Rhinitis,Ocular, Throat and Dermal Symptoms,Headache and Tiredness among Students in Schools from Johor Bahru,Malaysia: Associations with Fungal DNA and Mycotoxins in Classroom Dust

There are few studies on rhinitis and sick building syndrome (SBS) among students in tropical countries. We studied associations between levels of five fungal DNA sequences, two mycotoxins (sterigmatocystin and verrucarol) and cat allergen (Fel d 1) levels in schools and rhinitis and other weekly SBS symptoms in the students. Fungal DNA was measured by quantitative PCR and cat allergen by ELISA. Pupils (N = 462) from eight randomly selected schools in Johor Bahru, Malaysia participated (96%). Dust samples were collected by cotton swabs and Petri dishes exposed for one week. None of the schools had a mechanical ventilation system, but all classrooms had openable windows that were kept open during lectures and indoor CO₂ levels were low (mean 492 ppm; range 380–690 ppm). Weekly nasal symptoms (rhinitis) (18.8%), ocular (11.6%), throat (11.1%), dermal symptoms, headache (20.6%) and tiredness (22.1%) were common. Total fungal DNA in swab samples was associated with rhinitis (p = 0.02), ocular symptoms (p = 0.009) and tiredness (p = 0.001). There were positive associations between Aspergillus versicolor DNA in Petri dish samples, ocular symptoms (p = 0.02) and tiredness (p = 0.001). The level of the mycotoxin verrucarol (produced by Stachybotrys chartarum) in swab samples was positively associated with tiredness (p = 0.04). Streptomyces DNA in swab samples (p = 0.03) and Petri dish samples (p = 0.03) were negatively associated with tiredness. In conclusion, total fungal contamination, measured as total fungal DNA) in the classrooms, Aspergillus versicolor and verrucarol can be risk factors for rhinitis and SBS symptoms among students in the tropical country Malaysia.     

Increasing Lysine Content of Waxy Maize through Introgression of Opaque-2 and Opaque-16 Genes Using Molecular Assisted and Biochemical Development

The low lysine content of waxy maize cannot meet the nutritional requirements of humans, livestock, or poultry. In the present study, the high-lysine genes o2 and o16 were backcrossed into wx lines using the maize high-lysine inbreds TAIXI19 (o2o2) and QCL3021 (o16o16) as donors and the waxy maize inbred line QCL5019 (wxwx) as a receptor. In the triple-cross F₁, backcross, and inbred generations, the SSR markers phi027 and phi112 within the wx and o2 genes and the SSR marker umc1121 linked to the o16 gene were used for foreground selection. Background selection of the whole-genome SSR markers was performed for the selected individuals. The grain lysine content was determined using the dye-binding lysine method. The waxiness of the grain was determined with the I₂-KI staining and dual-wavelength spectrophotometric analysis. The BC₂F₂ generation included 7 plants of genotype wxwxo2o2O16_, 19 plants of genotype wxwxo16o16O2_, and 3 plants of genotype wxwxo2o2o16o16. In these seeds, the average amylopectin content was 96.67%, 96.87%, and 96.62%, respectively, which is similar to that of QCL5019. The average lysine content was 0.555%, 0.380%, and 0.616%, respectively, representing increases of 75.1%, 19.9%, 94.3%, respectively, over QCL5019. The average genetic background recovery rate of the BC₂F₃ families was 95.3%, 94.3%, 94.2%, respectively. Among these 3 wxwxo2o2O16O16 families, 4 wxwxo2o2O16o16 families, and 3 wxwxo2o2o16o16 families, the longest imported parent donor fragment was 113.35 cM and the shortest fragment was 11.75 cM. No significant differences in lysine content were found between the BC₂F₄ seeds and the BC₂F₃ seeds in these 10 families. This allowed us to increase the lysine content of waxy corn and produce seeds with excellent nutritional characteristics suitable for human consumption, animal feed, and food processing. This may be of significance in the breeding of high-quality corn and in improvement of the nutrition of humans, livestock, and poultry.     

Diversity of Rhizosphere Soil Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Various Soybean Cultivars under Different Continuous Cropping Regimes

Recent studies have shown that continuous cropping in soybean causes substantial changes to the microbial community in rhizosphere soil. In this study, we investigated the effects of continuous cropping for various time periods on the diversity of rhizosphere soil arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in various soybean cultivars at the branching stage. The soybean cultivars Heinong 37 (an intermediate cultivar), Heinong 44 (a high-fat cultivar) and Heinong 48 (a high-protein cultivar) were seeded in a field and continuously cropped for two or three years. We analyzed the diversity of rhizosphere soil AM fungi of these soybean plants at the branching stage using morphological and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) techniques. The clustering analysis of unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA) was then used to investigate the AM fungal community shifts. The results showed that increasing the number of years of continuous cropping can improve the colonization rate of AM fungi in different soybean cultivars at the branching stage. The dominant AM fungi in the experimental fields were Funneliformismosseae and Glomus spp. The number of years of continuous cropping and the soybean cultivar both had obvious effects on the diversity of AM fungi, which was consistent with the results of colonization rate analysis. This study establishes a basis for screening dominant AM fungi of soybean. In addition, the results of this study may be useful for the development of AM fungal inoculants.     

Adaptive Admixture of HLA Class I Allotypes Enhanced Genetically Determined Strength of Natural Killer Cells in East Asians

Human natural killer (NK) cells are essential for controlling infection, cancer, and fetal development. NK cell functions are modulated by interactions between polymorphic inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) and polymorphic HLA-A, -B, and -C ligands expressed on tissue cells. All HLA-C alleles encode a KIR ligand and contribute to reproduction and immunity. In contrast, only some HLA-A and -B alleles encode KIR ligands and they focus on immunity. By high-resolution analysis of KIR and HLA-A, -B, and -C genes, we show that the Chinese Southern Han (CHS) are significantly enriched for interactions between inhibitory KIR and HLA-A and -B. This enrichment has had substantial input through population admixture with neighboring populations, who contributed HLA class I haplotypes expressing the KIR ligands B*46:01 and B*58:01, which subsequently rose to high frequency by natural selection. Consequently, over 80% of Southern Han HLA haplotypes encode more than one KIR ligand. Complementing the high number of KIR ligands, the CHS KIR locus combines a high frequency of genes expressing potent inhibitory KIR, with a low frequency of those expressing activating KIR. The Southern Han centromeric KIR region encodes strong, conserved, inhibitory HLA-C-specific receptors, and the telomeric region provides a high number and diversity of inhibitory HLA-A and -B-specific receptors. In all these characteristics, the CHS represent other East Asians, whose NK cell repertoires are thus enhanced in quantity, diversity, and effector strength, likely augmenting resistance to endemic viral infections.     

Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker Attenuates Intrarenal Renin-Angiotensin-System and Podocyte Injury in Rats with Myocardial Infarction

The mechanisms and mediators underlying common renal impairment after myocardial infarction (MI) are still poorly understood. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) provides renoprotective effects after MI by preventing augmented intrarenal renin-angiotensin-system (RAS)-induced podocyte injury. Sprague–Dawley rats that underwent ligation of their coronary arteries were treated with losartan (20 mg/kg/d) or vehicle for 3 or 9 weeks. Renal function, histology and molecular changes were assessed. The current study revealed that MI-induced glomerular podocyte injury was identified by increased immunostaining for desmin and p16^ink4a, decreased immunostaining for Wilms’ tumor-1 and podocin mRNA expression, and an induced increase of blood cystatin C at both 3 and 9 weeks. These changes were associated with increased intrarenal angiotensin II levels and enhanced expressions of angiotensinogen mRNA and angiotensin II receptor mRNA and protein. These changes were also associated with decreased levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) and decreased expressions of IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) protein and mRNA and phosphorylated(p)-Akt protein at 9 weeks, as well as increased expressions of 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine at both time points. Treatment with losartan significantly attenuated desmin- and p16^ink4a-positive podocytes, restored podocin mRNA expression, and decreased blood cystatin C levels. Losartan also prevented RAS activation and oxidative stress and restored the IGF-1/IGF-1R/Akt pathway. In conclusion, ARBs prevent the progression of renal impairment after MI via podocyte protection, partially by inhibiting the activation of the local RAS with subsequent enhanced oxidative stress and an inhibited IGF-1/IGF-1R/Akt pathway.     

FHA2 is a plant-specific ISWI subunit responsible for stamen development and plant fertility

Imitation Switch (ISWI) chromatin remodelers are known to function in diverse multi‐subunit complexes in yeast and animals. However, the constitution and function of ISWI complexes in Arabidopsis thaliana remain unclear. In this study, we identified forkhead‐associated domain 2 (FHA2) as a plant‐specific subunit of an ISWI chromatin‐remodeling complex in Arabidopsis. By in vivo and in vitro analyses, we demonstrated that FHA2 directly binds to RLT1 and RLT2, two redundant subunits of the ISWI complex in Arabidopsis. The stamen filament is shorter in the fha2 and rlt1/2 mutants than in the wild type, whereas their pistil lengths are comparable. The shorter filament, which is due to reduced cell size, results in insufficient pollination and reduced fertility. The rlt1/2 mutant shows an early‐flowering phenotype, whereas the phenotype is not shared by the fha2 mutant. Consistent with the functional specificity of FHA2, our RNA‐seq analysis indicated that the fha2 mutant affects a subset of RLT1/2‐regulated genes that does not include genes involved in the regulation of flowering time. This study demonstrates that FHA2 functions as a previously uncharacterized subunit of the Arabidopsis ISWI complex and is exclusively involved in regulating stamen development and plant fertility.     

Cardiac telocytes exist in the adult Xenopus tropicalis heart

Recent research has revealed that cardiac telocytes (CTs) play an important role in cardiac physiopathology and the regeneration of injured myocardium. Recently, we reported that the adult Xenopus tropicalis heart can regenerate perfectly in a nearly scar‐free manner after injury via apical resection. However, whether telocytes exist in the X tropicalis heart and are affected in the regeneration of injured X tropicalis myocardium is still unknown. The present ultrastructural and immunofluorescent double staining results clearly showed that CTs exist in the X tropicalis myocardium. CTs in the X tropicalis myocardium were mainly twined around the surface of cardiomyocyte trabeculae and linked via nanocontacts between the ends of the telopodes, forming a three‐dimensional network. CTs might play a role in the regeneration of injured myocardium.     

Identification of small RNAs involved in nitrogen fixation in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 based on RNA-seq under steady state conditions

The aim of the present study was to investigate the tolerance of five new Achromobacter and Pseudomonas strains to kerosene and to establish if the production of several secondary metabolites increases or not when these bacteria were grown in the presence of kerosene. The biodegradation of kerosene by isolated bacteria was also investigated in this study. Five Proteobacteria were isolated from different samples polluted with petroleum and petroleum products. Based on their morphological, biochemical, and molecular characteristics, isolated bacteria were identified as Achromobacter spanius IBBPo18 and IBBPo21, Pseudomonas putida IBBPo19, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa IBBPo20 and IBBPo22. All these bacteria were able to tolerate and degrade kerosene. Higher tolerance to kerosene and degradation rates were observed for P. aeruginosa IBBPo20 and IBBPo22, compared with that observed for A. spanius IBBPo18 and IBBPo21, and P. putida IBBPo19. All these bacteria were able to produce several secondary metabolites, such as surfactants and pigments. Glycolipid surfactants produced by P. aeruginosa IBBPo20 and IBBPo22, A. spanius IBBPo18 and IBBPo21, and P. putida IBBPo19 have a very good emulsification activity, and their activity increased when they were grown in the presence of kerosene. The production of rhamnolipid surfactants by P. aeruginosa IBBPo20 and IBBPo22 was confirmed by detection of rhlAB gene involved in their biosynthesis. Pyocyanin and pyoverdin pigments were produced only by P. aeruginosa IBBPo20 and IBBPo22, while carotenoid pigments were produced by all the isolated bacteria. Significant changes in pigments production were observed when P. aeruginosa IBBPo20 and IBBPo22, A. spanius IBBPo18 and IBBPo21, and P. putida IBBPo19 were grown in the presence of kerosene. Due to their ability to tolerate and degrade kerosene, and also to produce several secondary metabolites, the isolated bacteria could be used in the bioremediation of kerosene-polluted environments.