Ganoderma mutabile sp. nov. from southwestern China based on morphological and molecular data

Ganoderma mutabile is described as new from Yunnan Province, southwestern China. Morphologically, G. mutabile is characterized by the sessile basidiocarps, laccate and reddish brown pileus, white pore surface, cinnamon to fulvous context, broadly ellipsoid basidiospores (9.7–11.2?×?7–7.8 μm) with coarse echinulae, and the strongly irregular diverticulated cuticle hyphae of diverse shapes. Phylogenetic analysis of nuc-ITS sequences shows that G. mutabile is closely related to the G. applanatum complex.     

围产儿出生缺陷分析及干预措施

摘要目的：掌握围产儿出生缺陷的发生情况,探讨引起围产儿出生缺陷的相关因素,为制订及完善出生缺陷预防对策及干预措施提供科学依据。方法：按照全国出生缺陷监测中心制定的监测方案,对2010年10月1日～2011年9月30日在湘潭市县级及以上医疗保健机构住院分娩的围生儿出生缺陷监测资料进行分析。结果：5年出生缺陷的平均发生率为93．30／万,出生缺陷的发生率无明显趋势（x2=0．114,P=0．736）乡村的出生缺陷发生率明显高于城镇（X2=24．638,P〈O．001）,男性围产儿的出生缺陷发生率显著高于女性（XZ=6．693,P=0．010）,出生缺陷的发生率与季节无关（x2=3．852,P=0．278）,出生缺陷的围产儿死亡率大大高于非出生缺陷）L（X2=2904．583,P〈0．001）,先天性心脏病、肢体畸形（并指／趾、多指／趾、肢体短缩、马蹄内翻足）、唇裂及唇腭裂是高发的出生缺陷。结论：减少出生缺陷的发生是一项长期工程,需要采取综合措施,从各个环节入手,以预防为主,加强优生优育健康教育,落实婚前及围产期保健,推行新生儿疾病筛查,可有效降低出生缺陷的发病率,提高出生人口素质。     

Tunable Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy via Plasmonic Coupling Between Nanodot-Arrayed Ag Film and Ag Nanocube

Herein, a flexible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate composed of nanodot-arrayed Ag film and Ag nanocubes was fabricated through a simple method. The large-area nanodot-arrayed Ag film was produced at low cost and high reproducibility. The experimental results show that the coupled structure produces a much stronger SERS signal than the Ag nanocube alone and the isolated nanodot-arrayed Ag film. Furthermore, the coupling effect is sensitive to geometrical parameter of the period of the dot-array. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the electric field enhancement of the composite SERS substrate and support the experimental results.     

Resonant Mode Analysis of the Nanoscale Surface Plasmon Polariton Waveguide Filter with Rectangle Cavity

The resonant mode characteristics of the nanoscale surface plasmon polaritons (SPP) waveguide filter with rectangle cavity are studied theoretically. By using the finite difference time domain method, both the band-stop- and band-pass-type rectangle SPP filters are analyzed. The results show that the whispering gallery mode (WGM) and the Fabry–Perot (FP) mode can be supported by the rectangle SPP resonator. Furthermore, both traveling-wave mode and standing-wave mode can be realized by the WGM, while only standing-wave mode can be introduced by the FP mode. The traveling-wave mode can only be realized by the square-shaped SPP resonator, and the traveling-wave mode is splitted into two standing-wave modes by transforming the cavity shape from square to rectangle. Also, the effects of the cavity shape, cavity size, and coupling gap size on the transmission spectra of the SPP resonators are analyzed in detail. This simple SPP waveguide filter is very promising for the high-density SPP waveguide integrations.     

Role of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 transfection in alleviating osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats

Decreased levels of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) have been proven to cause osteoporosis. Gene transfer of IGF-1 offers an attractive technology to treat skeletal metabolic disorders including osteoporosis, but the viral vectors are limited by their high antigenicity and immune response. Our purpose was to investigate the expression of a non-invasive vector, recombinant plasmid enhanced green fluorescent protein-N1 (pEGFP-N1) that transferred IGF-1 gene into ovariectomized (OVX) rats in vivo and evaluate the effect of this therapy on osteoporosis. OVX or sham operations were performed in 60 female, 7-month-old unmated SD rats. 12 weeks after OVX operation, the vectors were transfected to the 10-month-old rats and experimental data were detected from 48 h to 7 week after transfection. Our results showed that remarkable expression of fluorescence and serum IGF-1 was observed in the rats transfected by recombinant plasmids, indicating that IGF-1 gene was successfully transferred to OVX rats by injecting the vector through hydrodynamic method via the tail vein. The bone metabolism index including serum alkaline phosphatase, the histomorphometric parameters of lumbar vertebra including trabecular area percentage, trabecular thickness, trabecular number and trabecular separation, and the bone mineral density (BMD) and biomechanical parameters of lumbar vertebra including BMD, maximum condensing force, crushing strength in OVX rats transfected by pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 were improved remarkably compared with OVX+pEGFP-N1 rats, indicating that the transfection of recombinant plasmid pEGFP-N1-IGF-1 played a significant role in alleviating osteoporosis in rats induced by OVX. This encouraged a potential approach of IGF-1 gene therapy to the treatment of osteoporosis.     

dTULP,the Drosophila melanogaster Homolog of Tubby,Regulates Transient Receptor Potential Channel Localization in Cilia

Mechanically gated ion channels convert sound into an electrical signal for the sense of hearing. In Drosophila melanogaster, several transient receptor potential (TRP) channels have been implicated to be involved in this process. TRPN (NompC) and TRPV (Inactive) channels are localized in the distal and proximal ciliary zones of auditory receptor neurons, respectively. This segregated ciliary localization suggests distinct roles in auditory transduction. However, the regulation of this localization is not fully understood. Here we show that the Drosophila Tubby homolog, King tubby (hereafter called dTULP) regulates ciliary localization of TRPs. dTULP-deficient flies show uncoordinated movement and complete loss of sound-evoked action potentials. Inactive and NompC are mislocalized in the cilia of auditory receptor neurons in the dTulp mutants, indicating that dTULP is required for proper cilia membrane protein localization. This is the first demonstration that dTULP regulates TRP channel localization in cilia, and suggests that dTULP is a protein that regulates ciliary neurosensory functions.     

Atomic Model of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus by Cryo-Electron Microscopy and Crystallography

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease, first described in China in 1984, causes hemorrhagic necrosis of the liver. Its etiological agent, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), belongs to the Lagovirus genus in the family Caliciviridae. The detailed molecular structure of any lagovirus capsid has yet to be determined. Here, we report a cryo-electron microscopic (cryoEM) reconstruction of wild-type RHDV at 6.5 Å resolution and the crystal structures of the shell (S) and protruding (P) domains of its major capsid protein, VP60, each at 2.0 Å resolution. From these data we built a complete atomic model of the RHDV capsid. VP60 has a conserved S domain and a specific P2 sub-domain that differs from those found in other caliciviruses. As seen in the shell portion of the RHDV cryoEM map, which was resolved to ∼5.5 Å, the N-terminal arm domain of VP60 folds back onto its cognate S domain. Sequence alignments of VP60 from six groups of RHDV isolates revealed seven regions of high variation that could be mapped onto the surface of the P2 sub-domain and suggested three putative pockets might be responsible for binding to histo-blood group antigens. A flexible loop in one of these regions was shown to interact with rabbit tissue cells and contains an important epitope for anti-RHDV antibody production. Our study provides a reliable, pseudo-atomic model of a Lagovirus and suggests a new candidate for an efficient vaccine that can be used to protect rabbits from RHDV infection.     

Crif1 Deficiency Reduces Adipose OXPHOS Capacity and Triggers Inflammation and Insulin Resistance in Mice

Impaired mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) has been proposed as an etiological mechanism underlying insulin resistance. However, the initiating organ of OXPHOS dysfunction during the development of systemic insulin resistance has yet to be identified. To determine whether adipose OXPHOS deficiency plays an etiological role in systemic insulin resistance, the metabolic phenotype of mice with OXPHOS–deficient adipose tissue was examined. Crif1 is a protein required for the intramitochondrial production of mtDNA–encoded OXPHOS subunits; therefore, Crif1 haploinsufficient deficiency in mice results in a mild, but specific, failure of OXPHOS capacity in vivo. Although adipose-specific Crif1-haploinsufficient mice showed normal growth and development, they became insulin-resistant. Crif1-silenced adipocytes showed higher expression of chemokines, the expression of which is dependent upon stress kinases and antioxidant. Accordingly, examination of adipose tissue from Crif1-haploinsufficient mice revealed increased secretion of MCP1 and TNFα, as well as marked infiltration by macrophages. These findings indicate that the OXPHOS status of adipose tissue determines its metabolic and inflammatory responses, and may cause systemic inflammation and insulin resistance.     

Cross-Species Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Identifies Novel Oncogenic Events in Zebrafish and Human Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma

Human cancer genomes are highly complex, making it challenging to identify specific drivers of cancer growth, progression, and tumor maintenance. To bypass this obstacle, we have applied array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) to zebrafish embryonal rhabdomyosaroma (ERMS) and utilized cross-species comparison to rapidly identify genomic copy number aberrations and novel candidate oncogenes in human disease. Zebrafish ERMS contain small, focal regions of low-copy amplification. These same regions were commonly amplified in human disease. For example, 16 of 19 chromosomal gains identified in zebrafish ERMS also exhibited focal, low-copy gains in human disease. Genes found in amplified genomic regions were assessed for functional roles in promoting continued tumor growth in human and zebrafish ERMS – identifying critical genes associated with tumor maintenance. Knockdown studies identified important roles for Cyclin D2 (CCND2), Homeobox Protein C6 (HOXC6) and PlexinA1 (PLXNA1) in human ERMS cell proliferation. PLXNA1 knockdown also enhanced differentiation, reduced migration, and altered anchorage-independent growth. By contrast, chemical inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling reduced angiogenesis and tumor size in ERMS-bearing zebrafish. Importantly, VEGFA expression correlated with poor clinical outcome in patients with ERMS, implicating inhibitors of the VEGF pathway as a promising therapy for improving patient survival. Our results demonstrate the utility of array CGH and cross-species comparisons to identify candidate oncogenes essential for the pathogenesis of human cancer.