Microbial Ecology and Association of Bacillus thuringiensis in Chicken Feces Originating from Feed

To explain the association of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) with animal feces, an ecological analysis in chickens was conducted by introducing a cry ^? strain marked by production of green fluorescent protein (GFP). After feeding with the tagged Bt strains, the feces of the tested chickens were collected at different times, isolated, and the morphology of Bt was observed. It was shown that Bt strain HD-73GFP in spore form could be isolated from feces of chickens for a period of 13 d, and then it disappeared thereafter. Bt could be detected only up to day 4 (but not thereafter), when chickens were fed with vegetative cells of HD-73GFP. To confirm the source of newly isolated strains, the gfp gene was examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which showed that all the isolated strains harbored the marker gene. Recent data from isolation and PCR had suggested that fecal Bt strains had originated from food. Chicken tissues were thus dissected to isolate Bt strains and to investigate whether Bt could be located in vivo. Bt was located within the duodenum in spore form. Compared to the morphology of the isolated strains at different growth times, the growth rates of all the tested Bt had little changes when passing through the digestive system to the feces. Dissection of the chickens confirmed that Bt was safe for the tested animal.     

Revealing interaction between sulfobutylether‐β‐cyclodextrin and reserpine by chemiluminescence and site‐directed molecular docking

The host–guest interaction between sulfobutylether‐β‐cyclodextrin (SBE‐β‐CD) and reserpine (RSP) is described using flow injection‐chemiluminescence (FI‐CL) and site‐directed molecular docking methods. It was found that RSP could inhibit the CL intensity produced by a luminol/SBE‐β‐CD system. The decrease in CL intensity was logarithmic over an RSP concentration range of 0.03 to 700.0 nM, giving a regression equation of ?I = 107.1lgC_RES + 186.1 with a detection limit of 10 pM (3σ). The CL assay was successfully applied in the determination of RSP in injection, saliva and urine samples with recoveries in the range 93.5–106.1%. Using the proposed CL model, the binding constant (K_CD‐R) and the stoichiometric ratio of SBE‐β‐CD/RSP were calculated to be 7.4 × 10⁶ M^‐1 and 1 : 1, respectively. Using molecular docking, it was confirmed that luminol binds to the small cavity of SBE‐β‐CD with a nonpolar interaction, while RSP targeted the larger cavity of SBE‐β‐CD and formed a 1 : 1 complex with hydrogen bonds. The proposed new CL method has the potential to become a powerful tool for revealing the host–guest interaction between CDs and drugs, as well as monitoring drugs with high sensitivity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Terpenoids from Euphorbia helioscopia and Their Cytotoxic Activities against H1975 Cells

Three previously undescribed diterpenoids, helioscopnoids A–C, and eight known compounds were isolated from the whole plants of Euphorbia helioscopia. Their structures were established by extensive analysis of spectra and data comparison with previous literatures. Among them, compound 4 was identified as 24,24-dimethoxy-25,26,27-trinoreuphan-3β-ol with revised configurations of C-13, C-14, and C-17 (13R*, 14R*, 17R*). Cytotoxicity assays revealed that all compounds exhibited varying levels of cytotoxicity against H1975 cells, with compound 9 displaying the most potent activity, as indicated by cell viability rates of 18.13 % and 20.76 % at concentrations of 20 μM and 5 μM, respectively. This study expands the understanding of E. helioscopia terpenoids’ structural diversity and biological activities, contributing to the exploration of potential therapeutic applications.     

L1 cell adhesion molecule overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma associates with advanced tumor progression and poor patient survival

Background

To investigate the expression of Golgi phosphoprotein-3 (GOLPH3) in prostate cancer and determine its prognostic value.

Methods

Immunohistochemical staining for GOLPH3 was performed on tissue microarrays of 342 prostate patients. The correlation between GOLPH3 expression with its clinicopathologic factors was also analyzed in order to determine its prognostic significance.

Results

GOLPH3 expression of normal prostate tissues, benign prostate hyperplasia, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, and hormone-dependent prostate cancer (HDPC) did not show any statistically significant difference. In contrast, statistically significant difference was reported in moderate/intense GOLPH3 expression in cases diagnosed with HDPC and castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) (P < 0.0005). Moderate /intense expression of GOLPH3 was associated with androgen independence (P?=?0.012), higher Gleason score (P?=?0.017), bone metastasis (P?=?0.024), higher baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (P?=?0.038), and higher PSA nadir (P?=?0.032). A significantly negative correlation was found between moderate/intense GOLPH3 expression and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR?=?0.28, P?=?0.012) and overall survival (OS) (HR?=?0.42, P?=?0.027). Univariated analysis indicated that moderate/intense GOLPH3 expression created a significantly prognostic impact in patients with CRPC. On the other hand, multivariate analysis indicated that GOLPH3 was a significantly independent prognostic factor of DFS (P?=?0.027) in all prostate cancer patients.

Conclusions

In this study, it was discovered that the overexpression of GOLPH3 is associated with the transition of prostate cancer from hormone sensitive phase to hormone refractory phase. GOLPH3 might be an important prognostic factor of DFS and OS in patients with prostate cancer. In totality, GOLPH3 could be used as a novel candidate in devising a more effective therapeutic strategy to tackle CRPC.

Virtual slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1452541171722856.     

Different Regional Gray Matter Loss in Recent Onset PTSD and Non PTSD after a Single Prolonged Trauma Exposure

Objective

Gray matter loss in the limbic structures was found in recent onset post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients. In the present study, we measured regional gray matter volume in trauma survivors to verify the hypothesis that stress may cause different regional gray matter loss in trauma survivors with and without recent onset PTSD.

Method

High resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were obtained from coal mine flood disaster survivors with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) recent onset PTSD and 20 no trauma exposed normal controls. The voxel-based morphometry (VBM) method was used to measure the regional gray matter volume in three groups, the correlations of PTSD symptom severities with the gray matter volume in trauma survivors were also analyzed by multiple regression.

Results

Compared with normal controls, recent onset PTSD patients had smaller gray matter volume in left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and non PTSD subjects had smaller gray matter volume in the right pulvinar and left pallidum. The gray matter volume of the trauma survivors correlated negatively with CAPS scores in the right frontal lobe, left anterior and middle cingulate cortex, bilateral cuneus cortex, right middle occipital lobe, while in the recent onset PTSD, the gray matter volume correlated negatively with CAPS scores in bilateral superior medial frontal lobe and right ACC.

Conclusion

The present study identified gray matter loss in different regions in recent onset PTSD and non PTSD after a single prolonged trauma exposure. The gray matter volume of left dorsal ACC associated with the development of PTSD, while the gray matter volume of right pulvinar and left pallidum associated with the response to the severe stress. The atrophy of the frontal and limbic cortices predicts the symptom severities of the PTSD.     

大鼠隔区接受海马一氧化氮合酶(NOS)阳性神经元的投射

目的逆行追踪大鼠海马NOS阳性神经元向隔区的投射。方法用HRP逆行追踪与NADPH-d组化方法相结合进行研究。结果背、腹、后海马均有NOS阳性神经元投射至隔区各亚细胞群,后海马NOS阳性神经元向隔外侧核(sl)、隔三角核和隔伞核(ts,sf)的投射量,占后海马至隔外侧核、隔三角核和隔伞核投射量的80％左右。结论大鼠隔区接受海马NOS神经元的投射。     

Molecular and genetic aspects of plant responses to osmotic stress

Drought, high salinity and freezing impose osmotic stress on plants. Plants respond to the stress in part by modulating gene expression, which eventually leads to the restoration of cellular homeostasis, detoxification of toxins and recovery of growth. The signal transduction pathways mediating these adaptations can be dissected by combining forward and reverse genetic approaches with molecular, biochemical and physiological studies. Arabidopsis is a useful genetic model system for this purpose and its relatives including the halophyte Thellungiella halophila, can serve as valuable complementary genetic model systems.     

无环鸟苷抗乙型肝炎病毒复制长短程疗法随访观察

慢性乙型肝炎病毒感染s5例,随机分无环鸟苷长程组22例,短程组11例和对照组22例。经一年随访观察,无环鸟苷治疗组见血清HBeAg、DNA-P和HBV-DNA有规律性阴转,短程组于12个月又有部分指标阳转,长程组阴转较多,其血清HBeAg、DNA-P和HBV-DNA阴转率与短程和对照组比较有显著性差异。一年结果四项病毒复制指标全部阴转例数与对照组有显著性差异,结果表明,无环鸟苷长疗程是有较好疗效。