An Imported Case of Cystic Echinococcosis in the Liver

A 25-year-old Uzbek male presented with right upper abdominal pain for 20 days. On radiologic studies, a huge cystic mass was noticed in the right liver which was suspected as parasitic. The patient received right hepatic segmentectomy (segment 7), and the surgically resected mass was confirmed as cystic echinococcosis (CE), measuring 10.5 cm in its diameter. The inner surface of the cyst was bile-stained. The patient was discharged on the 8th hospital day, and was rechecked 6 months after the surgical intervention without any evidence of recurrence. The present report describes findings of an imported case of CE which represented ultrasound images of the ''ball of wool''.     

Knockdown of a laccase in Populus deltoides confers altered cell wall chemistry and increased sugar release

Plant laccases are thought to function in the oxidation of monolignols which leads to higher order lignin formation. Only a hand‐full of laccases in plants have been functionally evaluated, and as such little is known about the breadth of their impact on cell wall chemistry or structure. Here, we describe a previously uncharacterized laccase from Populus, encoded by locus Potri.008G064000, whose reduced expression resulted in transgenic Populus trees with changes in syringyl/guaiacyl ratios as well as altered sugar release phenotypes. These phenotypes are consistent with plant biomass exhibiting reduced recalcitrance. Interestingly, the transgene effect on recalcitrance is dependent on a mild pretreatment prior to chemical extraction of sugars. Metabolite profiling suggests the transgene modulates phenolics that are associated with the cell wall structure. We propose that this particular laccase has a range of functions related to oxidation of phenolics and conjugation of flavonoids that interact with lignin in the cell wall.     

Response of physiologic metabolism and cell structures in mango fruit to exogenous methyl salicylate under low-temperature stress

We explored the effects of exogenous methyl salicylate (MeSA) on the development of chilling injury symptom, and the structure and composition of the pericarp, in mango ( Mangifera indica L. cv. 'Red 6') fruit under low-temperature stress using histochemical analysis and scanning electron microscopy together with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The results indicated that chilling injury symptom was remarkably limited in the fruit treated with MeSA at 0.1 m M as compared to the 5°C control, demonstrating the positive effects of MeSA in reducing chilling injury of mango fruit in low-temperature storage. In MeSA-treated fruit, the pericarp wax surface showed many cracks, and exocarp cells exhibited normal separation. The cell wall of exocarp contained lower amounts of pectic substances, aliphatics and phenolics in MeSA-treated fruit. In addition, MeSA-treated fruit contained more esterified substances and less carboxylate and carboxyl substances. Our work revealed the importance of MeSA in enhancing fruit tolerance to low-temperature stress and suggested a contribution of cellular structure and composition to this effect, which has not been reported previously.     

Association between polymorphisms in the promoter region of interleukin-10 and susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease

The aim of this study was to assess the association of polymorphisms in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene with the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Fifteen studies (3,693 cases and 4,574 controls) were included in a meta-analysis of association between IL-10 ?1082G/A, ?819C/T and ?592C/A polymorphisms, and IBD, CD and UC using allele contrast and the recessive, dominant, and additive models. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was confirmed for each study. Heterogeneity and study quality were investigated using stratification analyses and sensitivity analyses. Polymorphism ?1082G/A showed significant association with CD, with odds ratios (ORs) for the GG + GA genotype and GG versus AA genotype of 1.278 (1.004–1.627) and 1.238 (1.027–1.492) in all subjects. Significant associations were found in the Caucasian subgroup using the allele contrast, dominant, and additive models. C-allele carriers of the ?819C/T polymorphism were at increased risk of IBD (OR 1.093, 95 % CI 1.004–1.190). Association with the ?819C/T polymorphism was also found in Caucasians with CD (C vs. T: OR 1.104, 95 % CI 1.010–1.206; CC + CT vs. TT: OR 1.328, 95 % CI 1.006–1.754; CC vs. TT: OR 1.339, 95 % CI 1.008–1.778), and with UC (CC vs. CT + TT: OR 1.188, 95 % CI 1.019–1.385). No significant association was found between the ?592C/A polymorphism and IBD, CD or UC. In conclusion, the meta-analysis demonstrated clear association between the IL-10 polymorphisms ?1082G/A and ?819C/T and the risk of IBD.     

瘤胃降解粗纤维产甲烷的厌氧真菌与甲烷菌共培养物的分离鉴定

【目的】本试验从瘤胃中分离鉴定降解粗纤维产甲烷的厌氧真菌与甲烷菌共培养物,为深入探究甲烷菌对厌氧真菌代谢途径的影响及相关调节机制奠定基础。【方法】利用厌氧滚管技术从荷斯坦奶牛瘤胃内容物中分离厌氧真菌与甲烷菌共培养物,通过形态学观察和DAPI染色以及甲烷菌16S rRNA基因序列分析方法分别对厌氧真菌及甲烷菌进行鉴定。【结果】从荷斯坦奶牛瘤胃中共分离到28株厌氧真菌与甲烷菌共培养物。共培养物中的厌氧真菌均为单中心菌株,分别属于Piromyces,Neocallimastix和Caeomyces属,所占百分比为53.57%,42.86%及3.57%。甲烷菌16S rRNA基因序列分析结果表明,共培养物中的甲烷菌均为甲烷短杆菌。本研究共获得四种不同的厌氧真菌与甲烷菌组合,分别为Piromyces/类Methanobrevibacter olleyae菌株,Neocallimastix/类Methanobrevibacter olleyae菌株,Neocallimastix/类Methanobrevibacter thaueri菌株及Caecomyces/类Methanobrevibacter olleyae菌株,分别占总数的53.57%,39.29%,3.57%及3.57%。【结论】分离得到的28株厌氧真菌和甲烷菌共培养物中,占优势的为具有丰富丝状假根的厌氧真菌Piromyces和Neocallimastix以及类Methanobrevibacter olleyae属的甲烷短杆菌。本研究为进一步研究瘤胃内厌氧真菌与甲烷菌相互代谢关系奠定基础。     

Expression profile of IGF system during lung injury and recovery in rats exposed to hyperoxia: a possible role of IGF-1 in alveolar epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation

Although several studies have shown that an induction of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) components occurs during hyperoxia-mediated lung injury, the role of these components in tissue repair is not well known. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of IGF system components in normal tissue remodeling. We used a rat model of lung injury and remodeling by exposing rats to > 95% oxygen for 48 h and allowing them to recover in room air for up to 7 days. The mRNA expression of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) increased during injury. However, the protein levels of these components remained elevated until day 3 of the recovery and were highly abundant in alveolar type II cells. Among IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs), IGFBP-5 mRNA expression increased during injury and at all the recovery time points. IGFBP-2 and -3 mRNA were also elevated during injury phase. In an in vitro model of cell differentiation, the expression of IGF-I and IGF-II increased during trans-differentiation of alveolar epithelial type II cells into type-I like cells. The addition of anti-IGF-1R and anti-IGF-I antibodies inhibited the cell proliferation and trans-differentiation to some extent, as evident by cell morphology and the expression of type I and type II cell markers. These findings demonstrate that the IGF signaling pathway plays a critical role in proliferation and differentiation of alveolar epithelium during tissue remodeling.     

Mechanisms of the acute ischemia-induced arrhythmogenesis--a simulation study

The underlying ionic mechanisms of ischemic-induced arrhythmia were studied by the computer simulation method. To approximate the real situation, ischemic cells were simulated by considering the three major component conditions of acute ischemia (elevated extracellular K(+) concentration, acidosis and anoxia) at the level of ionic currents and ionic concentrations, and a round ischemic zone was introduced into a homogeneous healthy sheet to avoid sharp angle of the ischemic tissue. The constructed models were solved using the operator splitting and adaptive time step methods, and the perturbation finite difference (PFD) scheme was first used to integrate the partial differential equations (PDEs) in the model. The numerical experiments showed that the action potential durations (APDs) of ischemic cells did not exhibited rate adaptation characteristic, resulting in flattening of the APD restitution curve. With reduction of sodium channel availability and long recovery of excitability, refractory period of the ischemic tissue was significantly prolonged, and could no longer be considered as same as APD. Slope of the conduction velocity (CV) restitution curve increased both in normal and ischemic region when pacing cycle length (PCL) was short, and refractory period dispersion increased with shortening of PCL as well. Therefore, dynamic changes of CV and dispersion of refractory period rather than APD were suggested to be the fundamental mechanisms of arrhythmia in regional ischemic myocardium.     

高产申嗪霉素和吩嗪-1-酰胺的水稻根际铜绿假单胞菌PA1201分离、鉴定与应用潜力

【目的】从水稻根际筛选能高效抑制水稻病原菌的细菌,分析和鉴定其形态和生化特征,为开发新型绿色农药奠定基础。【方法】从水稻根际分离能以1-氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸(ACC)为唯一碳源的菌株,根据菌株形态和生化特性、16S r DNA序列比对和磷脂脂肪酸图谱,对该菌株进行鉴定。通过氯仿萃取抽提、高效液相色谱分析,确定菌株PA1201在PPM培养基和黄豆粉培养基中申嗪霉素和吩嗪-1-酰胺的产量。【结果】菌株PA1201能有效抑制水稻纹枯病菌和水稻白叶枯病菌的生长,属于铜绿假单胞菌(Pseudomonas aeruginosa sp.PA1201);PA1201产生两种抑菌代谢产物申嗪霉素和吩嗪-1-酰胺,在PPM和黄豆粉培养基中申嗪霉素的产量可达81.7 mg/L和926.9 mg/L,吩嗪-1-酰胺的产量亦可达18.1 mg/L和489.5 mg/L;PA1201产生大量胞外蛋白酶,对人肺腺癌细胞系A549和黑腹果蝇具有一定毒性。【结论】PA1201的申嗪霉素产量比现有生产菌株的出发菌株M18高3-4倍,还能产生另一种抑菌活性更高的衍生物吩嗪-1-酰胺,具有进一步开发的潜力。