A new role for PGRP-S (Tag7) in immune defense: lymphocyte migration is induced by a chemoattractant complex of Tag7 with Mts1

PGRP-S (Tag7) is an innate immunity protein involved in the antimicrobial defense systems, both in insects and in mammals. We have previously shown that Tag7 specifically interacts with several proteins, including Hsp70 and the calcium binding protein S100A4 (Mts1), providing a number of novel cellular functions. Here we show that Tag7–Mts1 complex causes chemotactic migration of lymphocytes, with NK cells being a preferred target. Cells of either innate immunity (neutrophils and monocytes) or acquired immunity (CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ lymphocytes) can produce this complex, which confirms the close connection between components of the 2 branches of immune response.     

Intergeneric somatic hybrid plants of Citrus sinensis cv. Hamlin and Poncirus trifoliata cv. Flying Dragon

Intergeneric somatic hybrid plants between Hamlin sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] and Flying Dragon trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata Raf.) were regenerated following protoplast fusion. Hamlin protoplasts, isolated from an habituated embryogenic suspension culture, were fused chemically with Flying Dragon protoplasts isolated from juvenile leaf tissue. The hybrid selection scheme was based on complementation of the regenerative ability of the Hamlin protoplasts with the subsequent expression of the trifoliate leaf character of Flying Dragon. Hybrid plants were regenerated via somatic embryogenesis and multiplied organogenically. Hybrid morphology was intermediate to that of the parents. Chromosome counts indicated that the hybrids were allotetraploids (2n=4x=36). Malate dehydrogenase (MDH) isozyme patterns confirmed the hybrid nature of the regenerated plants. These genetically unique somatic hybrid plants will be evaluated for citrus rootstock potential. The cell fusion, selection, and regeneration scheme developed herein should provide a general means to expand the germplasm base of cultivated Citrus by intergeneric hybridization with related sexually incompatible genera.Abbreviations MDH malate dehydrogenase - CTV citrus tristeza virus - MT Murashige and Tucker basal medium - BH3 protoplast culture medium, Grosser and Chandler, 1987 - PEG polyethylene glycol - GA3 giberellic acid - BA N-(phenylmethyl)-1 H-purin-6-amine - HCl hydrochloric acid Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 7972     

Indigenous and enhanced mineralization of pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene, and carbazole in soils.

We studied the mineralization of pyrene, carbazole, and benzo[a]pyrene in soils obtained from three abandoned coal gasification plants in southern Illinois. The soils had different histories of past exposure to hydrocarbon contamination and different amounts of total organic carbon, microbial biomass, and microbial activity. Mineralization was measured by using serum bottle radiorespirometry. The levels of indigenous mineralization of 14C-labeled compounds ranged from 10 to 48% for pyrene, from undetectable to 46% for carbazole, and from undetectable to 25% for benzo[a]pyrene following long-term (greater than 180-day) incubations. Pyrene and carbazole were degraded with short or no lag periods in all soils, but benzo[a]pyrene mineralization occurred after a 28-day lag period. Mineralization was not dependent on high levels of microbial biomass and activity in the soils. Bacterial cultures that were capable of degrading pyrene and carbazole were isolated by enrichment, grown in pure culture, and reintroduced into soils. Reintroduction of a pyrene-degrading bacterium enhanced mineralization to a level of 55% within 2 days, compared with a level of 1% for the indigenous population. The carbazole degrader enhanced mineralization to a level of 45% after 7 days in a soil that showed little indigenous carbazole mineralization. The pyrene and carbazole degraders which we isolated were identified as a Mycobacterium sp. and a Xanthamonas sp., respectively. Our results indicated that mineralization of aromatic hydrocarbons can be significantly enhanced by reintroducing isolated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria.     

Learning to deal with drug-dependent patients: one physician's reflections.

Physicians with a contemporary education may not be adequately trained to deal effectively with drug-dependent patients. This paper details the problems that one physician encountered with such individuals in his practice. A retraining program was set up in which he received basic education in drug dependence and became involved in individual counselling with drug abusers and in research studies on alcoholism and drug abuse. Physicians must exercise caution when prescribing medications that are potentially addictive. They must have a responsible attitude in their care of drug-dependent patients. The assessment and treatment of such patients should be carried out only by a multidisciplinary team of health care professionals. These principles are best inculcated by the proper exposure of medical students to substance-abuse problems and by the availability of appropriate courses and studies in this area to practising physicians.     

Further evidence of a cybridization requirement for plant regeneration from citrus leaf protoplasts following somatic fusion

Summary Somatic hybridization experiments in Citrus that involve the fusion of protoplasts of one parent isolated from either nucellus-derived embryogenic callus or suspension cultures with leaf-derived protoplasts of a second parent, often result in the regeneration of diploid plants that phenotypically resemble the leaf parent. In this study, plants of this type regenerated following somatic fusions of the following three parental combinations were analyzed to determine their genetic origin (nuclear and organelle): (embryogenic parent listed first, leaf parent second) (1) calamondin (C. microcarpa Bunge) + Keen sour orange (C. aurantium L.), (2) Cleopatra mandarin (C. reticulata Blanco) + sour orange, and (3) Valencia sweet orange (C. sinensis (L.) Osbeck) + Femminello lemon (C. limon (L.) Burm. f.). Isozyme analyses of PGI, PGM, GOT, and IDH zymograms of putative cybrid plants, along with RFLP analyses using a nuclear genome-specific probe showed that these plants contained the nucleus of the leaf parent. RFLP analyses using mtDNA-specific probes showed that these plants contained the mitochondrial genome of the embryogenic callus donor, thereby confirming cybridization. RFLP analyses using cpDNA-specific probes revealed that the cybrid plants contained the chloroplast genome of either one or the other parent. These results support previous reports indicating that acquisition of the mitochondria of embryogenic protoplasts by leaf protoplasts is a prerequisite for recovering plants with the leaf parent phenotype via somatic embryogenesis following somatic fusion.Abbreviations cp chloroplast - GOT glutamateoxaloacetate transaminase - IDH isocitrate dehydrogenase - mt mitochondria - PEG polyethylene glycol - PGI phosphoglucose isomerase - PGM phosphoglucomutase - RFLP restriction fragment length polymorphism Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. R-04631.     

Functional characterization of full-length and 5′ deletion fragments of Citrus sinensis-derived constitutive promoters in Nicotiana benthamiana

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant - Full-length and 5′ deletion fragments of three constitutively expressed gene promoters identified from the Citrus sinensis L. genome...     

吐鲁番市胃食管反流病发生相关危险因素分析（附280例报道）

目的：探讨280例胃食管反流病（GERD）的分布特点及危险因素。方法：对临床诊断和胃镜确诊的280例GERD患者进行临床和风险因子相关性分析。结果：不论汉族还是维族,男性患者比例均明显高于女性;汉族患者高发年龄段早于维族患者（z=-2．939,P=0．003,）;汉族和维族患者占反流性食管炎和Barrett食管比例分别为42．4％、81_3％及56．5％、18．8％,其中汉族患者Barrett食管比例较高（X2=14．358,P=0．000）;肥胖、习惯性便秘、重体力活动者、饮食习惯不良在维族患者中的比例较高（P〈0．001）。结论：GERD与性别、年龄密切相关,男性多于女性,汉族患者发病年龄高峰旱于维族患者;汉族患者Barrett食管发生比例高于维族患者;肥胖、习惯性便秘、重体力活动、饮食习惯不良可能是GERD尤其是维族人群GERD的危险因素。