Microsatellite DNA markers for population-genetic studies of blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) and cross-specific amplification in S. japonicus

Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) is targeted by large-scale purse-seiners in the western North Pacific, and its stock structure is still contentious. Herein, we described 10 polymorphic microsatellite loci for blue mackerel. The number of alleles among 32 individuals surveyed ranged from five to 27 (average of 16.2 alleles per locus). Departures from Hardy-Weinberg expectation were observed at two loci. Cross-specific amplification in the congener, S. japonicus, was successful, except for one locus, revealed to be diagnostic for these congeners. These microsatellite loci will be useful tools to address queries in population genetic structure, fishery management unit and taxonomic species status in the genus Scomber.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rubellimicrobium roseum</Emphasis> sp. nov., a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from the forest soil sample

A novel pink-coloured, non-spore-forming, non-motile, Gram-negative bacterium, designated YIM 48858^T, is described by using a polyphasic approach. The strain can grow at pH 6.5–9 (optimum at pH 7) and 25–30°C (optimum at 28°C). NaCl is not required for its growth. Positive for oxidase and catalase. Urease activity, nitrate reduction, starch and Tween 80 tests are negative reaction. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity studies showed that strain YIM 48858^T is a member of the genus Rubellimicrobium, with similarities of 96.3, 95.7 and 95.5% to Rubellimicrobium mesophilum MSL-20^T, Rubellimicrobium aerolatum 5715S-9^T and Rubellimicrobium thermophilum DSM 16684^T, respectively. Q-10 was the predominant respiratory ubiquinone as in the other members of the genus Rubellimicrobium. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphoglycolipid, glycolipid and the major fatty acids were C18:1 ω7c, C16:0 and C10:0 3-OH, which are very different from the valid published species. The DNA G + C content was 67.7 mol%. Both phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic evidence supports that YIM 48858^T is a novel species of the genus Rubellimicrobium, for which the name Rubellimicrobium roseum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 48858^T (=CCTCC AA 208029^T =KCTC 23202^T).     

Cloning and expression analysis of a water stress-induced gene from Brassica oleracea.

Plant growth and productivity are greatly affected by water stress, such as drought and salinity. Here we report on the cloning and expression analysis of a water stress-induced gene from Brassica oleracea (designated as BoWS, GenBank accession number AY571333) by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The full-length cDNA of BoWS consisted of 594 bp and contained a 285 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 95-amino-acid protein. The deduced protein had a calculated molecular mass of 10.53 kDa and an isoelectric point of 6.93. The sequence similarity and comparative analysis showed that BoWS was 84% identical to Arabidopsis thaliana putative water stress-induced protein (GenBank accession number AAM67282). Southern blot analysis indicated that BoWS was a low-copy gene. Northern blot analysis revealed that the expression of BoWS was upregulated by abscisic acid (ABA), mannitol, NaCl, drought, salicylic acid (SA) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). Our results indicate that BoWS is extremely related to the water-deficit stress in B. oleracea.     

Breast cancer found at the time of breast reduction.

In a recent study involving 27,500 women who had breast reduction surgery in Ontario, Canada, 17 women who were diagnosed as having breast cancer at the time of their breast reduction surgery were identified. The aims of this study were to (1) describe a population-based series of patients who had breast cancer diagnosed at the time of breast reduction, (2) describe the treatment of these cancers, and (3) compare their survival rate with survival in patients in the general population who had breast cancer. Information about these women, their treatment, and outcome was extracted from hospital records, pathology reports, and reports from regional cancer centers. The chance of finding an invasive breast cancer at the time of breast reduction was 0.06 percent, which is lower than what has been reported previously. Sixty-seven percent of these women were treated with total mastectomy. In the remaining 33 percent, who were treated with partial mastectomy, the entire tumor was removed at the time of breast reduction. Fifty percent of the women were treated with radiation, and 25 percent were treated with chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Compared with women in the general population of Ontario who have breast cancer, women whose breast cancer is discovered during breast reduction surgery are more likely to be treated with complete mastectomy and less likely to be treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Seventy-one percent of the breast reduction group were axillary node-negative at diagnosis, compared with 58 percent in the general population of women with breast cancer. Survival from breast cancer in women diagnosed at the time of breast reduction (88 percent, 5-year survival) was better than survival from breast cancer in the general population (77 percent). These findings suggest that cancers found in women at the time of breast reduction are less advanced, possibly because they are diagnosed at an earlier stage.     

Sodium (±)‐5‐bromo‐2‐(α‐hydroxypentyl) benzoate ameliorates pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction through inhibiting autophagy

Sodium (±)‐5‐bromo‐2‐(a‐hydroxypentyl) benzoate (generic name: brozopine, BZP) has been reported to protect against stroke‐induced brain injury and was approved for Phase II clinical trials for treatment of stroke‐related brain damage by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA). However, the role of BZP in cardiac diseases, especially in pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, remains to be investigated. In the present study, angiotensin II stimulation and transverse aortic constriction were employed to induce cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro and in vivo, respectively, prior to the assessment of myocardial cell autophagy. We observed that BZP administration ameliorated cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and excessive autophagic activity. Further results indicated that AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK)‐mediated activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway likely played a role in regulation of autophagy by BZP after Ang II stimulation. The activation of AMPK with metformin reversed the BZP‐induced suppression of autophagy. Finally, for the first time, we demonstrated that BZP could protect the heart from pressure overload‐induced hypertrophy and dysfunction, and this effect is associated with its inhibition of maladaptive cardiomyocyte autophagy through the AMPK‐mTOR signalling pathway. These findings indicated that BZP may serve as a promising compound for treatment of pressure overload‐induced cardiac remodelling and heart failure.