Paired, and Hedgehog in the dorsal mesoderm and EGF-signaling at the ventral midline. Previous studies have shown that Dpp acts as an inductive signal from dorsal ectodermal cells to induce tinman expression in the dorsal mesoderm, which, in turn, is needed for heart and visceral mesoderm formation. In the present report, we show that Thickveins, a type I receptor of Dpp, is essential for the transmission of Dpp signals into the mesoderm. Constitutive activity of Tkv in the entire mesoderm induces ectopic tinman expression in the ventral mesoderm, and this results in the ectopic formation of heart precursors in a defined area of the ventrolateral mesoderm. We further show that Screw, a second BMP2/4-related gene product, Tolloid, a BMP1-related protein, and the zinc finger-containing protein Schnurri, are required to allow full levels of tinman induction during this process. It is likely that some of these functional and regulatory properties of tinman are shared by tinman-related genes from vertebrates that have similarly important roles in embryonic heart development.

Elliptic flow of charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[S(NN)] = 2.76 TeV

We report the first measurement of charged particle elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt[S(NN)] =2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region (|η|<0.8) and transverse momentum range 0.2<p t<5.0 GeV/c. The elliptic flow signal v₂, measured using the 4-particle correlation method, averaged over transverse momentum and pseudorapidity is 0.087 ± 0.002(stat) ± 0.003(syst) in the 40%-50% centrality class. The differential elliptic flow v₂ p t reaches a maximum of 0.2 near p t =3 GeV/c. Compared to RHIC Au-Au collisions at sqrt[S(NN)] 200 GeV, the elliptic flow increases by about 30%. Some hydrodynamic model predictions which include viscous corrections are in agreement with the observed increase.

Excision of a selectable marker in transgenic rice (Oryza sativa L.) using a chemically regulated Cre/loxP system

Removal of a selectable marker gene from genetically modified (GM) crops alleviates the risk of its release into the environment and hastens the public acceptance of GM crops. Here we report the production of marker-free transgenic rice by using a chemically regulated, Cre/loxP-mediated site-specific DNA recombination in a single transformation. Among 86 independent transgenic lines, ten were found to be marker-free in the T0 generation and an additional 17 lines segregated marker-free transgenic plants in the T1 generation. Molecular and genetic analyses indicated that the DNA recombination and excision in transgenic rice were precise and the marker-free recombinant T-DNA was stable and heritable.

Remodeling of the gut microbiota and structural shifts in Preeclampsia patients in South China

Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the pregnancy metabolic diseases. Since Gut microbiota play important roles in the hosts' metabolism, it is necessary to investigate the gut microbiota in PE patients, so that some intestinal dysbiosis might be detected as a biomarker for PE early diagnosis or as a target for intervention. One hundred subjects were categorized into four groups: 26 PE patients in late pregnancy, healthy individuals in early, middle, and late pregnancy (26/24/24 women). Gut microbiota were analyzed by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rDNA gene using Illuminal MiSeq. Data were analyzed by multivariate statistics. Bacteroidetes was the dominant bacterium (47.57-52.35%) in the pregnant women in South China. Tenericutes increased while Verrucomicrobia almost disappeared in late pregnancy. In the PE patients, there was an overall increase in pathogenic bacteria, Clostridium perfringens (p = 0.03) and Bulleidia moorei (p = 0.00) but a reduction in probiotic bacteria Coprococcus catus (p = 0.03). Our research suggests that there is a significant structural shift of the gut microbiota in PE patients, which might be associated with the occurrence and development of the disease. However, further studies are required to understand the underlying mechanisms.

T cell cytokine pattern in the joints of patients with Lyme arthritis and its regulation by cytokines and anticytokines

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether type 1 helper (Th1) or Th2 cytokines are found in the joints of patients with Lyme arthritis, and whether the cytokine pattern can be modulated by cytokines or anticytokines.

METHODS

The cytokine pattern in the joints of 10 patients with Lyme arthritis was investigated. Expression of interferon-gamma (IFN gamma), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and IL-10 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), after stimulation of synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMC) with Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) in the supernatant. Expression of cytokine messenger RNA and protein in synovial membrane (SM) and nonstimulated SFMC was studied using semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistologic techniques. The effects of recombinant cytokines or neutralizing anticytokine antibodies on cytokine production in Bb-stimulated SFMC were investigated by ELISA.

RESULTS

SFMC produced high amounts of IFN gamma and TNF alpha, but little or no IL-4, upon stimulation with Bb antigen, indicating a Th1-type cytokine pattern. In SM, IFN gamma was detectable in all patients, while the other cytokines were less frequently found. Serial sections of SM revealed that all cytokines were located in the same area. The Th1 response, especially the production of TNF alpha, could be down-regulated in vitro by both endogenous and exogenous IL-10, but not by IL-4 or anti-IL-12.

CONCLUSION

A Th1-type cytokine pattern was found in the joints of patients with Lyme arthritis. This Th1 response could be down-regulated by IL-10, suggesting insufficient IL-10 production in vivo.